AFL’s ‘biggest free agent’ Tim English makes shock admission on million-dollar move to West Coast

Western Bulldogs’ All-Australian big man Tim English has left the door open on his much-publicised free agency call.

Speaking exclusively to 7NEWS, the gun ruck also offered a silver lining to his pre-season setback on a day the Dogs delivered another leadership shake-up.

WATCH THE VIDEO ABOVE: Tim English speaks exclusively to 7NEWS.

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7NEWS chief AFL reporter Mitch Cleary said English was “footy’s biggest free agent” and he was back and ready to take centre stage this year.

But the new season got off to a shaky start with the 26-year-old sidelined from full training for two months

English suffered some migraine-related symptoms in the weeks before Christmas and has had concussion issues.

He had comprehensive assessments in December and early January, but the club later said they were not related.

Either side of Christmas, however, English was training in sunglasses due to the migraines.

“Even while I was sort of experiencing the headaches, I was able to get a really good body of work in,” English told 7NEWS.

“It’s a positive step and now I’m able to do the contact training and I’m feeling fresh and excited for the year.”

Cleary said English was certain to be there in 32 days for the Bulldogs’ Round 1 clash with Melbourne, but he was “uncertain on his future and the toughest decision of his life”.

“(He can) stay loyal at the Kennel, or move home to West Coast on multi-million dollar deal,” Cleary said.

“The call set to go the distance this season and one he’s palmed off to his agent Andrew McDougall for now.”

English said he had faith his manager would make the right call.

“I trust him and trust his judgement with that,” English said.

“He’s done all my contracts so far so I’m just going to back him in and hopefully we get the best result possible.”

English is fresh off an All-Australian blazer and has the new crown of the No.1 ruck in the AFL, but he says he is open to spending more time forward this year.

That decision is set to hand fellow tall Rory Lobb more time in the ruck

“In games he might have a better match-up so (I’m) really open to that and I think he’s open to that too,” English said.

And in a positive for the fans, English said emerging star and son-of-a-gun Sam Darcy had been really strong this pre-season as well.

Darcy is a high-profile draft pick (No.2 in 2021) for the Dogs and is the son of club great and Channel 7 commentator Luke Darcy.

In other news at the Bulldogs, there has been another leadership shake-up following their changes to their off-field positions.

Last year’s vice-captain Jack Macrae has been dumped from the seven-man leadership group, with Tom Liberatore promoted to the role.

Liberatore, another famous Bulldog father-son, will now be skipper Marcus Bontempelli’s new right-hand man.

Macrae is battling a hamstring injury is unlikely to play in a scratch match against Hawthorn on February 23.

Meanwhile, Liberatore is coming off one of his best seasons and was runner-up to Bontempelli in the Bulldogs’ best-and-fairest awards last year.