Mitchell Wallis Biography

Mitch Wallis is delisted by the Western Bulldogs but hasn't given up on continuing his AFL career.

Wallis underwent surgery in July and missed the closing months of his season due to a lingering problem with his foot, ultimately ending his time in the red, white and blue with 162 games next to his name.

Mitch Wallis has been elevated to Western Bulldogs' vice-captain, serving as deputy to skipper Marcus Bontempelli, and replacing Lachie Hunter who relinquished the role last year.

"In Marcus and Mitch, we have two outstanding figureheads who will help carry us forward," Bulldogs coach Luke Beveridge said.

"Marcus did an almighty job in his first season as captain, impressively navigating the playing group through a year which had plenty of challenges."

Mitch Wallis leads the Bulldogs' goalkicking for 2020, something he did not anticipate at the start of the year.

"I didn't probably expect it to play out the way it did way back in February when the season started to kick off, but I'm really happy with some of the strides I've made as a forward. I consider myself as a forward now," Wallis said.

"In years to come I'm probably going to stay there I think. Under (forwards coach) Ash Hansen's tutelage, and 'Bevo' (Bulldogs coach Luke Beveridge), learning the different patterns and craft of a forward line player has been really exciting and enjoyable and a bit of a fresher look on footy."

Mitch Wallis openly admits he did his due diligence in exploring his free agency options at the end of 2018, but ultimately his family ties to the club where his dad Steve played 261 games proved too strong.

Wallis didn't earn a spot in the side in 2018 until round three and was dropped after a round nine loss to Adelaide.

"It was a year of challenges but a massive year of growth too. I think I learned a lot about myself and the football club as we went through that year," Wallis said.

"I think the biggest thing is that you want to feel wanted at the club and that there is a place there for you.

"We explored it all and had many conversations with family members, teammates and coaches and were really happy with where we came up."

Jackson Trengove and Mitch Wallis are added to the Bulldogs leadership group for 2018.

"Jackson and Mitch are both really different and unique characters and they'll both bring their own strengths," Bulldogs captain Easton Wood said.

"They'll both lead in different ways, but be great additions to the group."

Mitch Wallis has put the speculation of his contractual status behind him and is looking forward to being a leader at the Bulldogs.

"I'm a true Bulldog at heart, and the (contract situation) was about working through until the end of the year," Wallis said.

"I needed to get the confidence back in my own ability, which I thought I did towards the end of the year.

"I'm very honoured to be a part of the leadership group, but the hard work starts now and putting those words into action, having a good start to the year and carrying that through."

Mitch Wallis rejects free agency to re-sign with the Western Bulldogs for a further three years in a deal that will keep him at the club until the end of 2021.

Western Bulldogs coach Luke Beveridge says out-of-contract free agent Mitch Wallis is a required player at the club in 2019.

"There is, so we're just working through that with his management," Beveridge said when asked if the club had offered Wallis a new contract.

"The free-agency status entitles players to explore what the market is going to tell them in as far as their worth, but how that transpires, I couldn't tell you."

Mitch Wallis believes he's proven himself as a best-22 player at the Western Bulldogs and hopes to be rewarded with a new contract.

"It was a challenging start to the year to get my body right and hit consistent form, but since the bye I've been able to pull together some consistent footy, and hitting the scoreboard, which I've also felt has been a part of my game," Wallis said.

"(My contract) is probably going to be put off until the end of the year, and I'm going to be optimistic about it, but we'll just have to wait and see how it plays out."

Mitch Wallis makes a successful return from a badly broken leg with a starring performance in the VFL.

The 23-year-old finished with 34 disposals, 11 tackles and three goals in Footscray's 124-point win over North Ballarat at Whitten Oval.

"I was a little bit nervous before the game, but I couldn’t wait to get out there," Wallis said.

"I was able to play with freedom, which was nice, because I got tackled a few times and made a few tackles and (my leg) didn't really cross my mind.

"It's a foundation and hopefully I can build on that from here."

Mitch Wallis is likely to make his return from a badly broken leg in the VFL this week.

"Mitch has progressed through a comprehensive rehabilitation program and is in line to be available for selection this week at VFL level," Bulldogs medical services manager Chris Bell said.

"Mitch has excelled through his final stages of rehab and it’s testament to his hard work and dedication."

Mitch Wallis says he remains uncertain when he'll return from the sickening leg fractures that sidelined him during the Western Bulldogs' fairytale 2016 finals campaign.

"It's very symptomatic. Obviously these are pretty rare occasions where people do such a severe injury, but I've just got things I've got to tick off and I'm progressing quite well," Wallis said.

"I ran for the first time on Monday which was pretty momentous and I was pretty excited by that, so I'm looking forward to the next run and that's another box I'll tick off.

"I'm definitely going to have an impact this year, whether that's early, in the middle of the season or late we'll wait and see, but I'm progressing quite well."

A visibly emotional Luke Beveridge has spoken of the grief the club endured in the wake of season-ending injuries to Mitch Wallis and Jack Redpath.

On the verge of tears at his weekly press conference, the second-year coach spoke of the love he has for his injured charges and the Western Bulldogs' playing group as a whole.

"I'm an emotional person with our (playing) group and the way they care about each other," Beveridge said.

"It's my prerogative and responsibility to be strong, which I'm not being now, but I haven't been this (emotional) with the group.

"They've been quite resilient when they've been around each other and they're all in really good spirits.

'We've picked ourselves up, we're going to train this afternoon and pump a bit of energy into that session and that will help us move on."

Mitch Wallis could return within nine months after undergoing successful surgery to repair his broken left leg on Sunday.

Wallis, who broke both his left tibia and fibula bones in Saturday's loss to St Kilda, underwent surgery at the Avenue Hospital in Melbourne on Sunday afternoon and had the injury plated by surgeon David Young.

Young was optimistic about Wallis's recovery prospects having earlier forecast a 12-month recovery for the midfielder.

He now believed that could be reduced to inside nine months after a successful operation.

Former Richmond and Western Bulldogs star Nathan Brown has cautioned Mitch Wallis, who broke both bones in his leg during the Dogs' loss on Saturday night, to not rush his recovery.

Wallis fractured his tibia and fibula in a sickening moment at Etihad Stadium, where he accidentally kicked his left leg while being tackled by Shane Savage.

Brown broke the same two bones while playing for Richmond in round 10 of the 2005 season.

He returned in round one of the following season but says he came back too early.

"The only thing I'd say to Mitch Wallis is you're a young kid, you've got a lot of time. Don't try and rush it," Brown said.

"Everybody told me not to rush it. I did and I was probably never the same player."

Midfielder Mitch Wallis breaks both bones in his lower left leg during the Western Bulldogs' 15-point loss to St Kilda.

Bulldogs coach Luke Beveridge confirmed Wallis had fractured both his tibia and fibula in a sickening moment at Etihad Stadium.

Wallis screamed in agony as he was stretched off in the fourth quarter, having suffered the horrific injury while being tackled by Shane Savage.

It came on a night when the Bulldogs also lost key forward Jack Redpath for the season due to a torn anterior cruciate ligament (ACL).

"In all football clubs the players are tight. Ours is no different. They're really hurting," Beveridge said.

"They're really feeling it for Mitch and his family and also for 'Red' and his family."

Mitch Wallis signs a new three-year contract with the Western Bulldogs.

"Mitch has shouldered a lot of responsibility and leadership in the midfield this year and has been central to some of our wins this season," Bulldogs list manager Jason McCartney said.

"He is a mature head, who is totally committed to the footy club in everything he does, and we're really pleased to extend his contract for another three years."

Mitch Wallis will miss at least the next two weeks after receiving a knee to his lower back in the game against the Hawks.

The 22-year-old experienced back spasms as a result, preventing him from taking any further part in the match after half-time.

"He's got some significant tightness and muscle spasm in his back and he's come in today – certainly he's freed up somewhat – but our expectation is he's probably not going to be available for the next couple of weeks," Bulldogs football manager Graham Lowe said.

Mitch Wallis has been ruled out for the rest of the season after being diagnosed with a broken foot that will require surgery.

The 21-year-old suffered the injury late in the third quarter of the Dogs' narrow loss to Essendon at Etihad Stadium.

"People were thinking it was his ankle, but it was his foot that got twisted underneath him," sports injury expert Dr Peter Larkins told 3AW.

"The really nasty break that occurs on the fifth metatarsal always requires surgery … because it's got a terrible history of not healing."

Young gun Mitch Wallis signs a three-year deal with the Dogs and flags his captaincy aspirations.

"It is a dream," Wallis admitted about the prospect of captaincy.

"But you don't think about that. You think of small steps first … Just bringing the group closer together so we play as mates is the direction I'm trying to take the club.

"I think leadership's a part of my game and how I play and how I prepare. But I've got to learn a lot before I start demanding of others. But it is part and parcel of who I am, so hopefully it'll be ingrained in me for years to come."

Mitch Wallis says he is no longer feeling the pressure to live up to his father's sizable reputation.

My dad played it down a little bit [and] made it a bit easier for me, trying to take some of the implied pressure that was put on by the media and other types of people," Wallis said.

"I just went along for the ride. I love footy that much that it sort of overcasts any of the pressure that you do get.

"There's younger kids than me [here now]. I've learned a lot from my first year - a few experiences that I'll never forget - so I'm really excited this year to put some of those things into play."

Mitchell Wallis makes his AFL debut for the Western Bulldogs with 3 disposals (3 handballs) and a tackle in a 7-point loss to Fremantle.