Patrick Lipinski could be a big beneficiary of the Bulldogs’ midfield being so stacked with talent in 2021. Photo: AFL MEDIA

Expectations are high again at Whitten Oval after the Western Bulldogs managed to secure the services of star midfielder Adam Treloar from Collingwood last trade period.

Not since the Dogs won their premiership in 2016 has the hype surrounding the club been so pronounced, especially now that they possess arguably the best midfield in the competition.

Adding Treloar and ruckman Stefan Martin to an engine room that already featured Marcus Bontempelli, Jack Macrae, Tom Liberatore, Lachie Hunter, Bailey Smith and Josh Dunkley has certainly got the Bulldog faithful dreaming of a second flag in six years under coach Luke Beveridge.

But as all the attention turns to the team’s top-line midfielders in season 2021, the following four youngsters might just slip under the radar and get off the leash.

LOUIS BUTLER

It might happen later in the year, or next year, or possibly as early as this month, but at some stage in the next season or two, the 19-year-old New Zealand native looks destined to break into the Doggies’ senior line-up.

After being taken at pick No.53 in the 2019 draft, Butler only managed to play two games last year, but he returned to the club in outstanding shape over the summer.

He’s a kid who loves doing extra sessions and spending time in the gym, and has reaped the rewards from that from a physical standpoint. Despite a setback with his ankle earlier in the year, he is pushing really hard for a spot in the best 22.

“He’s like a thoroughbred, really,” Western Bulldogs development manager Jamie Maddocks told Footyology. “He’s got this wonderful physique that, over summer, he’s come back and blown us all away by how big and strong he is.

“He’s got speed, he’s got courage as a high half-back defender used like ‘JJ’ [Jason Johannisen] and ‘CD’ [Caleb Daniel], he’s got some of their qualities. I can just see that Louis is going to be a player I think for a long time, he’s got some athletic qualities you just don’t see [in many players].”

Perhaps most encouragingly is that after missing five weeks due to his ankle injury, he played in his first intra-club match two weeks ago and looked like one of the fittest players out on the park, and backed that effort last week in the Dogs’ practice match against Hawthorn, running both games out with ease.

“The temperament that he’s got as person, but also the athletic capabilities that he possesses, there’s really no ceiling, we’ve just got to try and play a few things around that, but I think he’s going to be an exciting player for the future,” Maddocks said.

While far from guaranteed a spot for round one, Butler is definitely in the conversation.

“He’s going to have to do a couple more things probably next week when we play Melbourne,” Maddocks said. “There’s not a big gulf between the 22nd player picked and the 27th, which is a sign of a very good team and obviously a healthy team.”

RILEY GARCIA

Taken in the same draft as Butler, nine picks later at No.62, the 20-year-old has had an injury-interrupted start to his career.

He arrived at the Bulldogs having already undergone a knee reconstruction, and he won’t be available for a while yet after having more arthroscopic surgery on the same knee before Christmas to address some issues relating to that first operation.

Garcia hasn’t made his AFL debut yet, but he’s such a talent that if he can get himself right at some stage in 2021, he could add some real excitement to an already-strong Bulldogs line-up.

“There’s something about Riley,” Maddocks said.

“If we get his knee up to scratch and get him some AFL load under his legs and just get him ready for the rigours of a full season – fingers crossed we can get that – I just know that once we get him to that level … at some point this year, whenever it is, because we saw in those scratch matches last year, he did some things [that indicate] he’s got some ‘Libber’ [Liberatore] in him, he’s got those feet, he’s got those hands and I don’t think any team would say ‘no’ to having two ‘Libbers’ on their side.

“We’re all really confident we see something, we’ve just got to try and get him through the next few months with the knee and see what happens from there.”

With a bit of luck, Garcia could play a similar role to the one Laitham Vandermeer did up forward last season.

“[Vandermeer] came in with speed, energy, ability to tackle, and that’s what Riley’s got. He’s happy to play messy, happy to make it up and crash and be physical,” Maddocks said.

“He’s only small, but he’s a tough little bugger and he really enjoys the contest. When you have a player like that ahead of the ball, someone like Zak Butters, he could definitely play like that.”

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PATRICK LIPINSKI

Heading into his fifth year, the 22-year-old is one player who could really benefit from the Bulldogs’ midfield being so stacked.

He’s still a fresh-faced kid, but already has 45 senior games under his belt, including two finals, and after struggling to back up his career-best 2019 campaign last year, with a very impressive pre-season under his belt, could really burn opposition teams who fail to give him adequate attention.

“How clean he is around the ball and his strength around the contest as an inside mid but also as a winger, holds him in really good stead,” Maddocks said.

“He’s gone away, he did some things to work on and coming back super fit, super strong, positive attitude, growth mindset and he played in the ones [last week against Hawthorn], did some really good things.

“The way that our list now has those numbers going through the midfield … definitely Pat will find himself forward of the ball at times, maybe outside on the wing, maybe a little bit of inside. It’s something he’s been doing with us this summer, we’ve all been really impressed and he looks really strong.

“The thing about Patty is when you’re not super quick you have to be really clean, and he’s really, really clean – one touch below his knees, ground level, in the air is elite already and it’s going to really help him find that step on his opponents.”

LACHIE McNEIL

Like Garcia, McNeil is yet to play a senior game, but unlike Garcia, McNeil has thrust himself right into the selection frame for round one after an impressive performance against Hawthorn last week.

It continued an outstanding pre-season from the 19-year-old which has seen him become somewhat of a bolter, especially considering he wasn’t picked up by the Doggies until December’s rookie draft.

Being overlooked in two national drafts has largely fuelled McNeil’s fire and he looks like a man on a mission heading into the new season.

“When I spoke to him before the [Hawthorn] game started, I just said: ‘Oh mate, you’ve got to enjoy this moment, it’s been a long time coming’, and he said: ‘I wouldn’t have thought I’d be doing this a year ago’,” Maddocks said.

“He’s probably been playing an inside [midfield] role and people were saying he’s slow, so he goes out on to a wing and actually shows he’s got this pure speed that people obviously weren’t seeing in his bottom-age year.

“You don’t learn that, you don’t really enhance that, you’ve either got it or you haven’t, and he has it in spades.”

Importantly for McNeil, he’s quickly starting to believe that he belongs in the AFL system which has seen him grow in confidence considerably.

“His leg speed complements those guys … you’ve got to put time into Bontempelli, Treloar, Jack Macrae, ‘Libber’, you’re probably not going to look at Lachie McNeil as much, and his speed will surprise a few, and his ability out use the ball on the outside is very impressive for a 19-year-old,” Maddocks said.

“What he did last year in going outside on a wing for Woodville-West Torrens and playing in finals and a grand final, he’s come in a ready-made player. Some supporters won’t know anything about him and he’ll pop up like a sprinkler and you’ll be like: ‘Who’s this kid?’”