Father-son gun yet to nominate Dogs… but ‘unreal’ draft dream still lingers

Emerging key forward Jordan Croft has yet to officially nominate the Western Bulldogs under the father-son rule, but says it’d be “a great honour” to be drafted to the club and “unreal” to be in the same forward line as other gun goalkickers, should the stars align.

Croft, a 200cm key forward, looms as a potential first-round draftee after an impressive 2023 campaign for both the Calder Cannons and Vic Metro, which included 23 goals in the Coates Talent League.

The 18-year-old is the son of former Bulldogs utility Matthew Croft, who kicked 72 goals from 186 games across 14 seasons for the club.

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In order for the Dogs to have the right to Croft and match any rival club bid on him at the draft, he must first nominate the club under the father-son rule.

Speaking to foxfooty.com.au at the national draft combine, Croft said he had always been “a mad Doggies supporter” growing up, but indicated he was yet to make an official call.

“You definitely have to nominate as father-son, but I’ve still got a bit of time to make that decision and talk with family and my manager,” Croft told foxfooty.com.au on Friday.

“I think it‘d be a really great honour to be able to play for the club that you’ve grown up supporting and loved for so long. To be able to give your all to the club, if I get the opportunity, I definitely will be able to. I think that’s what I’ll be looking forward to if I was lucky enough to get drafted to the Bulldogs.”

The Dogs are already littered with key-position goalkickers like Aaron Naughton, Jamarra Ugle-Hagan, Rory Lobb and Sam Darcy, while the backline includes Liam Jones, Alex Keath, Ryan Gardner, James O’Donnell and 2022 first-round draftee Jedd Busslinger.

Rival clubs have told foxfooty.com.au the Bulldogs are in the box seat to acquire Gold Coast’s first selection (currently Pick 4) by giving away Picks 10 and 17 and, if needed, their future first-round pick. Should the Dogs land that selection, it’s expected they’ll take a smaller, hybrid player such as Eastern Ranges small forward Nick Watson or star Tasmanian midfielder Colby McKercher.w

Croft, according to recruiters, is expected to attract interest from clubs during the middle to later stages of the first round of this year’s draft. The Dogs hold Picks 37, 65, 68 and 71, which they could use to help match a Croft bid should he nominate them, but they might need to add more points to their draft arsenal should they part with Picks 10 and 17 for 4.

“Growing up as a Bulldogs supporter, I like watching Marcus Bontempelli. The way he plays his footy is always really good to watch,” Croft said.

“But even positionally, Aaron Naughton or Jamarra Ugle-Hagan – just watching the way they play their footy is probably the best thing that I look out for and hopefully model that on my own game.”

Asked about the prospect of sharing the same forward line as Naughton and Ugle-Hagan, Croft said: “It’d be an honour to play alongside those players. Learning off them would be really good.

“If I was able to get on the same list as them, it’d be unreal.”

Croft said his father had provided awesome support during his draft journey.

“I think just having my dad, who’s had that experience at AFL level, has been really good,” he said.

“It‘s really good to have feedback after games and trainings and everything like that … things like where you should be running and not going to areas where you’re not going to get the footy and how I can play at the best and highest level possible.”

The athletic goalkicker said he prided himself on his competitiveness on the field.

“I think my competitiveness has always been there. If things aren’t going well, you revert to that and you keep doing it,” Croft said.

“Kicking goals is always going to be an asset. But while kicking goals and getting touches is all well and good, that competitive nature and sticking to the gameplan is the most important thing when you’re playing footy.”

Croft said he would spend the summer focusing on putting on size to adapt to the rigours of AFL footy.

“That’ll be the goal, to get used to those bigger bodies and the speed of the game,” he said.