Coach Luke Beveridge feels the Western Bulldogs are in their best form since their 2021 grand final run.
On Friday night, the Bulldogs secured their fourth consecutive victory with a commanding 51-point win over Melbourne at Marvel Stadium, placing them fourth on the ladder.
After a rough start to the season with a 3-5 record, the Bulldogs have surged into premiership contention by defeating other finals contenders over a strong recent period.
Since their loss in the 2021 grand final to Melbourne, the Bulldogs suffered an elimination final defeat in 2022 and missed the finals entirely last year.
Beveridge noted, “The way our game style is working, keeping opponents to low scores while we score effectively, is probably the best we’ve been since 2021.”
He added, “There are promising signs for the future, and it’s tempting to get caught up in that. Staying focused remains our challenge.”
Early in the season, there was speculation about Beveridge’s future with the team and whether he was the right leader moving forward.
“The external perception included a lot of discussion and commentary about my role, but internally, the situation was quite different,” Beveridge said. “I’ve always felt there was strong faith in my abilities and in our team.”
Following a five-day break before their game against Melbourne, the Bulldogs will enjoy a nine-day respite before traveling to play Adelaide.
“The boys likely didn’t get to bed until 1am Monday morning after the delayed flight from Sydney due to high winds at the airport,” Beveridge explained. “Despite the tight turnaround, their recovery and commitment never faltered, and we didn’t even discuss it.”
“It’s a real testament to the team’s efforts, especially finishing the game as they did.”
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