How the Bulldogs could cash in on Dahlhaus departure
Western Bulldogs premiership player Luke Dahlhaus is on the move.
The 26-year-old unrestricted free agent informed the club on Tuesday that he intends to take up an offer from an undisclosed rival club.
He had expressed a desire to stay with the Dogs throughout the season, but it is understood he is instead likely to sign a multimillion-dollar deal with Geelong.
“While the club is obviously disappointed an agreement could not be reached, the club maintains an obligation to be balanced in its approach across its entire playing group when making its list management decisions,” the Bulldogs said in a statement.
“The club wishes to thank Luke for his eight years of wonderful service, including 154 games and his contribution to the club’s 2016 Premiership. We wish Luke well for the remainder of his career.”
While the final year of Dahlhaus’s contract was lower in value than in previous seasons, meaning his exit won’t open up a truckload of salary cap space, the Dogs still stand to benefit.
And it’s all thanks to the numbers the Cats have thrown at the midfielder.
Channel 7’s chief football reporter Mark Stevens reports Dahlhaus will earn more than $2 million over four years at Geelong – figures the AFL’s compensation system could love.
Last year, the Cats were handed a selection at the end of the first round – pick No.19 – after Steven Motlop joined Port Adelaide in free agency on a deal worth a similar amount to Geelong’s Dahlhaus offer.
The compensation picks handed out by the AFL are determined by a confidential ‘band’ system that weighs up the base salary and, in particular, the age of players.
At 26 years old, Dahlhaus is the same age as Motlop was at the end of last season – as such, all signs appear to point towards an end-of-first-round selection heading towards the Bulldogs.
Dahl gone, no surprise given difference in offers … was always headed this way … Wallis and Libba expected to stay … given term and $ Dogs a chance of end of first round compo for Dahl … a la Motlop compo last year https://t.co/U5VMpPr4me
— Mark Stevens (@Stevo7AFL) September 4, 2018
Steve Motlop to Port on 4 year deal worth a bit over $2 million … end of first round compo … Dahlhaus deal length same and $ numbers very similar … he’s also in mid 20s … so end of first round it will be … surely.
— Mark Stevens (@Stevo7AFL) September 4, 2018
Compensation for Dahlhaus, however, could be affected if the Bulldogs bring in any free agents.
Incumbent players Tom Liberatore (unrestricted), Mitch Wallis (restricted) and Jordan Roughead (restricted) are about to hit the market.
While Liberatore and Wallis are likely to remain at Whitten Oval, Roughead is more likely to sign elsewhere.
Despite winning the premiership in 2016 the Dogs are firmly in rebuild territory alongside the Suns, having regularly fielded some of the youngest teams in recent seasons.
Geelong traded last year’s Motlop compensation pick to Gold Coast to get superstar midfielder Gary Ablett back to the club.
The Suns stand to benefit from the system again this year, albeit in a more direct manner, when Tom Lynch signs what is expected to be one of the AFL’s richest contracts with the Richmond Tigers.
Gold Coast already hold pick No.2 in the draft and a compensation pick for Lynch will slot in at No.3.
with AAP
