The genius of Luke Beveridge is not the set of ideas that he brought to the Bulldogs, but the ideas he thought up after arriving at the Bulldogs.
Most of these ideas were creative responses to a lack of manpower. Here’s what Beveridge taught us in 2016.
1. You don’t need Hawks-like foot skills
When the Hawks won their third grand final in a row, we all thought their sublime foot skills from defence and the midfield were keys. And when the Bulldog with the most polished foot skills – Bob Murphy – went down with a knee injury early in 2016, most of us thought the Bulldogs would lack the skill to go far in 2016.
Luke Beveridge found a way around this deficiency too. He reasoned that even his B-grade kicks – basically everybody except Jack MacRae and Marcus Bontempelli – could deliver accurately if given time and space. So players were required to just keep handballing until a teammate had time and space to kick accurately.
The Bulldogs in 2016 raised the chain handball to a new art in 2016, and with the extra space almost every player turned into an accurate kick.
2. You don’t need a power forward
The Hawks had Jarryd Roughead; the Swans had Barry Hall; the Cats had Tom Hawkins and the Pies had Travis Cloke. Almost every premiership team this century has had a power forward. In 2016, Beveridge seems to have started with this conventional thinking.
However with Tom Boyd developing only slowly as a tall forward option and big Jack Redpath succumbing to a knee injury, Beveridge was again forced to be unconventional.
Late in the 2016 season Beveridge began viewing his undersized forward line as an advantage, applying the meanest forward press in the competition. That ability to lock the ball in the forward line was reminiscent of the Dockers’ forward press in 2014, except the Bulldogs’ forwards were able to kick more accurately than the Dockers’ forwards.
You don’t need a power forward if you can keep the ball on the ground in the forward line, lock it in and kick straight.
3. You don’t need an A-grade tap ruckman
We suspected this for years because the Hawks won premierships from 2013-2015 without an A-grade ruck. Now the past four premierships have been won without an A-grade ruck and indeed only one of the top four finalists in 2016 played with an A-grade ruck.
Lacking an A-grade tap ruckman, Beveridge increased the emphasis on mobility and all-round contesting, turning the ruck role full circle to the days of Peter Moore and Jimmy Stynes. Beveridge swung his agile full back, Jordan Roughead, into the ruck.
By 2016, Roughead was doing it all, competing in ruck contests, in marking contests around the ground, when the ball hit the ground and through tackling and chasing.
Then during the 2016 finals, Tom Boyd stepped up and played the same agile role. It’s more important to have an all-round contester than an A-grade tap ruckman.
4. You don’t need an experienced full back
Now this idea is unchartered territory. All premiership teams this century have had an experienced full back, and Alastair Clarkson had regarded this position as so important that he recruited Brian Lake and James Frawley specifically to fill this gap. Luke Beveridge tried a different tack.
He could have continued with Roughead at full back but he chose instead to go with AFL newcomers Marcus Adams and Joel Hamling, supported by a zone defence. It worked.
5. Play the Js
Okay this one is ridiculous but 2016 probably set the record for the number of different Js in a premiership team. Congratulations to Joel, Jordan, Jake, Jackson, and Josh, and especially to Norm Smith medal winner JJ.
Adversity has, for some coaches, been an excuse. For Beveridge, adversity has been an impetus to great initiatives.
Gecko
Roar Pro
Thanks Matty. Your comments about Adams, Boyd and Campbell suggest Beveridge may, if given the options, return to more conventional roles (big-bodied full back, power forward, playing talls). It'll be interesting to see whether he does revert to a more conventional structure, or whether he continues with the smaller brigade that delivered the 2016 premiership, or tries something altogether new. No doubt other clubs will try to emulate the Bulldogs' slick handball but It'll also be interesting to see whether they find a way to negate the Bulldogs' game plan. Perhaps they'll try and break the Buldogs' forward press by loading up on defenders who can kick 60m or can kick accurately through the centre of the ground (they would have noticed that Rampe was the only Swans defender whose disposal caused problems for the Bulldogs).
Gecko
Roar Pro
Yes Dougie, I forgot Caleb Daniel. Wonderful kicking skills. Haven't seen enough of Tory Dickson but will take your word for it.
mattyb
Guest
Good,intelligent comment Bruce. I posted the same thing on a different article. Something that has certainly been overlooked by the salty fans.
Bruce
Guest
So many of the dogs "free kicks" were play on advantage...i.e. Tom Boyds sealer after the tackle on Franklin. So the free kick given in that instance was meaningless...the dogs had already won the ball. This happened time and time again through the finals series...probably due to the swarming pressure of the dogs. Inflates the free kick stats for disgruntled whingers though.
I hate pies
Guest
Two players do not make a team. Hodge is the biggest sniper in the game; that's not tough.
dave
Guest
I'm one of the few that think Cloke is a good match for the Dogs,geez the way the dogs just kick into the forward line and then never let it get out.If Cloke was in there he's bound to get a few. Plus he's being coached by Beveridge as opposed to Buckley. haha sorry I can't help but laugh every time I hear Buckleys name,I love you Eddie for what you've done with Collingwood and how Its all transpired.
Chancho
Roar Rookie
Not sure you could consider a side with Hodge and Mitchell in it as soft
Mister Football
Roar Guru
Re changing structures, already the recruitment of Cloak changes us a bit. I know it comes with risks, and it's a bit controversial, but I look at it this way - already we are thinking of being a bit different - and that's good!
Mister Football
Roar Guru
You called it Matty, I didn't believe you back then, I had doubts, especially after that loss to North, but once we dispensed with the Eagles first week of the finals, I started thinking to myself: geez, this is really doable, in fact, more than just doable.
Mister Football
Roar Guru
Ha ha, very true!
Mister Football
Roar Guru
Thanks Matty, I can recall a thread on BF which talked about the long, long list of pups coming on line (after Libba/Wallis/Hunter). I imagine Westy jnr is next in line, dead set, he was a dead ringer for his old man circa 1993. If he gets his head over the footy like his old man, he'll fit right in (hopefully he'll be a better kick than his old man, like Tom is a better kick than Tony).
Pope Paul VII
Guest
I go for North. I admit I'm partial to Sydney on account of living here but these particular non awarded frees were particularly stark. I think there would have been less whinging if they'd just paid them as they had been all season. Anyway, I leave you to your basking.
dave
Guest
Haha If Freo ever won one I'd be the same,I don't care dynasties or 3peat I just want one In my lifetime. I have no doubt the Doggies will play different next year and anyway Its probably their will to win that Is more important than any gameplan. I didn't see much of them during the season but watched all their (very impressive)finals matches. By the time the Sydney game was played I had a fair idea of their style of play. These coaches are paid big bucks and are apparently the top 18 football strategists In the country. Surely It wouldn't be so hard to stop a team from playing this short handball game? Agree they will be top4 next year.
mattyb
Guest
That's correct dave but you will see in the comments from the extremely fair and knowledgeable dogs fans that there are plenty of tricks up the doggie sleeve. I remember people saying pre season we would be studied and found out this year. I think any homework done on the dogs will be a waste of time as we will be different next year structurally and will play a much different,more successful style of play.
Pumping Dougie
Roar Guru
I don't care, I can die happy now.
Pumping Dougie
Roar Guru
Touché matty, well said.
Pumping Dougie
Roar Guru
Does Bont have any sons yet? C'mon Bont, get cracking.
dave
Guest
2017 Will be interesting for the Dogs,surely that will have to make changes to their playing style. During the season coaches have 9 games to review but because the Dogs played every final game everyone got a good luck at them. I don't think too many teams will allow the dogs to play the same handball game. They are now the hunted.
mattyb
Guest
MF,you said you might have seen Rylee West sitting next to Scotty but I never had a chance to reply. I didn't see such footage but yes his sons look like dead wringers so it more than likely was one of them. Like I said,word is Rylee is an out and out gun like his father but a little taller but plays a similar game. I think he also has twins and another son younger. We are in this for the long hall. I could see it last year.,not only are we good but we are so young and bat so deep. What if young West is as good as Bont? Big call but he is very,very good and with players like Bontempelli setting a high bar it will be very helpful for other players in the future. My tip,Scott West will be the gift that keeps giving and giving and giving.
mattyb
Guest
I've been talking about it since the preseason lol. Great thing is as we have all acknowledged we are still looking forward to a good chunk of kids maybe playing more regularly next year which really is amazing. I think we might even draft a couple of players who will be ready to go straight off the bat also like Dunkley and Williams this year and Daniel and McLean last year. I'd love to see one of the big clubs that can't draft give us a pick in the 30's for Hrovat and Dalrymple goes out a grabs another Daniel with it who makes an immediate impact. Our drafting is unbelievable. And IHP,I'm also not sure if Suckling is best 22 but we might have to see him injury free. He certainly could lose the showboat side of his game and commit his body a little more. Dougie,Boyd certainly is a tricky one. I'd like him to go around again but also think it might hold younger blokes back,again,a pretty good position to be in.