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![](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/Will-Darcy-OC-2025-CTL.jpg\"\/)
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Image Credit: Rookie Me Central<\/p>\n
WESTERN Bulldogs built a finals record but landed in ninth this year, and after losing some experience over the off-season, will look to rebound with a first round draft pick. Question marks remain over what positional need the Bulldogs will target, while a father-son nominee is also in the offing later on.<\/p>\n
>> 100+ PROFILES: View the 2025 AFL Draft Guide<\/a><\/p>\n 2025 RECORD:\u00a09th | 14-9 | 137.0 FIRST PICK: It is said the Bulldogs are on the hunt for half-backs, especially in the wake of delisting Jason Johannisen and Caleb Poulter. Although, perhaps the more pressing need from an outside perspective is the key defensive hole left even more bare by Liam Jones\u2018 departure. Problem being, tall backs are hard to come by in this draft.<\/p>\n Geelong Falcons distributor Josh Lindsay<\/a> has been heavily linked to the Dogs for his elite ball use and footy IQ. The likes of West Australian Jacob Farrow<\/a> and Eastern dasher Oskar Taylor<\/a> will be in high demand among the Bulldogs\u2019 hitting zone, but also fit the mould as running half-back options.<\/p>\n Perhaps a small forward upgrade is on the cards instead. Lachy Dovaston<\/a> is arguably the best in the draft at that role, while a hard runner in Jevan Phillipou<\/a> suits what the Bulldogs have looked for \u2013 albeit as a primary midfielder. Noah Hibbins-Hargreaves<\/a> is another obvious match, but could be available later.<\/p>\n Along similar lines, Swans Academy bolter Harry Kyle<\/a> is attracting interest around the top 20 range but will more likely be available to bid on later. Should the Bulldogs actually look to address their key defensive needs, Blake Thredgold<\/a> is arguably the best choice in the open draft, arguably in the 20-30 range.<\/p>\n REMAINING CROP: Pick 33 is an interesting point to land and will likely be drawn in a few spots after several matched bids. Speaking of, is this where the Bulldogs pull the trigger on a type like Kyle? Perhaps fellow Swan Lachlan Carmichael<\/a> is the choice instead as a bankable half-back who can intercept and rebound prolifically.<\/p>\n Hibbins-Hargreaves has plenty of suitors but may even be a chance to slide to this pick, while the Bulldogs have been heavily linked to Eastern prospect Marcus Krasnadamskis<\/a>. The athletic basketball convert is considered by many clubs to be the draft\u2019s best ruck behind Cooper Duff-Tytler.<\/p>\n The Bulldogs traded for a third pick in the draft (53) and could add depth options at either end of the ground. Western Jets duo Thomas Burton<\/a> and Finn Davis<\/a> both provide plenty of pop off half-back as late targets, while Max Kondogiannis<\/a> may be available as tall defensive cover. Father-son prospect Will Darcy<\/a> has also been nominated but will likely get to the Bulldogs as a rookie.<\/p>\n KEY QUESTIONS:<\/p>\n \u2013 Is a half-back in the offing with pick 14?
2025 PICKS:\u00a014, 33, 53
FUTURE PICKS:\u00a0\u201926 R1, \u201926 R2, \u201926 R3 | \u201927 R1, \u201927 R2, \u201927 R3, \u201927 R4
ACADEMY\/FATHER-SON NOMINEES:\u00a0Will Darcy (F\/S)<\/p>\n
Pick\u00a014<\/p>\n
Picks 33, 53<\/p>\n
\u2013 Did the Bulldogs have a player in mind when trading back in for pick 53?
\u2013 Will a bid come for father-son nominee Will Darcy?<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"2025 AFL Draft Preview: Western Bulldogs Michael Alvaro Image Credit: Rookie Me Central WESTERN Bulldogs built a finals…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":285553,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[560],"tags":[638,64,63,55,639,39775,164934,19337,3417,89522,3459,19342,19276,164935,164936,3467,79470,85,33325,164937],"class_list":{"0":"post-285552","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-afl","8":"tag-afl","9":"tag-au","10":"tag-australia","11":"tag-australian-football-league","12":"tag-australianfootballleague","13":"tag-blake-thredgold","14":"tag-finn-davis","15":"tag-harry-kyle","16":"tag-jacob-farrow","17":"tag-jevan-phillipou","18":"tag-josh-lindsay","19":"tag-lachlan-carmichael","20":"tag-lachy-dovaston","21":"tag-marcus-krasnadamskis","22":"tag-max-kondogiannis","23":"tag-noah-hibbins-hargreaves","24":"tag-oskar-taylor","25":"tag-sports","26":"tag-thomas-burton","27":"tag-will-darcy"},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/285552","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=285552"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/285552\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/285553"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=285552"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=285552"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=285552"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}