While thousands of phone calls, text messages and emails bounced around between agents and clubs during the trade period, new Dog Finn Maginness was literally a world away.

Following the highs of winning a premiership with the Box Hill Hawks, Finn and partner Gemma packed their bags for an off-season trip to Morocco.

While the itinerary was packed with once-in-a-lifetime experiences, the former Hawk forgot one critical detail:

The lack of reception in the Sahara Desert.

What was a somewhat stressful moment at the time now makes for one of the more unique trade experiences.

“I’ve been on a bit of a trip through Morocco. That’s where I was when the trade went through, I was actually in the Sahara desert,” Maginness recounted.

“I actually messaged Reags (Michael Regan) saying, ‘I’m going a bit off the grid, I won’t have reception for a few days. If the trade goes through, let the boys know I’m not being a prick - I actually do like them, I’m trying to reply to them.’

“I’m so glad it all went through.

“As soon as I got reception, I could see that everything went to plan.

“I was over the moon.”

Fast forward a few weeks and a few thousand kilometres, and the 25-year-old found himself with his feet firmly planted at Mission Whitten Oval for his first visit to the Club.

Having spent the past six seasons with the Hawks, those first-day feelings came rushing back when he walked through the doors.

“Driving in today, I sort of had the butterflies in my stomach,” he said.

“New club, fresh start. Even walking in today, I didn’t have a fob to get in so was trying to figure out how to get into the building.

“Now I’m in here, I’m really excited.”

Maginness played 64 games in the brown and gold, where he built a reputation as a versatile and tough midfielder with the ability to shut down some of the best players in the game.

However, it was the promise of a fresh start, a few conversations with Western Bulldogs Senior Coach Luke Beveridge, and a closer look at the playing group that drove Maginness to request the move.

“During the year, Bevo got in contact with me and I had a few conversations with him and he saw value with me as a player and wanted me to come over,” he said.

“From then, I really thought about it really seriously.

“As the year unfolded it looked like a great group of boys, not just the way they played but also off the field they’ve got some strong leaders and great personalities.

“I was really excited from then.”

As the pre-season approaches and with his new colours now fitted, Maginness is excited to show the Bulldogs faithful and his new teammates exactly what he is capable of.

A willingness to play his role, whatever that may be, as well as the prospect of lining up alongside a new-look Bulldogs midfield, has him counting down the days until the start of the new year.

“I’m competitive and I think I’ve got the ability to play on all sorts of players of different shapes and sizes,” he said.

“Going forward, I’m happy to play whatever role the team needs. I see myself as being pretty versatile.

“Obviously the acquisition of Butters is really exciting, but guys like Bont, Ed Richards, Sam Darcy, Naughton, these sorts of guys - I’ve been watching them for years.

“To finally get a chance to play with them is super exciting.

“I’m keen to get to know them and meet them over the coming days and get stuck into it with all of the rest of the boys as well.”