The Western Bulldogs are firming as the frontrunners for Gold Coast’s Connor Budarick, with AFL Trade Radio’s Riley Beveridge suggesting the 55-game Sun is edging towards Whitten Oval.
Budarick, who has been used in multiple roles across the ground, is understood to prefer playing as a small defender, a position the Dogs have been looking to strengthen with veteran Taylor Duryea nearing the end of his career.
Dogs the “frontrunners”
“I think he sees himself as being a small defender,” Beveridge told AFL Trade Radio. “Gold Coast have sort of sold him the vision of being this forward half player that can do a number of roles … and I’m not sure whether or not that’s his go."
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“The Western Bulldogs though, have been hunting that sort of small defender for quite some time … I still think the Western Bulldogs are the frontrunners here, and I think that’s been the view of a lot of the clubs in the chase for Connor Budarick right the way through.”
While Budarick has a two-year offer on the table to stay at the Suns — one that would carry him through to free agency, interest from North Melbourne, Essendon and Brisbane hasn’t shifted the consensus that the Dogs are best placed to land him.
The Gold Coast product has already overcome two ACL injuries early in his career, and a fresh start at the Kennel could provide the defensive stability the Bulldogs have been seeking.