The Bulldogs are “chips in” on a rival superstar, while the rival hunt for Nasiah Wanganeen-Milera is set to heat back up.

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DOGS ZERO IN ON BUTTERS PLAN B

The Bulldogs have their eyes firmly fixed on star Gold Coast midfielder Matt Rowell if they miss out on Zak Butters.

The Dogs are pushing hard to land wantaway superstar Butters, but the Cats are considered to be the outright frontrunner in the race.

And if it is that the in-demand Darley product ultimately desires a move down the highway, the Dogs have a “contingency plan”.

The Herald Sun’s Scott Gullan reports the Dogs are all-in on Rowell, whom they also chased last year before the Brownlow medallist re-signed at Carrara.

“As we know, Geelong has edged clear — that’s the mail,” Gullan began on Fox Footy’s Midweek Tackle.

“And we’re going to find out soon from Zak who he wants to go to, but I can tell you tonight that the Bulldogs have already got contingency plans.

“They’re all chips in for Matt Rowell. They met with him, as did other clubs like Collingwood and Essendon last year, and they were very impressed with him.

“And he was very impressed with Luke Beveridge. So, what’s going to happen is (the Dogs) are going to have another go in this trade period.”

Rowell, 25, is contracted for another year before hitting restricted free agency.

Fellow Midweek Tackle panellist Glenn McFarlane said he’d be “really surprised” if Rowell was available for trade this October.

“I would say next year, very gettable,” McFarlane said.

“If you look at it now, Rowell will come back to Melbourne at some stage, he’s very close to his family, he’s an incredibly loyal person as well.

“I can understand why (the Dogs) are all chips in, I just think they might have to cool their jets, if they miss out on Zak Butters, for 12 more months.”

Gullan revealed that the Dogs made a ‘private pledge’ to Marcus Bontempelli before he re-signed last year that they would target a midfield upgrade.

“When they signed the captain last year, he took a while, as he usually does, but a lot of it was because he wanted to see the direction,” Gullan said.

“He wanted to know that the next four years that he signed for, ‘I’m going to get some help’ … he knew ‘we’ve got things happening here, but I’m going to need help’.

“They (the Dogs) sold him Butters. So, if Butters is a miss, they have to placate the skipper … they owe it, in a way, to Bontempelli, to make someone like Rowell happen.

“Was (Bontempelli) ever going to leave? Maybe not, but he made sure that they knew ‘we need to get this club up and going’.”

Lions secure Bailey on long-term deal | 01:48

NAS BACK IN RIVALS’ SIGHTS

Nasiah Wanganeen-Milera is set to again become the subject of trade speculation.

Ahead of another contract year, the 23-year-old South Australian will attract plenty of rival interest, and the Adelaide Crows are set to be one of those suitors after missing out on Brisbane’s Zac Bailey.

Despite Adelaide’s best attempts at pursuing Bailey this year — reportedly offering a seven-year deal worth $10 million — the Lions’ dynamo recommitted at Springfield on Tuesday for a further eight years.

It forces the Crows, who are still hunting a needle-moving midfield upgrade, to pivot in the market.

And the Herald Sun’s Glenn McFarlane believes they’ll turn their attention back to St Kilda superstar Wanganeen-Milera, whom they chased last year.

“What they’ll do now is they’ll pivot — they’ll go back to Nas,” McFarlane told Midweek Tackle.

“Nas, last year, made the commitment for two years to St Kilda. He rejected more money at Port Adelaide and Adelaide.

“So, that’ll be coming for sure. Saints have got to get that signature done well, because the Crows will be coming for him.”

The Glenelg product signed a two-year contract extension worth $4 million with the Saints last August.

Wanganeen-Milera played 17 games this year after being hampered by injury, averaging 29.1 disposals and 1.1 goals per game.

The 103-gamer won his second All-Australian blazer last month as one of the most electrifying players in the competition.