THE WESTERN Bulldogs have appointed long-time men's recruiter Dan Fisher as their new AFLW list manager.
Fisher has been a highly respected member of the club's men's recruiting team for well over a decade, working in various list management roles.
He started as a recruiting analyst at the Whitten Oval in 2012, before shifting into pro scouting from 2016. Since 2019, he has been formally working as the club's men's list and recruiting officer.
However, Fisher has now joined a new-look Bulldogs AFLW football department, which has undergone major changes over the off-season, led by the hiring of a new football boss and senior coach.
Ex-Melbourne assistant Tamara Hyett replaced Nathan Bourke as the club's senior coach back in February, while the highly credentialed Patrice Berthold was also hired as the club's new head of women's football in March.
It followed a widespread review into the club's men's and women's football programs, which also resulted in the Dogs' inaugural AFLW list and recruiting manager Mick Sandry parting ways with the club back in May.
Sandry had just taken control of last December's AFLW Draft where the Bulldogs had the bulk of the early selections, using four of the first 11 picks and landing Western Jets forward Kristie-Lee Weston-Turner with the prized No.1 choice.
He was also heavily involved in the bombshell 11-club mega deal that occurred on a dramatic final day of the AFLW Trade Period, with the Dogs exchanging six players and six picks as part of the remarkable agreement.
It saw the Bulldogs move Kirsty Lamb, Gabby Newton, Katie Lynch and picks No.22 and 61 to rival clubs, securing Lauren Ahrens, Jasmyn Smith, Analea McKee and picks No.4, 6, 11 and 51 in return.
The club had previously agreed deals for Zimmorlei Farquharson, Ellie Gavalas and Mua Laloifi throughout the same Trade Period, while losing Celine Moody to Carlton.
The Bulldogs, AFLW premiers in 2018, have struggled across recent years and have qualified for the finals only once in the six seasons since. It culminated in last year's last-placed finish and their disappointing 1-9 record.
