Sharp Axes

[SonofScray]

I think all our bottom six players need is reassurance, some belief in themselves shored up by the unconditional love and loyalty of the coach and then, when the time is right, a great narrative hook that will spur them on, out of nowhere to an incredible 4 weeks of footy that will help us win a flag, despite not being the best team in it.

[azabob]

The club has announced that Jamie Maddox is leaving for an opportunity interstate.

Edit, Jamie is going to the West Coast Eagles.

[hujsh]

The club has announced that Jamie Maddox is leaving for an opportunity interstate.

Edit, Jamie is going to the West Coast Eagles.

WEST Coast has poached experienced coach Jamie Maddocks from the Western Bulldogs as the AFL program's new Head of Development.

Maddocks has been in the same position at the Dogs for the past five seasons after joining the club as a development coach and opposition analyst in 2015.

He previously worked in the underage talent pathways programs at Vic Metro, Oakleigh Chargers and Dandenong Stingrays.





Jamie Maddocks joins West Coast as the AFL program?s new Head of Development. Picture: Western Bulldogs FC




Maddocks will help oversee the growth of West Coast's young players as the Eagles look to rebound from years of poor results.

"I have a lot of respect for the club's history and its culture," Maddocks said.

"Obviously there are new staff coming, new ideas, new scenery, a new adventure and the way the club is shaping up it's really exciting.

"I have a lot of enthusiasm to get over there and get to work with the club's young, emerging players."

Maddocks joins a revamped West Coast coaching group under new senior coach Andrew McQualter, and will work alongside Jacob Brennan (Development coach ? forwards) and returning club great Shannon Hurn (Development coach ? game fundamentals).

[bornadog]

WEST Coast has poached experienced coach Jamie Maddocks from the Western Bulldogs as the AFL program's new Head of Development.

Maddocks has been in the same position at the Dogs for the past five seasons after joining the club as a development coach and opposition analyst in 2015.

He previously worked in the underage talent pathways programs at Vic Metro, Oakleigh Chargers and Dandenong Stingrays.





Jamie Maddocks joins West Coast as the AFL program?s new Head of Development. Picture: Western Bulldogs FC




Maddocks will help oversee the growth of West Coast's young players as the Eagles look to rebound from years of poor results.

"I have a lot of respect for the club's history and its culture," Maddocks said.

"Obviously there are new staff coming, new ideas, new scenery, a new adventure and the way the club is shaping up it's really exciting.

"I have a lot of enthusiasm to get over there and get to work with the club's young, emerging players."

Maddocks joins a revamped West Coast coaching group under new senior coach Andrew McQualter, and will work alongside Jacob Brennan (Development coach ? forwards) and returning club great Shannon Hurn (Development coach ? game fundamentals).

shouldn't this be under Thread Assistant Coaches?

[GVGjr]

He has been a terrific performer over his time at the club. No doubt Mat Inness pointed the West Coast towards him as they embark on the club wide rebuild.

He's enthusiastic contributor with the training sessions and some of the online vision of him engaging our younger guys highlights the significant contribution he makes. I wonder if Geary might step up into that role?

[jDogs]

I remember him copping some heat from over the years for being a St Bede's boy playing under Bevo. Looks like he's carved out a nice little career for himself.

[GVGjr]

I remember him copping some heat from over the years for being a St Bede's boy playing under Bevo. Looks like he's carved out a nice little career for himself.

Yeah me to. I've been able to watch him over the last couple of seasons. Any thoughts our members might have that suggests he's not earning his keep and then some is undervaluing what he brings the club.
He's enthusiastic and an excellent communicator and there is a good reason why WC would want him.

[FrediKanoute]

Shame. WIll be a loss, but opportunity for new voice for the young guys

[jeemak]

Another of the Luke Beveridge stable taking bigger roles elsewhere.

Probably shows how good the program at our club actually is or has been. All of our key coaches have come under interest or poached from a few seasons into Beveridge's tenure. While he might not be rated publicly and amongst the commentariat, it seems he is within the coaching fraternity.

The role of a leader is to be succeeded or provide an opportunity for subordinates to do better than they were when they started. Bevo has the latter sorted.

[SonofScray]

Another of the Luke Beveridge stable taking bigger roles elsewhere.

Probably shows how good the program at our club actually is or has been. All of our key coaches have come under interest or poached from a few seasons into Beveridge's tenure. While he might not be rated publicly and amongst the commentariat, it seems he is within the coaching fraternity.

The role of a leader is to be succeeded or provide an opportunity for subordinates to do better than they were when they started. Bevo has the latter sorted.

Sounds like a great footy ops person in the making.

[Axe Man]

Mark Robinson: Luke Beveridge’s contract and his Western Bulldogs future

There’s a blueprint there – but the Bulldogs are still dillydallying over the future of their most successful coach. And there’s a big hazard sign in play, writes MARK ROBINSON.

The blueprint for the Western Bulldogs and Luke Beveridge has been set out by the Brisbane Lions and Chris Fagan. That is to reappoint Beveridge for another 12 months and get on with it.

In what is the most intriguing off-season coaching decision, it’s approaching December and the Dogs are still dillydallying over the future of their most successful coach.

The club says there are reasons – most pressing being that president Kylie Watson-Wheeler is overseas, football director Luke Darcy is on holidays, as is Beveridge, who recently lost his father, John.

It will be Watson-Wheeler, who was appointed president in December 2020, Darcy and chief executive Ameet Bains who will decide Beveridge’s future and, it must be noted, all three have been staunch Beveridge supporters.

The trio has three available options:

1. Extend Beveridge’s deal for a further 12 months, meaning he is contracted until the end of 2026;

2. Extend him for a further two or three years;

3. Go into the 2025 season without an extension.

Option two seems unlikely after 10 seasons with Beveridge, while both the first two options would cause consternation if either was chosen. But option three is the most hazardous.

In what will be the club’s 100-year celebration, the fear will be the death-riding of Beveridge by media people if the Dogs lose, say, two or three games in succession.

Beveridge endured it in 2024 when his team started 3-5, only to have the coach mastermind yet another superb salvage job. The Bulldogs won six of their final seven home-and-away games before being below competitive in an elimination final against Hawthorn.

If Beveridge is coaching for his future in 2025 by the mere fact he is not contracted for 2026, it will be an agenda item more often than not.

The Bulldogs like to say they ignore the “noise” coming from people who they say have never coached or been the figurehead of an organisation, but the fact is it can’t be ignored.

It’s why Bains got on the offensive last season.

“There is an undue level of focus on him (Beveridge) by a couple of journalists in particular, which is their prerogative – but it feeds the media cycle a bit more than it should,’’ Bains said in April.

“Generally speaking, the (news) cycle dictates whoever is underperforming cops a bit of heat. But subjectively speaking from our end, the personalisation of it and the way it’s directed at the coach, at times, is over the top.’’

The pressure rating on Beveridge ahead of next season is, to borrow the summer fire ban rating, high to extreme.

Other coaches hover in the same category: Matthew Nicks and Ken Hinkley are there together, despite one of them not having coached a final in five years and the other making a preliminary final last season, and finals in four of the past five years.

Simon Goodwin, Justin Longmuir, Michael Voss, Brad Scott, Ross Lyon … they all have levels of pressures to either improve, respond or perform.

Beveridge’s Dogs need to improve, respond and perform.

Last season, their best football saw them beat Carlton, Geelong, Sydney and the Giants in the last month and a half, but the ladder doesn’t lie – they finished seventh.

So, back to Beveridge’s contract.

You’re either a Beveridge fan or Beveridge doubter, and I’m in the former camp, although like many observers there’s a curiosity about whether he will maintain his three key forward set-up next season.

But the contract conundrum comes first.

If the Bulldogs’ faith in Beveridge is at a level to which we are led to believe, the contract extension is a no-brainer. Give him two years with his new-ish coaching group and with a list that clearly has scope to threaten.

If they don’t extend him, then it will be open season on the coach and the club from round 1.

It’s hardly how you’d want to celebrate your 100th birthday.

[bulldogsthru&thru]

Round 1 really is a huge game for us. Losing to North to start the season will lose a lot of faith from the fan base and the mob will come at Beveridge re-signed or not.

[Stevo]

I love Bevo but would prefer they just put an additional 12 months offer in front of him now.
If things go well in 2025 we can add another 2 years to that.

[mjp]

Round 1 really is a huge game for us. Losing to North to start the season will lose a lot of faith from the fan base and the mob will come at Beveridge re-signed or not.

Geez - the calendar hasn't turned to 2025 yet and we're already losing games to North??

I mean - it could happen I guess (we haven't been starting seasons that well) but at the same time I do think the loss to Hawthorn (and to a certain extent, the loss to Port) have really taken away from what was a pretty exceptional back end of the year...

Hopefully we have re-signings of Ed, Bont and Darcy to announce in the lead in and 2025 is a true 100-year celebration.

Bevo? What's he gonna do - go coach Tassie?? He's been our best ever coach but I get the frustration...just leave it for a bit.

[Happy Days]

We will kick the absolute shit out of North. Perfect round one fixture, great job AFL.