Future Father/Sons

[Bulldog4life]

WESTERN Bulldogs father-son prospect Ewan MacPherson has been named Captain of Vic Metro under 16's. His game has been likened to Jimmy Bartel's.

[bulldogtragic]

WESTERN Bulldogs father-son prospect Ewan MacPherson has been named Captain of Vic Metro under 16's. His game has been likened to Jimmy Bartel's.

Vic Metro captain. So he can kick presumably. Commit to him now!

[WBFC4FFC]

WESTERN Bulldogs father-son prospect Ewan MacPherson has been named Captain of Vic Metro under 16's. His game has been likened to Jimmy Bartel's.

Probably explains why we have so many talls on the list at present. The Club must know that a few of the pending Father-Sons are decent and are Midfielders. Hence the Recruiting/Trading that has transpired over the last couple of season.

[Twodogs]

Vic Metro captain. So he can kick presumably. Commit to him now!

That's a big presumption mr BT. That's like saying it's impossible for a player's skills to deteriorate while they are on an AFL list.

[bulldogtragic]

Probably explains why we have so many talls on the list at present. The Club must know that a few of the pending Father-Sons are decent and are Midfielders. Hence the Recruiting/Trading that has transpired over the last couple of season.

His older brother Darcy seems to be doing well this year at GCS too. Nearly 14 disposals, 1 goal & 6 tackles a game as a small forward. Our small forward stocks of Dahl, Hrovat, Hamilton, Honeychurch & Stringer has us overlook him. So there's a vacancy. Maybe he wants to come play for us again in front of his club champion dad, and one of my all time favourite players.

[Eastdog]

Probably explains why we have so many talls on the list at present. The Club must know that a few of the pending Father-Sons are decent and are Midfielders. Hence the Recruiting/Trading that has transpired over the last couple of season.

While talls are important still particular I reckon you need a great tall intercept marker in the backline up forward it's not so much about the talls more need for mid sized forwards good crumbers who are really good when the ball is at the ground. The game has gone in that direction. We need a good ruckman.

[Bulldog4life]

Probably explains why we have so many talls on the list at present. The Club must know that a few of the pending Father-Sons are decent and are Midfielders. Hence the Recruiting/Trading that has transpired over the last couple of season.

Good point. I am sure they look ahead at the upcoming drafts.

[bornadog]

Is there room for all the sons of the West? (http://www.afl.com.au/news/2018-06-29/is-there-room-for-all-the-sons-of-the-west)

FATHER-SON selections are widely considered as draft windfalls, but they can also force tricky decisions because of the emotion that comes with the son of a gun.

The Western Bulldogs have benefited from the draft concession more than most clubs, with four current players following in their fathers' footsteps.

Two of them, Tom Liberatore and Mitch Wallis, become free agents at season's end. While coach Luke Beveridge says they are required players, can the Dogs play both contested-ball specialists in the same side with their lack of a "strong athletic profile" and flexibility the premiership coach demands?

Fellow midfielders Marcus Bontempelli, Jack Macrae and Toby McLean all win the ball on the inside, spread from the contest and can play on a wing or a flank, while impressive youngster Bailey Williams has displayed a nice balance in his game when recently switched from half-back to the midfield.

Also joining a burgeoning inside-midfield assembly is 190cm Josh Dunkley, with Beveridge believing the premiership forward can also be a dominant force at the coalface.

Liberatore, 26, was preferred ahead of Wallis during the JLT Community Series and in round one, but the former's year-ending knee injury in the season-opener still didn't open the selection door for the latter until round three.

Dropped to the VFL for a fortnight after round nine, Beveridge explained the 25-year-old needed to add a "qualitative sheen" to his game if wanted to be a permanent member of the team.

While Wallis has been a solid contributor since his return to the senior side, his foot skills once again let him down in the dying moments in the two-point loss to North Melbourne last week, when a wayward kick just sailed out on the full, the mistake giving the Kangaroos the chance to launch their match-winning play.

Beveridge judged Wallis as "influential" in the heart-breaking defeat, but the costly blunder was another example of the ongoing skill errors that have plagued the Dogs throughout the season.

The Dogs sit 13th in the AFL for use by foot with an efficiency of just 64 per cent.

The ability to retain possession is key in the modern game, and Dogs list manager Sam Power told AFL.com.au's Road to Draft Podcast recently the club will look to add some much-needed class to their list via trade, free agency and November's NAB AFL Draft.

When it comes to this year's underage talent pool, the club is likely select a skilful finisher with a likely top-five pick, but also acquire another father-son recruit, as club great Scott West's son Rhylee has been impressing with Vic Metro and the Calder Cannons.

But what could complicate the club's list management strategy is West, like Wallis and Liberatore, is smaller inside midfielder who excels at stoppages, but isn't overly reliable by foot.

When it comes to efficiency by foot over their eight-year careers at Whitten Oval, Liberatore (59.4 per cent) only just shades Wallis (58.6), while West hits a target just 58.1 percent of the time.

However, what the AFL Academy member has over his potential future teammates is a burst of speed and elite agility to compliment the vision and quick hands he inherited from his father.

While West is likely to attract a bid from a rival club early in the second round on draft night, there's every chance the Bulldogs will have to make the tough decision to bid farewell to either Wallis or Liberatore at season's end.

[FrediKanoute]

Personally it creates a bigger problem for someone like Jong, than Libba or Wallis. That said I can see one of the 2 not finishing their careers as Bulldogs.

[ledge]

I can't see Libba or Wallis going anywhere we have players on the list worse than them, I would think honeychurch, Campbell Collins might be on the outer , this isn't a go at the players just what I see from how the club sets up , I have no doubt that Campbell would be a good player if playing in a side that values ruckman more than us and we have English coming on.
Collins has had no luck, I could be wrong as we are patient with injured players eg the two smiths, Roughead and libber.
Suckling is an interesting one, I value him , his kicking is special that's why we got him but we know what an achillies injury can do to an older player ( Johnson).
I don't see any retirements except maybe Picken or Clay Smith both due to injury.
We will have to upgrade 3 rookies Lynch , Gowers and Smith ( I think he is a rookie)

[bornadog]

Son of a gun aims to follow father's footsteps (http://www.afl.com.au/news/2018-07-03/son-of-a-gun-aims-to-follow-fathers-footsteps)


HAVING a 324-game Western Bulldogs champion as your father certainly has its perks.

For Vic Metro midfielder Rhylee West, the advice his dad Scott has given him across his football career has him in a position where the Bulldogs are considering him as a father-son selection in November's NAB AFL Draft.

And he couldn't thank his dad – a seven-time best and fairest winner at the Dogs – enough for his guidance.

"I've got a special opportunity where my dad is my coach. Every bloke hopefully has a dad that's their coach, but mine's a bit different in that he played 324 games and he doesn't let me forget it," Rhylee West told AFL.com.au.

"That's not something that every kid's dad gets to do. And his teachings are from the best and that's why I've excelled so much and become the player I am today because of that."

When you watch Rhylee West play, it's difficult not to see the similarities between father and son.

Like the Bulldogs' champion No.7, the younger West is an inside midfielder who thrives on winning contested ball and burrowing down to the bottom of packs to feed the footy out to teammates.

West, who stands at 180cm and 80kg, has averaged 25.3 disposals and 6.3 clearances across the Under-18 Championships and been a key part of Metro's midfield mix.

Rhylee has fond memories of his dad's decorated career at the Kennel and the time where he had the opportunity to run out on the ground for his father's 300th AFL match against West Coast in Perth in 2006.

"I was only a little tacker but I still remember snippets of dad's career here and there," West said.
"It's exciting to think what might be coming for me."

The Calder Cannons product admits he would love to join the Bulldogs at season's end, but if it doesn't happen, for whatever reason, he's just as happy to go elsewhere so long as he definitely gets picked in the Draft.

"It's a great opportunity to go to the club that I've barracked for my whole life," West said about the prospect of joining the Bulldogs.

"At the end of the day, it's all about getting drafted. Whether that's the Dogs, down the Coast in Geelong or whether it's in Perth or any other club, it doesn't bother me as long as I'm on an AFL list at the end of this year."

West and his Vic Metro teammates are set to do battle in a grudge match against fellow unbeaten side South Australia in the final round of the 2018 NAB AFL Under-18 Championships at Etihad Stadium on Wednesday – a game that will decide the Under-18 title.

Vic Metro is chasing its third successive under-18 crown and West said the stakes are high.
"There's definitely a rivalry between Victoria and South Australia," West said.

"They're (South Australia) a great side and they've got a lot of talent. We're pretty happy to be here and in the position that we are, so hopefully we can match it with them."

[Bulldog4life]

http://www.afl.com.au/news/2018-07-10/u16-division-one-championships-round-two-results

Western Australia 14.13 (97) def Vic Metro 2.13 (25)

GOALS
Western Australia: McDonald, George, Allen, Cartwright, Daly, Jetta, Trew, Walker
Vic Metro: Park, Tucker

BEST
Western Australia: Yaccob, McDonald, Grainger-Barras, Walker, Johnson, Trew
Vic Metro: Edwards, Downie, Major, MacPherson, Phillips, Park

[bulldogtragic]

Have heard good things about MacPherson recently from someone who seemed to know a bit. One to watch very closely so I'm told.

[Doggy]

Levi West named best afield in the EDFL Div 1 Under 14’s Grand Final for Strathmore v Aberfeldie.

[angelopetraglia]

I see Jax Cooney got a Geelong Falcons jumper yesterday, Does anyone know anything about him?

[Countrydog5]

I see Jax Cooney got a Geelong Falcons jumper yesterday, Does anyone know anything about him?

The limited amount I know about Jax is that he's looking like he'll have the ability for AFL level and likely be drafted in the 2025 draft. He plays very differently to his old man. Jaxon plays mostly as a full forward with some stints around the ball, and has shown quite a bit doing so. He's quite tall I believe (190+). He's a strong prospect by all accounts, so will be interesting to see if that plays out or not over the next 2 years. Ironically we could have another gun key forward on our hands after all those years without one!

[angelopetraglia]

The limited amount I know about Jax is that he's looking like he'll have the ability for AFL level and likely be drafted in the 2025 draft. He plays very differently to his old man. Jaxon plays mostly as a full forward with some stints around the ball, and has shown quite a bit doing so. He's quite tall I believe (190+). He's a strong prospect by all accounts, so will be interesting to see if that plays out or not over the next 2 years. Ironically we could have another gun key forward on our hands after all those years without one!

Thank you. Insightful. Will follow with interest.

[Axe Man]

https://i.postimg.cc/PJy606JZ/cooney1.jpg (https://postimg.cc/4HKb9QzN)

https://i.postimg.cc/15R7DZ7K/Cooney2.jpg (https://postimg.cc/0r3Cqhs6)

(St Josephs FC)

https://i.postimg.cc/CMs6ZK71/West.jpg (https://postimg.cc/3WWZVYP5)

Levi West
Calder Cannons Under 16 squad (Strathmore FC)

[bulldogtragic]

Not to hi-jack the topic. Say both boys are 2026. Say they cost top picks. Then we should trade the next two Future Firsts to get into the first rounds before then, then stick up on middling picks to buy them cheaply.

So the rolling five years (on top of Marra & Darcy as top 2 recent picks) is Buss, Clarke, Gags, Sanders, Croft et al, two first rounders brought forward and later picks and then in 2026 West & Cooney without even considering anyone leaving. That should mean we have no issue with getting talent. Just developing them and keeping them.

Then listen to how if West lived in the other side of the street and Cooney played more games, Essendon should’ve had both kids and how they’ve been robbed again.

[Countrydog5]

https://i.postimg.cc/PJy606JZ/cooney1.jpg (https://postimg.cc/4HKb9QzN)

https://i.postimg.cc/15R7DZ7K/Cooney2.jpg (https://postimg.cc/0r3Cqhs6)

(St Josephs FC)

https://i.postimg.cc/CMs6ZK71/West.jpg (https://postimg.cc/3WWZVYP5)

Levi West
Calder Cannons Under 16 squad (Strathmore FC)

Here's some fun maths for us. Standard clay bricks are 76mm high, with common mortar bed depths of 10mm. Jaxon stands somewhere between 22 and 22.5 bricks tall by my count, which puts him somewhere between (22x86mm) = 189.2cm and (22.5*86) = 193.5cm tall.

[bulldogtragic]

Here's some fun maths for us. Standard clay bricks are 76mm high, with common mortar bed depths of 10mm. Jaxon stands somewhere between 22 and 22.5 bricks tall by my count, which puts him somewhere between (22x86mm) = 189.2cm and (22.5*86) = 193.5cm tall.

He played in our NGA game last year. I’m pretty sure the comments around it was he was about 190cm. I guess the question is whether he keeps growing into something out and out KPP. Or is the modern tall midfielder in a couple of seasons. Then where the Falcons and his junior team want to play him going forward and whether we have any input.

From memory he played all over the ground in that game and stood out across the ground. There was a video with Dave Newton a couple of years back and Cooney was training at the club with other FS. Whilst I’m pretty well certain Levi West will cost a bit, Cooney’s development will be really interesting. Hopefully he becomes just a bigger version of his dad.

[angelopetraglia]

He played in our NGA game last year. I’m pretty sure the comments around it was he was about 190cm. I guess the question is whether he keeps growing into something out and out KPP. Or is the modern tall midfielder in a couple of seasons. Then where the Falcons and his junior team want to play him going forward and whether we have any input.

From memory he played all over the ground in that game and stood out across the ground. There was a video with Dave Newton a couple of years back and Cooney was training at the club with other FS. Whilst I’m pretty well certain Levi West will cost a bit, Cooney’s development will be really interesting. Hopefully he becomes just a bigger version of his dad.

What is the word on West? How does he stack up compared to his brother?

[bulldogtragic]

What is the word on West? How does he stack up compared to his brother?

I’ve posted a fair bit on him in a similar thread over the longer term. Could be the best West is the youngest. He’s a very exciting prospect.

[mighty_west]

There is a photo of Jax with his parents on insta holding up the Falcons top and he's taller than the old man (think Adam is about 187cm?), and still only 15 so absolutely more growing in him, so i'm tipping another 192/193cm mid come draft time in a few years.

Have seen limited video of Levi and he's more a natural mid than Rhylee, just a beast with repeat efforts, not too sure what the skills are like but tough as nails, early days i know but wouldn't be surprised if he's a top 10 prospect.

[Pedro Sanchez]

There is a photo of Jax with his parents on insta holding up the Falcons top and he's taller than the old man (think Adam is about 187cm?), and still only 15 so absolutely more growing in him, so i'm tipping another 192/193cm mid come draft time in a few years.

Have seen limited video of Levi and he's more a natural mid than Rhylee, just a beast with repeat efforts, not too sure what the skills are like but tough as nails, early days i know but wouldn't be surprised if he's a top 10 prospect.

Wasnt there some word tho that he was off the club after his dad spat the dummy two seasons ago with how Rylee was being treated?

[mighty_west]

Wasnt there some word tho that he was off the club after his dad spat the dummy two seasons ago with how Rylee was being treated?

Who knows, it's all heresay to me but he does look exciting and if that was the case hopefully the old man is happy again now that Rhylee looks like he's all but cemented his spot after a few seasons of indifferent form.

[ledge]

Wasnt there some word tho that he was off the club after his dad spat the dummy two seasons ago with how Rylee was being treated?

Oh the media love a story. .. Scott is very involved in the club .. married the woman running the cheersquad ,
You will always see him around . Was involved in the SOTW program .
Rhylee is happy and I am sure Levi is not going to turn down playing with his brother and where the old man is loved.

[Pedro Sanchez]

Oh the media love a story. .. Scott is very involved in the club .. married the woman running the cheersquad ,
You will always see him around . Was involved in the SOTW program .
Rhylee is happy and I am sure Levi is not going to turn down playing with his brother and where the old man is loved.

That's good to hear, really good actually. At the very least the Wests' are hard nuts - and right now that's everything i want!

[EasternWest]

That's good to hear, really good actually. At the very least the Wests' are hard nuts - and right now that's everything i want!

I'm mindful of going all in on Rhylee West we've had false dawns before but he did alright on the weekend and making the West legacy an enduring one would be pretty rad.

[DadBod]

Coons also played with Eagleton's son too in one of the representative games if I remember correctly. He had a full haid of hair, unlike his old man but he also played the wing I think. He seems a later pick but moved really well and did some nice things. I think Cooney will become a midfielder / fwd. He moved really well and played all over the ground in the game I mentioned.

If we're able to get a young Winger, a midfield beast, and a taller mid with good skills and game sense... that would be awesome.

[D Mitchell]

Coons also played with Eagleton's son too in one of the representative games if I remember correctly. He had a full haid of hair, unlike his old man but he also played the wing I think. He seems a later pick but moved really well and did some nice things. I think Cooney will become a midfielder / fwd. He moved really well and played all over the ground in the game I mentioned.

If we're able to get a young Winger, a midfield beast, and a taller mid with good skills and game sense... that would be awesome.

The bald eagle has offspring with cranium hair ?

[DadBod]

The bald eagle has offspring with cranium hair ?

I was as surprised as you are.

[bulldogtragic]

I was as surprised as you are.

I’m pretty sure there were two Eagleton boys in the FS program. But I think one didn’t make the grade and is playing SANFL now. Not sure where other son is in the system. I think he’s younger so he might still be on the books somewhere. I haven’t heard anything about Max Darcy so assume his older brother took all the talent in the genes.

[Axe Man]

The bald eagle has offspring with cranium hair ?

https://i.postimg.cc/qR1cL971/Eagle.jpg (https://postimg.cc/ygSS6pcR)

What do you think he was born bald?

[comrade]

https://i.postimg.cc/qR1cL971/Eagle.jpg (https://postimg.cc/ygSS6pcR)

What do you think he was born bald?

You?re going to make Mantis vomit.

[EasternWest]

Coons also played with Eagleton's son too in one of the representative games if I remember correctly. He had a full haid of hair, unlike his old man but he also played the wing I think. He seems a later pick but moved really well and did some nice things. I think Cooney will become a midfielder / fwd. He moved really well and played all over the ground in the game I mentioned.

If we're able to get a young Winger, a midfield beast, and a taller mid with good skills and game sense... that would be awesome.

Mantis likes this

[angelopetraglia]

Anyone have any insights into how Jaxon Cooney and Levi West went with their footy this year? Are they both in contetion for the 2026 draft?

[Bullies]

Doesn't Luke Darcy have another one who is supposed to go alright?