By David Nagel
Bunyip’s battling season in the West Gippsland Football Netball Competition (WGFNC) has received a huge boost with the Bulldogs gaining the services of four-time AFL premiership player Isaac Smith for a one-off appearance this year.
The Bulldogs were one of five Victorian clubs selected in the 2024 ‘Carlton Draft’, where former champions of the game get drafted to local clubs.
Bunyip had pick one, and wasted no time in selecting the 2022 Norm Smith Medalist above Trent Cotchin, Matthew Lloyd, Dylan Buckley and Leigh Montagna.
In front of local club representatives, fans, and a host of media at Crown Melbourne’s ‘The Pub’, Smith was an automatic choice for Bulldogs’ coach Lachlan Petch.
Petch said Smith was always the player the club had its eyes on when the draft crop was announced in early March and will be a welcome addition to the starting 22.
“I’ve kept a very keen eye on The Carlton Draft since it launched in 2022, and to be welcoming Isaac Smith to the club this year as part of the campaign is a dream come true,” Petch said.
“Isaac was the obvious choice for us when we received the news we had the number one pick.
“We’ve got a couple of bulls in the midfield who should be able to feed him plenty of the ball on the outside, so we think he should get plenty of it come matchday.”
Petch said Bunyip was buzzing when the news of welcoming an AFL legend circulated the club and hopes it will provide a huge boost to the community.
“After seeing the success of clubs in previous years involved in the campaign, and the positive memories it has created, we cannot wait to see what is in store for Bunyip,” he said.
“Hopefully we can put some smiles on the faces of players, coaches and our loyal supporters.”
Smith follows in the footsteps of other AFL champions to have played in the region over the last two years, with Port Adelaide and Hawthorn star Shaun Burgoyne pulling on the black and white stripes of Dalyston in 2022, while Collingwood champion Nathan Buckley played for Nilma-Darnum last year.
Smith, a three-time premiership hero at Hawthorn – and once at Geelong – said it felt nice to be the number-one pick and join some fellow stars of the game.
“In years past, the likes of Nathan Jones and Nathan Buckley were taken at pick number one, so it feels great to be the third person in history to be taken first in The Carlton Draft,” he said.
“I slid all the way to pick 19 before being taken by the Hawks in 2010, so I’m happy the Bunyip Bulldogs didn’t make the same mistake and snapped me up early.
“I had 36 disposals and a goal in my last game for the Cats in 2023, so hopefully I can do something similar for Bunyip and put on a show for the local community.”
The Carlton Draft match-days are set to commence from late May.
2024 CARLTON DRAFT SELECTIONS
PICK 1
Issac Smith
Bunyip – West Gippsland
PICK 2
Trent Cotchin
Ballan – Central Highlands
PICK 3
Matthew Lloyd
Old Collegians – Warrnambool and District
PICK 4
Dylan Buckley
Toora Magpies – Mid Gippsland
PICK 5
Leigh Montagna
Castlemaine – Bendigo League
