Western Bulldogs senior coach Luke Beveridge has answered questions about the future of his club and its ageing veterans’ after they were disappointingly defeated by Essendon on Friday night.
Following a tight first half after which they trailed by just eight points, the Bulldogs were outmuscled in the second portion, as the Bombers piled on seven goals to three to run out 29-point victors at Marvel Stadium.
The result, assuredly a bitter and reflective one for Beveridge’s Dogs, consigned them to a 2-3 record on the season as they struggle to gain ascendency in 2024.
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Again, questions have been asked of the Bulldogs’ short-term future after entering the season with lofty internal expectations.
“I stand before (the players) and I talk to them about how much I believe in them and how much I think we’re capable of,” Beveridge told reporters post-game on Friday.
“When I talk to our supporters, I talk to them about the possibilities even though we’re evolving and there are some changes in personnel at different times.
“We’re missing out on some opportunities, so I understand if people aren’t sure about where we sit in the scheme of things, and it is early in the year. It’s just reality.”
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And again, questions have been posed to Beveridge about his bemusing selection calls and in-game coaching decisions.
Veteran half-back-flanker Bailey Dale was made the starting substitute on Friday night — a week after fellow senior Bulldog Jack Macrae was relegated to substitute duties against Geelong.
“(It’s) just a form thing, you know,” Beveridge said, regarding Dale’s demotion.
“We’ve been a little bit on edge about Liam Jones and Buku Khamis shouldering that key defensive load, and without another tall to really play on keys, it’s meant that Ed Richards and (Dale), to a degree, have had to really fight out of their weight range in the air.
“’Digger’s just probably been a bit off (with) his influence in games. We thought it was a good week to bring James (O’Donnell) in. James is going to be a really important player for us in the future.”
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Asked if he and his coaching committee have an eye to the future, Beveridge stressed that he and his circle of powerbrokers are all about the ‘now’, despite the Bulldogs’ contingent of tantalising young talent that continue to press for senior opportunities.
“(Myself), our coaches and our decision-makers always make the decisions for the ‘now’, but we need to make sure — and this is part of the selection process as well — that we give opportunities to players that are going to be important players in the future, as much as now,” said Beveridge.
“It is a pretty steep learning curve at this level for guys that haven’t played many games. But in no way, shape or form are we saying that we’re doing it for next year and the year after, or anything like that.
“It’s absolutely for the now. We believe that we can win games like tonight. We just weren’t good enough tonight, unfortunately.”
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27-year-old Caleb Daniel was omitted ahead of Friday night’s important bout, with Beveridge likening the diminutive ball-getter’s circumstance to Dale’s.
“Similar to Bailey Dale, just as far as influence (on the game) goes,” Beveridge said, explaining his rationale.
“As I’ve said in the past, there’s a finite amount of minutes that midfielders can play, and (with Daniel) we’ve probably moved away from picking him as a half-back at the moment, so it comes down to who we’re going to play in the other roles.
“We had others in the fore this week, so we’ll keep working through that.”
Daniel notched 26 disposals and three tackles in Friday’s VFL curtain-raising clash with the Dons’ reserves.
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Beveridge was also quizzed on his decision to, again, substitute first-year midfielder Ryley Sanders out of the contest, also addressing the Tasmanian’s visible frustration upon learning he’d been removed from the game.
“We’ll process (that) with him post-game,” the Bulldogs’ senior coach said.
“It’s always difficult — not many of us enjoy the ‘sub’ factor, especially the ‘subbing out’ aspect. But it’s a steep learning curve for ‘Sando’.
“He’s going to be such an important player for the football club and he’s learning all the time, and part of that is understanding that from time-to-time he may be that guy who comes off the ground. So, we’ll work through it with him.”
Sanders, who managed just eight disposals on against the Bombers, was also subbed out in Round 1.
The Bulldogs face the 2-2 Saints next Thursday night at Marvel Stadium in what’s shaping as a season-defining clash.
Source Agencies
