Brownlow Medallist Adam Cooney thinks his former club the Western Bulldogs could be better off in 2023 from the expected departure of Josh Dunkley to Brisbane.
While Dunkley was the Bulldogs’ best player in 2022 and won the Charles Sutton Medal, Cooney feels losing the 25-year-old could help give the side better balance.
With a bevy of star midfielders in their stocks, Cooney thinks that without Dunkley, on-ballers Adam Treloar and Tom Liberatore will spend more time in the engine room, getting the best out of their skillsets.
“He’s an unbelievable player, but I don’t necessarily think it’s the most negative thing in the world,” Cooney explained on AFL Trade Radio.
“It gives (Adam) Treloar the opportunity to get back in the midfield, it gives Libba (Tom Liberatore) the opportunity to play there and put his head in the hole for 100 minutes of a game instead of 70 or 80 and being squeezed out here there and everywhere.
“It settles the midfield line-up, Dunkley was playing so well that he had to be in there, but it squeezed Treloar to a half back at times and half forward and Libba playing half forward.
“Those guys just want to be in the midfield and running around doing their best.”
Considering that the Bulldogs are expected to be “well compensated” for losing Dunkley at the trade table, Cooney feels the move could be a win-win and settle the club’s line-up in 2023.
“They’ll lose Dunkley, but they’ll get well compensated for it,” Cooney said.
“I think it could help the Western Bulldogs, settle them, which sounds like I’m being critical on Josh Dunkley, but I’m not.
“I’m just thinking of the overall line-up.”
The Bulldogs will be hoping to make a deep finals run in 2023 after losing in a do-or-die Elimination Final to Fremantle last season.