Out-of-contract Western Bulldogs defender Joel Hamling says he expects to be at the club next year despite being linked with a move back to Western Australia.
Having spent three years on Geelong's list without playing a game, Hamling, 23, moved to the Bulldogs two years ago as a delisted free agent. He has played 22 games at his new club and become a mainstay of the Dogs' back line late in the season.
While there has been talk of interest from Fremantle, Hamling said on Monday he did not expect this Saturday's grand final against Sydney to be his final appearance for the Dogs.
"Yeah, I'll be at the Bulldogs next year," Hamling told Fairfax Media. "Hopefully I can sign on for a few more years."
On the more pressing matter of the grand final, Hamling said he remained in disbelief at how far the Dogs had come.
"It's pretty surreal," he said."It hasn't really sunk in, to be honest. It'll probably sink in on Friday when we do the [grand final] parade."
Describing the feeling after the Dogs clinched last weekend's preliminary final over Greater Western Sydney, Hamling said the moment had been overwhelming. "It was a big wave of emotion. Sort of knowing we'd won it, to get in a grand final, it's sort of really surreal. Just exciting to be a part of it."
The absence from the side of captain Bob Murphy – who sustained a season-ending knee injury in round three – remains on the minds of many, and Hamling said Murphy had continued to provide terrific support for his teammates, as evidenced by an emotional outpouring from the veteran following the final siren at Spotless Stadium.
"Bob's been really good. Obviously he's missed out on the grand final but him just being around a big presence and he'll continue to do that."
Hamling nominated two other members of the club's older brigade – Dale Morris and Matthew Boyd – as playing key roles in easing his transition from the Cats. "There are a lot of mentors here at the club and we're all real close," he said.
