Beveridge the big winner from review

KANE Cornes has anointed Luke Beveridge as the big winner from last weekend.

Cornes came to that conclusion following the findings from the Western Bulldogs’ internal review coming to light.

While the club made some changes after the review with Matthew Egan appointed to the new role of GM of football operations and Chris Grant moving into an executive director of football role, Beveridge was seemingly spared any real scrutiny.

On top of escaping the internal review without blame, Beveridge has now been linked to Fremantle with a report in The West Australian stating that the Dockers are keen to poach the Bulldogs coach if Justin Longmuir is sacked during the 2024 season.

Cornes believes this interest gives Beveridge leverage at the Bulldogs again and is in a great bargaining position despite the side disappointingly missing out on playing finals in 2023.

“My weekend winner is Luke Beveridge. He survives the external review,” Cornes said on SEN Breakfast.

“It looks as though they’ve overlooked all of the flaws; the inability to stop momentum, not maximising the list, the selection issues that he’s had, the run-ons that he can’t stop.

“All the blame has been lumped onto Chris Grant, clearly.

“Not only that, we now have a report in The West Australian is reporting that the Dockers are going to target Luke Beveridge as their next coach.

“Meaning that Beveridge once again has significant leverage, just as he did when he got that two-year contract extension after the Saints sacked Brett Ratten.

“They thought, ‘Oh, the Saints might go and get him. Let’s give him an extension’. One they didn’t need to give him.

“He’s got leverage. What a weekend for Luke Beveridge. I thought he was a significant winner.”

SEN news breaker Sam Edmund wouldn’t be shocked if the Dockers do go after Beveridge with the report suggesting Fremantle won’t extend Longmuir if the team doesn’t look like a finals chance early in the year.

Edmund even went as far as to suggest he expects Longmuir to be sacked and says he’d go after Beveridge if he were the Dockers if that situation played out.

“You know where I sit with this,” Edmund said.

“It wouldn’t be a surprise at all. I’ve always said, and I’ve always thought that Luke Beveridge can coach.

“He’s an excellent coach. Now, eventually, your time’s up, everyone’s time expires.

“That doesn’t mean you’re lost to the game forever, and we’ve had to put our flags in the ground over our predictions for the year and my admittedly bold prediction is that Justin Longmuir doesn’t survive.

“If that does happen, they’re going to be looking for a new coach and I’d definitely be looking at Luke Beveridge.”

The 2016 premiership coach is currently contracted until the end of the 2025 season.

– LACHLAN GELEIT/ SEN