AFL Grand Final 2016: Luke Beveridge lauds Western Bulldogs’ amazing performance
UPDATE: WESTERN Bulldogs coach Luke Beveridge says giving his premiership medal to injured captain Bob Murphy on the dais was a spur of the moment decision.
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WESTERN Bulldogs coach Luke Beveridge says giving his premiership medal to injured captain Bob Murphy on the dais was a spur of the moment decision.
The premiership coach paid him ultimate tribute by taking off his medal and handing it to Murphy, who seriously hurt his knee in Round 3 this year.
Tears flowed as Murphy accepted the medal after his team’s emotional drought-breaking premiership win.
“It was on the spur of the moment,” said Beveridge on SEN.
“The AFL are fantastic in that, they allowed us to do it.
“Bob is our spiritual heartbeat. The drive, the emotional drive and the climb you can attribute to him as much as anyone.
“He deserves it more than anyone.”
Beveridge then stood back and allowed Murphy and stand-in captain Easton Wood to hold the premiership cup aloft after receiving it from club great John Schultz.
Wood revealed Murphy is considering using it as wallpaper in his house.
“I have seen that photo of Bob and I holding the cup and I get chills thinking about it and it’s just a special, special moment,” he told Channel 9.
“Bob even talked about making it as a wallpaper for every room of his house. It might be something we will look into.
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“We all know what kind of character Bob is but he’s been, for me personally, been with me every step of the way ever since day one that I walked into the place.
“He put an arm around me and he’s looked after me ever since and to share that moment with him on stage is just — it’s a thing of dreams.
“(I) really have to pinch myself thinking about it. It’s insane, it’s unbelievable.”
Murphy was on the field celebrating with his teammates after the Dogs’ historic 22-point win but couldn’t claim a medal of his own after he hurt his knee in Round 3.
But Beveridge went back to the microphone after his acceptance speech to pay an incredible tribute.
“This is yours mate, you deserve it more than anyone,” he said, taking off his premiership medal and hanging it around Murphy’s neck.
The pair then shared a tearful embrace on the stage before Murphy helped stand-in skipper Easton Wood lift the premiership cup.
The moment brought the house down and left an emotional Murphy struggling for words afterwards.
“It’s a hard thing to put into words because it’s very special,” he said. “He’s an incredibly special human being. I love him for it. In some ways, I think, it’s not the same as the other boys’ medals, it’s not the same as the 22, but for me, it means just as much.
“This is my footy club. I couldn’t be prouder. I couldn’t be happier. I’m just a very, very happy man.
“I love these boys so much. They really get it.
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“It’s a game of head and heart. They worked their way through the head and they are all heart. I’m very proud to stand among them.”
It was a moment symbolic of everything that has allowed the Bulldogs to defy their battler status, and decades of disappointment, to win their first premiership in 62 years. A flag that will be celebrated with more emotion than most.
As for those celebrations, the Bulldogs are going to enjoy this one.
“We’re taking over the world tonight,” Murphy said.
“The first call of business is to get rolling drunk. We’ll get to the taxes tomorrow.”
What an incredible moment in sport. Luke Beveridge gives Bob Murphy his premiership medal. #AFLGF #BeMoreBulldog https://t.co/PWRgH8VzYQ
— AFL on 7 (@7AFL) October 1, 2016
Norm Smith medallist Jason Johannisen also paid tribute to Murphy.
“He’s our spiritual leader, he’s a massive part of this win.”
Veteran Matthew Boyd said: “He’s the heartbeat of this footy club.”
Wow. Bob gets Bevo's premiership medal. "This is yours mate. You deserve it more than anyone". A moment for the ages
— Jon Ralph (@RalphyHeraldSun) October 1, 2016
I 💛 Luke Beveridge after what he just did for Bob!! Well done DOGGIES!!! #AFLGF
— Hayden Ballantyne (@Hayden_ballas) October 1, 2016
Incredible gesture from Bevo. Never seen anything like it. Ever
— Nick Smart (@NickSmart85) October 1, 2016
Arguably the best sporting moment I have seen. Luke Beveridge all class. #AFLSwansDogs
— Josh Fraser (@jfraser17) October 1, 2016
Murphy was not the only man who played a vital role despite not taking the field. Beveridge also thanked club president Peter Gordon who had been a key figure in helping save the club 20 years ago and returned to oversee their triumph.
“You deserve this as much as anyone,’’ said Beveridge.
Beveridge also thanked the fans he said had made his players feel “like the Beatles’’ in recent days.
“We’ve ridden on their wings. The players couldn’t have done any more. They’re totally spent.’’
Beveridge’s role in lifting a club that had lost their captain, their coach and, seemingly, their hope just two years ago to a premiership is vast. His love for his players is obvious.
“This group of players are just incredible,’’ said Beveridge. “Their hearts are so big. We know how long you have waited for success. We thought at halftime it was going to take something special even thought they had given their all already.’’
The triumph of the once destitute Bulldogs will prove a powerful tool for AFL administrators as they continue their push to increase the game’s growth.
The Bulldogs’ victory is not merely a triumph of a battling club once marked for merger or relocation. It is an answer to a question asked by Victorian clubs as the AFL invested $220 million in Western Sydney and the Gold Coast: “What about us?’’
The Bulldogs have shown that with hard work, astute coaching and savvy recruiting it is still possible for the smallest clubs to prevail.
It was not quite a victory like Leicester City’s incredible Premier League title. The salary cap and draft give the AFL battlers a better chance than soccer’s whipping boys. But it was, indisputably, a premiership for the dreamers.
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