By Jake Niall and Marnie Vinall
In today’s AFL briefing:
- Collingwood will have only one of their six first-choice forwards against West Coast if star Jamie Elliott doesn’t pass a fitness test on Friday.
- Western Bulldogs coach Luke Beveridge is blocking out the noise surrounding his future as pressure builds.
- St Kilda announce their new chief executive.
Elliott test could add to Collingwood’s forward woes
Jake Niall
Collingwood will have only one of their six first-choice forwards against West Coast if star Jamie Elliott doesn’t pass a fitness test on Friday.
The Magpies are preparing to play another mature-age debutant – Joe Richards, a recruit who came straight from the bush to Collingwood in the 2022 national draft – should Elliott be ruled out due to back soreness.
The Magpies will promote midfielder Fin Macrae and forward Reef McInnes and are likely to promote last week’s debutant Lachlan Sullivan from substitute to the starting 22, as they find replacements for forwards Brody Mihocek (hamstring), Beau McCreery (concussion) and Lachie Schultz (suspension).
The Magpies will wait on Elliott’s fitness, and it is possible that Richards would still be promoted – and potentially used as the sub – even if Elliott passes the test, according to a club source who spoke anonymously before official selection.
Pies forward Jamie Elliott will have a fitness test on Friday ahead of the clash against West Coast.Credit: AFL Photos
Ex-Saint Jack Bytel is also in the mix to get his first taste of senior football with the Magpies. Bytel, 24, was recruited as a pre-season supplemental selection list player, having played 23 games for St Kilda.
Having lost Mihocek, McCreery and Schultz from the team that beat Carlton by six points, the Magpies would have only Norm Smith medallist Bobby Hill remaining from their starting forward six if Elliott doesn’t come up. Daniel McStay, the club’s primary key forward, is recovering from a knee reconstruction and is not earmarked to return until late in the season.
The Magpies can obviously deploy Mason Cox as a tall target in attack, while Will Hoskin-Elliott is capable of playing as a forward.
McInnes has played primarily as a forward and would fill one of the vacancies, having been used in negating roles on opposition defensive playmakers, too.
Richards, 24, was drafted in 2022 from Wangaratta Imperials in the Ovens and Murray league and has been playing as a small forward for Collingwood in the VFL, but can also be stationed on the wing and has genuine leg speed.
The Magpies on Thursday night named an eight-man interchange as part of their extended 26-man squad, which included Elliott, Macrae and Sullivan, while Hoskin-Elliott is expected to hold his spot in the side.
Bytel, Charlie Dean and potential debutants Richards and Edward Allan were also included on the bench.
Collingwood will be without match winner Jordan De Goey (groin) for at least another week and also sans Tom Mitchell, while the Eagles have lost the key duo of Elliot Yeo and Jake Waterman for this Sunday’s Mother’s Day game.
‘I’m in a really good place’: Beveridge optimistic in face of Bulldogs pressure
Marnie Vinall
Western Bulldogs coach Luke Beveridge is blocking out the noise surrounding his future, and said discussions with key club figures had left him feeling supported.
The Bulldogs have lost four of their last five matches, including a shock seven-point defeat to 16th-placed Hawthorn last Sunday at Marvel Stadium, to ramp up pressure on the struggling Dogs who are 11th on the ladder, two games outside the top eight. On Saturday night they play the 17th-placed Richmond, who have won only two games this year, and a loss to the Tigers would further increase the heat on the coach and club.
Speaking on Thursday morning at Whitten Oval, Beveridge said that his focus was on staying optimistic to ensure he made the best decisions possible.
“I sort of get an inkling that I’m the centre of attention through how many messages and phone calls I get,” Beveridge said.
“But part of my coping technique is to just keep my head in the game and what I can control and focus on making sure everyone here knows that I’m in the right place.”
Western Bulldogs coach Luke Beveridge at training on Thursday.Credit: Getty Images
While the premiership-winning coach said he could block out the noise, the club was working to ensure the players were not affected by it.
“We’d be telling porky pies if we said that the players weren’t affected by the outside noise. It’s part and parcel of what we do and the sporting code on a national level … Sometimes it can be confronting,” said Beveridge.
“So, the critical thing, in today’s day and age, is that the players don’t come in to the club feeling like they’re under the same kind of scrutiny [here] as they are, you know, externally.
“This has got to be a safe place somewhere that they can come and feel like they belong and work together. And that’s really evident, you know, the players are really close.”
On Tuesday, the club met at the St Kilda Sea Baths, rather than holding a traditional match review at Whitten Oval, which Beveridge said was to get way from familiar surroundings and do their recovery.
Ahead of the season, the Bulldogs had an off-season review of their football department after finishing ninth last season, and an elimination finals loss in 2022.
Beveridge, who has coached the Bulldogs since 2015, said he had had conversations with the club’s key stakeholders, including president Kylie Watson-Wheeler, CEO Ameet Bains, new football manager Matthew Egan and the players. He revealed that forward Cody Weightman, who is recovering from surgery following a dislocated elbow, checked on him during the week as someone familiar with external scrutiny from when he was in the headlines for head-high tackles.
“So, there’s been a lot of that,” said Beveridge. “I love the fact that people want to do that, but I don’t necessarily need it. I say to my closest friends, don’t text me, don’t call me. I’m OK – but they’re always concerned.
“But ultimately, I’m in a really good place. And I’m really looking forward to this next challenge.”
On Wednesday, Egan said he was “blown away” by some of the personal scrutiny of Beveridge.
“I have been blown away with how aggressive some of the comments have been in the media about a guy who has been coaching 10 years at the footy club, with a grand final win and obviously being in the grand final only three years ago,” Egan told SEN.
“It feels like it has been a little bit aggressive and personal against Bevo [Beveridge].”
Beveridge maintained the Bulldogs remained in a decent position to revive their season and push for September, with 15 rounds remaining.
“We’re in a good place. There’s a lot of the season to go and believe it or not, we’re 15 games left before anyone is playing finals,” he said.
He said the Bulldogs would be “extremely wary” of the Tigers on Saturday night at the MCG.
“They’ve still got a number of really influential players who are very experienced [and] who can it can put you on edge and sometimes put you to the sword, so we’ll be extremely wary,” said Beveridge.
One of the Bulldogs’ most pivotal players, veteran Tom Liberatore, has been sidelined indefinitely with concussion. Beveridge said he would leave the situation to the medical professionals.
“He will do his best to convince everyone that he’s going to be OK. But ultimately, there’s more play there,” said Beveridge.
Carl Dilena named as Saints CEO
Marnie Vinall
St Kilda have confirmed former North Melbourne boss Carl Dilena will formally take the reins as chief executive, having acted in the role since January.
Dilena, originally from South Australia, spent seven years as the managing director and CEO at the Kangaroos, which followed a five-year stint on their board.
His career spans more than 30 years across the football and corporate worlds, including 12 years as a senior partner at KPMG.
The former North Melbourne and Fitzroy VFL/AFL player joined Moorabbin as chief operating officer in October 2022, following the departure of coach Brett Ratten.
New St Kilda CEO Carl Dilena.Credit: AFL Photos
When former CEO Simon Lethlean departed in January, Dilena was promoted to the head role in an acting capacity while the club searched for a replacement.
Saints president Andrew Bassat said that after a process conducted by external consultants Maritana Partners, the club was confident in elevating Dilena to the role permanently.
“We knew from the outset that Carl would be a very strong candidate, and this was only reaffirmed further through hearing his submissions and thoughts on the future of the club,” said Bassat.
“We are in an exciting period for St Kilda as we seek to build a successful and sustainable club both on and off the field.
“I know I speak for our entire board in congratulating Carl, his wife Simone and daughters Isabel and Sophie on this appointment, and I look forward to working closely with Carl for years to come.”
Dilena added that after working at the Saints for 18 months, he was excited to continue immersing himself in the club’s culture and history.
“St Kilda is a proud foundation club, with clear goals and a very loyal and deserving supporter base,” said Dilena.
“I look forward to playing my role in helping the club take strides towards achieving its goals and rewarding the passion and investment of our members and fans.”
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