Finals a realistic aim for Western Bulldogs, says Tom Liberatore

[bornadog]

Link (http://www.theage.com.au/afl/afl-news/finals-a-realistic-aim-for-western-bulldogs-says-tom-liberatore-20150213-13crz8.html)

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Emerging Western Bulldogs leader Tom Liberatore has revealed matching opponents in pressure acts is a "non-negotiable" for the Dogs this year and says returning to the finals for the first time in five years is a realistic aim.


Enjoying life and what shapes as a more attacking game plan under new coach Luke Beveridge, Liberatore said the Dogs, now boasting greater versatility, had good reason to believe they would build on the seven wins of last season despite losing more than 800 matches in experience, with former skipper Ryan Griffen, Brownlow medallist Adam Cooney and Shaun Higgins leaving and Daniel Giansiracusa retiring.


"I think it is, yeah," Liberatore said when asked if finals were a realistic aim. "But as I said before, it's all about improvement. I think if we band together well, I think we should win more games than we lose."


The Dogs have the third-youngest list, prompting some within the football industry to suggest they will again finish among the bottom six.


However, Liberatore says Beveridge, the back-line coach with premiers Hawthorn last year, has made it clear he wants his men to play a more attacking game.


"He has just brought a different look to the game in terms of structure and ball movement, especially, and also a different look in terms of relationships and how he has dealt with the young group and allowed us to tackle his work straight away and not get overwhelmed by anything," Liberatore said.


"He is pretty calm and clear and concise in what he wants out of us. He has been really good from the start.


"He has made it quite clear that blokes have got to let their talent shine. You have got to play to your strengths and also in terms of versatility as well."


Liberatore, who claimed his maiden best-and-fairest last year, said the likes of small forwards Lachie Hunter and Luke Dahlhaus could expect to spend more time in the midfield.


"We probably didn't run enough players through the midfield [last year] - that's what we intend to do this year," he said.


"Nathan Hrovet, Lachie Hunter, Luke Dahlhaus and Jakey Stringer have all gone through there a bit more. And Jacko MacRae will probably come inside a bit more. It's just going to be a well-rounded midfield and try and spread the love."


The Dogs let opponents hit a target by foot 67.9 per cent of the time last season - the highest percentage conceded in the competition. Only Greater Western Sydney conceded more marks inside 50. When the ball was inside defensive 50, the Dogs allowed a goal 29.3 per cent of the time - the second-worst average.


"Pressure, we have made it clear it is a non-negotiable. And we have a pretty big responsibility on pressure at the source," Liberatore said.


"Regardless of which line of the ground it is in, pressure at the source is going to be a big thing, and it stretches out from that, how the second layers and third layers help defend from that."


While the Dogs will again pride themselves on contested possession, which was the mantra of former coach Brendan McCartney, Beveridge is expected to allow his men to show greater flair - when the opportunity permits.


"We have made sure we are going to have more depth in positions and blokes have got to learn [this]. On the flipside, if a Stringer or Hunter try and take screamers and show their flair, he is not going to hold them back. It's about getting the best out of everyone," Liberatore, now part of the leadership group, said.


"I don't think we were held back [last year]. The game style was quite well known - it was all about being pretty heavily reliant on contested footy and that kind of stuff. This year we have added another dimension to it. It has allowed us to take the game on a bit more from the start."

[ratsmac]

The F word! Gee I like the cut of young Libba's jib. I hope he's right that is for certain.

[1eyedog]

There's no better football marketing word than Finals. Hopefully gets a few on the cusp to sign up.

[bulldogtragic]

So we made a mistake in coaching and game day rotations last year.
Different relationship with younger players.

Interesting.

[SonofScray]

Libba is a straight shooter, no doubt. Easy sort of bloke to get around, I'm looking forward to seeing him really build on a game that is approaching elite.

[azabob]

So we made a mistake in coaching and game day rotations last year.
Different relationship with younger players.

Interesting.

BT, go back and look at the footage of Liberatore and BMaC at the b&f when Liberatore is presented with his award. The awkwardness of Liberatore towards BMAC is very telling. I couldn't believe it when I saw it.

[SlimPickens]

BT, go back and look at the footage of Liberatore and BMaC at the b&f when Liberatore is presented with his award. The awkwardness of Liberatore towards BMAC is very telling. I couldn't believe it when I saw it.

Think you may be looking a bit to much in to it. Tom may have had a couple.

[azabob]

Think you may be looking a bit to much in to it. Tom may have had a couple.

Yeah, you are probably right.

[azabob]

Back to the article why on earth a jurno would ask about finals. Fairly stupid question if you ask me.

[bornadog]

Think you may be looking a bit to much in to it. Tom may have had a couple.

After a couple you express your true feelings. ;)

[bornadog]

Bulldog Tom Liberatore takes a caring and sharing approac (http://www.theage.com.au/afl/afl-news/bulldog-tom-liberatore-takes-a-caring-and-sharing-approach-20150213-13cshs.html)h
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It takes a special mindset to crash and bash into some of the league's toughest warriors on a weekly basis, but Tom Liberatore offers a simple explanation for his determination.


"It's just the mindset of having overall care for your teammates. If you come in with that mindset and get that job done, everyone will benefit collectively," he said.


That care is obvious in the way Liberatore plays, and was highlighted by midfield coach Steven King in the Bulldogs' 2014 year book that , fittingly, features the passionate Liberatore on its cover in a year in which he celebrated his maiden Charles Sutton Medal.


"Libba just makes the game easier for everyone around him," King said. "He cares more about the club and his teammates than he does himself."


That's easy to see, even through the raw numbers. Liberatore has led the league in total clearances (45 more than any player) and tackles (20 more than any player) in the past two seasons. He has the fourth-highest contested-possession rate of any midfielder, ranking second for hardball gets and fourth for total contested possessions.


Those who have matched up on Liberatore know how much he craves the contest, and they include the league's best.


"Your Abletts and Swans are tough, but Freo is usually a good battle," Liberatore says when asked who his toughest battles had been against. "You make sure everyone is accountable who is in the midfield. Every week is a challenge."


That mantra should not surprise, considering Liberatore's pedigree. His father, club legend and 1990 Brownlow medallist Tony, wasn't always on the best of terms with opponents after morphing into a tagger, but none could take umbrage with his willingness to give the Bulldogs the best chance of winning.


Father and son are close, with Liberatore senior's love of the Dogs still obvious.


"He talks to me a fair bit. I see him once or twice a week. It's always pretty harmless and pretty carefree, but after a few losses last year he let his mouth run a bit," Tom Liberatore says, smiling.


"But that's his passion for the club. He never imposes too much. He has always been pretty good about that."


Liberatore, clearly, grew up awash in the red, blue and white, and wants to help lead his team to a place his father couldn't, and the Dogs haven't been since 1954.


"It is obviously etched in me. It burns pretty deeply, as you said. It's always in your mind every day," Liberatore says of premiership aspirations.


"You have to strive to be your best - just overall success, there is nothing better than winning games of footy. That is what everyone is here to do."


Liberatore's maturity was rewarded when he was elevated into the leadership group this season as its youngest member. While only 22, he can connect with and help usher through the younger Dogs, understanding the difficulties that can await teenagers finding their way in the world - and not just through a sometimes unrelenting football system.


To demonstrate the pitfalls, he need only point to the work he has done since he was found drunk, unconscious and in possession of an ecstasy pill in Melbourne's notorious King Street in August 2012 and was suspended by the Bulldogs for the rest of the season.


"It was obviously difficult early on [after the incident], but it was pretty basic in what I had to do - put my head down and work hard. It was pretty clear what went wrong and what I had to do to get back," Liberatore said.


That, he has.


With official leadership comes the next stage of his maturity. Comfortable leading by his work ethic on the field, Liberatore knows now there will be times when he is expected to speak up.


"It was made quite clear initially, being the youngest member of the leadership group, that it was just about continuing on from previous years and leading by example," he said.


"[But] it's just taking a bigger step in terms of speaking up a bit more, that phase of leadership. It definitely has never been my strength. It's definitely something I can improve as I get older.


"I have always just come in and played, and gone from there. Do the best I can for the team. Obviously, it was very humbling to be valued by my peers. It was a great honour, but it comes with responsibility."


He recently changed managers, enlisting former teammate Tom Williams, of Podium Sports, to guide him through the business side of the game. Liberatore has done few interviews but knows that may change now he is part of the club's senior brethren.


In the meantime, there are on-field matters to hone before the season-proper begins in April. As part of the Dogs' plan for greater versatility, Liberatore expects to spend more time forward this season.


"I will try and spend a bit more time forward and maximise that time when you are in the midfield, so you not lugging around for 80 or 90 per cent of the game in the midfield, which is a bit impractical," he said.


What can be forgotten in Liberatore's tough-as-teak game is that he is a lovely long kick. He ranked seventh in the league for effective long kicks last season, having 22 more than any teammate. This is a good thing, for improved ball use is paramount in the Dogs' revised, more adventurous, game plan under coach Luke Beveridge.


This should be aided by having recruit Tom Boyd up forward, finally giving the Dogs an imposing marking presence, whether that be with a well-weighted pass or as a bail-out option when the pressure is at its fiercest.


"That's one of Bevo's key mantras - our ability to use the ball by foot. Where we lacked last year was that last kick inside 50. We struggled a bit," Liberatore said.


"We were quite perfect inside in the midfield, but we just couldn't take the next step and hurt our opposition on the scoreboard.


"With Tom Boyd there now and a bit more firepower up forward, hopefully, we can do some damage."

[bornadog]

As part of the Dogs' plan for greater versatility, Liberatore expects to spend more time forward this season.

"I will try and spend a bit more time forward and maximise that time when you are in the midfield, so you not lugging around for 80 or 90 per cent of the game in the midfield, which is a bit impractical," he said.



Looks like Bevo is adamant players must be more versatile.

[bulldogtragic]

Looks like Bevo is adamant players must be more versatile.

Libba forward. Matt Boyd half back. Tom Boyd rucking.

Not sure to call it crazy or genius, or bluff. Can't wait for footy that's for sure.

[Sedat]

Wow, some of those pressure stats from last year are damning on the 2014 game plan.

[bulldogtragic]

Wow, some of those pressure stats from last year are damning on the 2014 game plan.

Say Griffen was some how salvaged. So say Macca stayed with a stern talking to. We'd still be persisting with that gameplan and a match committee selecting players to that end.

Scary.

[jeemak]

Wow, some of those pressure stats from last year are damning on the 2014 game plan.


Say Griffen was some how salvaged. So say Macca stayed with a stern talking to. We'd still be persisting with that gameplan and a match committee selecting players to that end.

Scary.

It's pretty bad.

Perhaps it might go some of the way to explaining why he became so frustrated with the playing group and descended to the level he did from a communication perspective.

It's all smiles and sunshine for Beverage at the moment (much like it was for McCartney for his first 12 months), and I've not heard of a new coach that's walked into the club and hasn't had an immediate positive impact and been great at this or that! It will be interesting to see how well he communicates if we're 18 months into his tenure and haven't improved.

[Sedat]

It's pretty bad.

Perhaps it might go some of the way to explaining why he became so frustrated with the playing group and descended to the level he did from a communication perspective.

It's all smiles and sunshine for Beverage at the moment (much like it was for McCartney for his first 12 months), and I've not heard of a new coach that's walked into the club and hasn't had an immediate positive impact and been great at this or that! It will be interesting to see how well he communicates if we're 18 months into his tenure and haven't improved.
I don't recall the last 12 weeks of 2012 being all smiles. BMac basically had 2 good periods in 3 years, very early in 2012 and late in 2013 - the rest of his tenure was as frustratingly mundane, unattractive and dull as I've ever seen us play, not to mention completely unsuccessful and ineffectual.

We have significant challenges in the next couple of years but improving our game style and our ball movement won't be one of them - we were already rock bottom on that score.

[bulldogtragic]

I don't recall the last 12 weeks of 2012 being all smiles. BMac basically had 2 good periods in 3 years, very early in 2012 and late in 2013 - the rest of his tenure was as frustratingly mundane, unattractive and dull as I've ever seen us play, not to mention completely unsuccessful and ineffectual.

We have significant challenges in the next couple of years but improving our game style and our ball movement won't be one of them - we were already rock bottom on that score.

What frustrates me as a hindsight genius is he was recruited specifically for his 'development' abilities. We moved or delisted Cross, Lake, Higgins, Cooney, Griffen, Jones, Tutt (all still AFL listed) Howard, Vez, Pearce and saw no improvement from the last 5 names plus nothing from Grant, Cordy and plateaued Roughy, Wallis, JJ, Talia etc.

Bulldogs fate and history seems intertwined with irony.

[Remi Moses]

Hmmm Hope Tommy W doesn't break a finger when signing those contracts

[Remi Moses]

What frustrates me as a hindsight genius is he was recruited specifically for his 'development' abilities. We moved or delisted Cross, Lake, Higgins, Cooney, Griffen, Jones, Tutt (all still AFL listed) Howard, Vez, Pearce and saw no improvement from the last 5 names plus nothing from Grant, Cordy and plateaued Roughy, Wallis, JJ, Talia etc.

Bulldogs fate and history seems intertwined with irony.
Got no qualms with moving those players on . He was hit and miss with the development of some players and a few of those would never respond to any coach.

[LostDoggy]

Hmmm Hope Tommy W doesn't break a finger when signing those contracts

Haha yeah. Glad to see Tommy has gotten something out of his troubles and gone into player management. He'd know better than most how to manage players through a pretty tough game.

[Greystache]

Wow, some of those pressure stats from last year are damning on the 2014 game plan.

It also highlights how little we got out of supposed senior players like Cooney and Higgins. Both played purely offensive roles, and specialised in getting cheap kicks on the outside, yet Libba was head and shoulders more damaging by foot while also winning the ball himself, and leading the team from a defensive pressure perspective.

[jeemak]

I don't recall the last 12 weeks of 2012 being all smiles. BMac basically had 2 good periods in 3 years, very early in 2012 and late in 2013 - the rest of his tenure was as frustratingly mundane, unattractive and dull as I've ever seen us play, not to mention completely unsuccessful and ineffectual.

We have significant challenges in the next couple of years but improving our game style and our ball movement won't be one of them - we were already rock bottom on that score.

You're right, I should have settled at six months rather than 12.

I was as frustrated as anyone during that time, particularly because we did on occasion show capacity to move the ball effectively during the productive patches you mentioned. Then there were numerous games like the one against Fremantle at Etihad last year where he held possession in our congested forward line for a huge amount of time, only for the ball to eventually cruise to the other end with ease and for us to get scored against. I utterly reject the premise that football like that was the coach's plan being executed as it's just too plainly stupid for any half sensible coach to take any team in that direction, though I appreciate that others may not be as forgiving on the coach and as harsh on the playing group as I tend to be.

I'm eagerly awaiting this season to unfold, to see how the playing group responds to the change in direction.

[jeemak]

What frustrates me as a hindsight genius is he was recruited specifically for his 'development' abilities. We moved or delisted Cross, Lake, Higgins, Cooney, Griffen, Jones, Tutt (all still AFL listed) Howard, Vez, Pearce and saw no improvement from the last 5 names plus nothing from Grant, Cordy and plateaued Roughy, Wallis, JJ, Talia etc.

Bulldogs fate and history seems intertwined with irony.

Not sure I agree with your assessments on Cordy, Roughead, Wallis, JJ and Talia. But we all have different expectations and perspectives on player progress.

I'll ask though, if McCartney has to take the wrap for the poor development of Tutt, Howard, Vezspremi, Pearce, Jones and Grant (in addition to the turnover of older players Higgins, Cross, Cooney and Griffen) does he get to take the credit for the output from the likes of Liberatore, Bontempelli, Stinger, Macrae, Dahlhaus, Hunter, Wallis, Hrovat, Roughead, JJ, Stevens, Jong, Redpath and Cambpell for instance, who as I see it have made significant strides forward these past three years?

[Topdog]

Need to keep a lid on it already

[Remi Moses]

Not sure I agree with your assessments on Cordy, Roughead, Wallis, JJ and Talia. But we all have different expectations and perspectives on player progress.

I'll ask though, if McCartney has to take the wrap for the poor development of Tutt, Howard, Vezspremi, Pearce, Jones and Grant (in addition to the turnover of older players Higgins, Cross, Cooney and Griffen) does he get to take the credit for the output from the likes of Liberatore, Bontempelli, Stinger, Macrae, Dahlhaus, Hunter, Wallis, Hrovat, Roughead, JJ, Stevens, Jong, Redpath and Cambpell for instance, who as I see it have made significant strides forward these past three years?

Agree. Grant's played his best footy under McCartney, and it's hard to make a judgement on Roughy( injury) . It's been hit or miss let's be honest about it

[Sedat]

It also highlights how little we got out of supposed senior players like Cooney and Higgins. Both played purely offensive roles, and specialised in getting cheap kicks on the outside, yet Libba was head and shoulders more damaging by foot while also winning the ball himself, and leading the team from a defensive pressure perspective.
Oh I 100% agree with this 'stache. Cooney and Higgins were the embodiment of what was wrong with the balance of our playing list, and individual players within the overall game style. The previous coach cannot take all the blame for our utterly ineffectual game style when these key senior players were so unbalanced with their approach to offensive and defensive transitions.

[Ozza]

Well its settled then.
McCartney officially couldn't coach and was a disaster.
And Beveridge is a genius, and the club is completely turned around.

[Sedat]

Well its settled then.
McCartney officially couldn't coach and was a disaster.
And Beveridge is a genius, and the club is completely turned around.
I don't think anybody professed to saying either of those two things.

Just on the first point though, 3 years with no significant injuries to key players is a long enough sample size by which to judge the performance and development of the game plan under a particular coach - on that score BMac fares very poorly.

And only a fool would suggest that Beveridge is a success when no ball has been kicked in anger yet. He obviously has much to prove.

[bulldogtragic]

Not sure I agree with your assessments on Cordy, Roughead, Wallis, JJ and Talia. But we all have different expectations and perspectives on player progress.

I'll ask though, if McCartney has to take the wrap for the poor development of Tutt, Howard, Vezspremi, Pearce, Jones and Grant (in addition to the turnover of older players Higgins, Cross, Cooney and Griffen) does he get to take the credit for the output from the likes of Liberatore, Bontempelli, Stinger, Macrae, Dahlhaus, Hunter, Wallis, Hrovat, Roughead, JJ, Stevens, Jong, Redpath and Cambpell for instance, who as I see it have made significant strides forward these past three years?

I will pay him Libba, Stringer, Macrae, Dahl. It was Bonts 1st year. I don't think Hunter, Wallis, Hrovat, JJ, Roughy, Stevens reached what we had hoped. Jong, Redpath, Campbell & Cordy barely played seniors.

In the context of where we were in 2012, I don't think I would objectively say the development of our players was to the level hoped by the appointment. I guess that's why he's not an AFL senior coach anymore. But here's hoping things climb quickly from here on in.

[jeemak]

You obviously had higher hopes for Hunter, Wallis (top ten finish in the B&F in 2014 - not a bad outcome), Hrovat and JJ than I did. As for Roughy, I'm not sure how much further he could be developed as a key defender than what we've seen to this point.

With Jong, Redpath, Campbell and Cordy I think they need to be measured against where they were when they joined us. All but the latter were rated as long shots to be senior listed players when McCartney joined the club, while it was only last year that Cordy put together consistent football for the first time in the VFL.

This year it will be interesting to see how all of these players perform this year. If they put in very good performances it's unlikely the work put into them during McCartney's time at the club will receive any of the credit for it.

[bulldogtragic]

You obviously had higher hopes for Hunter, Wallis (top ten finish in the B&F in 2014 - not a bad outcome), Hrovat and JJ than I did. As for Roughy, I'm not sure how much further he could be developed as a key defender than what we've seen to this point.

With Jong, Redpath, Campbell and Cordy I think they need to be measured against where they were when they joined us. All but the latter were rated as long shots to be senior listed players when McCartney joined the club, while it was only last year that Cordy put together consistent football for the first time in the VFL.

This year it will be interesting to see how all of these players perform this year. If they put in very good performances it's unlikely the work put into them during McCartney's time at the club will receive any of the credit for it.

No one is really left at the club in a coaching sense, so I agree no one will send credit their/his way. If it was a case he had to sacrifice his career to force the necessary change then I guess he's a martyr to the cause. That's a big if.

But the Macrae media debacle, the rumours of Stringer and Gordon talking and Libba telling the media the new coach has a new/better way of communicating with young players... Im not betting anyone will be sending praise Maccas way. If there is advancement, I'm sure the narrative will be the improvement was/is because of the change.

Tough gig is AFL coaching.

[jeemak]

No one is really left at the club in a coaching sense, so I agree no one will send credit their/his way. If it was a case he had to sacrifice his career to force the necessary change then I guess he's a martyr to the cause. That's a big if.

But the Macrae media debacle, the rumours of Stringer and Gordon talking and Libba telling the media the new coach has a new/better way of communicating with young players... Im not betting anyone will be sending praise Maccas way. If there is advancement, I'm sure the narrative will be the improvement was/is because of the change.

Tough gig is AFL coaching.

Are you sure about that?

There were clearly issues in the second two thirds of the year last year, and I think it probably had something to do with McCartney ramping up expectation on the list as a whole and being a bit too open with his feelings about the output of certain players young and old. As I said earlier, it will be interesting to see how Beveridge is perceived when he needs to get the stick out.

Just on Stringer going to Gordon after Griffen announced his wish to leave, that's not a rumour - Gordon referred to it in his immediate comments after the McCartney decision.

The departure of some senior players alongside McCartney has cleared the way for a fresh start at a club that's had a questionable playing culture for the last half decade as it stands. If that's what it takes to get a better result for the club then so be it. As you said, ALF coaching is a tough gig.

[1eyedog]

I honestly think the Old Guard called Macca's bluff. The results were not on the board and you need a really strong personality to stand up and crack the stick when the club is down. I don't think Cooney et al. actually gave Macca the respect he deserved. Whether that was a product of Macca never playing AFL footy and potentially being in a difficult position to advise on it I don't know. No other coach other than Joyce has ever had an issue with the players and it seems strange. I know there was a lot of discussion about Macca never playing at the top level. All things being equal you would expect the players to be professional and for this to never be an issue but players are human and doubts creep in during a bad win loss season and are exacerbated when you lose against GWS in Gia's farewell game. Things certainly went from bad to shite from there.

As for Libba, I think it's great he's talking up finals. We need to believe and expect that we will play them every year, even if we don't. It breeds a winning culture and that's what we need to nurture now. Expecting to play finals also mentally prepares them for the coal face of finals footy when they get there and hopefully puts them in a position to perform rather than be over-awed.

[Mofra]

Looks like Bevo is adamant players must be more versatile.
Where does that leave Dickson & Grant?

I have serious doubts on their ability to play outside of the forwardline. Even Crameri runs hard & deep up the ground.

You have to love the way Libba plays, in any case. First into the packs and first in to fly the flag for teammates.