Western Bulldogs utility Bailey Dale has embraced a new role down back ahead of the 2021 season.
The 24-year-old spent the majority of the Bulldogs’ AAMI Community Series match playing across the half-back line, recording 23 disposals, nine intercept possessions and three rebound-50s.
To top off a successful switch, he even snuck forward to slot two goals.
Dale said the new role had only come about in recent weeks.
“It is a bit of a different role – obviously not having the back next to you all the time is a bit of a free-up, but I still got forward and kicked a couple of goals which was nice,” Dale told westernbulldogs.com.au.
“I did most of my stuff as a forward this pre-season, and then an opportunity sort of opened up down back over the last few weeks and thought I’d give it a crack.
“Hopefully I can do it for the rest of the year.”
Dale credited his teammates for their in-game guidance, and said despite having a shortened pre-season this year, the group feels ready for the challenge that awaits in round one.
“We obviously play a very assertive brand, so to get up the field and really compress I found myself in some good spots,” Dale said.
“Having the guys behind me talking to me and getting me in the right spots really helped.
“We’ve had a pretty solid pre-season even though it was compressed - we’ve put in the work and so to get a couple of hit-outs in the VFL and AFL with full match-time is going to go a long way to hopefully us playing really well in round one.”
The Western Bulldogs will meet Collingwood at the MCG on Friday 19 March in round one of the 2021 Toyota AFL premiership season.
Member access and ticketing arrangements for the match have been confirmed here.
