The Western Bulldogs may have the sixth-oldest list in the competition, but it’s the youth that has caught the attention of many in the opening months of this season.
Just seven games in, the Bulldogs have already had two Rising Star nominees – in consecutive weeks – to go with two league debutants and two 50-game milestones.
20-year-old Harvey Gallagher kicked things off in Round 3, registering 16 disposals, seven marks and two goals against the West Coast Eagles to become the club’s first Rising Star nominee since Round 19, 2022.
Drafted with pick 39 in 2022, Gallagher endured an injury-interrupted 2023 before finally getting his chance to debut this year.
A week after that nomination, third-generation Bulldog Sam Darcy was recognised with a nomination following a stellar Gather Round performance against Geelong.
Contributing three goals from 12 disposals, three marks and four tackles, anyone watching at Adelaide Oval might have found it hard to believe the 20-year-old was just 10 games into his AFL career.
Meanwhile, fresh off his selection as Pick 6 in the most recent draft, 19-year-old Ryley Sanders has made an immediate impression at AFL level in an exceptionally competitive midfield. And fellow 2023 draftees Joel Freijah, Lachie Smith and Jordan Croft have hit the ground running in the VFL.
Jamarra Ugle-Hagan (aged 22) and Laith Vandermeer (aged 25) reached their AFL half-centuries in back-to-back weeks, while 23-year-olds Cody Weightman (66 games) and Rhylee West (44 games) are arguably playing beyond their years.
Their progress was temporarily halted this week by a one-match suspension in West’s case and injury in Weightman’s, with his elbow requiring surgery after an awkward fall against Fremantle. Weightman has previously spoken of doing mental exercises in which he tries to return to his younger state of mind, a perspective that will surely serve him well during his recovery.
“I do a lot of gratitude work and I constantly come back to that - as a kid, as a seven-year-old,” he told RSN after kicking a career-best six goals against Gold Coast Suns at Mars Stadium in Round 2.
“I've got a photo my locker and I look at it every day. It’s of me kicking the footy – I’m literally living my dream every day I play this sport.
“I constantly remind myself, if you're getting haters or whatever it is, there's bigger problems in the world and what I'm doing is pretty amazing.
“I don't lose sight of that - I try and go out and play like a kid. You’re going to get some things wrong, and you're not going to win every week but I just try to remember that kid would’ve done anything to be in my shoes.
“There was probably 18 years of doubt whether you'd actually make it as a kid coming through the ranks – there’s kids doing that right now who have no idea that they're going to get on a list eventually.
“To be actually doing it is something that I'm super grateful for and definitely don’t lose sight of. It keeps footy fresh and keeps you going.”
As The Who put it in 1966, the kids are alright, although the ones grabbing attention at the Kennel are probably too young to get that reference.
