AFL 2020: Bulldogs coach will “log” player emotions in hub

Western Bulldogs players are still a bit “blurry” about their extended stay in Queensland with other issues swirling.

Western Bulldogs coach Luke Beveridge will continue to “log” the mood of his players as they continue to deal with more than just the news of an extended stay in their Gold Coast hub.

With a freeze on playing contracts and ongoing certainty over list sizes for next year, plus the potential for a compressed season and more games in less days, Beveridge said there was plenty on the player’s minds.

He said he could only hope it didn’t affect performance, but would have to find the time to monitor player’s emotional as well as physical wellbeing.

“I think we’ve all got roles in monitoring the level or emotion attached to different things,” Beveridge said.

“There’s some diconstent around pay and all these peripheral thing that might creep in to our thinking and there’s an number of different levels.

“These players are making significant investment in the game for the future of the game and they may not get the dividends in three years time, they might not be here any more.

“That mindset of “I’m doing everything for the future so look after me now” is going to creep in to every playing group I would have thought. But hopefully that doesn’t affect performance.

“I’m hoping it doesn’t seep in, the mentality or the psychology that you don’t want to expose yourself to collision or get injured. I’m hoping that’s not there.

“Every team, our ambition is to continue to make sure we win as many games as we can. There is a real serious side to this as far as performance goes. But we need to continue to log the mood, and find a balance.”

Bulldog Mitch Wallis too his new baby to the Gold Coast hub. Picture Glenn Hampson

Beveridge said the initial news his team would be in Queensland for the rest of the season was “disconcerting” and players rushed to make extra arrangements to try and get family members to move.

He even said players were a “blurry” emotionally with the announcement from the AFL coming just 48 hours before their clash with Essendon.

“It was a bit disconcerting at the start, especially for our staff and players who haven’t got partners here, and have left kids behind,” Beveridge said on Thursday.

“Everyone straight away searches for some answers and what that means for them. It’s still a little bit blurry emotionally for people to understand where it all sits.

“We have, through our players and our staff, put forward some pictures to bring people up. Hopefully that’s facilitated. There’s an opportunity at the start of next month and I think there are some people coming up straight away.”

“We planned to be here for a little while, it’s just an extension of that. But there’s some uncertainty there.”

Originally published as AFL 2020: Bulldogs coach will “log” player emotions in hub