Caleb Daniel on his tough 2024 season, bouncing between VFL and senior level
Amid what has been the most challenging year of his career, Caleb Daniel kicked the sealer that sent the Bulldogs into finals. Daniel opens up to Josh Barnes on how he’s battled adversity.
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Nobody was happier to kick the sealer on Sunday than Caleb Daniel.
Amid what has been the most challenging year of a glittering career, the Bulldog drilled one along the ground in the final quarter to end the contest against GWS and confirm a finals berth for his side.
And the premiership Dog soaked it up, throwing two arms out and jumping into the arms of good mate Tom Liberatore.
It wasn’t a massive outpouring of emotion from Daniel but the goal clearly meant a lot to the Dog.
“I will take it as the sealer,” he said.
“I love kicking a goal like every young kid but it has been a challenging year and being able to kick one and now we are into the finals, it is pretty special.”
As he acknowledges, this season was not easy for Daniel.
An All-Australian and club champion, the classy Dog found himself running around for Footscray in the twos.
The shunting for a beloved Bulldog was not a one off – Daniel was dropped three times this season and played eight games in the VFL.
When Luke Beveridge picked the helmeted premiership player, he was often the sub, starting with the vest on in seven of his 15 games this year, and being subbed off in another game.
Daniel had been a first-choice Dog since his last VFL stint in the early rounds of 2017, before he became a star of the game off halfback.
Like longtime teammate Jack Macrae, Daniel found himself on the outer as Beveridge picked quicker legs in a bid to revamp the Bulldogs as a more running side.
Through the rollercoaster, Daniel tried to just be a good teammate.
“It is a challenge. You are never going to have it all roses in your career, you want to persevere through those challenges and keep showing up,” he said.
“I think that is a real character of this club. You want to keep getting to work, put the work boots on and keep showing up and things will turn. I sort of prided myself on being a shining light in some dark times.”
As one of the most exquisitely skilled players in the game, it miffed some supporters to see Daniel sent to the state league.
He hopes to stay with the Dogs next season – Daniel is contracted for the next two – but isn’t completely sure what this off-season may hope.
Daniel said he wasn’t asked to change his game when left out, rather to find some form and get back to what he is good at.
“Just keep showing up, keep playing good footy and your turn will come. I had that in the back of my mind,” Daniel said.
“I don’t think I had to change anything, the coaches wanted to see the best of me. The players wanted to see that as well and if you are not performing then coaches have a right to put you down to the twos to find some form.
“For me, it was about getting back to being clean, using the footy well and working my bum off to do the team thing. I will keep trying to do that for the next four weeks.”
Having fallen out of the side at times through the year, Daniel and Macrae were both instrumental in securing that crucial win over the Giants.
Each had 23 disposals in tough Ballarat conditions and Beveridge said the pair had fought through a tough home-and-away season.
“I think those two gentlemen are examples of experienced players who are nowhere near finished,” the coach said.
“You challenge them in different ways and it provides opportunities for others who may play the game a different way to they do.
“Ultimately CD and Jack have inherent traits in their game that are real strengths. They have been challenged and for them over the last couple of weeks to now play the roles they are playing, able to draw on their experience … I know it hasn’t been easy for them.”
Daniel and Macrae are two of a short list of Dogs – with Marcus Bontempelli, Tom Liberatore and Jason Johannisen – left on the list from that triumphant 2016 premiership side.
The Dogs have rounded into form at the right time and appear a genuine threat again.
Daniel has started in the Bulldogs first 22 in the last two weeks and is himself picking up steam.
Before any dreams of a run through four-straight finals can really take hold, the Dogs have to take down the red-hot Hawks in Friday’s elimination final blockbuster.
Then, who knows.
“I think we’re just excited,” Daniel said.
“We are playing some really good footy, they (Hawthorn) are playing some really good footy. I am sure it will be a red-hot first final.”
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