Will Hayes suggests Western Bulldogs teammate Tim English has the football world at his feet.
The highly rated ruckman enjoyed a breakout season for the Dogs in 2019, playing 20 matches as the club’s number one big man.
Still only 22, English is one of the most precocious ruck talents in the game right now and his Kennel colleague Hayes is expecting him to kick on in 2020.
“He’s got a lot of x-factor, Timmy,” he said on SEN’s Time On.
“He’s a big fella that can run like a gazelle and he kicks the ball like a midfielder.
“I think he’s going to take his game, not so much to the next level because I think he played some pretty extraordinary football last year, but I think he’ll continue his good form.
“He’s come back to pre-season in unbelievable nick. He did really well in the running and I personally haven’t seen him miss a target.
“I think the world’s his oyster this season.”
Luke Beveridge’s youthful Bulldogs stormed into the finals with seven wins from their last nine home-and-away fixtures last season and what they experienced in their heavy Elimination Final defeat to GWS will no doubt hold them in good stead, according to Hayes.
“We are a pretty young group to begin with. As an average age I think we were one of the youngest lists out on that finals field when we played GWS,” the 24-year-old midfielder added.
“So just with games played, experience and a few more calmer heads that come with the runs on the board, that will see us withhold pressure that the really good teams can put you under.”
As for his own status in the Bulldogs line-up, Hayes has set out how he plans to add to the nine games he played in his debut season after being taken with pick 78 in the 2018 National Draft.
“I’m going to work closely with the midfield coaches and work to my strengths, the ability to cover ground and try to use the ball better every time I get the opportunity to use it,” he said.
“Just to be as reliable a teammate as I can be. If I play for the 21 other blokes, and they play for me, we’ll be a pretty strong team.”
Listen to Wednesday’s edition of Time One below: