Bulldogs utility Riley Garcia will remain in the red, white and blue for at least the next three seasons after signing a fresh deal until the end of 2027.
Hailing from Western Australia, the 23-year-old finished runner-up in the Footscray best and fairest, averaging 30 disposals per game.
Garcia has played 31 AFL games since being drafted at Pick 62 in the 2019 National Draft.
Playing multiple roles in the AFL side, Garcia averaged 16 touches and four tackles across his 12 games this season.
Garcia couldn’t have been happier to remain at the Mission Whitten Oval into the future.
“No doubt that moving away from home has its challenges, but it is a testament to the Club being very family-orientated,” Garcia said.
“I’m very grateful to the coaches at the Club, I feel like they are the right people to get the best out of me.
“This is a Club that drafted me when I was injured at 18, I feel like I have a lot to repay to the Bulldogs – I feel like success is really close.”
Western Bulldogs General Manager of List and Recruiting, Sam Power, was excited to lock away Garcia for three more seasons.
“We’re really pleased to have Riley commit to us for the next three years,” Power said.
“After a number of challenging years with injury, Riley had great continuity in 2024, playing every week at either AFL or VFL level.
“He continues to show promising signs in the AFL system, with his hardness and ability to compete complementing his athletic attributes.
“Still at 23, Riley remains an important part of the Club’s future having shown significant upside, dominating the VFL competition and playing multiple roles at the highest level.”
