The Bulldogs find themselves in a similar place. A healthy Sam Darcy<\/a> has looked every bit the generational unicorn his boyhood club had him earmarked as, and when he returns from his latest setback<\/a>, he will lift his team’s floor and its ceiling, drastically.<\/p>\n Who then are some pieces the club can bring in to maximise the window in which Sam Darcy<\/a> and living legend Marcus Bontempelli<\/a> ply their trades together?<\/p>\n Those two, and the stellar auxiliary pieces around them (Ed Richards<\/a>, Aaron Naughton<\/a>, and the like) have the midfield and the front half as well stocked as any side in the competition. It’s the backline that has needed work, and that still rings true now.<\/p>\n Who are some targets firmly in the sights of Luke Beveridge<\/a>, Sam Power and co? And who are some that should be? Take a look!<\/p>\n Charlie Ballard<\/p>\n As reported on Zero Hanger’s Six Points<\/a> podcast on Monday morning<\/a>, the Western Bulldogs<\/a> are “knee-deep” in the race for the 27-year-old defender’s services.<\/p>\n The Sun is contracted to the Glitter Strip until the end of 2029, but has been in and out of the senior side as Damien Hardwick’s charges fail to replicate the magic of their maiden finals appearance in 2025 – a season Ballard missed after rupturing his ACL.<\/p>\n He presents as a pivotal piece of a backline in dire need of shoring up, especially if Buku Khamis<\/a> heads for the exits<\/a>, as is tipped.<\/p>\n A solid AFL<\/a> contributor, but hardly a superstar, Ballard would not command an extensive bounty of draft picks if he were to request a move to the Whitten Oval.<\/p>\n
![\"PERTH,](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/GettyImages-2204812298-scaled.jpg.webp.webp\"\/)
PERTH, AUSTRALIA – MARCH 16: Charlie Ballard of the Suns chases the loose ball in front of Oscar Allen of the Eagles during the 2025 AFL Round 01 match between the West Coast Eagles and the Gold Coast Suns at Optus Stadium on March 16, 2025 in Perth, Australia. (Photo by Daniel Carson\/AFL Photos via Getty Images)
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