The four magnet swings which saved Luke Beveridge’s career as Western Bulldogs coach

Luke Beveridge is no stranger to swinging the magnets – just ask Caleb Daniel. But after calls for his head early in the season, four masterstroke moves have the Dogs well back in the finals mix.

MELBOURNE, AUSTRALIA – JUNE 07: Luke Beveridge, Senior Coach of the Bulldogs addresses his players at three quarter time during the 2024 AFL Round 13 match between the Western Bulldogs and the Brisbane Lions at Marvel Stadium on June 07, 2024 in Melbourne, Australia. (Photo by Dylan Burns/AFL Photos via Getty Images)

Luke Beveridge is “in a terrific space” and coaching as well as he ever has, according to Western Bulldogs chief executive Ameet Bains in the strongest indication yet that the 2016 premiership coach is headed into an 11th season at the helm next year.

While Bains told the Herald Sun on Tuesday that the Bulldogs still had a lot of work to do to qualify for the finals, he said the overall performance of Beveridge and the entire coaching group had been strong, given the injury issues the club has had to deal with this year.

“Even at the start of the year when there was a lot of questioning when we didn’t start well, our position was – and it remains now – that Bevo is contracted until the end of next year,” Bains said.

“Bevo is in a terrific space … he is coaching well and the coaching group as a whole are going really well.

“Clearly, there was a lot of pressure and public chattering earlier in the season when things weren’t going well, but to his credit, and to the credit of those around him who have supported him, there has been a recognition that we just need to do what is in our control.”

Luke Beveridge has defied early-season critics to put the Western Bulldogs firmly in the hunt for finals. Picture: Dylan Burns/AFL Photos via Getty Images.

Beveridge’s current contract runs through to the end of 2025, but after the Dogs’ frustratingly slow start to this season, there was mounting pressure on him from outside the club.

Now five weeks out from the finals, the Bulldogs are sitting two points outside the top eight after winning four of their past five games, including wins over flag contenders Fremantle, Carlton and Geelong.

They face a crucial clash with ladder leaders Sydney this weekend.

Bains is convinced the man who led the Dogs to their second flag is coaching as well as ever has, franked by the fact he and his coaching staff reshaped the team with a series of successful moves including switching Ed Richards into the midfield and Rory Lobb to defence.

They have also got the best out of some senior Bulldogs as the club looks to make a late assault on the finals.

“I think he has done a terrific job along with the other coaches in working through the injury issues that a lot of clubs have gone through this year,” Bains said of the coach.

“He has done a really good job of making those (team) adaptations that had to be made.”

“We’ve been going well in the past few weeks and we are intent on concentrating on the next five games heading towards the finals.”

Bains said a review of the football department at the end of last season, when the Dogs missed the finals by half a game, had been significant in bolstering support for Beveridge and allowing him to concentrate on what he does best.

It came after a slight change of responsibilities for executive director of football Chris Grant and the appointment of Matthew Egan to a general manager of football operations role.

“We did draw a lot of confidence from the work that was done in the off-season … we looked at things from an internal and external perspective and a number of changes came from that,” Bains said.

“Without making excuses, there is always an element of time for things to gel and I am not saying we are there yet, but that transition has happened across the year.

“In terms of that reflection from the off-season, one of the things we needed to do better was to support Bevo better and to support the football program better with some of the changes we made, including the introduction of Matthew Egan and his role have been critical.

“They have allowed Bevo to focus on being the best coach he can be.

“We are in a good place, he (Beveridge) is in a good place and some of the decisions that the coaching group has made, led by Bevo, like Ed Richards to the midfield and Rory Lobb out of necessity going back have been great.”

The Bulldogs face Sydney at the SCG on Sunday, ahead of fixtures against Melbourne, Adelaide, North Melbourne and GWS Giants.

Originally published as The four magnet swings which saved Luke Beveridge’s career as Western Bulldogs coach