With the AFL trade period minutes away from finishing and his future uncertain, Rory Lobb was on the golf course.
Fremantle confirmed in mid-September that Lobb had requested a trade for the second consecutive year, which came just days after it was revealed he had purchased a property in South Yarra, Victoria.
With his heart set on the Western Bulldogs, it took until the final stages of the trade period for a deal to be struck for Lobb, which made for tense viewing – Lobb himself included.
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“We were banking on the trade going through, but it was obviously nerve-racking being the last 30 seconds of the trade period,” Lobb told foxfooty.com.au.
“I actually played golf that day and I think with five minutes to go in the trade period I was six or seven holes in, I basically just stopped playing and listened in.
“I didn’t really want to be sitting around and listening, but the last five minutes I just had to wait and see.”
That wait was rewarded when the trade went through, with Lobb landing at the Dogs in exchange for pick No.30 and a future second-round selection.
Lobb’s partner, Lexi, was thrilled (not to mention her grandfather, who was on the golf course with Lobb) with the pair officially able to settle in Victoria – and save a hell of a lot of refunding.
“Obviously we got the house a little bit early so we were banking on the trade,” Lobb said.
“It was always going to get out so we tried to leave it to the last minute, but the house was already furnished, ready to go, so it’s been quite a smooth transition across.
“The boys have made me feel really welcome and haven’t missed a session in pre-season so it’s been good.”
Despite the “emotional rollercoaster”, Lobb was officially able to move into his new home off the field.
How he’ll settle into his new home on the field, however, will make for intriguing viewing, given the Dogs are brimming with tall timbre.
Once struggling for key position depth, the Dogs now boast an embarrassment of riches, which is a turnaround Lobb is fully aware of.
“Apparently a few years ago they didn’t really have any talls and now we’ve got all the talls,” he observed.
“Obviously we’re a very tall team, but I feel like a lot of the talls are very dynamic … I feel like this pre-season we’ve really worked well together, basically straight off the bat we’ve been able to not get in each others way and know when to come across and work together.”
Should the key position players combine effectively at the Dogs, it could prove the difference in a push for an all-important, top-four berth, which the side is yet to achieve under coach Luke Beveridge and hasn’t achieved since 2010.
