Mark Robinson speaks to Grant Thomas about Luke Beveridge’s future at Western Bulldogs

Has Luke Beveridge stayed a year too long at the Bulldogs? A former coach believes Bevo would have been better off at a new club in 2023.

Luke Beveridge and the Bulldogs are under the pump.

Grant Thomas says Luke Beveridge has stayed a year too long at the Bulldogs.

Placing him “in the top echelon of coaches’’ in the AFL, Thomas said Beveridge would’ve been better off departing with a year to run on his contract and coaching Essendon or North Melbourne.

When Brett Ratten was sacked as St Kilda coach, Thomas also wanted Beveridge at Moorabbin.

Instead, Beveridge was extended until the end of the 2025 season by the Bulldogs in December, 2022

The embattled Dogs play Brisbane at Marvel Stadium on Thursday night, where the focus is on Beveridge after two lacklustre performances to start the 2023 season.

Luke Beveridge and the Bulldogs are under the pump.

Thomas believes “morale and spirit’’ is lacking, which dictates performance, and accused some senior players of not placing “enough importance’’ on competing.

“I just think Bevo stayed a year too long, that’s what I think,’’ the former Saints coach said.

“In terms of the relationship he has with the players which is deep seated, and the level that he requires from them … and because they are the second oldest list in the competition, so most of them have been on the journey with them the whole way, you do actually have a use-by date.

“That’s why I was encouraged for St Kilda to talk to him last year and Ross Lyon, either one was going to be great.

“I think Bevo’s had his time there.

“Clearly they haven’t changed the list over. Their bottom three, four or five are really questionable in this dynamic era of AFL, where offence has balanced the ledger a bit more against defence.

“And if you haven’t got spirit and morale, it’s very difficult to motivate and I just question whether the spirit and morale is at the Bulldogs at the moment.

Grant Thomas says Luke Beveridge should have left Western Bulldogs last year.

“Spirit and morale drives attitude and effort, and the thing that drives spirit and morale is importance. If it’s back to the walls, a life or death situation, you watch everyone have a crack.

“But I don’t think it’s that important to a lot of players who have played in a premiership or been involved in success. I question whether that importance is there and his ability to get that from them. It’s a concern.’’

Beveridge, who is the Bulldogs’ most successful coach, has shown before he can coach his team out of a run of mediocre performances.

In 2022, the Dogs lost their first two matches and four of their first six and still played finals.

In 2021, they lost rounds 21-23 and made the grand final.

In 2020, they lost their first two matches and played finals.

In 2019, they lost four of their first six matches and then lost four of five matches through rounds 9-14 and still made finals.

Grant Thomas.

Their playing profile across the first two rounds this season, however, is of great concern.

Defensively they leak too many goals and lack drive from halfback, the midfield is bland and they are ranked 18th for scores from clearances.

Players overall are out of form or interest, their pressure around the ground is ranked 16th, and the supposed marking strength in the F50 is diabolic, being ranked 18th.

In his ninth year as coach, and after having recruited key position players Rory Lobb and Liam Jones in the off-season, Beveridge has never been the subject of external pressure like he is right now.

Former great Brad Johnson was critical of the first two performances, strategy and morale has been the centre of media discussions, and it’s been noted as well how many players have departed the club in recent years.

“It’s a massive challenge for Bevo,’’ Thomas said. “Everyone is waiting for them to respond this week, and they need to.’’

Alex Keath is brought down by Jack Higgins.

Thomas rated the consecutive premierships with St Bede’s in the VAFA competition, and the AFL flag in 2016 as “incredible efforts’’, yet maintained coaches can stay at clubs for too long.

“Both and he and the club should’ve realised there were better options (at the end of last year),’’ Thomas said.

“If that meant Brad Scott went to the Bulldogs and Bevo to Essendon, I think that would’ve been two wins. At the moment there is only one win.

“If Alastair Clarkson had gone to the Bulldogs and Luke Beveridge to North Melbourne, that would’ve been two wins. At the moment there is only win.’’

Thomas is curious about whether Beveridge has strayed from his coaching philosophy.

“He’s an outstanding coach and outstanding motivator of people, but did he get too strategic and tactical last year? I think so,’’ Thomas said.

“By doing that he walked away from his core competency and the thing that drove the whole team.

“I’d like to know what his balance is now between strategy and tactics, and attitude and effort and culture and morale. If that balance isn’t right you’re going to get these sorts of performances.

“He will get them back on track and they will be a force to be reckoned with this year at points in time, however, I still think once you’ve been there eight, nine years … contracts are very rarely seen through to the end, we all know that.’’