Season 2012 has seen an injection of youth at the Kennel with a number of young pups grabbing their opportunity to feature at AFL level - and with the Charlie Sutton Medal looming westernbulldogs.com.au looks at which emerging talents could factor into the top ten.

The most likely challengers will come from Luke Dahlhaus (20), Mitch Wallis (20), Tom Liberatore (19), Clay Smith (19), Tory Dickson (24) and Jordan Roughead (21).

The midfield trio of Dahlhaus, Wallis and Liberatore well and truly cemented their spot in the starting lineup and not only raised their output on last year but began to find some consistency.

While Dahlhaus provided a spark through the midfield and up forward, Liberatore and Wallis began their assault around the stoppages, together accounting for 22.9% of the Bulldogs clearance count (as a comparison, Matthew Boyd and Ryan Griffen combined saw 27.8% of the clearances yet played an extra six games between them).

New recruits Smith and Dickson also did not look out of place at senior level, forging a regular spot in the starting 22 and embodying the team-oriented approach that Coach Brendan McCartney is trying to instil at the Club.

While Smith’s attack on both the ball and his opponent has won him plaudits in his debut year, nothing can detract from Dickson stamping his authority in the forward line with his goal sense and pressure acts.

A spike in form towards the end of the year could see versatile tall Roughead also come into contention after playing an instrumental role in defence, holding his own against some of the competition’s most coveted forwards.

While Roughead (21) and Dickson (24) have a number of years on the rest of the young crop, their output from limited exposure at AFL level (35 and 17 games respectively) has been highly regarded around the Club.

The likelihood that at least one of these promising, young Bulldogs will break into the top ten further emphasises the direction the Club is heading.

Last year’s Best & Fairest was a celebration of Club veterans with Matthew Boyd taking the honours, followed by Robert Murphy and Ryan Griffen in the polling.

The youngest Bulldog to place in the top ten in 2011 was 60 gamer Callan Ward (fourth) who was 21 at the time, while Shaun Higgins (=10th) was the second youngest at the ripe age of 23.

The changing of the guard with ten debutants last season and a further eight first gamers this year means there is likely to be a shake up with a number of newcomers poised to stake their claim on a top ten berth.

The Contenders

Mitch Wallis
Easily the most improved of the midfield trio from last year, Wallis has come in leaps and bounds this season. Averaging ten more disposals per match, the 19 year old father son selection has tripled his game time this year to play out 19 games. With 86 more clearances this season (3.5 per game), he has gone on to rank fourth at the Bulldogs in that statistical category. He is also placed second in handballs, third in total disposals, fourth in tackles and third in total contested possessions.

Tory Dickson
With an impressive 23 goals in his first season, mature aged recruit Dickson established himself in the Dogs forward line with little fuss. Ranked second in the Club’s goal tally, his composure and reliability in front of the big sticks was comparable to a player of much more experience. He kicked three or more goals on four occasions confirming he is one to watch. An even more promising aspect to his game is that he not only creates opportunities for himself and teammates but also denies opposition defenders time and space to think. Laying eight tackles in multiple appearances, the defensive side to his game is just as strong as his offensive work.

Luke Dahlhaus
Collecting over 20 possessions in a game is a feat that Dahlhaus failed to reach in 2011, yet the Geelong Falcons product managed to amass 20 or more disposals on six occasions this year. The young livewire continues to attract a cult following from Bulldogs fans for his ability to chase down opponents and put his body on the line. With 31 scoring shots this season (an increase of 13 from last year) he has proven that he needs constant attention when pushed forward - his accuracy in front of the big sticks however let him down. He is also known for creating opportunities for his teammates with 12 goal assists this year.

Clay Smith
Personifying the true spirit of the Bulldogs, Smith was relentless in his mission to win the ball. The 2011 first round selection (pick 17 overall) in the AFL National Draft burst onto the scene with four goals on debut, yet it was his willingness back himself against bigger bodied opponents that left the lasting impression. His clearance work improved tenfold throughout the season as he adopted more responsibility, while his tackling pressure was superb.

Tom Liberatore
Despite just 33 career games under his belt, Liberatore is a force to be reckoned with around the stoppages. Second only to Boyd at the Bulldogs, his average of 5.9 per game puts him 16th in the entire AFL competition for clearances. Aside from St Kilda’s Sebastian Ross who had five clearances in his first and only AFL game, the next highest first or second year player for average clearances is in fact Liberatore’s partner in crime Wallis (35th in the league). The 20 year old also amassed 20 more inside 50s for the season as well as 34 more marks and an impressive 58 more disposals than last year.

Jordan Roughead
The versatile tall performed admirably no matter what challenge was put forth. Spending time in the ruck, forward and in defence he added a number of strings to his bow. An impressive run in the back end of the season - holding off a number of forward powerhouses - capped off a largely improved season. Averaging eight one percenters in the final six rounds, Roughead began to master the art of spoiling and punching the ball away from precarious situations while simultaneously creating run and rebound out of the back half.

Keep an eye on…

While some young Bulldogs may not have the game time under their belt to knock off the more seasoned campaigners this year, there are a number of emerging players who need to be pencilled in as serious contenders in future seasons. The run and carry of Easton Wood and Christian Howard out of back half and on the wing will prove instrumental in coming years, while the Bulldogs key defensive stocks are shoring up with the emergence of Michael Talia. Fletcher Roberts looks to provide value at both ends of the ground while rookie elevations Lin Jong, Tom Campbell and Jason Johannisen could round out the Bulldogs team of the future.

Secure your seat now for the 2012 Charles Sutton Medal and be at the Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre on Saturday 6th October to see who will be crowned the Western Bulldogs best and fairest player. Book now online, or email events@westernbulldogs.com.au or call 1300 GO DOGS for more information on the event.