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Bevo makes successful pitch to Hawks big man
HAWTHORN key tall Tim O’Brien was lured to the Western Bulldogs as an unrestricted free agent after a powerful Zoom pitch from Luke Beveridge about his role next year.
The intercept defender joined the Bulldogs after agreeing to terms on Thursday morning.
The Dogs got first-hand experience of his improved form as a defender when he took six intercept marks and won 14 intercept possessions against Beveridge’s team in round 22.
With Lewis Young off to Carlton for pick 52, the Dogs have snapped up O’Brien as an unrestricted free agent on a two-season deal.
The deal is not expected to trigger compensation for Hawthorn, which mounted a lastditch campaign to recontract O’Brien after initially leaving him in contract limbo.
But the Bulldogs coach told him in that Monday Zoom meeting he could see a role for him in the Aliir Aliir intercepting role and also backed him to play on smaller players.
“I’m absolutely rapt to get it done. Now I can just focus on the footy stuff and get going into next year. I can’t wait,” O’Brien said.
“I’m looking forward to meeting everyone. I think the list is in a good spot. There’s a lot of players around my age. It fit well for me and the club.
“Playing in a grand final, they’re right in that window, so that was really appealing.”
O’Brien can play as a lockdown defender in a side with Zaine Cordy, Ryan Gardner and Alex Keath or play a floating role in the mould of Aliir at Port Adelaide.
In an overall solid year of 19 games he was able to find a niche in defence after eight seasons at the Hawks where he kicked 73 goals in 97 games.
Apart from a 19-goal 2017 season he has not kicked more than 12 goals in a season, but the maturing tall is handy back-up for the Dogs and potentially much more.
The Bulldogs are still haggling with Collingwood over the value of Patrick Lipinski, with the Pies having picks 22, 36, 43, 46, 48, 55, 58, 78 and 79.
They are also on the lookout for another ruckman but Hawthorn ruckman Jon Ceglar’s preference is to play at Geelong.
He would be the perfect bridge between young Tim English and banged-up veteran Stef Martin, who will play on at 35 for another season despite groin issues this year.