What Will He Bring - Harvey Gallagher

Having used their first two picks to fill on-field needs in the 2022 AFL Draft, the Western Bulldogs spent their third and final pick of the draft on one of the most intriguing prospects in the entire draft pool.

As if he was always destined to play for the Bulldogs, Harvey Gallagher carries the names of two Footscray premiership players, and will no doubt be hoping to add his name to the 42 players who have won a flag for the club, after being selected at Pick 39 on Night Two of the draft.

Harvey Gallagher is a fascinating case study, given his versatility allows the Bulldogs to play him wherever they please. Source: Getty Images

THE PLAYER

Harvey Gallagher

Height: 179cm

Weight: 77kg

Position: Utility

Club: Bendigo Pioneers

WHAT THEY SAID: “I love his ability to go inside. He’s not afraid to come inside with the football and at times, it can be laser-like when he really tees off. He’s got some pinpoint accuracy. Really overlaps well, classy finisher. I just think with the belief Luke Beveridge shows in his players, they’ve seen this young man over the course of the last couple of years and they’ve seen something that they really like and can work with. I’m sure we’ll see Harvey get the best out of himself at the Bulldogs” – Mick Warner

2022 SEASON: Having spent 2021 and the first month of the 2022 season as a handy forward for the Bendigo Pioneers, eyebrows were raised when the decision was made to throw Gallagher into defence, particularly when he had scored six goals in his previous two games.

But it proved to be a masterstroke. Gallagher picked up 24 disposals and seven rebounds in his first game in defence, but it turned out to be one of his weaker performances down back over the final five games of the season. In that late season stretch, he recorded disposal hauls of 24, 28, 37, 42, and 44. Such was his ridiculous form that he was rewarded with an appearance for Vic Country late in the season, where he again impressed.

Although not invited to the AFL Draft Combine, Gallagher did win into the State Combine Testing (Melbourne), and excelled in pretty much every category, ranking 2nd in the standing vertical jumper (80cm) and running vertical jump (89cm), as well as 3rd in the 2km time trial (6:27) and agility test (8.117s).

Sleeves? Could Harvey Gallagher be joining the SHOF next season? Source: Getty Images

WHAT WILL HE BRING?

Gallagher is one of the most fascinating case studies to come out of this draft, because it’s hard to know exactly how the Bulldogs plan to use him next season. At the very least, it’s easy to see him being a particular favourite of Luke Beveridge, given his ability to play pretty much anywhere and have an impact. As his numbers both for Bendigo and at the combine suggest, he has no problems finding the football, he uses it well, he possesses great speed and endurance, and isn’t afraid to break the lines and take the game on. When he played forward, he regularly hit the scoreboard; when he played in defence, he began to develop a reputation for being an interceptor. Beveridge is often accused of being over-zealous when it comes to demanding versatility, but Gallagher is one of the few players that Beveridge can be excused for utilising however he pleases, given Gallagher’s capacity to positively impact the game wherever he is played.

However, given the depth of quality back-flankers that the Bulldogs already have on their list, and the departure of Lachie Hunter, it may be that Gallagher is used on the wing early on in his career. He has shown to have the workrate required to play in that position, being a threat offensively and defensively, and did impress in that role in his sole game for Vic Country this year.

DID YOU KNOW?

We mentioned Gallagher’s ridiculous form late in the season, where he averaged 34.2 disposals in his final five games for Bendigo, but for those SuperCoaches out there who are in the middle of building a rookie watchlist for next season, Gallagher also averaged 170 points during that stretch. Oh Captain, my Captain?