JOSH Dunkley harbours no ill feeling towards the Sydney Swans after they failed to match the Western Bulldogs' bid for him on draft night.
The 18-year-old midfielder became the first player in the short history father-son bidding to not end up at the club he nominated and his father played for.
The Bulldogs pounced on the Gippsland Power product with pick 25 and the Swans let him walk to Whitten Oval, despite being a highly-rated prospect and his dad Andrew playing 217 games in the red and white.
"It's their decision at the end of the day and I couldn't be happier to end up at the Bulldogs but at the same time if I did end up at Sydney I'd be [just as] stoked," Dunkley said.
"Yeah, it is good I've stayed in Melbourne, but at the same time my goal was to be on an AFL list and I've achieved that and I'm happy being a Western Bulldogs player."
And his old man is happy his boy is staying as close as possible to the family farm in Yarram in south-eastern Victoria.
"Dad felt really good and the whole family did with me staying in Victoria," Dunkley said.
"It's closer to home and easier for them to come and visit me every now and then, so he was pretty happy.
Dunkley will continue living with his older sister in Melbourne while he finds he feet at The Kennel and he's excited about what the future could hold for the Dogs.
With three years of senior footy already under his belt, the AFL Academy graduate says he's over the injuries that stymied his 2015 campaign and is ready step into the senior side if required.
"That's the goal for me to come in to this system and take it step by step, but hopefully I do play next year and see how I go," he said
"I feel I'm a utility type of player (who can play) forward, midfield or back, but I'll leave that up to the coaching staff."
