The Dogs' general manager of football Matthew Egan staunchly defends coach Luke Beveridge amid mounting scrutiny.
"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 said.
"I have never seen a coach connect as well as I have with Bevo and his players. His ability to story-tell and create a narrative week to week for the players is amazing."
Essendon officials apologise to Western Bulldogs coach Luke Beveridge after Bombers ruckman Sam Draper suggested on a podcast that key Dogs players would leave the club if Beveridge remained next year.
“I’ve got a big call about the Doggies. If Bevo’s still there, there’ll be some players requesting trades," Draper told Clubby Sports' 200+ podcast before naming names.
Luke Beveridge signs a two-year contract extension with the Western Bulldogs to remain as head coach of the club.
"It's a great show of faith and support from the club to commit to me for another three years, in essence, to the end of 2025," he said.
"I am really grateful for the support I've had along the way – so many good people have come and gone who influenced our program and helped me in my role."
Western Bulldogs coach Luke Beveridge apologises to reporter Tom Morris after his outburst in a post-match media conference.
After discussions with the AFL and senior club officials, it was also determined that the Bulldogs donate $20,000 to youth mental health organisation Orygen.
"I have reflected on my comments and actions from the post-game press conference after last night's game and acknowledge that my exchange with journalist Tom Morris overstepped the mark," Beveridge said.
"I want to apologise for my behaviour. I want to apologise to Tom Morris and all those present last night and to our members, supporters, partners and the wider football community."
A furious Luke Beveridge sensationally storms out of his press conference following the Bulldogs' defeat to Melbourne, specifically after being questioned about Lachie Hunter's place in the Western Bulldogs side.
Fox Footy reporter Tom Morris revealed on Monday that Hunter would be dropped due to poor performance for the season-opener. The midfielder was then selected in the Dogs' side, was a late omission 60 minutes before the bounce, then returned to the team when Jason Johannisen was injured in the warm-up.
"You've been preying on us. You've been opening us up, causing turmoil within our football club by declaring our team well before it needs to be declared. Is that the way Fox want you to operate? Is that what you're doing? Is that the gutter journalist you want to be? Is that who you want to be?" Beveridge asked Morris during the press conference.
Western Bulldogs coach Luke Beveridge is critical of the AFL reacting to Hawks coach Alastair Clarkson's call for the league to pay more holding-the-ball free kicks.
"I just wish the people involved in the game would take a breath before they criticise the game and make sure we hold our nerve and don't change rules and adjust things on a whim," Beveridge said.
"You need more than a one-event sample size to force change and we're too quick to flinch and it's not helping the game."
Clarkson responded to Beveridge's blast in a media conference, saying his power was overstated.
"I'm hoping it's for the betterment of the game and not necessarily just for the betterment of the Hawks. I hope people can see through that and see it's ... for the betterment of the game because I think the game will open up a little bit more if the whistle is blown just a little bit more," Clarkson said.
Western Bulldogs coach Luke Beveridge is incensed with journalist Damian Barrett inferring that the club may have fabricated a back injury to Tom Boyd to explain his omission from the team to face Melbourne.
Boyd has had a well-documented battle with mental health issues over the past 12 months, and only returned to the senior side in round five after being sidelined with the condition since the middle of 2017.
"I think (the column is) disgraceful," Beveridge said.
"With mental health such a significantly sensitive issue in our game, for (Barrett) to infer we were making up (Boyd's) injury and that there is something else wrong, and why (he) would even go there, just shows what we're dealing with.
"Whoever contracts and employs (Barrett), I'm inquisitive to know what the driver is from a moralistic point of view, and a contentious point of view - there's not much there."
Bulldogs coach Luke Beveridge dismisses reports of an unhappy playing group after a 0-2 start to the 2018 season for the club.
"There's a really healthy working relationship between the players and the powers of the football club, but there's no doubt when you're not going so well on the field, it puts a lot of pressure on the administration because they feel it from our supporters and fans," Beveridge said.
"All we can do operationally is do our best to turn it around."
Bulldogs defender Matt Suckling dismisses talk of player discontent with coach Luke Beveridge.
Suggestions have surfaced following the Bulldogs' poor start to the season that Beveridge's message isn't getting through to the players.
"Bevo is a great coach and a really relationship-driven coach, has great relationships with everyone in the footy club, and we've got great relationships with him," Suckling said.
"We know he supports us really well and we support him."
Western Bulldogs coach Luke Beveridge applauds the AFL's decision against stricter rules on runners.
"We need to get messages to our players – without a runner, you can't rely on your players running on and off the ground," Beveridge said.
"It ends up being a black economy – we end up with underground things happening through doctors and trainers (getting messages to players) and we don't want that."
Western Bulldogs CEO Ameet Bains denies head coach Luke Beveridge has been avoiding media requests despite the fact the premiership coach is yet to speak publicly since the end of 2017.
"At this time of year there is a need to spread the load, which is happening. During the season, the senior coach takes on a lot of responsibilities week to week," Bains explained.
"I'm not sure that's quite right in terms of it being a conscious decision to avoid the media, I think the club is being very prominent in terms of sharing the load at this time of year."
Western Bulldogs coach Luke Beveridge is optimistic about returning to the finals next year after his team became just the second reigning premier in the 2000s to miss the top eight.
"We haven't quite been able to cover (the loss of) key personnel and we probably haven't, as a group, come on as we would've liked," Beveridge said.
"We'll need to be stronger in every area next year to be a formidable group.
"We haven't been able to beat the best teams, so we're in the pack, but I'm really optimistic that we can drag ourselves up into that (top) eight area next year."
Western Bulldogs coach Luke Beveridge accepts responsibility for the club failing to recapture their premiership-winning form of 2016 so far in 2017.
“The buck stops with me. I’m the one who needs to get them going. We’ve got great people who work with our footy club, but it’s my responsibility to re-ignite the flame," Beveridge said.
“It’s my responsibility to get us going again and play somewhere near the levels we were last year, regardless of whether we lose personnel at different times through injury, and I haven’t been able to do that to the level that I’d like as yet."
Western Bulldogs coach Luke Beveridge says he is dismayed by the push for rolling one-year-deals for senior and assistant coaches by a growing number of clubs, believing the uncertainty of those contracts in a niche industry puts undue pressure on the them and their families.
"It absolutely disturbs me (that coaches) have mortgages, they have families, they have young children," Beveridge said.
"There is also the fact these are niche jobs.
"We are not lawyers or accountants or doctors, or builders or electricians, where if we get moved on, we can go and earn a similar wage somewhere else.
"Once you get moved on, there is a fair chance there is nothing for you, and you have to go and take on a totally different vocation."
Western Bulldogs coach Luke Beveridge reassigns responsibilities among his assistants ahead of the 2017 season.
Steven King has moved from midfield to defensive coach, Joel Corey has stepped up from stoppages to midfield, forward coach Daniel Giansiracusa has taken over stoppages, reigning VFL premiership coach Ashley Hansen is now in charge of the Dogs attack, and defensive coach Rohan Smith has become the head of development.
The Western Bulldogs will ask the AFL to strike another medal to award its senior coach Luke Beveridge, after he handed his over to injured skipper Robert Murphy during the medal presentation post-Grand Final.
"I don't know how the rules of the AFL work in this regard … [but] a deserving and decent thing to do would be to strike another medal and give it to 'Bevo'," Bulldogs president Peter Gordon said.
"That would be, I think, the decent thing to do and I think the AFL are composed of decent people."
Western Bulldogs coach Luke Beveridge has selflessly handed his premiership medallion to injured captain Robert Murphy.
In the ultimate show of respect, Beveridge welcomed Murphy up on to the stage when he accepted his medal and hung it over the neck of the 295-game veteran.
Beveridge then backed away when the Bulldogs were presented the premiership cup to let Murphy lift it aloft with stand-in skipper Easton Wood.
"It's a hard thing to put into words because it's very special," he said.
"He's an incredibly special human being. I love him for it. In some ways, I think, it's not the same as the other boys' medals, it's not the same as the 22, but for me, it means just as much.
"This is my footy club. I couldn't be prouder. I couldn't be happier. I'm just a very, very happy man."
Luke Beveridge is named the AFL Coaches' Association coach of the year for the second straight season after leading the Western Bulldogs to their first Grand Final since 1961.
Beveridge said his ability to have success at the Western Bulldogs relied partly on a philosophy of implementing a system and bringing players in to fulfil certain roles.
"We all see a canvas, it's whether it has got paint on it or it's blank. I see it in a certain way and system's important," Beveridge said.
"Once you teach a system, you can bring in different personnel through that and they can adapt. They have to buy in … and the most important people at the football club are the players."
Western Bulldogs fans taking club organised buses up to Spotless Stadium for Saturday's preliminary final against Greater Western Sydney received a pleasant surprise when coach Luke Beveridge shouted them breakfast.
Wodonga, which is on the Victorian side of the border with New South Wales, had food vans available to cater for hungry supporters making the long journey.
Those in the travelling party received $10 along with a note from Beveridge.
"Thank you for jumping on board the Bulldogs Bus to cheer on our boys in Sydney," the letter read.
"It is incredible to have so many of our members and supporters make the huge effort in getting on the bus to watch our boys play and we are so grateful for the ongoing support you continue to show us.
"As a small thank you for your efforts, we would like to pay for your breakfast this morning. The City of Wodonga have put on some great food vans so get out, stretch the legs and have a safe drive."
Western Bulldogs coach Luke Beveridge has signed a contract extension that will see him in charge of the club until the end of 2020.
Beveridge's deal was due to expire at the end of next season before he signed on for another three years.
"It's as secure as I've felt in footy and I'd like to thank the club and (president) Peter Gordon for his investment in me as a person," Beveridge said.
"The recommendation means a lot to be charged with the responsibility to do everything I can to guide the footy side of things.
A visibly emotional Luke Beveridge has spoken of the grief the club endured in the wake of season-ending injuries to Mitch Wallis and Jack Redpath.
On the verge of tears at his weekly press conference, the second-year coach spoke of the love he has for his injured charges and the Western Bulldogs' playing group as a whole.
"I'm an emotional person with our (playing) group and the way they care about each other," Beveridge said.
"It's my prerogative and responsibility to be strong, which I'm not being now, but I haven't been this (emotional) with the group.
"They've been quite resilient when they've been around each other and they're all in really good spirits.
'We've picked ourselves up, we're going to train this afternoon and pump a bit of energy into that session and that will help us move on."
Western Bulldogs coach Luke Beveridge says he doesn't think Nathan Buckley would be part of the mid-season Lin Jong meeting at the Holden Centre if he had his time again.
A Collingwood party that included Buckley met with the out-of-contract Jong at the club's headquarters recently to discuss the midfielder possibly crossing to the Magpies in October's trade period.
"Nathan called me but it's played out in a public space and I know Nathan has said that if he had his time over he'd do it again but I don't think he would," Beveridge said.
"Ultimately if our list manager Jason McCartney came to me – which he wouldn't – and said, 'Hey, let's meet a player at the Whitten Oval', I'd say, 'Hang on, mate. I'm keen to talk to him but it's too risky to do it here.'
"Maybe Nathan has been led up the wrong path there as well because he's assertive enough and mature enough to make a better decision than that."
Lin Jong is reported to have toured Collingwood's HQ in a move that Magpies coach Nathan Buckley admits would be upsetting to Bulldogs coach Luke Beveridge.
"If I was in Bevo's shoes, you wouldn't be happy," Buckley said.
"As a senior coach, I can put myself in Bevo's shoes. I can understand where he would be, how he would be feeling about it, and then I'd ask questions over that side. I'd ask questions at our side as well."
However, Buckley said his club's actions weren't out of step with what regularly occurred across the competition.
"I think it's dog eat dog, so to speak," Buckley said.
"There still are morals and mores that are expected and accepted, and we'd like to believe that we follow those."
Western Bulldogs coach Luke Beveridge will use AFL CEO Gill McLachlan's coaches’ dinner on Tuesday night to push his belief that senior lists should be extended at the expense of the rookie list
"I think one of the primary things I'll be looking (to talk about) is a bit more direction with the lists and whether or not they are going to combine the two," Beveridge said.
"It would be nice to know now (as) we're strategising all the time from a list management perspective.
"That call needs to be made really early so the clubs know and plan ahead.
Western Bulldogs coach Luke Beveridge has labelled the Adelaide Crows' public questioning of the umpiring following Saturday night's clash between the two sides as "disgusting".
The Bulldogs received 28 free kicks to Adelaide's 12 in the Dogs' 15-point win at Etihad Stadium.
Adelaide contacted the AFL umpires department to seek clarification on some of the umpiring decisions and was told by head coach Hayden Kennedy the game was adjudicated in an acceptable manner.
"Any open message in the open domain and doubt around the integrity of an umpire's performance to me is disgusting," Beveridge said.
"I'm always concerned about what that message sends to the community and the affect (it) might have."
Kyle Cheney is set to be cautioned by the AFL for his role in sparking the investigation into former Bulldog Michael Talia and brother Daniel.
Cheney has come under fire after admitting to AFL investigators he was joking when he told ex-teammate Ben Stratton the Crows had received information about the Bulldogs' forward set-up for the September final at the MCG.
Stratton alerted Bulldogs coach Luke Beveridge, who used to be an assistant at the Hawks, to the situation, leading Beveridge to phone Cheney to seek the truth.
It is believed Cheney was hesitant to tell Beveridge he had overstated the accusation levelled at now Michael Talia, now with the Sydney Swans.
The Talia brothers are reportedly disappointed by the League's handling of the situation and also the wording of the statement, which subtly hinted they should have had a case to answer, despite being cleared by the formal investigation.
The Crows are also set to be cleared, with the League content that stand-in coach Scott Camporeale had not received any information on the Bulldogs' game-plan.
Luke Beveridge has been named the AFL Coaches Association coach of the year after guiding the Western Bulldogs into the finals for the first time since 2010 in his first season at the helm.
Beveridge, who took the reins after a summer of upheaval at the Whitten Oval, orchestrated a fairytale season for the Bulldogs, who won 14 games and finished the home and away season in sixth position.
Their ability to play an exciting style of football that also won games made the Bulldogs – and Beveridge – one of the stories of the season until they bowed out against Adelaide in a thrilling qualifying final.
"It's a little bit embarrassing that 'Clarko' hasn't won one yet," Beveridge said.
"It's a huge honour and mainly because it is voted by your peers.
"It takes a bit for me to have any tension in my relationships, so when I took over I tried to get the message across that it was going to be a supportive coaching tenure.
"What all our coaches and staff have done for our club this has been great and it allows us to start 2016 on a better platform."
Western Bulldogs coach Luke Beveridge has been sent a "please explain" letter from AFL Victoria following his call for Will Minson's report for making contact with an umpire to be thrown out.
Meanwhile, Bulldogs president Peter Gordon has also weighed in on the matter, telling Triple M on Monday: "I think I've pushed peas to the side of my plate harder than Will Minson did any pushing yesterday".
Luke Beveridge is announced as new head coach of the Western Bulldogs.
Beveridge acknowledged that the public perception of the Bulldogs had been of a club in crisis, but his focus now was on the future.
"It's important that straight away, all the players and the coaches and the supporters and the administration feel like, 'Righto, we've got to pick ourselves up and get moving really quickly'," Beveridge said.
The Western Bulldogs consider candidates for the vacant head coaching role at the club that include Fremantle assistant coach Peter Sumich, Western Bulldogs assistant Brett Montgomery and newly appointed St Kilda director of coaching Luke Beveridge.
St Kilda is confident new director of coaching Luke Beveridge will honour his commitment to the club despite being linked to the vacant senior Gold Coast role.
"He's certainly highly regarded and we know he's had some interest but he certainly indicated before he went overseas on holidays that he wanted to continue his development to be ready to be a senior coach with us and that's terrific," CEO Matt Finnis told SEN radio.
"With such a young list, what we need is our coach coaching.
"With what we've seen in recent times with the departures of coaches, we just want to make sure we've got all the support around our coaches to do what they do best and that is to develop our young group of players."
St Kilda has targeted Hawthorn's highly successful coaching team to bolster its own football department, appointing Luke Beveridge as director of coaching for 2015.
"Despite having offered Luke a contract to remain at the club beyond 2014, we understand his aspirations to step into a more senior role and this position at St Kilda allows him to do so," Hawthorn football manager Chris Fagan said about Beveridge's departure from the Hawks.
"Luke's been a fantastic contributor to our coaching team over the past three years, he's developed great relationships with the playing group and has established a backline that's well respected across the League."