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Bulldogs coach says league overreacted to Clarkson rant
Western Bulldogs premiership coach Luke Beveridge believes the AFL shouldn’t have reacted to angry Hawthorn coach Alastair Clarkson.
Western Bulldogs coach Luke Beveridge says the AFL “flinched” last week in response to Hawthorn coach Alastair Clarkson’s criticisms and it shouldn’t have.
A post-match rant from Clarkson after his team defeated North Melbourne in Round 4 promoted a league crackdown on holding the ball from all umpires.
Beveridge said Clarkson was within his rights as a “statesman” of the game to voice his opinion. But the Bulldogs premiership coach said Clarkson wasn’t always right.
“Clarko has got every right as a statesman of the game to have his opinion and put that across. But it’s up to the powers at the AFL to work out whether or not they flinch, and they flinched. We need to be better than that,” Beveridge said on Thursday.
“Imagine the challenge for the umpires and the players that within a week we have a change or an adjustment. We do it too often and it’s not acceptable.
“Clarko is a very influential figure in the game … he has shaped the game in many ways. But whether or not he’s right all the time, that’s the decision at AFL House.
“We need to make sure we are measured in our thought processes and we make good decisions for the game and everyone involved in it.”
Beveridge said the swift reaction to Clarkson’s comments from AFL headquarters hurt the integrity of the game.
“It means there’s no real formal process to discuss and risk manage what’s going to happen at the end of that,” he said.
“We always have to forecast the change that will happen with any adjustment to rules, interpretation and adjudication, and we don’t do it well enough. But we have to be better at it.”
Beveridge said the part of the game Clarkson attacked, unrewarded tackles that stops the flow of the game, wasn’t an area that needed fixing.
“It depends what you want. Do you love a contest, physicality a situation where there are 10 or 12 tackles and is ballistic and the ball is still alive. There is nothing better in the game.
“Why do you want to pay a free kick for a marginal situation when players are going at it and the ball stays alive. That’s one of the most entertaining parts of the game, but we want to change that.
“There are plenty of other great things in our game without picking at the things which aren’t pleasing to the eye.”
Beveridge revealed midfielder Lachie Hunter was a “big chance” to play against Carlton on Sunday having served his four-game suspension after being hit with drink-driving charges.
But both Bailey Smith and Laitham Vandermeer will have to get through training after suffering concussion in last week’s win over North Melbourne.
Western Bulldogs premiership coach Luke Beveridge believes the AFL shouldn’t have reacted to angry Hawthorn coach Alastair Clarkson.
Western Bulldogs coach Luke Beveridge says the AFL “flinched” last week in response to Hawthorn coach Alastair Clarkson’s criticisms and it shouldn’t have.
A post-match rant from Clarkson after his team defeated North Melbourne in Round 4 promoted a league crackdown on holding the ball from all umpires.
Beveridge said Clarkson was within his rights as a “statesman” of the game to voice his opinion. But the Bulldogs premiership coach said Clarkson wasn’t always right.
“Clarko has got every right as a statesman of the game to have his opinion and put that across. But it’s up to the powers at the AFL to work out whether or not they flinch, and they flinched. We need to be better than that,” Beveridge said on Thursday.
“Imagine the challenge for the umpires and the players that within a week we have a change or an adjustment. We do it too often and it’s not acceptable.
“Clarko is a very influential figure in the game … he has shaped the game in many ways. But whether or not he’s right all the time, that’s the decision at AFL House.
“We need to make sure we are measured in our thought processes and we make good decisions for the game and everyone involved in it.”
Beveridge said the swift reaction to Clarkson’s comments from AFL headquarters hurt the integrity of the game.
“It means there’s no real formal process to discuss and risk manage what’s going to happen at the end of that,” he said.
“We always have to forecast the change that will happen with any adjustment to rules, interpretation and adjudication, and we don’t do it well enough. But we have to be better at it.”
Beveridge said the part of the game Clarkson attacked, unrewarded tackles that stops the flow of the game, wasn’t an area that needed fixing.
“It depends what you want. Do you love a contest, physicality a situation where there are 10 or 12 tackles and is ballistic and the ball is still alive. There is nothing better in the game.
“Why do you want to pay a free kick for a marginal situation when players are going at it and the ball stays alive. That’s one of the most entertaining parts of the game, but we want to change that.
“There are plenty of other great things in our game without picking at the things which aren’t pleasing to the eye.”
Beveridge revealed midfielder Lachie Hunter was a “big chance” to play against Carlton on Sunday having served his four-game suspension after being hit with drink-driving charges.
But both Bailey Smith and Laitham Vandermeer will have to get through training after suffering concussion in last week’s win over North Melbourne.
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