Rumour Future of the club (Bevo, board, assistant coaches, football department)

[doggy_dog]

I'm a younger fan, the prelim losses destroyed me as a kid, always felt like we were never going to get there despite getting so bloody close. The Macca era was rough, lost the joy of even following footy for a while there (I was like 11-13) Eventually though I watched to see glimpses of talent emerging, was fun to watch players like Macrae, Bont, Wallis etc all start to emerge a little bit.

After Griff left I had like no hope left for the club, the Boyd deal looked fun but I thought it was a deal for the future rather then a deal for the now and we were well and truly in a rebuilding phase.

Then out of nowhere Bevo comes in and gets the list that looked shocking playing some of the best footy I've ever seen as a supporter of the club, we seriously looked so good, fast flowing, high scoring and ferocious. I loved watching us in 2015 yeah we might of went out of finals early but holy s**t finals wasn't expected anyway, this Bevo bloke had pulled a miracle, he had the list looking incredible, rejuvenated a few of the senior boys careers by changing their role. I was so optimistic that I said early on in 2016 that we would win the flag or come close and then we bloody did.

I will never ever discredit Bevo for what he did in those two years but something radically changed in 2017, teams had started to work us out and we had the weight of being the reigning premiers and we just didn't handle it well. Sydney worked out how to play against us, flogged us and gave teams the blueprint on how to beat us (No JJ no bulldogs was well and truly a thing) Bevo didn't seem the confident bloke he was in 15-16 he seemed like he was second guessing himself.

We had a few years of weirdness but it did seem like things were on the up come 2019 when we finally scraped our way back into finals, I will say 2018 might have been the most depressing year in Bevo's reign including 2023 but I wasn't truley a Bevo out guy yet. We had a few senior boys retire and a few players leave so it looked like we were trying to soft rebuild.

2020 pissed me off, we had the best looking squad we have ever had under his coaching with our young guns all entering their prime at once and we just couldn't get going, this was the beginning of me thinking Bevo had lost the plot. 2021 was a ride, I thought the man had finally got it all together, we looked great, we were so good for like 17 rounds and then we utterly cooked it, after the Port game I had no hope for us entering finals we didn't finish top 4 we looked cooked and we would have to pull a miracle out of the hat again.

We got so bloody close to doing it too, we were so close to touching that cup and then we played one of the worst quarters of footy I've ever seen us play and our coach had no answers what so ever. I go to sleep having nightmares of that last ten mins of the third when we just couldn't wrestle any momentum back from Melbourne.

Since then we have seen the team lose the same way over and over again, get some momentum against the dogs and we fold over, there has been no change, Bevo seems tired, stressed and out of ideas, our captain seems like his getting to the point where he is so stressed out it's affecting his game.

I love Bevo I really do but I don't think he is the man to lead this club on anymore, it's very sad as I think if we win in 2021 we would be in some alt timeline where we are a dynasty club under him but it just wasn't to be. His message looks like it's run stale with the players and the fans now. All that we are waiting on is it to run stale with the board and his gone.

I reckon he coaches out the season and "resigns" don't think the board really want to sack him during the season and I feel like they want to give him a dignified ending too if it's going to happen

Are you my alt? genuinely this reflects my experience pretty much exactly

 

[adogsfan5]

 

[Next Waiting]

Do we just ignore that Libba has missed 2 out of 7 games. Is it a reflection on Lade, or our depth in the midfield?

 

[Optimistic Dog]

Why?

Bit left field very impressive when he speaks, did a great job at Werribee not that long out of the game and was a player that did it the hard way to become a very good player.

I favour an untried coach rather than a recycled one, Just, my thoughts however picking the right coach is not an exact science.

 

[doggy_dog]

Glad this is starting to get some traction. Has done nothing with our midfield after doing nothing with the Saints

 

[LondonBulldog]

Glad this is starting to get some traction. Has done nothing with our midfield after doing nothing with the Saints

What is a reflection on Lade is that he can't get a ruckman to be more demanding at Centre Bounces when he played that way himself?

 

[BEaston]

Webb, our mastermind.

 

[W W Biscuit]

What type? Are you talking about thermal, chemical, gravitational etc. or some kind of spooky voodoo energy whereby supporters sooking on a forum somehow affects the team's performance? I'd have thought a man with a private school education, such as yourself, would be more rational.

Tbh the "loser members" comes across as self projecting. You're not a loser - you are a valuable human being and you deserve love, just like everyone else.

This is where you really started to lose me

 

[doggy_dog]

What is a reflection on Lade is that he can't get a ruckman to be more demanding at Centre Bounces when he played that way himself?

Can’t change someone’s nature. I’m not an English fan either if you couldn’t tell

 

[Golden_6]

There's a few things there. In 2022 we had Dunkley (our best and fairest winner) and a peak Macrae playing there.

In 2023, we had Bont & Libba playing as top 10 players in the competition. Libba has missed two games & been subbed out once whilst Bont looks to be playing injured and down on form. Not to mention that Smith is also out for the season & Macrae has been nowhere near his best.

It's a bit simplistic to blame Lade.

 

[VitalDread]

If Dogs move on Bevo

We won't be going for a first timer coach unless we are entering full rebuild mode

Ideally, a experienced coach like Adam Simpson

 

[doggy_dog]

If Dogs move on Bevo

We won't be going for a first timer coach unless we are entering full rebuild mode

Ideally, a experienced coach like Adam Simpson

I won’t be happy if we go into our search with such a narrow view. History shows first time coaches shouldn’t be avoided

 

[VitalDread]

I won’t be happy if we go into our search with such a narrow view. History shows first time coaches shouldn’t be avoided

I agree with you

But feel like with this playing list, club would feel the pressure to go with experience

 

[adogsfan5]

If Dogs move on Bevo

We won't be going for a first timer coach unless we are entering full rebuild mode

Ideally, a experienced coach like Adam Simpson

Simpson? Golly.. imagine the rants in here when we play insanely slow and wide.

 

[Anja_Nees]

Simpson? Golly.. imagine the rants in here when we play insanely slow and wide.

He’s also got his fingerprints on West Coast becoming a far bigger basket case than we have ever been under Bevo, while his career highlights basically just match Bevo’s.

I’m sure he’s a good coach and could be a candidate but I’m not sure why we think we’d improve if we hired him unless it’s just having a different voice.

 

[Next Waiting]

He’s also got his fingerprints on West Coast becoming a far bigger basket case than we have ever been under Bevo, while his career highlights basically just match Bevo’s.

I’m sure he’s a good coach and could be a candidate but I’m not sure what we think why we think we’d improve if we hired him unless it’s just having a different voice.

And, they need to take into account the effect that having a former norf captain as our coach will have on Leon

 

[ossie_21]

I won’t be happy if we go into our search with such a narrow view. History shows first time coaches shouldn’t be avoided

I think it’s more of a who is a ready first time coach, that isn’t already part of a succession plan like Carr or Cox

 

[adogsfan5]

Mcqualter / Graham / King / Chaplin seem the next in line.

Think I’d rather stay away from Gia but I wouldn’t be shocked if it’ll be him. (I am keen to stay away from this ex-bulldogs “boys club”). Just creates potential issues when you have Grant and Darcy at the club already.

 

[dogwatch]

Mcqualter / Graham / King / Chaplin seem the next in line.

Think I’d rather stay away from Gia but I wouldn’t be shocked if it’ll be him. (I am keen to stay away from this ex-bulldogs “boys club”). Just creates potential issues when you have Grant and Darcy at the club already.

Weren't we about to go with Leon Cameron in 2014 when we snaffled Beveridge at the last minute?

That worked out OK (for a while).
Admittedly Bevo did play for the Dogs too, but his lineage was more Saints/Pies than Dogs.

 

[geoffjennings79]

Even interviewing, let alone appointing Simpson, would suggest as an organisation we have jumped the shark.
Personally, I'd rather a 10yr extension for Beveridge if that's the alternative!

 

[Struggle]

Weren't we about to go with Leon Cameron in 2014 when we snaffled Beveridge at the last minute?

That worked out OK (for a while).
Admittedly Bevo did play for the Dogs too, but his lineage was more Saints/Pies than Dogs.

Leon Cameron was 2011 but he wanted a rebuild and McCartney was convinced we only needed a refresh

Either way, I'd be terrified of any coaching selection we make if Bains and Grant are on the panel

 

[ossie_21]

Even interviewing, let alone appointing Simpson, would suggest as an organisation we have jumped the shark.
Personally, I'd rather a 10yr extension for Beveridge if that's the alternative!

Simpson is a good coach, but he needs a break just as much (or more) than Bevo does.

Eagles blew things up by having to give up so much for Kelly, then lost a stack of key players regularly (Naitanui, Lecras, Kennedy, Hurn, Shuey to name a few). What’s happened to them was always on the cards as soon as they made the deal.

Simpson wasn’t left much of a list to work with, whilst Bevo is failing with what he’s had.

 

[scratchie]

Goodness me we are frustrating club. We've got a lot wrong of late and what we've got right is arguably accidental.

Player Development and selection is sub-par with mixed messaging.
Gallagher - has shown a bit, but two-three weeks ago he dropped-off. It was the moment to identify the standard you expect and send him back to the VFL for 2-3 weeks. Instead, he has been allowed to stink it up further, allowed to coast and has lost all confidence. We saw the same with Arthur Jones last year. This is destroying development. It's outrageous. Now when Gallagher is dropped it's not the 3 good games he remembers but the last 3 where he appears out of his depth.

In the VFL last week v Williamstown, we are playing 3 non AFL listed players on the ball!. Why on earth wouldn't you give Clarke and A.Jones intermittent runs in the middle? WTF. The forward pocket role is notoriously difficult - give them the opportunities to get their hands on it build some confidence. Who knows what they might learn about themselves or what we might learn about them.

The same argument is doubly worse regarding Freijah - here is a big bodied lad recruited as a wingman - playing a deep defensive role in the VFL. A position he has zero chance of filling in the AFL for the next 2-3 years. No problem, there is an argument to teach him defensive patterns - fine. But a five-minute run in the middle each or every other quarter is not going to undermine the defensive learning and might just fast track his development.

It's the same with Cleary, - what are we doing with him? I see zero creativity or thinking of his development. Why can't Cleary have a run on the ball - Callum Mills

14

Callum Mills

Age

27

Ht

188cm

Wt

86kg

Pos.

Mid

Career

Season

Last 5

D

18.2

5star

K

10.8

4star

HB

7.4

5star

M

5.3

5star

T

2.6

4star

CL

0.6

3star

D

18.4

4star

K

11.5

4star

HB

6.9

4star

M

5.4

5star

T

3.4

4star

CL

1.4

4star

D

17.0

5star

K

9.4

4star

HB

7.6

5star

M

4.4

4star

T

2.8

5star

CL

1.2

4star

was an average defender at Sydney before being moved. May work, may not work but give these kids a chance - hold them to a standard.

THE GAME HAS PASSED THEM BY
That Fremantle game should be the last time we see Harmes or Daniel in the Senior. The game is too quick for them. It's sad for Caleb who has had a tremendous career with us - but the game evolves and he is now being rag dolled. As for Harmes, what's the point? I'm not critical we gave him a chance but the evidence is sufficient to move on. He has a premiership - so a much happier career than most. Zero point giving him games.

TEAM UNITY AND PASSION
This may well be the biggest problem - we are not a team. Too many players are playing for themselves. I watched Geelong play Carlton and the support and genuine joy the players show for each other is outstanding. It would be a joy to follow a team that is so united -win or lose.

For Example - And this is not picking on West - it's a team problem.
You may all remember this play against Fremantle, Dale was involved in from the back line - had two possession and gut ran to receive a pass on the boundary, fifty from goal. He slots thru! It's the kind of effort that wins you games. Dale runs to the bench, West barely acknowledges him, Dale sits on the same bench with a two meter gap between them and as they proceed to stare out into space!

Contrast this with the Cats bench when someone does anything special. They are over the moon with a play of that caliber.

Repeatedly, against Fremantle we saw players refuse take easy passing options to players all by themselves in the forward fifty and instead bomb it to contest or take a low percentage shot. No, it wasn't just because they did not see the option. There were lots of those too, I'm referring to players with the ball 60-70 meters out with a player inside by themselves ignored. Options Geelong players would reflexively take.

LIST STRENGTH & WEAKNESS
Our priorities need to be to Secure the Talls; Develop the mid-field, find some X-factor

The spine with Naughton, Darcy, Jamarra, Buslinger, O'Donnell and Khamis - and Croft to come is healthy.

The mid-field is aging quickly and needs replenishment - Liber and Treloar are near the end and Bont needs less battering if we are to prolong his career for the next tilt.
Finding Richards has some elite mid-field assets is a godsend. As is Sanders.

TRADE AWAY
Lobb needs to be traded and every likelihood a team like Melbouurne would jump at him
Bailey Smith

6

Bailey Smith

Age

23

Ht

185cm

Wt

86kg

Pos.

M/F

Career

Season

Last 5

D

18.3

5star

K

8.5

3star

HB

9.8

5star

M

2.3

2star

T

3.8

5star

CL

2.7

4star

D

19.8

5star

K

9.6

4star

HB

10.2

5star

M

1.8

2star

T

3.2

4star

CL

3.2

4star

D

14.8

4star

K

7.6

3star

HB

7.2

5star

M

2.0

3star

T

3.4

5star

CL

1.6

4star

- don't need the circus that comes with him, has value will be traded
English - we can't to have so much money invested in a timid ruckman - get what you can for him
Work thru the list during the rest of the season and have clear idea who should be kept, who can be traded and who delisted.

DRAFT
The above should provide us with 2 first round picks and a second rounder in a highly rated mid-field draft crop.
Find a gun mid and someone with X-Factor and we're away before the Tasmanian compromised drafts arrive. Do not want to be caught mid-ladder or lower around 2027.

COACHES
Announce Beveridges departure mid-season allowing the club to properly interview and find the best candidate for the role. Pick a team with the best head-coach, best tactician and best development coaches available.

FOCUS ON TEAM FIRST UNITY

NOT A REBUILD ITS A RELOAD.

Otherwise we are coasting to nowhere - and in a competitive sport that's oblivion.

 

[VogonProsthetnic]

Goodness me we are frustrating club. We've got a lot wrong of late and what we've got right is arguably accidental.

Player Development and selection is sub-par with mixed messaging.
Gallagher - has shown a bit, but two-three weeks ago he dropped-off. It was the moment to identify the standard you expect and send him back to the VFL for 2-3 weeks. Instead, he has been allowed to stink it up further, allowed to coast and has lost all confidence. We saw the same with Arthur Jones last year. This is destroying development. It's outrageous. Now when Gallagher is dropped it's not the 3 good games he remembers but the last 3 where he appears out of his depth.

In the VFL last week v Williamstown, we are playing 3 non AFL listed players on the ball!. Why on earth wouldn't you give Clarke and A.Jones intermittent runs in the middle? WTF. The forward pocket role is notoriously difficult - give them the opportunities to get their hands on it build some confidence. Who knows what they might learn about themselves or what we might learn about them.

The same argument is doubly worse regarding Freijah - here is a big bodied lad recruited as a wingman - playing a deep defensive role in the VFL. A position he has zero chance of filling in the AFL for the next 2-3 years. No problem, there is an argument to teach him defensive patterns - fine. But a five-minute run in the middle each or every other quarter is not going to undermine the defensive learning and might just fast track his development.

It's the same with Cleary, - what are we doing with him? I see zero creativity or thinking of his development. Why can't Cleary have a run on the ball - Callum Mills was an average defender at Sydney before being moved. May work, may not work but give these kids a chance - hold them to a standard.

THE GAME HAS PASSED THEM BY
That Fremantle game should be the last time we see Harmes or Daniel in the Senior. The game is too quick for them. It's sad for Caleb who has had a tremendous career with us - but the game evolves and he is now being rag dolled. As for Harmes, what's the point? I'm not critical we gave him a chance but the evidence is sufficient to move on. He has a premiership - so a much happier career than most. Zero point giving him games.

TEAM UNITY AND PASSION
This may well be the biggest problem - we are not a team. Too many players are playing for themselves. I watched Geelong play Carlton and the support and genuine joy the players show for each other is outstanding. It would be a joy to follow a team that is so united -win or lose.

For Example - And this is not picking on West - it's a team problem.
You may all remember this play against Fremantle, Dale was involved in from the back line - had two possession and gut ran to receive a pass on the boundary, fifty from goal. He slots thru! It's the kind of effort that wins you games. Dale runs to the bench, West barely acknowledges him, Dale sits on the same bench with a two meter gap between them and as they proceed to stare out into space!

Contrast this with the Cats bench when someone does anything special. They are over the moon with a play of that caliber.

Repeatedly, against Fremantle we saw players refuse take easy passing options to players all by themselves in the forward fifty and instead bomb it to contest or take a low percentage shot. No, it wasn't just because they did not see the option. There were lots of those too, I'm referring to players with the ball 60-70 meters out with a player inside by themselves ignored. Options Geelong players would reflexively take.

LIST STRENGTH & WEAKNESS
Our priorities need to be to Secure the Talls; Develop the mid-field, find some X-factor

The spine with Naughton, Darcy, Jamarra, Buslinger, O'Donnell and Khamis - and Croft to come is healthy.

The mid-field is aging quickly and needs replenishment - Liber and Treloar are near the end and Bont needs less battering if we are to prolong his career for the next tilt.
Finding Richards has some elite mid-field assets is a godsend. As is Sanders.

TRADE AWAY
Lobb needs to be traded and every likelihood a team like Melbouurne would jump at him
Bailey Smith - don't need the circus that comes with him, has value will be traded
English - we can't to have so much money invested in a timid ruckman - get what you can for him
Work thru the list during the rest of the season and have clear idea who should be kept, who can be traded and who delisted.

DRAFT
The above should provide us with 2 first round picks and a second rounder in a highly rated mid-field draft crop.
Find a gun mid and someone with X-Factor and we're away before the Tasmanian compromised drafts arrive. Do not want to be caught mid-ladder or lower around 2027.

COACHES
Announce Beveridges departure mid-season allowing the club to properly interview and find the best candidate for the role. Pick a team with the best head-coach, best tactician and best development coaches available.

FOCUS ON TEAM FIRST UNITY

NOT A REBUILD ITS A RELOAD.

Otherwise we are coasting to nowhere - and in a competitive sport that's oblivion.

Our player development can’t be that bad - our reserves are undefeated with West, Garcia, ODonnell, Khamis, Gallagher Darcy, Jamarra Weightmann all improving with experience.

The problem has been that Beveridge picks list clogging rejects from other clubs who block our better young players from getting games.

You didn’t mention Macrae- what happens to him. Personally I would keep and play him as a defensive mid.?

 

[my plums]

Goodness me we are frustrating club. We've got a lot wrong of late and what we've got right is arguably accidental.

Player Development and selection is sub-par with mixed messaging.
Gallagher - has shown a bit, but two-three weeks ago he dropped-off. It was the moment to identify the standard you expect and send him back to the VFL for 2-3 weeks. Instead, he has been allowed to stink it up further, allowed to coast and has lost all confidence. We saw the same with Arthur Jones last year. This is destroying development. It's outrageous. Now when Gallagher is dropped it's not the 3 good games he remembers but the last 3 where he appears out of his depth.

In the VFL last week v Williamstown, we are playing 3 non AFL listed players on the ball!. Why on earth wouldn't you give Clarke and A.Jones intermittent runs in the middle? WTF. The forward pocket role is notoriously difficult - give them the opportunities to get their hands on it build some confidence. Who knows what they might learn about themselves or what we might learn about them.

The same argument is doubly worse regarding Freijah - here is a big bodied lad recruited as a wingman - playing a deep defensive role in the VFL. A position he has zero chance of filling in the AFL for the next 2-3 years. No problem, there is an argument to teach him defensive patterns - fine. But a five-minute run in the middle each or every other quarter is not going to undermine the defensive learning and might just fast track his development.

It's the same with Cleary, - what are we doing with him? I see zero creativity or thinking of his development. Why can't Cleary have a run on the ball - Callum Mills was an average defender at Sydney before being moved. May work, may not work but give these kids a chance - hold them to a standard.

THE GAME HAS PASSED THEM BY
That Fremantle game should be the last time we see Harmes or Daniel in the Senior. The game is too quick for them. It's sad for Caleb who has had a tremendous career with us - but the game evolves and he is now being rag dolled. As for Harmes, what's the point? I'm not critical we gave him a chance but the evidence is sufficient to move on. He has a premiership - so a much happier career than most. Zero point giving him games.

TEAM UNITY AND PASSION
This may well be the biggest problem - we are not a team. Too many players are playing for themselves. I watched Geelong play Carlton and the support and genuine joy the players show for each other is outstanding. It would be a joy to follow a team that is so united -win or lose.

For Example - And this is not picking on West - it's a team problem.
You may all remember this play against Fremantle, Dale was involved in from the back line - had two possession and gut ran to receive a pass on the boundary, fifty from goal. He slots thru! It's the kind of effort that wins you games. Dale runs to the bench, West barely acknowledges him, Dale sits on the same bench with a two meter gap between them and as they proceed to stare out into space!

Contrast this with the Cats bench when someone does anything special. They are over the moon with a play of that caliber.

Repeatedly, against Fremantle we saw players refuse take easy passing options to players all by themselves in the forward fifty and instead bomb it to contest or take a low percentage shot. No, it wasn't just because they did not see the option. There were lots of those too, I'm referring to players with the ball 60-70 meters out with a player inside by themselves ignored. Options Geelong players would reflexively take.

LIST STRENGTH & WEAKNESS
Our priorities need to be to Secure the Talls; Develop the mid-field, find some X-factor

The spine with Naughton, Darcy, Jamarra, Buslinger, O'Donnell and Khamis - and Croft to come is healthy.

The mid-field is aging quickly and needs replenishment - Liber and Treloar are near the end and Bont needs less battering if we are to prolong his career for the next tilt.
Finding Richards has some elite mid-field assets is a godsend. As is Sanders.

TRADE AWAY
Lobb needs to be traded and every likelihood a team like Melbouurne would jump at him
Bailey Smith - don't need the circus that comes with him, has value will be traded
English - we can't to have so much money invested in a timid ruckman - get what you can for him
Work thru the list during the rest of the season and have clear idea who should be kept, who can be traded and who delisted.

DRAFT
The above should provide us with 2 first round picks and a second rounder in a highly rated mid-field draft crop.
Find a gun mid and someone with X-Factor and we're away before the Tasmanian compromised drafts arrive. Do not want to be caught mid-ladder or lower around 2027.

COACHES
Announce Beveridges departure mid-season allowing the club to properly interview and find the best candidate for the role. Pick a team with the best head-coach, best tactician and best development coaches available.

FOCUS ON TEAM FIRST UNITY

NOT A REBUILD ITS A RELOAD.

Otherwise we are coasting to nowhere - and in a competitive sport that's oblivion.

I don't mind them keeping the small forwards forward for most of the game in the VFL. But a little spurt up the ground wouldn't hurt. The worst thing they do at VFL is pick a Garcia type for the Ones on the stregnth of gun midfield games and then plonk them in a pocket or flank seemingly out of position.