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\n The Bulldogs are favourites to sign Adelaide defender Jordon Butts. (Matt Turner\/AAP PHOTOS)<\/p>\n
Western Bulldogs coach Luke Beveridge says it’s too early to tell if Zak Butters will join his club while remaining confident of keeping two young guns.<\/p>\n
Beveridge remains bullish about his club\u2019s future prospects after exiting the finals with a 22-point loss to Adelaide in Saturday night’s elimination final.<\/p>\n
But he says it’s unknown if his playing squad will be bolstered by the arrival of superstar midfielder Zak Butters, who has left Port Adelaide.<\/p>\n
The Dogs and Geelong are considered frontrunners for the signature of the three-time All Australian.<\/p>\n
Asked if the potential arrival of Butters could elevate his team, Beveridge said it was \u201ctoo early to be speculating on that sort of stuff\u201d.<\/p>\n
“It’s going to be difficult for everyone with the compromised draft over the next couple of years, and I believe we’ve set ourselves up pretty well,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
Beveridge was confident both Arty Jones and Buku Khamis would remain at the Bulldogs.<\/p>\n
“The signs are pretty good with Buk (Khamis) and Arty,” he said.<\/p>\n
“We’re getting to the point where that’ll come to a head shortly and we’re really hopeful that those two boys are going to be with us next year.<\/p>\n
Jones, who kicked a career-high four goals against Collingwood last week, is out-of-contract and Essendon and Brisbane have been pursuing the West Australian.<\/p>\n
The Bulldogs have reportedly put a three-year contract to the small forward, while Khamis has been heavily linked with a move to Carlton.<\/p>\n
The Bulldogs are expected to sign key Adelaide defender Jordon Butts, who falls off-contract at season’s end.<\/p>\n
\n The Bulldogs are favourites to sign Adelaide defender Jordon Butts. (Matt Turner\/AAP PHOTOS)<\/p>\n
Butts, who has fallen from selection favour and not featured in AFL ranks since early June, has resisted signing a four-year contract offer from the Crows.<\/p>\n
There are also questions over Bulldogs ruckman Tim English’s future at the club, with interest from GWS.<\/p>\n
Beveridge had mixed emotions after the loss to the Crows – disappointment but pride in the gains made this season.<\/p>\n
He said was \u201cgreat spirit within the group, and I believe the boys have come a long way, and it’s a good platform for the future.<\/p>\n
\u201cA lot of the younger guys have shown a hell of a lot of improvement,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
With the AFL\u2019s \u201cstate of flux\u201d due to addition of a Tasmanian team in 2028, he hoped the Bulldogs could \u201ckeep most of our group together and evolve a little bit organically and add a few important players to our blend\u201d.<\/p>\n
\u201cIn this market with Tasmania coming in and the compromise situation, we’ve had to plan a long way out,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
\u201cSo we’re working through it, but definitely we’re a younger group, we’ve evolved, and so looking at more experienced acquisitions are pretty important for our list management team at the moment.\u201d<\/p>\n