Dogs' Ayce up the sleeve

The AFL's annual trade week may have only just got underway and this year's national draft may be still nearly two months away but already the Western Bulldogs have pulled off a recruiting coup by securing father/son selection Ayce Cordy on Monday.

Cordy, a 202cm ruckman/forward, is the son of former defender Brian Cordy - who played 124 games for the Dogs between 1981-88 - and the nephew of Channel Ten commentator Neil Cordy, who played 235 games for the Dogs and Sydney between 1979-93.

Under the father/son bidding process now in place, the Bulldogs were forced to give up their first round pick to secure the giant teenager - pick 14 overall - after St Kilda was prepared to give up its first round pick - selection 13 - to secure a player that was widely tipped to go in the first five selections in this year's draft had he not been eligible to join the Dogs under the father/son rule.

While the Dogs could have used their third round selection to secure Cordy under the previous father/son rule which was in place prior to the introduction of the bidding system last year, Western Bulldogs coach Rodney Eade still feels the Dogs have got a bargain.

"We thought from the start he would be a first round pick," he said of Cordy, who despite his size finished in the top five in the agility tests at the recent draft camp.

"I suppose it was just depending on where we finished on the ladder but we think pick 14 is a cheap buy for Ayce because we think he is a 200-game player for us."

Cordy is not only a future number one ruckman for the Bulldogs but can also play forward - where he looms as a long-term answer for the club's lack of height in attack.

But Eade said the Dogs will not put too much pressure on Cordy, who missed much of this season following shoulder surgery in June, next year.

"He has had a couple of injuries this year so we will take it slowly," Eade said of a youngster sure to generate much excitement amongst Bulldogs' fans.

"He has certainly got enough ability to play seniors next year but if he spends all year at Williamstown (the Dogs' VFL feeder club) that is no big loss for us."

Cordy, who surprisingly admitted to being a Kangaroos' supporter as a youngster despite his strong family ties to the Whitten Oval (another uncle Graeme also played six games for the club in the mid 1980s), said he can hardly wait to begin pre-season training but said adding bulk to his lean 202cm frame is his top priority.

"As Rocket (Eade) says I need to put a bit of weight on but I already know a lot of the fitness staff down at the club (after having trained with the club during pre-season) so that should help me a little bit," he said.

Cordy said he was about a month away from being ready to train again following his shoulder operation.

"It's been three months since the operation but I am feeling good, feeling fit," he said.

"Basically I started the season with the AIS over in South Africa and came back and had three games for my school (Geelong College) but I copped a few knocks and the shoulder didn't feel