Luke Beveridge

[Isaac Cumming No 1]

Thing I don't get is that the Dogs seemed to have one of the most talented young lists in the game. There wasn't much that they needed to recruit, just to keep developing and improving.

Based on their list they should still be a force to be reckoned with. It seemed like West Coast were scoring from complete defensive breakdowns, not from key forwards winning one on ones.

Same thing in round 1, and commentators said their effort was ok. It just wasn't.

The the body language from their players there was really disturbing. They seemed to be going out of their way to ignore play, and pretend defensive running was someone else's problem.

To me they lifted to a respectable level in the second half yesterday, which they didn't at Manuka.

In Beveridge's favour, and to the thread, he seemed to be facing reality when he said they went off the reservation in the second QTR. That seems the first step to fixing it. Maybe the confusing selections are because he knows he has a commitment problem with some. It could be fitness but I don't know why.

 

[demondavey]

On what are you basing this allegation?

Peter Gordon is a known micromanager. Not just in football but in other facets of his working life. He is incredibly outspoken at the WB, so much to the point where I think Beverage is a bit muzzled and told to ‘just go along and coach’.

 

[Gavin Excell]

Peter Gordon is a known micromanager. Not just in football but in other facets of his working life. He is incredibly outspoken at the WB, so much to the point where I think Beverage is a bit muzzled and told to ‘just go along and coach’.

I see

Clearly something is off at the club when players who won a flag 18 months ago show such a dispiriting lack of effort

 

[demondavey]

Thing I don't get is that the Dogs seemed to have one of the most talented young lists in the game. There wasn't much that they needed to recruit, just to keep developing and improving.

Based on their list they should still be a force to be reckoned with. It seemed like West Coast were scoring from complete defensive breakdowns, not from key forwards winning one on ones.

I think the Eagles KF were a huge influence on the contests yesterday. Darling, Lycett in particular I thought really capitalised on a weaker WB defence. WC really capitalised on the skill errors.

 

[demondavey]

I see

Clearly something is off at the club when players who won a flag 18 months ago show such a dispiriting lack of effort

It’s probably not all that, but from what I’ve seen whenever there is anything to do with the WB in terms of the media, Gordon is always involved. He is also a regular on 774 with Jon Faine and I feel it’s just overkill.

At the end of the day, you’re talking about a side that won a flag from 7th, a complete anamoly. It hasn’t happened before. Finishing 7th says you’re a good mid range side, or just above. They played the best 4 finals games I’ve ever seen with a frenetic approach that no opponent could withstand, and their skills were akin to Hawthorn of 13-15.

I’ve had some WB say they are going though a mini rebuild, so soon after winning the flag. Does that actually question their ability to be a sustained top 4 side in the wake of 4 amazing games in 2016? Maybe it does.

It’s a tough question to put forward but maybe they played out of their skin when it mattered but just aren’t much chop from round 1-23. They have proven however you do only need to make it.

 

[Leather Poisoning]

I see

Clearly something is off at the club when players who won a flag 18 months ago show such a dispiriting lack of effort

Happened with hawthorn this time last year. (Just 18 months after a flag) although our post flag year in 2016 wasn’t all bad.

It’s the next level test for a premiership coach. Could take a while to sort out though, they seem to have issues everywhere.

 

[Holden Hillbilly]

Has a side ever gone from premiers to bottom in 2 seasons?

 

[STFU Donnie]

Nathan Buckley is the Arsene Wenger of the AFL!

Apart from Wenger winning three Premier League titles (including an undefeated season) and seven FA Cups, the similarities really are astounding.

 

[Ian Dunross]

Bring Beveridge to the Saints please - unless he has gone off the rails.

 

[Isaac Cumming No 1]

It’s probably not all that, but from what I’ve seen whenever there is anything to do with the WB in terms of the media, Gordon is always involved. He is also a regular on 774 with Jon Faine and I feel it’s just overkill.

At the end of the day, you’re talking about a side that won a flag from 7th, a complete anamoly. It hasn’t happened before. Finishing 7th says you’re a good mid range side, or just above. They played the best 4 finals games I’ve ever seen with a frenetic approach that no opponent could withstand, and their skills were akin to Hawthorn of 13-15.

I’ve had some WB say they are going though a mini rebuild, so soon after winning the flag. Does that actually question their ability to be a sustained top 4 side in the wake of 4 amazing games in 2016? Maybe it does.

It’s a tough question to put forward but maybe they played out of their skin when it mattered but just aren’t much chop from round 1-23. They have proven however you do only need to make it.

I think It's time to put 2016 to bed. The flags in the Cabinet and they earned it. It's 2018 and time moves forward in our universe.

 

[ManOfClay]

A lot said about us about 2016 is on the mark. We made finals and had a great month.

While we had a young core that was supplemented by experience across 2015-16. We don’t have that experience anymore.

It’s great we snagged a flag when we did. But that list is gone.

We have some ingredients going forward but not enough for a full mixture to bake a cake

 

[demondavey]

I think It's time to put 2016 to bed. The flags in the Cabinet and they earned it. It's 2018 and time moves forward in our universe.

I am not saying it doesn’t. I live in the same universe. I am pointing out that I think the 2016 flag was off the back of 4 amazing games, not 4 amazing years.

 

[ManOfClay]

Being sucky is a lot more palatable when you’ve had recent success I must say

 

[Isaac Cumming No 1]

I am not saying it doesn’t. I live in the same universe. I am pointing out that I think the 2016 flag was off the back of 4 amazing games, not 4 amazing years.

Fair enough.
I think they had the best midfield through 2016, and those performances didn't come from nowhere. It's subjective though.

 

[demondavey]

Being sucky is a lot more palatable when you’ve had recent success I must say

I’d like to be sucky and have success

 

[BallaratBulldog]

Fair enough.
I think they had the best midfield through 2016, and those performances didn't come from nowhere. It's subjective though.

Third man up was very helpful, it really exposes a ruck problem now. Especially when it's Nic Nat vs English (I liked a fair bit of what he did though) and Roughhead is out of it and maybe injured again. Boyd had a gliute injury late and it pushed him back or so the club said evenutally. Was good early in vfl then faded so he's probably still a bit away from being our Ruck/forward.

 

[Lindsay_Gilbee]

We’ve lost all our senior players besides Wood and Suckling. Morris, Liber, Picken, Adams, Smith as injuries just kill you.

We suck, but that hasn’t helped at all.

Boyd didn’t play because he needed match fitness after an injury. Apparently the same with Wallis and Dickson.

This year is a bust but with Bont, Macrae, McLean and co I still think there’s something to salvage.

 

[Lindsay_Gilbee]

Also, I’ve seen it posted on numerous site... “take away the flag and he’s an ordinary coach”. What a load of rubbish, yeah let’s take away the thing we all play for. He’s made finals 2/3 years (will be 2/4). People seem to forget he’s only in his fourth year.. and what he took over.

 

[Isaac Cumming No 1]

Third man up was very helpful, it really exposes a ruck problem now. Especially when it's Nice Nat vs English (I liked a fair bit of what he did though) and Roughhead is out of it and maybe injured again. Boyd had a gliute injury late and it pushed him back or so the club said evenutally. Was good early in vlf then faded so he's probably still a bit away from being our Ruck/forward.

I get English is a great prospect. I thought he started pretty ordinary at Manuka but found his feet and carried on with it yesterday. He's very young to carry a heavy ruck work load all season though, and looks like some gym time would help. Boys or R9ughead firing will be needed at some point I think.
I also get he rule changes had an impact, but he real difference from 2016 is how your midfield really took opposition talls out of the game then.

 

[Some Idiot]

Also, I’ve seen it posted on numerous site... “take away the flag and he’s an ordinary coach”. What a load of rubbish, yeah let’s take away the thing we all play for. He’s made finals 2/3 years (will be 2/4). People seem to forget he’s only in his fourth year.. and what he took over.

He was voted coach of the year by his peers in 2015 as well as the premiership year, that says plenty.

 

[Lindsay_Gilbee]

He was voted coach of the year by his peers in 2015 as well as the premiership year, that says plenty.

I take that with a grain of salt, Clarko is the best coach ever and he’s never won it.

 

[Damon_3388]

Has a side ever gone from premiers to bottom in 2 seasons?

Well, West Coast went from Premiers in 2006, to 15th (in a 16-team comp) in 2008, and then 16th in 2010.

The Eagles had an older squad in general though, and probably more important/notable player losses.

 

[Damon_3388]

Third man up was very helpful, it really exposes a ruck problem now. Especially when it's Nic Nat vs English (I liked a fair bit of what he did though) and Roughhead is out of it and maybe injured again. Boyd had a gliute injury late and it pushed him back or so the club said evenutally. Was good early in vfl then faded so he's probably still a bit away from being our Ruck/forward.

Dogs desperately need a proper big, physical ruckman right now.

It will seem like a continuation of the ongoing joke, but dropping 2013 Will Minson into this side would help immensely, and take a huge amount of heat off the other midfielders.

 

[Jables]

Happened with hawthorn this time last year. (Just 18 months after a flag) although our post flag year in 2016 wasn’t all bad.

It’s the next level test for a premiership coach. Could take a while to sort out though, they seem to have issues everywhere.

We had pretty decent injury excuses in both 2009 and 2017 though. 2017 wasn't 2009 bad which is the worst injury period I've ever seen especially if you count the 2008 GF and all the players that never recovered, but we were missing our entire backline for large parts + O'Meara, Cyril, Roughead coming back from cancer.
Bulldogs are just low on confidence, the coach isn't superman and while they do have some responsibility for morale, like you say they can't fix problems as they come up with a stirring speech. Kind of eerie how they are crying about rucks like we were though, the days when I was disappointed we cut Skipper because he was relatively great compared to Renouf and whoever the hell else was in the ruck ...

 

[Scotland]

Have any of the Melbourne papers run with Lukewarm Beveridge yet?