Western Bulldogs premiership star Luke Dahlhaus has officially traded the Kennel for the Cattery, joining Geelong on a long-term deal.

The Geelong native penned a four-year contract to return home to the Cats as an unrestricted free agent after eight seasons with the Bulldogs.

The Cats were keen to bring Dahlhaus into the fold due to his versatility as a pressure-applying forward and inside midfielder.

“Luke is a player that we identified as being able to come in and make an impact on our team,” Geelong football general manager Simon Lloyd said.

“A high performing player at AFL level for many years, Luke has the ability to play a number of positions on the ground and take the game on.”

The Bulldogs will receive a second-round compensation selection, slated for pick 25 in the draft at present.

Dahlhaus played 154 games, including 17 matches this season, before informing the club in September he would be leaving in free agency.

The 26-year-old was one of the Bulldogs’ grand-final stars in 2016, amassing 23 disposals and eight tackles in their 22-point win against Sydney.

He recently came under criticism for firing a social media shot at Bob Murphy after his former captain questioned Dahlhaus’ dedication.

Dahlhaus played junior football with the Geelong Falcons before he was selected by the Dogs at the 2011 rookie draft.