The Western Bulldogs have been advised to prioritize extending the contracts of their captain and three young talents beyond 2025, despite two key players being out of contract at the end of this year.
Meanwhile, a club from Western Australia has made a surprising offer for a star Tiger who is contracted for several more years, and rumors are circulating about a young player from the Crows.
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The media has been consistently speculating about the Bulldogs’ star duo Bailey Smith and Tim English, but attention has recently shifted to four other Bulldogs players who are seen as crucial signings before the end of the year.
According to Fox Footy’s Midweek Tackle panelists Jay Clark, Sam Landsberger, and Lauren Wood, Bulldogs captain Marcus Bontempelli, along with young talents Sam Darcy, Ed Richards, and Cody Weightman, are all set to become free agents by the end of 2025. These four players are considered essential signings that the club must prioritize.
Clark reported, “It’s the four big guns who are due out of contract next year – Sam Darcy, Marcus Bontempelli, Ed Richards and Cody Weightman – and it’s pretty clear that these guys are the ones they need to lock away; I expect the wheels to get really turning quite quickly on these so they’re locked away before the new year even arrives.”
He went on to outline the expected costs for each player: Bontempelli at $1 million, Darcy between $800,000 and $900,000, and Weightman and Richards between $650,000 and $750,000 each.
Landsberger disagreed with the valuation of Sam Darcy, suggesting that his current form and potential future value could make him a candidate for a significant salary increase.
The panelists discussed the possibility of offering Darcy a shorter-term contract due to his potential to increase in value substantially in the coming years.
The discussion highlighted the importance of prioritizing these four players over the contract negotiations for Bailey Smith and Tim English, which might need to take a backseat to ensure the club’s financial stability.
In summary, the Bulldogs are focusing on securing the futures of Bontempelli, Darcy, Richards, and Weightman, while also considering their options with Smith and English.
