The knives tend to come out for Luke Beveridge when something doesn’t work out at the Whitten Oval.
Despite making two Grand Finals, and winning one of them to break one of the longest droughts in footy, Bevo cops a heap both in the press, and from the fanbase. And yet, he remains defiantly creative with the list at the Western Bulldogs, providing some players with the opportunity to excel when he believes they’re ready, and holding back others until that point arrives.
Sometimes he gets them wrong. Hell, nobody is operating on a 100% success rate. But other times, he gets them very correct.
On Saturday in Canberra, we saw two of these decisions bear fruit against the GWS Giants.
After waiting a couple of seasons, defender, Jed Busslinger, was finally able to strut his stuff on the big stage of the AFL. Did Bevo think he was ready?
He must have – he handed him the job of playing against a forward setup that included the reigning Coleman Medallist, and two of the more enigmatic, and polarising players in the game.
And Busslinger more than held his own.
However, it was another young player that really stood out on the night, and for this young man, the future looks bright.
Incredibly so.
He was one that was a first-year half-back flanker just a year ago. Now, he is on the verge of something big.
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