North Melbourne recruit Caleb Daniel says he was hurt by lack of confidence shown in him by Western Bulldogs coaches

Caleb Daniel was one of two All-Australians who battled for game time at the Western Bulldogs in 2024 and he’s revealed where it all went sideways.

North Melbourne recruit Caleb Daniel says it “hurt” when coaching staff at the Western Bulldogs lost “trust” in the premiership winner, declaring a new start at the Kangaroos would drive him to return to his all-Australian best.

Daniel, a premiership winner with the Bulldogs in 2016, was shifted to North Melbourne on the final day of the trade period, while he was in Japan, after a frustrating final year at the Bulldogs and despite having two years of his contract to run.

He played eight VFL games and came on as the sub in the AFL seven more times after falling out of favour with coach Luke Beveridge despite having been one of the more consistent players across his 192 games and 10 seasons at Whitten Oval.

Speaking after he donned a Kangaroos jumper on Monday, Daniel, 28, conceded he didn’t know why he fell out of favour so quickly but was excited at his chance to prove any doubters wrong.

“Obviously, you’re always seeking to play AFL footy, and I was able to do that for probably nine years and do it relatively successfully,” he said.

“And then last year didn’t pan out my way, probably through form and a lack of trust from some of the coaching staff and some confidence issues in my own ability.

“So I think being able to come to a new club and have a fresh start, that’s pretty special to me, and it’s exciting.

“It’s always going to hurt if some people lose confidence in you, and as a proud person, you never want that to happen.

[1] new message from Caleb Daniel 📬#Kangaspic.twitter.com/i8In1DudLP

— North Melbourne FC (@NMFCOfficial) October 23, 2024

“So it does drive you. It drove me throughout the year as well to keep my chin up and hold my head high and come to the footy club and still put in wholeheartedly into the program.

“It does hurt, but it’s exciting to see the way that we’re able to go about it here and throughout this pre-season, and I’m looking forward to that challenge.”

Daniel wasn’t the only senior Bulldog to depart in the trade period, with 30-year-old Jack Macrae, another all-Australian who battled for game time in 2024, moving to St Kilda.

He felt like Beveridge made a decision to go for younger legs to give the Bulldogs speed, but Daniel, who will revert to his halfback role at the Kangaroos, was adamant he had a lot more football left in him.

“They just went with a different mix,” he said.

“They wanted some speed off half back and they wanted a couple of young guys in the midfield. And that’s up to the Western Bulldogs to choose their team. And they went without me. And that’s fair enough as well. But I still feel like I have got a lot left to give. And I don’t think they were looking at it the same way.”

Daniel, also a best and fairest winner at the Bulldogs, was traded to the Kangaroos for pick 25 in the upcoming draft.

Despite moving from a team that made the finals to a team that finished 17th, Daniel was excited by what’s to come from the Kangaroos.

“There’s so much talent,” Daniel said.

“And it’s exciting to see what they’ll be able to push for hopefully this (coming) year.”

Originally published as North Melbourne recruit Caleb Daniel says he was hurt by lack of confidence shown in him by Western Bulldogs coaches