Leigh Matthews warns Luke Beveridge, Western Bulldogs not to look back at last year

AFL legend Leigh Matthews is a big fan of Luke Beveridge. But after hearing him speak recently he’s curious about the mindset of the Western Bulldogs coach.

Western Bulldogs coach Luke Beveridge at Whitten Oval Picture: Mark Wilson

IT was kind of free advice for Luke Beveridge from Leigh Matthews.

Live in the moment. Don’t live in the past.

Matthews, a three-time premiership coach of the Brisbane Lions and 1990 premiership coach of Collingwood, had his ears pricked when Beveridge spoke after the Bulldogs’ worst loss in 18 months, against Sydney a week ago.

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“We’re frustrated that the majority of our players who carried our club last year haven’t been able to find their best, and it’s up to all of us to take responsibility,’’ Beveridge said.

“The buck stops with me. I’m the one who needs to get them going. It’s my responsibility to reignite the flame (and get the team) somewhere near the levels we were last year.”

Matthews was not critical, more curious about Beveridge’s mindset.

Luke Beveridge watches on during a Bulldogs game this year.

“That a dangerous choice of words in my experience,’’ Matthews said.

He first spoke about Beveridge’s comments on 3AW and expanded for the Herald Sun, clearly not enamoured with Beveridge’s references to last year’s premiership campaign.

“He said, ‘The buck stops with me’. Yeah, that’s coaching 101, you always take responsibility,’’ Matthews said.

“He said, ‘It’s my responsibility to reignite the flame’. That’s kind of like saying our emotional state isn’t aroused enough, or stimulated enough. I always get a little bit nervous when you’re talking publicly, and you’re always trying to get that (high emotional levels), but that’s as if it’s something to do with we’re not trying hard enough.

“And then he said, ‘It’s my responsibility to get us going again to play somewhere near the levels of last year’. Those words ‘last year’ is something you just completely put out of your vocabulary behind the scenes. Media talk about it all the time, but at the club, last year is gone. It’s just not relevant.

“And any kind of reference to their emotional state or to last year ... I hope that’s not the mindset in the club behind closed doors.

“The external people always want to talk about the past and compare the present to the past, but my point is it’s a choice of words.

“I thought to myself, post-match press conference, 15 minutes after the game, you’re sort of thinking aloud a bit. You just hope a few words slipped out and it’s not the mindset behind the scenes because that’s not a good mindset the way I look at it.’’

Luke Beveridge talks to his players during a game this year.

Matthews coached the Lions to flags in 2001, ’02 and ’03 and, according to folklore, didn’t mention the lure of a three-peat until three-quarter time of the 2003 preliminary final against Sydney.

Asked if he spoke about 2001 in the season of 2002 and about 2002 in the season of 2003, Matthews said: “It’s gone, it’s gone, it’s gone ... particularly if you’ve won it. Last year becomes a weight on your shoulders because you’re tyring to live up to that again.

“We all know football is a week-to-week proposition, how well you can live in the moment is the challenge.’’

Let alone what’s occurring internally, the Bulldogs are being externally analysed on every aspect of their performance and preparation. Injuries. Game plan. Motivation. Selection.

Matthews is a huge wrap for Beveridge, but wonders if the Dogs of 2016 were the Magpies of 1990.

“Collingwood in 1990 were a pretty good team during the year, but they had a terrific September. After the draw, the next three weeks were fantastic,’’ he said.

“Collingwood were in the top bunch in ’88, ’89, ’90, ’91 and ’92, they were in the ballpark, but the level they played out for a few weeks in September of 1990 was outstanding and won the premiership, but could never quite replicate that.’’

The most pragmatic of observers, Matthews could be accused of being too processed in his thinking rather than too flamboyant with his opinions.

Brisbane premiership captain Michael Voss and coach Leigh Matthews. Picture: Adam Smith

Not for him are tipping competitions or boldly picking the premiership winner at Round 8.

That’s because the coach gene will never leave him. Today, tomorrow and next weekend is all that matters for a coach and for the players.

It’s why living in the moment is critical, not for only the Bulldogs, but for all teams.

“That’s the challenge, it’s always the challenge,’’ Matthews said.

“Parts of the club have to plan a bit longer term, list management and I guess coaches have to as well, but coach to the players, all you want the players concentrating on is what you have to do today, what you have to do tomorrow and doing that the best you can.

“And each week, you learn what you can from the game, win, lose or draw, and then you move on and prepare yourself for the next contest.

Leigh Matthews talks to his Collingwood players in 1989.

“No club is looking at finals. All you’re thinking about is how we’re going in our win-loss ratio.

“No one’s thinking about winning premierships right now. We in the media keep pointing them in that direction, but that’s not what clubs do, that’s not how clubs operate.’’

“So all the prognostics about how teams are going at the moment and that sort of stuff ... the win-loss ratio is all that matters, because that’s the only thing that ends up mattering when you get towards the end of the year.’’

Back to the Bulldogs and their challenge of defending their title, Matthews once again puts on his coach’s hat.

“You’ve used a word that I would never use at the club, we’re not defending anything,’’ he said.

“This is another comment, a Ross Lyon comment, and it’s the way I look at it. Ross says, ‘You’re only as good as your next performance’. Ross said that post game last weekend. It was an off-the-cuff comment, but that’s the way you have to be looking at it.’’