THE WESTERN Bulldogs are in the enviable position of holding four of the top-10 picks in the Victorian section of the NAB AFL Women’s Draft on October 18, including the prized first selection.
Coach Paul Groves said knowing the draft order for the past few months allowed the Bulldogs to be very specific with their approach.
"We've got a bit of a stocked hand," Groves said at the NAB AFLW Draft Combine, which concluded at Etihad Stadium on Wednesday evening.
"We've watched the girls pretty closely, already met up with most of them and did so again at the Combine.
"We watched their attitude and character and how they conducted themselves in the lunchroom. All those little things play a part in your observations and eventually in making a decision."
The Bulldogs had a disappointing first AFLW season, finishing sixth of eight teams and struggling to fill the void created by injured captain Katie Brennan, who played just two games with an ankle complaint.
They scored the No.1 pick after a three-way trade involving Greater Western Sydney and Collingwood.
"We'll be looking for the best talent available, especially with our early picks. Maybe later on we'd look at some needs for our team, but at the moment it's definitely best talent," Groves said.
"We were exposed a little bit with marking targets up forward when Katie went down injured [but] we've got quite a few good smalls there.
"Defensively, we're probably looking to shore that area up, so we'll see what presents itself."
Groves said the uncertainty surrounding list management after the addition of Geelong and North Melbourne for the 2019 season meant the Bulldogs were planning on a year-by-year basis, rather than long term.
With players on one-year deals, older and more experienced players who either play at state level or have been delisted by an AFLW club could become attractive options.
"It's a really tricky one, because you just don't know," Groves said.
"That experienced talent, like a Jenna Bruton from St Kilda Sharks [VFLW] – who didn't nominate for the draft last time – is really valuable for your team as a 22 or 23-year-old midfielder."
The Bulldogs had a team of people attending the Combine, including list manager Michael Sandry and footy operations and medical staff.
"[Michael] will make all the decisions in terms of the draft. I'll just form part of that committee," Groves said.
"It's been interesting starting from scratch, because we've called on quite a few volunteers to do recruiting and scouting reports for us.
"It's so valuable because we can't get to every game, but it's been really pleasing people have put their hands up in this environment."
