NBates
Brownlow Medallist
Caleb Daniel at full fitness and eyeing career-best year at Western Bulldogs
Chris Cavanagh, Herald Sun
January 27, 2019 6:58pm
He might have wiped out in the surf on the Sunshine Coast on Saturday, but Western Bulldogs utility Caleb Daniel is confident he can make 2019 his best season yet in the AFL.
A 2016 premiership player, Daniel had post-season knee surgery last year but has returned to full fitness as he casts an eye to pre-season matches and Round 1.
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The 22-year-old spent much of last season in a high half-forward role but played his best football in defence late in the year, averaging 30.3 disposals from his final four games and polling just the second Brownlow Medal vote of his 74-game career when he logged 40 disposals against North Melbourne in Round 21.
Speaking at the Bulldogs’ 10-day training camp in Mooloolaba, Daniel said he was not yet sure where he would play most of his football this year but wanted to be a versatile player.
Caleb Daniel found form in defence late last season. Picture: Michael Klein
“I think that’s one of the things that Bevo (coach Luke Beveridge) really instils in you, to be a three-line player as much as you can,” Daniel said.
“It sort of depends where he wants me to play and where I’m playing my best football because last year up forward I probably wasn’t playing my best footy and I suppose the move down back towards the back end of the year sort of worked out for myself and the team.
“So I’m not too sure at the moment but I’m happy to play wherever.
“I’ve been in the AFL system for a few years now and I think you can only improve every year.
“I’ve had a little injury-interrupted pre-season this year, just a little bit of knee surgery in the back end of last year, but … to be fit going towards JLT, it’s really nice.”
Tim English tackles Mitch Wallis during the Western Bulldogs’ training camp in Mooloolaba.
Daniel said the club’s training camp, which runs until Friday, had simply been a continuation of the work players had already been doing in Melbourne.
“We’re still doing the stuff we did back home, back in Melbourne, but we just do it up here in the humidity and the heat and you spend 10 days with 40 of your mates so it’s always good,” he said.
However, there was time for a surf on Saturday, which went better for some players than others.
“There’s a couple that are half-decent surfers,” Daniel said.
“I went out yesterday but I’m no good so it was just a bit of fun.”
Chris Cavanagh, Herald Sun
January 27, 2019 6:58pm
He might have wiped out in the surf on the Sunshine Coast on Saturday, but Western Bulldogs utility Caleb Daniel is confident he can make 2019 his best season yet in the AFL.
A 2016 premiership player, Daniel had post-season knee surgery last year but has returned to full fitness as he casts an eye to pre-season matches and Round 1.
RUCK ‘N’ ROLL: Dominant ruckman key to flag success
REUNITED: Caddy can’t wait to join forces with Lynch
The 22-year-old spent much of last season in a high half-forward role but played his best football in defence late in the year, averaging 30.3 disposals from his final four games and polling just the second Brownlow Medal vote of his 74-game career when he logged 40 disposals against North Melbourne in Round 21.
Speaking at the Bulldogs’ 10-day training camp in Mooloolaba, Daniel said he was not yet sure where he would play most of his football this year but wanted to be a versatile player.
“I think that’s one of the things that Bevo (coach Luke Beveridge) really instils in you, to be a three-line player as much as you can,” Daniel said.
“It sort of depends where he wants me to play and where I’m playing my best football because last year up forward I probably wasn’t playing my best footy and I suppose the move down back towards the back end of the year sort of worked out for myself and the team.
“So I’m not too sure at the moment but I’m happy to play wherever.
“I’ve been in the AFL system for a few years now and I think you can only improve every year.
“I’ve had a little injury-interrupted pre-season this year, just a little bit of knee surgery in the back end of last year, but … to be fit going towards JLT, it’s really nice.”
Daniel said the club’s training camp, which runs until Friday, had simply been a continuation of the work players had already been doing in Melbourne.
“We’re still doing the stuff we did back home, back in Melbourne, but we just do it up here in the humidity and the heat and you spend 10 days with 40 of your mates so it’s always good,” he said.
However, there was time for a surf on Saturday, which went better for some players than others.
“There’s a couple that are half-decent surfers,” Daniel said.
“I went out yesterday but I’m no good so it was just a bit of fun.”
