BEVERIDGE BECOMES LONGEST SERVING BULLDOGS COACH
Luke Beveridge has become the longest-serving coach in the history of the Western Bulldogs after coaching his 229th game last weekend.
Eclipsing the previous milestone held by Ted Whitten Snr (228 games between 1957 – 1971), Beveridge’s coaching record is not to be dismissed.
Since taking over the helm in 2014, Beveridge has won one premiership, taken his side to two Grand Finals and 12 finals (both Club records), and holds the highest winning percentage (56.58%) among anyone who has coached 100 or more games in the red, white and blue.
He also claimed back-to-back AFL Coaches’ Association Coach of the Year awards in his first two seasons.
“Dad used to always say ‘records are meant to be broken’,” Ted Whitten Jr told the Herald Sun last week.
“I’m pretty sure Dad and Charlie would be rapt with what Bevo has done with the club, like all the supporters are.
“He has done a great job, the fact that he brought a premiership to the club (in 2016) was just unbelievable. He has had his detractors but he has proven them all wrong.
“He is hanging in there and the side is playing as well as it has for some time.”
The Dogs’ 31-point win over GWS at Mars Stadium on Sunday also secured their spot in the 2024 AFL finals series.
“It is one of the more significant wins over the journey,” Beveridge told media post-game.
“I think with what was at stake, no one is ever sure how much weight to place on the task at hand. Will that be too much? Will that take over your thought processes? Will we put too much pressure on ourselves? Will it disallow you from playing with freedom? Or the polar opposite, just treat it like another game.
“We erred to the former. We built it up as a big opportunity, as a game that internalised the inspiration a little bit more. They have been a very good side the Giants over the journey, so when everything is live we didn’t want to rely on a team or two to lose, so it is pretty significant.”
Beveridge’s Bulldogs will meet Hawthorn in the Second Elimination Final on Friday 6 September at the MCG.
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