When Alex Rance missed the Richmond Tigers' 2019 premiership triumph, coach Damien Hardwick infamously likened his return to having "the number one draft pick".
The Bulldogs find themselves in a similar place. A healthy Sam Darcy has looked every bit the generational unicorn his boyhood club had him earmarked as, and when he returns from his latest setback, he will lift his team's floor and its ceiling, drastically.
Who then are some pieces the club can bring in to maximise the window in which Sam Darcy and living legend Marcus Bontempelli ply their trades together?
Those two, and the stellar auxiliary pieces around them (Ed Richards, Aaron Naughton, and the like) have the midfield and the front half as well stocked as any side in the competition. It's the backline that has needed work, and that still rings true now.
Who are some targets firmly in the sights of Luke Beveridge, Sam Power and co? And who are some that should be? Take a look!
James Borlase
Very much in the same vein as his defensive colleague Jordon Butts, James Borlase could depart West Lakes in search of greener pastures, and greater opportunity at the level.
A potential landing at the Western Bulldogs makes sense for both parties.
Robust at the contest, strong, solid and 192cm tall, Borlase's set-and-forget reliability will allow the likes of James O'Donnell to peel off as a spare and intercept opposition forays forward.
An unrestricted free agent, Borlase's signature will cost nothing in draft capital, and makes the Bulldogs a more sound defensive commodity, and therefore, an even greater premiership threat, almost immediately.
