Rory Lobb at centre of bold Bulldogs call as critics slam 'bizarre decision'
After a high-profile trade away from Fremantle, Rory Lobb is facing a fight to earn his place back in the Bulldogs' side.
Western Bulldogs recruit Rory Lobb has been dropped for the club's crucial match-up against Sydney on Thursday night, amid criticism that the ruckman has failed to 'give up his ego' after arriving in a trade from Fremantle last year. The Bulldogs head to the SCG also without star midfielder Bailey Smith due to illness, amid reports rival clubs could be pursuing a trade for the 22-year-old.
Sam Darcy has been named to play his first match since round two, with former Hawthorn premiership player Jordan Lewis speculating that the ruckman, the son of Bulldogs great Luke Darcy, is seen as the future for the club. The Bulldogs decision to trade for Lobb, who wanted out of Fremantle at the end of the 2022 season, raised some eyebrows given the presence of key forwards Aaron Naughton and Jamarra Ugle-Hagan on their list already.
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The addition of Lobb hasn't been as fruitful as the club would have liked, particularly given the reported three-year, $1.5 million contract the 30-year-old is on, plus the first and second round picks it cost to obtain him from the Dockers. Through 15 games played this season, Lobb has kicked just 13 goals and averaged only 2.6 marks per game.
Lobb's dropping prompted Lewis to suggest on Fox Footy that Lobb had not full come to grips with his new role at the Bulldogs, as a supplementary tall in addition to the likes of Naughton and Ugle-Hagan. He has also battled to work alongside Bulldogs ruckman Tim English.
“I think (the Dogs) would’ve hoped for a lot more from Lobb. It was open the reason why he left Fremantle was because he didn’t want to play in the ruck,” Lewis told AFL 360.
“So it was a bizarre decision to bring him to the Dogs where they’ve already got Naughton and Ugle-Hagan was up and coming. You didn’t really see a spot that he would fit.
“He had to be prepared to play in the ruck and have some sort of dominance in there to give (Tim) English a spell. But if he was going to keep his spot in the side, he had to put a better output in terms of kicking goals and being a better forward and really assist those forwards.
“That’s where he wanted to play. Sometimes you’ve got to give up your own ego and park your ego and understand what the club needs. It seems he has failed to do that.”
Western Bulldogs coach hits back at Smith trade talk
Luke Beveridge has angrily hit back at suggestions the club would be well served by investigating a trade for midfielder Bailey Smith, after his less than stellar performance against Collingwood in round 17. Smith reportedly played through illness during the two-goal loss to the Magpies, in which the Bulldogs forfeited a three-goal lead.
Smith's position has been heavily debated by both fans and AFL commentators, with the premiership star having performed below his usually influential standard in recent weeks. His ability to impact the contest has been lessened of late, averaging just six kicks and two clearances per game, well below his usually prolific standard.
The 22-year-old managed just 14 disposals against Collingwood and has subsequently been ruled out through illness against Sydney this weekend. He has been putting in work to improve, noticeably being spotted doing some high-intensity running drills on the ground following his 19 disposals in a win over North Melbourne several rounds ago.
However those efforts have not been enough to stave off speculation that a change of scenery could be what unlocks a return to his previously high standard - suggestions Beveridge took umbrage to on Wednesday. He described talk of a Smith move as 'pungent' and 'disrespectful' in an adamant statement that the Bulldogs rated him as a core component of the team.
“All we’ve done here is look after Bailey, and yesterday him and I with our communications were in a really good place,” Beveridge said. “We’re hoping whether it’s this year or into next year that he finds his way to his absolute best, and we’ve just got to help him.
“He’s had some real challenges, he’s had injury, he’s had time out of the game, he’s been quite open with the mental health side of it … absolutely we all see the potential of a young man who should be a really influential player in the competition.”
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