Buku Khamis played the first 14 games in a row last season for the Bulldogs, ostensibly replacing Jamarra Ugle-Hagan as a third forward. He was not picked for the last eight rounds, with coach Luke Beveridge preferring Jordan Croft and Caleb Poulter. With Ugle-Hagan and Poulter both exiting the club in the off season, Khamis has less competition for a spot supporting Aaron Naughton and Sam Darcy but does not have the confidence of the coach. Perhaps a role in defence would better suit his aerial talents? His career is at the crossroads.
Buku Khamis played the first 14 games in a row last season for the Bulldogs, ostensibly replacing Jamarra Ugle-Hagan as a third forward. He was not picked for the last eight rounds, with coach Luke Beveridge preferring Jordan Croft and Caleb Poulter. With Ugle-Hagan and Poulter both exiting the club in the off season, Khamis has less competition for a spot supporting Aaron Naughton and Sam Darcy but does not have the confidence of the coach. Perhaps a role in defence would better suit his aerial talents? His career is at the crossroads.
Buku Khamis has retained his spot in the Bulldogs 23 for another week despite the return of Liam Jones from injury and the sudden emergence of Rory Lobb from a career of playing pockets and benches to occupying the centre half back as if he had been installed there 200 games ago. Khamis had himself mostly been playing CHB through the middle part of the season in a spinning-plates kind of way, but it is no coinicidence that the Dogs' recent run of form matches the move of Lobb to defensive spine. Khamis is a useful player, but his job security is dwindling fast.
Buku Khamis has been holding down the pivotal centre half back position for the Western Bulldogs this year in the absence of several best-22 key position players, namely Alex Keath and Ryan Gardner. It's not as if he has been setting the world on fire with his play, but he's done the job required without fuss and incidentally has pleased his fantasy owners along the way. Will Luke Beveridge persist with the younger model when his established stalwarts return from injury, to continue Khamis' status as a fantasy cash cow? No one can fathom Bevo's byzantine inner monologue.
Khamis before the storm
As a South Sudanese refugee, Buku Khamis picked up his first footy much later than most but that didn't stop the athletic defender from earning All-Australian selection at the 2018 Championships. Khamis spent his year with Footscray, twice named in the best across 18 matches. Khamis has proved himself to have impressive running and intercept marking capabilities, yet remains as a raw back line project with plenty of improvement yet to come. It's unlikely we'll see him debut in the short term. Avoid.
Khamis stays calm
The Bulldogs' first Next Generation Academy selection, Buku Khamis arrives as a refugee from South Sudan ready to make his mark on the game. He is primarily tasked with intercepting the play across half back, gathering the most intercept possessions on average at the Championships. He is more suited to the attacking aspects of football, struggling in one-on-one situations during the TAC Cup season. The youngster unfortunately suffered a posterior cruciate ligament strain during a marking contest this preseason. The next year or two will be spent on building Khamis’ body for the rigours of AFL football, currently slight for an athlete of his height. Never an above-average ball winner as a junior, it appears unlikely that Khamis will warrant selection for our fantasy sides.
