The Western Bulldogs might have the missing piece in their premiership puzzle already on their list, with youngster Jedd Busslinger potentially ready for a breakout season in 2025 after being kept to the periphery of the Dogs' senior side across the past two years.ย
The 20-year-old, who stops the tape at 198cm, has been afforded the time to develop his defensive craft and add size since joining the Bulldogs as the 13th overall pick in 2022, rated as the leading key defender in his draft class.
The athletic pup had a delayed start to his time in the AFL system after requiring shoulder surgery late into his draft campaign, with Busslinger eased into VFL action where he was able to show immediate signs of promise and poise against mature and experienced talent.ย ย
Busslinger has now tallied 38 games in the VFL across his pair of seasons at the Kennel, with the East Perth product averaging 20.8 disposals and 7.8 marks for Footscray in 2024.ย
Despite his strong form at the state league level and the club's desire to unearth new defensive options at selection, Busslinger is yet to feature in Luke Beveridge's side during his time at Barkly Street.ย
At a time when the club looked to remodel Rory Lobb as a defender - a move that has since proven fruitful - while also dealing with setbacks for James O'Donnel, Alex Keath and Ryan Gardner, Beveridge continued to stress the need for Busslinger's AFL berth to come at a time that best suited the emerging Bulldog.
The cautious approach could have Busslinger, who is set to enter his third pre-season this summer, primed for a full season of AFL action in 2025 - potentially following in the footsteps of Geelong's Sam De Koning.
Like Busslinger, De Koning was able to wait in the wings at Kardinia Park after joining the Cats as a first-round draft selection with plenty of upside as a key position talent.
While injuries played their part, De Koning was kept to the VFL while putting forward strong performances as a young intercept-matchup hybrid defender. The Cats handed De Koning a debut in his second season in the hoops, which would be his only AFL appearance for the year as he returned to the VFL for further development.
It wasn't until Round 1 the next year that fans would see De Koning again. By then, he had cemented his place in Chris Scott's best 22 after a strong pre-season, with De Koning ending his first full year with 23 games and a premiership medal around his neck.
The then-21-year-old was arguably Geelong's most important defender in a grand final-winning side and put in reliable performances each week, often against the competition's best key forwards.ย
He had the support of Jack Henry, Mark Blicavs and Tom Stewart, among others, around him, but De Koning's patience in the years prior had truly paid off.
The Bulldogs can only hope for a similar outcome for Busslinger in 2025, with the exciting prodigy, who is proving to be a built different commodity, now a chance to slot into a role alongside veterans Liam Jones and Lobb as the Dogs look to contend for the flag again.
Already home to a star-studded engine room ensemble and a fierce attacking tandem of Jamarra Ugle-Hagan, Aaron Naughton, Sam Darcy and Cody Weightman, Busslinger's arrival in the backline might be the catalyst that sees the Bulldogs rise further over the next 12 months.
Able to be utilised as an intercepting option or a lockdown asset, Busslinger could free up Jones or Lobb in defence while also leaving Beveridge with little to stress over when coming up against an opposition boasting three commanding tall forwards.ย
His position on the fringes of the Dogs' best side is just another layer as to why Beveridge has stood firm in having Naughton remain as a key forward instead of returning to the backline, with the former first-round pick a key part of the club's structure going forward.ย
What separated Busslinger from the rest of his draft class two years ago was his ability to accurately move the ball out of defence while standing nearly two metres tall, potentially complementing the attacking outlets of Bailey Dale and Lachie Bramble from 2025 onwards.ย
If Busslinger can strike parallels with De Koning's rise next year, the Dogs would be home to one of the best up-and-coming backmen while also boasting arguably the two best young key forwards in Ugle-Hagan and Darcy.
Factor in their striking midfield, and the Bulldogs could be the dark horse in the 2025 premiership race.
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