AFL Daily: Live rolling footy news from around Australia for Thursday, April 5, 2018

AFL DAILY: BULLDOGS defender Matt Suckling has defended the club's disastrous start to the season and coach Luke Beveridge. Meanwhile, a US rocker has become an unlikely AFL convert.

BULLDOGS defender Matt Suckling says the Dogs are a “different side” to the team that won the premiership in 2016, but backed the side to bounce back against Essendon on Sunday.

“It’s hard to talk about 2016. Teams change, squads change so much, there’s usually a 10 per cent fallout each year,” Suckling said. “We’re a changing team and a lot younger demographic than we probably have been.” HISTORY REPEATS: EAGLETON RELIVES SCARE AFTER KIRBY CASE INKING CLOSER: NEW WINES DEAL ‘A MATTER OF WHEN’ Suckling said one positive had been the appearance of first-round draftees Aaron Naughton and Ed Richards over the past fortnight. “Over the pre-season they were really impressive and that’s probably one thing that’s coming out of how we’ve been playing, is that we’ve got a chance to get some young guys into the team,” Suckling said. RECAP ALL TODAY’S FOOTY NEWS IN THE BLOG BELOW Mature-age selection Billy Gowers has been another debutant to show signs. The 21-year-old played VFL for Footscray last season and appears to have cemented a spot in the Bulldogs’ 22. “(Gowers has) got great energy and (is) putting on a lot of pressure which is something we’ve lacked over the pre-season and the first couple of weeks,” he said. Despite successive heavy losses to GWS and West Coast, Suckling said the team had remained positive ahead of their clash with Essendon at Etihad Stadium. “It’s interesting coming in Monday, everyone’s spirits were really high and really excited — everyone’s still happy to be here and having fun.” Suckling dismissed claims that coach Luke Beveridge was losing the playing group, insisting they are right behind the man who brought them the holy grail in 2016. “I don’t know where that’s come from but Bevo’s a great coach and a really relationship-driven coach,” he said. “We know he supports us really well and we support him. It’s a great place to come and work and that’s led from Bevo down.” LIVE stream the 2018 Toyota AFL Premiership on FOX SPORTS. Every match of every round LIVE in HD, with no ad-breaks siren-to-siren! Get your 2-week free trial now.

Originally published as AFL Daily: Live rolling footy news from around Australia for Thursday, April 5, 2018

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