Ralph: Why Western Bulldogs fans, players, should feel baffled by Luke Beveridge’s selection decisions

Luke Beveridge has always made his own calls and bucked conventions. While it was the coaching style which led the Bulldogs to a flag, JON RALPH writes it’s also a coaching style which risks alienating players and fans.

Caleb Daniel had an impact after coming onto the ground on Sunday. He was named as substitute, a decision which baffled many Bulldogs fans. Picture: Quinn Rooney/Getty Images.

The sign of a great leader is the ability to bring those under them along for the ride when they make decisions that buck the trend. Then to execute those challenging decisions with such precision and conviction that the critics quickly melt away.

On both of those scores Luke Beveridge failed the test on the weekend. He picked an unconventional team that ignored popular and decorated players who have achieved great things at the Whitten Oval.

Then those fringe players he backed-in let him down in the most convincing manner.

By the end of a game in which his team gave up the fight as the margin blew out in a “disconcerting” manner, Caleb Daniel’s instant impact as the sub made Beveridge’s selection even more questionable.

At least by the end of Beveridge’s post-match press conference on Sunday we received a fuller explanation for the first time of Jack Macrae’s management.

According to Beveridge, a stress-related femur concern over summer had added to Macrae’s recent hamstring strain and left him short of a gallop leaning into round 1.

But for the Western Bulldogs’ management team, who supposedly did so much to refresh the club over summer, to be presented with Groundhog Day – it must have been particularly concerning.

Bulldogs coach Luke Beveridge finally provided an update on star midfielder Jack Macrae, who was missing from Saturday’s game. Picture: Robert Cianflone/Getty Images)

Those management types who hired external consultant Peter Jackson might have done well to wander down to the Plough Hotel to ask a few fans about their coach.

They love his enthusiasm; they believe this team is capable of greatness. But the overwhelming consensus is they don’t understand why Beveridge plays favourites with team selection without proper explanation.

Beveridge is on record as saying that his coaching was not the subject of the review.

Yet surely, as part of the summer examination, the point had to be forcefully made that the fans felt left behind too often on the weird and wonderful selections he makes.

So if Beveridge is to leave out a club favourite, the coach better not have those fans guessing about what the hell he is doing and why.

Fans don’t get to dictate selection.

They didn’t get the right to demand Bailey Smith played more midfield time last year.

But by year’s end, what should have been a simple explanation – he isn’t playing that well, we have better inside-mids – had the fans still in the dark and wondering why his talent wasn’t being maximised.

Beveridge had every right to back-in a new-look backline trio in Nick Coffield, Buku Khamis and Lachie Bramble on Sunday, even if it meant players felt he was overlooking established talent for his bright new toys.

But the coach had to know how beloved the helmeted Daniel is with his fans.

Caleb Daniel had an impact after coming onto the ground on Sunday. He was named as substitute, a decision which baffled many Bulldogs fans. Picture: Quinn Rooney/Getty Images.

He is a late draft pick who defied the odds – and his stature – to become a cult figure as a loyal Bulldog, who also ignored rival offers to pledge his commitment to the club.

Beveridge’s plan was to run the Demons off their feet, playing the likes of Laitham Vandermeer, James Harmes and Lachie McNeil ahead of Daniel.

But if you live by the sword at selection, you die by the sword.

McNeil played 13 games last year – often as the sub – for 2.3 and 80 total possessions.

On Sunday he gifted Ben Brown a goal with an intercepted kick to Christian Petracca; was run down as he dithered at half-forward; and then fumbled horribly on the centre wing in space when the Dogs were 18 points down and still in the game.

Vandermeer had little impact (10 disposals), Harmes had 11 possessions and four turnovers and Rory Lobb had no impact when chosen over Sam Darcy.

As Beveridge admitted post-match, his plans had backfired disastrously.

“With ‘CD’ (Daniel), in the roles and responsibilities, he plays all of them well,” he said.

“And with the pre-season, some of the guys weren’t at their best today, some of the guys who have been at the top of their games in recent times. Some of them will be frustrated with their performance today.

“I felt today going into the game we might really challenge Melbourne with our run and it was a little bit of a surprise we weren’t able to do that, so we will process that during the week.”

Meanwhile, Daniel got 37 minutes of game time in the midfield and picked up a dozen of his usual tidy, calm possessions releasing teammates into space by hand and foot.

Ryley Sanders of the Bulldogs was subbed out in his debut game by coach Luke Beveridge. Picture: Dylan Burns/AFL Photos via Getty Images.

He was exactly the kind of presence the Dogs needed as Beveridge admitted his team had given up six to eight goals through horrific turnovers.

Beveridge could point to a long list of selection risks he has taken that have paid off over the years. He turned Liam Picken from a dour defensive mid into an attacking weapon, threw Tom Boyd into the ruck and won a premiership as a result.

Last season, he threw former cricketer James O’Donnell into the back six out of nowhere and by year’s end he was a revelation.

This weekend, O’Donnell played in the VFL after a recent ankle injury and he was concussed, while Khamis was solid, but suffered a couple of horror late turnovers.

In every team there are players frustrated by selection.

Kevin Sheedy marked his stars hard and threw the magnets around.

The point is to get those decisions right, not placate every player.

One senior coach said last week he was every player’s best friend across summer until 20 players were dirty on him when he picked the round 1 side and left them out.

Melbourne’s Adam Tomlinson had every reason to be filthy he was left out after a strong opening round showing, but replacement Tom McDonald got the job done for Simon Goodwin. So did Ben Brown (two goals), even if eyebrows were raised on Friday when he was recalled against the Dogs.

So what does Beveridge do now? Double down with Lobb, McNeil and Vandermeer?

Harmes’ headbutt of former teammate Steven May will likely see him out against the Suns’ brilliant midfield.

Ryley Sanders will be retained and should, but against the rugged Gold Coast midfield, it is the perfect time to start Daniel and recall Macrae.

Beating the Suns in Ballarat will silence most of the critics in the short term.

But bringing the fans along with selection and strategy won’t give the game away to rivals who know their upcoming opponent so well.

It will take the focus off his selection policies and put it where it should be – on his players to perform when the pressure is on.

Originally published as Ralph: Why Western Bulldogs fans, players, should feel baffled by Luke Beveridge’s selection decisions