Forward-turned-defender Rory Lobb says he is hopeful the team can build on their 2024 finish heading into the upcoming 2025 AFL season.

Lobb said while the way they bowed out of finals was far from ideal, there was plenty of positives to take from the Bulldogs’ run home.

“I feel like the way that we finished - obviously not the last game - but the back end of the year was a really good brand of football,” he told westernbulldogs.com.au.

 “If we can look to hone in on that, take that into pre-season, and then work on a few little things that we probably need to work on with opposition stuff – I feel like our brand stacks up against anyone.

“Obviously Hawthorn played a really good brand (in the elimination final)...but I feel like if we can do what we did in the back-half of the year and start (2025) that way, we’ll go a long way to hopefully another finals campaign.”

A move from forward-ruck to defence may not have been on the cards at the start of Lobb’s year, but proved beneficial in the Dogs’ charge to September.

“I obviously played my last game as a forward, maybe for my career, against my old team in Fremantle,” he recalled.

“I had a pretty decent game – kicked three (goals) and had I think 19 touches, and was just lucky enough to not be able to be dropped off a game like that. Bevo said to me that he’s never dropped a player that’s played like that and gotten coaches’ votes.

“It was an interesting conversation at the time – him throwing me the bib and saying I’ll be tried as a back – but I’ve always said I’m happy to play wherever I’m needed.

“It was quite an easy decision for me. I was happy to do whatever - I feel like it's probably my best position now.”

The Bulldogs’ 1-4 year players will commence pre-season training next month.