THE WESTERN Bulldogs have the most unsigned free agents in the AFL, and the challenge to retain them is proving a testing one for the club.
However, coach Luke Beveridge is hopeful the Dogs will sort through extensions for its uncontracted stars and preserve what he believes is a strong core group.
Jordan Roughead and Mitch Wallis came into the year as restricted free agents, with Luke Dahlhaus, Tom Liberatore and Dale Morris all unrestricted free agents.
Despite labelling its list situation as "a challenge", Beveridge believes the club's build is tracking in the right direction.
"We're almost in the extreme from a free agency point of view – I don't think any club has ever had five free agents," Beveridge told reporters on Thursday.
"I might be wrong, but that has its own challenges. It means there is some uncertainty from a list management point of view around the cap, and the others who need to be contracted but might have to wait … all of those sorts of things.
"It is a challenge, but that's the AFL world we live in now. I think we're managing it quite well, we're having regular meetings with player managers and I'm having meetings with the players themselves.
"It will take a little while for it all to work itself out at the end of the year."
Wallis and Dahlhaus have already garnered significant rival interest, while Roughead is also reportedly set to consider his options at season's end. Veteran Morris is in discussions regarding a deal taking him into 2019, while Liberatore's future remains up in the air.
While all five are likely to finish the Bulldogs' campaign uncontracted, Beveridge is hopeful of gaining an indication of where their future lies sooner rather than later.
"There are specific dates mandated in the post-year where we'll know for sure," Beveridge said.
"Informally, though, once the season is over for us, then we might ask for a stronger indication and that will help us make some decisions.
"But right now, it's about purely focusing on our next opponent."
Beveridge said he expects to be "duly compensated" should any of the five free agents leave the club at season's end but was reluctant to talk about the prospect of bringing rival players into the Western Bulldogs.
Instead, he said the club is likely to trust its current group going into 2019 and beyond.
"We've got a core group who will take us forward and hopefully be a part of our next success as a club," Beveridge said.
"There's no doubt we'll go to the draft and pick the brightest and best available young players who will come to the Western Bulldogs and be important for us.
"But making statements around what else, I don't like to do that. I just think it's a bit too disrespectful for our own group."
