DOGS OPEN TO DEAL FOR DUNKLEY

THE Western Bulldogs’ hardline approach to a trade request from Josh Dun k le y has softened significantly with the club’ s general manager of list and recruiting Sam Power putting the pressure back on Es send onto engineer a deal worthy of consideration.

While Power insisted the Dogs’ priority was to retain Dunk ley, he said the club was “open” to further discussions with the Bombers.

Just a day after Dunk ley officially sought a trade to Essen don, Power said there was still a lot top layout before Thursday’ s trade deadline, indicating the 23year-old could yet remain at the Whitten Oval.

“Our priority is to keep him ,” Power said on Trade Radio .“We have to be open to different situations, we’ ll work through that with Essen don, but our position hasn’t changed.”

Power said the Bombers would need to come up with a compelling offer for the Bulldogs to take the matter any further. That concession is a far cry from a statement from Bulldogs chief executive Ameet Bains late last month where he said :“It’ s not happening. He’ s not going anywhere.”

The club’ s softened stance on a possible trade shows a deal could bed one for the right price, although it could likely push deep into next week’ s trade period, complicating other potential deals. Power has already had several discussions with Essen don list manager Adrian Dodoro about Dunk ley, who is still contracted until the endof2022.

“I’ ve had a couple of chats with Adrian Dodoro, but at this stage nothing has been presented to us in a formal sense ,” Power said .“Guys that have moved clubs with two years on a contract, there’ s a significant premium on that. There’ s every chance he’ s here and a Bulldogs player( in 2021) and that’ s what we want.”