Bulldogs delist O'Keefe and Lynch

[bulldogsman]

THE WESTERN Bulldogs have announced further changes to their list with midfielder Guy O'Keefe and small forward Malcolm Lynch among the latest casualties.

O'Keefe, 19, and Lynch, 21, were delisted this week after short careers with the Bulldogs.

O'Keefe was picked up at No.63 in the 2007 NAB AFL Draft. He failed to play a senior game during his two years at the club but was consistently among the best for Williamstown.

Lynch came to the club at selection No.66 in the 2006 NAB AFL Draft as a promising forward. Hamstring problems then cruelled his 2008 season after he played two senior games in his first year. He struggled again this year and spent most of the season in the Williamstown reserves.

Western Bulldogs football operations manager James Fantasia said both players had shown promising signs this year and they shouldn't be too disheartened with the decision.

"Guy played some good football at Williamstown, and as did Lynch, he demonstrated at times he was right in the mix this year," Fantasia said.

"We did a few extra yards with 'Lynchy' in relation a degenerative hamstring problem and we wound his year up a bit early to give him an opportunity to do extra work on his hamstring. We also sent him to a specialist in Sydney.

"We were really pleased with the way he approached it and applied himself, and unfortunately it just hasn't worked in his favour.

"We need to turn over our list and go to the draft, and this is the hard part of that process."

Fantasia said the club had told both players they would be considered for re-drafting in either the NAB AFL Draft or the NAB AFL Rookie Draft.

The Dogs have also let go rookies John Shaw, Henry White and Chris Ogle.

Shaw, a developing ruckman, and White, a pacy wingman, were both at the end of their second year as rookies. Ogle was delisted after just one year on the list after spending two seasons as a NSW Scholarship player.

Former Williamstown midfielder Liam Picken, who played 23 games this year in his first season at the club, and tall defender James Mulligan have been elevated to the primary list.

Midfielder Jamason Daniels is the only rookie to have been retained for another year.

The Dogs have already told other senior-listed players Wayde Skipper, Cameron Wight and Paul O'Shea they won't be offered new contracts.

Former Adelaide forward Scott Welsh retired at the season's end.

The club has already recruited former Sydney Swans forward Barry Hall, as well as recently re-signing defender Brian Lake and captain Brad Johnson.

The futures of veterans Jason Akermanis and Nathan Eagleton are yet to be decided, although both have been told they are required players.

http://www.westernbulldogs.com.au/season2009/news/newsarticle/tabid/4112/newsid/86243/default.aspx

[Cyberdoggie]

Interesting to see Lynch go.
Also that Fantasia has actually reported that they will consider re-drafting them, after talking them up for their efforts. I know you don't want to derail the players chances of getting picked up by another club, but if you had any intention of re-drafting those players i would of thought it would be wise not to tell everyone.

[Dry Rot]

How many draft picks do we have now?

If Eagle was to stay, then does that mean one less pick?

[G-Mo77]

OK so that is 5 Delistings all up now, Welsh out and Eagleton delisted/Veteran.

So 7 spots available.

Picken and Mulligan elevated and Hall via trade.

That will leave us with 4 Picks. Did I get that right?

[Cyberdoggie]

OK so that is 5 Delistings all up now, Welsh out and Eagleton delisted/Veteran.

So 7 spots available.

Picken and Mulligan elevated and Hall via trade.

That will leave us with 4 Picks. Did I get that right?

With Eagle on the vet's list i count 4 available for the main list.

1 Rookie spot used up in daniels so we have plenty of rookie spots to fill if we can afford them. I wonder if we will need to draw on the services of that influential bulldogs supporter/business man who comes to our aid to finance a rookie again.

[LostDoggy]

Interesting that they may both be re-drafted. I certainly hope both of them are rookied -- there's potential there, there really is.

Surprised that Lynch was also let go -- are we gearing up for a play in the PSD?

[LostDoggy]

Do you think any other clubs would be interested in either of them

[bulldogtragic]

Interesting that they may both be re-drafted. I certainly hope both of them are rookied -- there's potential there, there really is.

Surprised that Lynch was also let go -- are we gearing up for a play in the PSD?
Yeah, that comment through me a little too. Surely that is to Lynch though???

Ogle was really coming from so far back. I wonder how long clubs will persist with the NSW rookie scheme?

4 picks and 4 rookies (likely). That gives us a good shot of turning the list over nicely, especially since we only took 3 ND picks last year. Pick 79 or Lynch... Me thinks Lynch might be good, especially with an attitude adjustment, not that he necessarily needed it, but it could show him just how much he wants it.

[GVGjr]

Do you think any other clubs would be interested in either of them

Both would have some appeal but you wonder if their reputation for not being the hardest workers on the training track might count against them.

[Hotdog60]

Well if nobody picks them up and we offer them a second chance it could be a case of work your butts of or say goodbye to any thought of an AFL career.

So there could be a positive to come out of it.

[Sedat]

4 picks and 4 rookies (likely). That gives us a good shot of turning the list over nicely, especially since we only took 3 ND picks last year.
In what is turning out to look like a pretty hot draft (and the last fully uncompromised one for a quite a few years), did we err in not keeping a couple of extra selections up our sleeve for the 2008 ND? The minimal cost of paying out Cam Wight 12 months earlier and delisting someone like O'Shea (who was always coming from a long way back) might have allowed us to get better purchase into the 2008 ND. I'll bow to the better judges, but 5 selections in the 2008 ND would have seemed to give us a better shot at unearthing quality than 4 selections in the 2009 ND, especially considering we are looking at using 1-2 selections in the up-coming ND at potentially re-drafting players we have just delisted.

[GVGjr]

In what is turning out to look like a pretty hot draft (and the last fully uncompromised one for a quite a few years), did we err in not keeping a couple of extra selections up our sleeve for the 2008 ND?

I've been challenging that for a few months now and it's why I thought we should have cut the list hard this year.
I know we can't replace Eagleton on the senior list but we would get an extra pick on the rookie draft if he isn't maintained.

At least we have the option of some father son picks next year.

[comrade]

In what is turning out to look like a pretty hot draft (and the last fully uncompromised one for a quite a few years), did we err in not keeping a couple of extra selections up our sleeve for the 2008 ND?

I certainly feel that way now - especially with the lack of depth we'll be facing this year. I would have much rathered 4 picks last year, and 3 in 09.

[Prince Imperial]

It was and is difficult to understand why we didn't utilise pick 64 in 2008 especially given Clayton's good record at picking quality players around that mark in previous years. O'Shea was very lucky to get another year.

[GVGjr]

I certainly feel that way now - especially with the lack of depth we'll be facing this year. I would have much rathered 4 picks last year, and 3 in 09.

Not keen on 4 picks this year Comrade?

[bulldogtragic]

In what is turning out to look like a pretty hot draft (and the last fully uncompromised one for a quite a few years), did we err in not keeping a couple of extra selections up our sleeve for the 2008 ND? The minimal cost of paying out Cam Wight 12 months earlier and delisting someone like O'Shea (who was always coming from a long way back) might have allowed us to get better purchase into the 2008 ND. I'll bow to the better judges, but 5 selections in the 2008 ND would have seemed to give us a better shot at unearthing quality than 4 selections in the 2009 ND, especially considering we are looking at using 1-2 selections in the up-coming ND at potentially re-drafting players we have just delisted.
SOme very good points Sedat. I think we will take one of them, I think all the hammy talk about Lynch makes me suspicious that they are talking him down and perhaps he is it. Compounding the problem in the number of older players on the list. Sure Wallis and Libba will offset the impact, but that's good luck, not good management for next year in the 1st GC draft.

[bornadog]

I've been challenging that for a few months now and it's why I thought we should have cut the list hard this year.
I know we can't replace Eagleton on the senior list but we would get an extra pick on the rookie draft if he isn't maintained.

At least we have the option of some father son picks next year.

Who else would you cut?

[comrade]

Not keen on 4 picks this year Comrade?

I'm with you in thinking last year was the draft to go hard at.

At least 2 of our 4 picks (4th and 5th round) are going to be highly speculative this year, where as last year, I felt there were more potential gems to be had late in the draft.

At the end of the day, it's all academic. We just have to back in our first year recruiting manager to secure some gold.

[GVGjr]

Who else would you cut?

May not need to cut anyone else but I do think given the age of our list Eagleton probably shouldn't go on.

[AndrewP6]

Lynch and GOK could get redrafted, but I reckon if the club haven't seen enough in the two years they've had, we should cut our losses.

[comrade]

I'm suprised that both Shaw and White have been delisted as it seems the AFL have decided to allow clubs to keep on rookies for a 3rd year.

From AFL.com

Other aspects of the new rookie rules include:

* Any payment above the minimum payment for rookies to be included in the Total Player Payments (TPP).
* This amendment to apply until the end of the 2012 season when the number of mature age rookies would reduce to the current level of one per club
* That clubs have the right to retain rookie list players for three seasons without having to enter the draft, subject to the player being given the option of entering the NAB AFL Draft.

Shaw in particular might have provided handy back up if disaster strikes our ruck division next year.

[Sockeye Salmon]

Shaw in particular might have provided handy back up if disaster strikes our ruck division next year.

In light of that rule change I am astonished Shaw didn't get another year.

We were discussing whether we would be delisting Skipper and I asked Rocket if he would risk going into next season with only Roughead and Cordy as backup to Hudson and Minson and he said, "it would be a massive risk. We could only use Roughead, I wouldn't risk Cordy in the ruck next year."

It seems to me Shaw would have been a good, cheap emergency backup. He was already 19 when we rookied him originally, that would make him 22 next year.

[boydogs]

In light of that rule change I am astonished Shaw didn't get another year.

We were discussing whether we would be delisting Skipper and I asked Rocket if he would risk going into next season with only Roughead and Cordy as backup to Hudson and Minson and he said, "it would be a massive risk. We could only use Roughead, I wouldn't risk Cordy in the ruck next year."

It seems to me Shaw would have been a good, cheap emergency backup. He was already 19 when we rookied him originally, that would make him 22 next year.

When was this, before or after Everitt showed something in the role in round 22?

[Wing_Nut]

I would suggest the delistings of a number of rookies points to either Lynch or O'Keefe being redrafted as a rookie for next year. Considering this draft is deemed quiet weak, I'd say there's a good chance one will redrafted.

I'd prefer Lynch as he seems to have a much larger upside than O'Keefe. Hopefully he can get his body and mind right.

[Sockeye Salmon]

When was this, before or after Everitt showed something in the role in round 22?

Why is Everitt relevant?

[Mantis]

I would think if we get down to our last pick and there ain't much around we would seriously consider re-drafting Lynch.

[G-Mo77]

Why is Everitt relevant?

Probably to do with playing a Ruck role when he came into the side.

[bornadog]

Probably to do with playing a Ruck role when he came into the side.

I can't see that happening very often again.

[G-Mo77]

I can't see that happening very often again.

No neither can I.

[GVGjr]

I would think if we get down to our last pick and there ain't much around we would seriously consider re-drafting Lynch.

It could pan out that way but I think it's time to look elsewhere. He's got the talent but he just isn't consistent enough.

[boydogs]

Why is Everitt relevant?


Probably to do with playing a Ruck role when he came into the side.

Yep that's what I was thinking, thanks G-Mo

I was wondering whether your discussion with Rocket was before Everitt's ruck cameo in round 22, as if so that may have something to do with the delisting of Shaw with Rodney thinking that although he does not want to risk Cordy, that Everitt could be our 4th option if it came to that but who can play other roles if it doesn't, as opposed to Skipper, Shaw or a new recruit stuck at Williamstown clogging the list

If not, then those remarks suggest Rodney does not see Everitt nor Shaw as that option and point to us picking up a backup ruck in the ND/PSD

[Rocco Jones]

In light of that rule change I am astonished Shaw didn't get another year.


Me too. I liked what I saw of Shaw this season at Willy. He looked a decent, competitive back up ruck option, especially at the cheap price.

[Sockeye Salmon]

Yep that's what I was thinking, thanks G-Mo

I was wondering whether your discussion with Rocket was before Everitt's ruck cameo in round 22, as if so that may have something to do with the delisting of Shaw with Rodney thinking that although he does not want to risk Cordy, that Everitt could be our 4th option if it came to that but who can play other roles if it doesn't, as opposed to Skipper, Shaw or a new recruit stuck at Williamstown clogging the list

If not, then those remarks suggest Rodney does not see Everitt nor Shaw as that option and point to us picking up a backup ruck in the ND/PSD

Everitt is no more a backup ruck option than Trent Ormond-Allen.

We are clearly going in with just the 3 rucks next year.

[strebla]

Everitt is no more a backup ruck option than Trent Ormond-Allen.

We are clearly going in with just the 3 rucks next year.

I doubt we will go with only 3 rucks next year I am of the opinion that they may try to rookie an older type from one of the state leagues.By older i mean 21 or 22 year old who has shown a bit I know I have heard of a couple fron WA but can't recall who

[Sockeye Salmon]

I doubt we will go with only 3 rucks next year I am of the opinion that they may try to rookie an older type from one of the state leagues.By older i mean 21 or 22 year old who has shown a bit I know I have heard of a couple fron WA but can't recall who

Sounds like John Shaw.

[bornadog]

Everitt is no more a backup ruck option than Trent Ormond-Allen.

We are clearly going in with just the 3 rucks next year.

If Cordy puts on some weight, then he would be a fourth. Also, Minson will play more ruck next year now that Bazza is at the club.

[Sockeye Salmon]

If Cordy puts on some weight, then he would be a fourth. Also, Minson will play more ruck next year now that Bazza is at the club.

Rocket said there was no way he'd risk Cordy in the ruck next year.

The risk is what would happen if Hudson got a long term injury and while he was out Minson belted someone and got 6 weeks?

Roughead would be our only ruckman and he is barely ready to be a 35% of game time backup.

lets just cross our fingers that neither Ben nor Will get long term injuries.

[LostDoggy]

Never fails, every year one of my favplayers gets delisted....im not having any more favs.....booooo...

[LostDoggy]

Never fails, every year one of my favplayers gets delisted....im not having any more favs.....booooo...

If thats the case then that sounds like a excellent decision :)

[The Coon Dog]

Never fails, every year one of my favplayers gets delisted....im not having any more favs.....booooo...

Mantis wants to know if you could adopt Eagle? :D

[LostDoggy]

Mantis wants to know if you could adopt Eagle? :D


Haha well it will be his last year next year anyway wouldnt it? So hey i may as well adopt him as my fav.....

[LostDoggy]

O'Keefe training with the cats:

http://www.afl.com.au/tabid/208/default.aspx?newsid=86959

[LostDoggy]

Does this means that he will not coming back to the bulldogs? or is he just keeping his options open?

I hope we up him up in the draft or rookie list.

Should be a good player!

[GVGjr]

Does this means that he will not coming back to the bulldogs? or is he just keeping his options open?

I hope we up him up in the draft or rookie list.

Should be a good player!

He is unlikely to be picked up by us.