Rory Lobb

Recruited with a basketball background via Swan Districts, Rory Lobb was selected by GWS with pick 29 in the 2013 National Draft. Standing an imposing 206cm, he quickly established himself as a unique aerial threat, possessing arguably the best contested marking hands in the competition for a player of his size. After five seasons developing as a forward-ruck hybrid with the Giants, he requested a trade home to Western Australia and joined Fremantle on a lucrative long-term deal. His time at the Dockers was often a source of debate; while he finished as the club's leading goalkicker in 2022, his consistency was frequently scrutinised, and a desire to leave the club led to a protracted and somewhat acrimonious trade to the Western Bulldogs ahead of the 2023 season.

Arriving at the Bulldogs to bolster a tall forward line, Lobb’s role underwent a significant evolution during his time at the Whitten Oval. Facing pressure to retain his spot in the senior side, he was reinvented as an intercepting defender, using his exceptional reach and reading of the flight to revitalise his career in the back half. This positional switch demonstrated his versatility and allowed him to remain a structural pillar for the team when his forward output waned. Now entering the 2026 season sitting on 199 games, Lobb remains a polarising but talented utility, with a career defined by high-profile movements and a late-career adaptation that proved his value beyond the forward arc.