Pressure lifts for ‘grateful’ Beveridge
Western Bulldogs coach Luke Beveridge says he is grateful to his players for overcoming a horror start to the season, and believes his side is firmly “in the mix” as a finals threat.
Beveridge was the subject of heavy scrutiny when the Bulldogs began the season with two heavy losses to Melbourne and St Kilda, but six wins from their last seven matches have supporters and pundits singing a different tune.
He said the Dogs had “designs” on a top-four spot heading into every season, but now have significant belief after a month which has included a thumping victory over Fremantle in Perth and a resilient win against a desperate opponent in Carlton.
“We were under pressure round 2 – I’m grateful, we all are, for what the players have done to create some momentum now in our season and really put us in the mix,” Beveridge said.
“(The run of form) makes us feel like we’ve now got an opportunity to do be productive in a little bit more of a significant way to continue to try to climb.
“It is only round 9 so I don’t want to start talking about the pointy end of the season … we’ve got designs on (a topfour spot), whether we can get there is another thing.”
Beveridge said determination to be “hard to play against” for any opposition had been crucial to the Bulldogs’ form, as they face starkly different conditions over the next fortnight, with clashes against Adelaide in Ballarat this week and Gold Coast in Darwin in round 11. “I know some of the teams down the bottom are being talked down, but we approach it as we’re vulnerable week to week, as much as we believe in ourselves,” he said.
“We’ve got to stifle the speed with which they are capable of moving it, which they showed in Adelaide this week.”
Beveridge said the Bulldogs would “wait and see” with the fitness of key defender Josh Bruce, who is no certainty to come back in at the senior level after strong performances by the key defensive trio of Liam Jones, Alex Keath and Ryan Gardner against the Blues.