Caleb Daniel says Western Bulldogs are ‘placed well’ for flag assault from sixth
Caleb Daniel says his 2016 premiership is just a memory as the 2024 Western Bulldogs aim to make their own history and charge from the bottom half of the eight to glory.
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Western Bulldogs premiership player Caleb Daniel says the 2016 triumph is just a happy memory as his side aims to again go from outside the top four to the grand final.
The Dogs booked a home final on Sunday with an impressive 37-point win over the Giants, locking in a mouth-watering MCG clash with Hawthorn.
Only four Dogs from the team that beat GWS on Sunday featured in the 2016 premiership – Daniel, Marcus Bontempelli, Tom Liberatore and Jack Macrae.
But comparisons will inevitably be drawn given the Bulldogs are a serious threat to win it all having won six of their last seven games to end the home-and-away season.
The Dogs finished seventh in 2016 before claiming the cup and ended the regular season in fifth in 2021 before losing a grand final to Melbourne.
“There is always a reference point but it is a completely different team,” Daniel said.
“We are focused on the now. There are new faces, there is not many that played in that team that are still playing in this team at the moment.
“It is exciting and we are building our identity at the moment. It is a big change but it is going to be talked about (externally), 2016. Inside the four walls it is about now and how we are going to keep pressing our claim forward and playing our brand of footy.”
Having twice played in teams that have stormed to the grand final, Daniel said he thought the 2024 Dogs were well positioned to make a big run.
“I think we are placed really well,” he said.
“I think we are in good nick at the moment. It is not anything really flamboyant and flashy the way we are getting the wins.
“We are putting our noses over it, really working hard and we are reaping the rewards. That brand holds up in finals and hopefully we can keep playing that brand and going for another four weeks.”
The Bulldogs ramped up the heat against the Giants on Sunday, laying 12 more tackles, winning 15 more clearances and 13 more contested possessions in a tough showing in tricky conditions.
All-Australian Daniel said that formula should hold his side in good stead in September.
“We know when we don’t marry up in the pressure factor we aren’t doing too well on the scoreboard,” he said.
“I was happy with how the boys pressed and pressured (GWS). We had a real focus on them because we know they like to handball the ball forward and they have really fast runners and to shut that down you have to lock the ball in and we were able to do that and reap the rewards.”
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