{"id":73914,"date":"2025-04-29T10:15:55","date_gmt":"2025-04-29T00:15:55","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.neds.com.au\/blog\/?p=73914"},"modified":"2026-07-03T10:29:57","modified_gmt":"2026-07-03T00:29:57","slug":"the-bulldogs-smile-through-pain","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.neds.com.au\/blog\/2025\/04\/the-bulldogs-smile-through-pain\/","title":{"rendered":"The Bulldogs Smile Through Pain"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>Every offseason two of my mates and I do a ladder bet.<\/p>\n<p>The stakes of the bet aren\u2019t huge, third buys first a parma.<\/p>\n<p>This year we made the bet after Jamarra Ugle Hagan\u2019s shooting star offseason, the Bontempelli, Weightman, Jones and Treloar injuries, and Luke Beveridge coaching into the last year of his deal.<\/p>\n<blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\" data-width=\"500\" data-dnt=\"true\">\n<p lang=\"en\" dir=\"ltr\">The Club has released a statement regarding forward Jamarra Ugle-Hagan.<\/p>\n<p>\ud83d\udcdd Read more: <a href=\"https:\/\/t.co\/IirsqUW3mV\">https:\/\/t.co\/IirsqUW3mV<\/a> <a href=\"https:\/\/t.co\/WKypPRyDc3\">pic.twitter.com\/WKypPRyDc3<\/a><\/p>\n<p>&mdash; Western Bulldogs (@westernbulldogs) <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/westernbulldogs\/status\/1881555264505323993?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">January 21, 2025<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p><script async src=\"https:\/\/platform.twitter.com\/widgets.js\" charset=\"utf-8\"><\/script><\/p>\n<blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\" data-width=\"500\" data-dnt=\"true\">\n<p lang=\"en\" dir=\"ltr\">The Bulldogs are playing terrific football, but on-field results might not keep Luke Beveridge at the club in 2026. <\/p>\n<p>He tells <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/ClarkyHeraldSun?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">@ClarkyHeraldSun<\/a> what could decide the huge contract call.<\/p>\n<p>STORY \u27a1\ufe0f <a href=\"https:\/\/t.co\/tQpUd98c28\">https:\/\/t.co\/tQpUd98c28<\/a> <a href=\"https:\/\/t.co\/XXwDzKidzG\">pic.twitter.com\/XXwDzKidzG<\/a><\/p>\n<p>&mdash; Herald Sun Sport (@heraldsunsport) <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/heraldsunsport\/status\/1916258498540982364?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">April 26, 2025<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p><script async src=\"https:\/\/platform.twitter.com\/widgets.js\" charset=\"utf-8\"><\/script><\/p>\n<p>We had the Dogs 13<sup>th<\/sup>, 15<sup>th<\/sup>, and 10<sup>th<\/sup>.<\/p>\n<p>We all predicted that, after an offseason from hell, they\u2019d have a season from hell and complete the annus horribilis like the 49ers just did.<\/p>\n<blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\" data-width=\"500\" data-dnt=\"true\">\n<p lang=\"en\" dir=\"ltr\">\u201cI NEED TO GET THE BALL MORE\u201d<\/p>\n<p>&#8211; DEEBO PROCEEDS TO DO THIS<\/p>\n<p> <a href=\"https:\/\/t.co\/cbwfu0PPuX\">pic.twitter.com\/cbwfu0PPuX<\/a><\/p>\n<p>&mdash; MLFootball (@_MLFootball) <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/_MLFootball\/status\/1867405123053339023?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">December 13, 2024<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p><script async src=\"https:\/\/platform.twitter.com\/widgets.js\" charset=\"utf-8\"><\/script><\/p>\n<p>In truth, the off-field year from hell has continued.<\/p>\n<p>Their second-best player Sam Darcy got injured, Jamarra\u2019s return is getting unlikelier, and neither Treloar nor Weightman have played.<\/p>\n<blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\" data-width=\"500\" data-dnt=\"true\">\n<p lang=\"en\" dir=\"ltr\">Luke Beveridge has conceded he doesn&#39;t know if Jamarra Ugle-Hagan will play AFL again. <\/p>\n<p>STORY \ud83d\udc49 <a href=\"https:\/\/t.co\/eHWASRyUn2\">https:\/\/t.co\/eHWASRyUn2<\/a> <a href=\"https:\/\/t.co\/qjOrQsuIJO\">pic.twitter.com\/qjOrQsuIJO<\/a><\/p>\n<p>&mdash; SuperFooty (AFL) (@superfooty) <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/superfooty\/status\/1916318891783094661?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">April 27, 2025<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p><script async src=\"https:\/\/platform.twitter.com\/widgets.js\" charset=\"utf-8\"><\/script><\/p>\n<p>The only problem with the Year from Hell Theorem is that Beveridge and his Bulldogs have smiled in the face of adversity and Bevo\u2019s veneers have been blinding throughout.<\/p>\n<p>Now 4-3 after beating the premiership fancy Giants, the Bulldogs have faced Theon Greyjoy hardship with Chris Traeger positivity \u2014 and are winning because of it.<\/p>\n<p>While they have fewer big names now \u2014 with Jack Macrae, Bailey Smith, Caleb Daniel, and Ugle-Hagan all gone \u2014 the Dogs are becoming the elite list they were hyped to be in recent years, only without the stars.<\/p>\n<p>Instead of a glut of slow and famous people, they now boast improved small-forward talent, a balanced inside-out midfield, and taller players who have clear roles.<\/p>\n<p>The Dogs are now as balanced as anyone, and they can play Bevo-ball the way it\u2019s meant to be played.<\/p>\n<p>The three key pillars of Bevo-ball are contest, transition, and front half footy.<\/p>\n<p>The Allen-key to this list is Marcus Bontempelli, the best contest player in footy. But now he has balanced support around him with contest animals Tom Liberatore and Matt Kennedy.<\/p>\n<blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\" data-width=\"500\" data-dnt=\"true\">\n<p lang=\"en\" dir=\"ltr\">What a ridiculous few minutes \ud83d\udc10 <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/hashtag\/AFLDogsSaints?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">#AFLDogsSaints<\/a> <a href=\"https:\/\/t.co\/0yr7wVokDE\">pic.twitter.com\/0yr7wVokDE<\/a><\/p>\n<p>&mdash; Marcus Bontempelli Appreciation (@JustBontThings) <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/JustBontThings\/status\/1913903585890541662?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">April 20, 2025<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p><script async src=\"https:\/\/platform.twitter.com\/widgets.js\" charset=\"utf-8\"><\/script><\/p>\n<p>Around them, there\u2019s actual juice with Ed Richards, Ryley Sanders, and Joel Freijah.<\/p>\n<blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\" data-width=\"500\" data-dnt=\"true\">\n<p lang=\"en\" dir=\"ltr\">Ed Richards hits the scoreboard and the Dogs are on fire \ud83d\udd25<a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/hashtag\/AFLGiantsDogs?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">#AFLGiantsDogs<\/a> <a href=\"https:\/\/t.co\/PG9c8dJhka\">pic.twitter.com\/PG9c8dJhka<\/a><\/p>\n<p>&mdash; AFL (@AFL) <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/AFL\/status\/1916091470383136769?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">April 26, 2025<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p><script async src=\"https:\/\/platform.twitter.com\/widgets.js\" charset=\"utf-8\"><\/script><\/p>\n<p>When you add the highhalf-forwards James Harmes and Sam Davidson \u2013 who come up to provide extra numbers around contest and push hard forward &#8211; you have a skilled, hard running, explosive midfield that is top-4 in clearance, contested ball and stoppage scoring.<\/p>\n<p>That run and weight of numbers has also shown in their elite transition game, which Bailey Dale is the engine of.<\/p>\n<blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\" data-width=\"500\" data-dnt=\"true\">\n<p lang=\"en\" dir=\"ltr\">Yep, goal to their half back flanker.<\/p>\n<p>Daydreaming doesn\u2019t get it done!! <a href=\"https:\/\/t.co\/sJyAARAVAt\">pic.twitter.com\/sJyAARAVAt<\/a><\/p>\n<p>&mdash; TheKing (@theindextracker) <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/theindextracker\/status\/1901338465452650744?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">March 16, 2025<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p><script async src=\"https:\/\/platform.twitter.com\/widgets.js\" charset=\"utf-8\"><\/script><\/p>\n<p>They are top-5 in every transition stat, including being second in taking the ball from defensive half to score.<\/p>\n<p>Those pillars have meant that the Dogs are annually a high-disposal team and this year is no exception.<\/p>\n<p>The final pillar is forward half footy \u2014 and the Dogs dominate that too. They\u2019re eight in front half-scoring, fourth in time in forward half and third in inside-50 differential on the year.<\/p>\n<p>They\u2019ve been so good because their pressure and ground ball game is elite even without Cody Weightman and with changing key-forward personnel.<\/p>\n<p>While Aaron Naughton isn\u2019t marking as many as they would like, he is never outmarked. His aerial competitiveness has helped the Dogs lead footy in forward 50 ground ball gets, with Rhylee West leading the league.<\/p>\n<blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\" data-width=\"500\" data-dnt=\"true\">\n<p lang=\"en\" dir=\"ltr\">Rhylee West from the tightest of angles \ud83d\ude31<a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/hashtag\/AFLFreoDogs?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">#AFLFreoDogs<\/a> <a href=\"https:\/\/t.co\/biXe83IjLA\">pic.twitter.com\/biXe83IjLA<\/a><\/p>\n<p>&mdash; AFL (@AFL) <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/AFL\/status\/1908786372925698420?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">April 6, 2025<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p><script async src=\"https:\/\/platform.twitter.com\/widgets.js\" charset=\"utf-8\"><\/script><\/p>\n<p>This is all classic Beveridge stuff. He\u2019s always wanted to be a high-possession, elite contest team that transitions hard and locks it deep.<\/p>\n<p>He now has the horses to do everything.<\/p>\n<blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\" data-width=\"500\" data-dnt=\"true\">\n<p lang=\"en\" dir=\"ltr\">Joel Freijah is a young gun on the rise \ud83d\udcab<\/p>\n<p>Read <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/JoshGabelich?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">@JoshGabelich<\/a>&#39;s full chat with the young Dog now: <a href=\"https:\/\/t.co\/v4BjMCujSl\">https:\/\/t.co\/v4BjMCujSl<\/a> <a href=\"https:\/\/t.co\/dJgkypbo8j\">pic.twitter.com\/dJgkypbo8j<\/a><\/p>\n<p>&mdash; AFL (@AFL) <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/AFL\/status\/1913792538445840760?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">April 20, 2025<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p><script async src=\"https:\/\/platform.twitter.com\/widgets.js\" charset=\"utf-8\"><\/script><\/p>\n<p>In recent years, my criticisms of the Bulldogs have been twofold.<\/p>\n<p>First: the high-possession game felt like a vehicle to get Jack McRae SuperCoach points rather than having much end-game.<\/p>\n<p>That\u2019s changing now with more speed and better use of space.<\/p>\n<blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\" data-width=\"500\" data-dnt=\"true\">\n<p lang=\"en\" dir=\"ltr\">What a performance by James Harmes \ud83d\udcaa<\/p>\n<p>Head to the AFL Live App for more weekly stats, presented by BWS.<a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/hashtag\/AFLGiantsDogs?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">#AFLGiantsDogs<\/a> <a href=\"https:\/\/t.co\/F8aWzQwEwy\">pic.twitter.com\/F8aWzQwEwy<\/a><\/p>\n<p>&mdash; AFL (@AFL) <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/AFL\/status\/1916110632291864881?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">April 26, 2025<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p><script async src=\"https:\/\/platform.twitter.com\/widgets.js\" charset=\"utf-8\"><\/script><\/p>\n<p>Second: the Bulldogs have played their game come hell or high water, barely reacting to what their opposition is doing \u2014 like John Malkovich in Rounders, in a different movie to everyone else.<\/p>\n<p><iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"Rounders - Pay that man his money\" width=\"500\" height=\"281\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/LhI88tg1Gqg?feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe><\/p>\n<p>Over the last two games that\u2019s changed.<\/p>\n<p>Two weeks ago against St Kilda, the Dogs understood that the Saints run their game through Sinclair and Wanganeen-Milera\u2019s kicking. The Dogs sat on both and held each to his fewest kicks for the season, choking the Saints run.<\/p>\n<p>Last week, they knew that the Giants hunt the corridor. As soon as they get in there, they treat it like the Mario Kart boost pads and they unleash the tsunami.<\/p>\n<p>Finn Callaghan is the key player here, with running patterns similar to what basketball calls a rim-runner, sprinting from goalpost to goalpost through the middle.<\/p>\n<blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\" data-width=\"500\" data-dnt=\"true\">\n<p lang=\"en\" dir=\"ltr\">GWS vs Collingwood <br \/>&#8211; Finn Callaghan was dominant  <br \/>&#8211; 11 carries &gt;5m from HB Receive\/GB<br \/>&#8211; 4 more than anyone on the ground<br \/>&#8211; Almost all of them came in the corridor <a href=\"https:\/\/t.co\/QEqIbK9Iab\">pic.twitter.com\/QEqIbK9Iab<\/a><\/p>\n<p>&mdash; James Ives (@JamesIves17) <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/JamesIves17\/status\/1898677183687565740?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">March 9, 2025<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p><script async src=\"https:\/\/platform.twitter.com\/widgets.js\" charset=\"utf-8\"><\/script><\/p>\n<p>They generally try to spread defences in the back half and have Callaghan in the centre to provide linking run between the three lines.<\/p>\n<p>The Dogs packed the corridor and forced GWS to become like Essendon in transition, especially in the third quarter, making them move the ball around the wings.<\/p>\n<blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\" data-width=\"500\" data-dnt=\"true\">\n<p lang=\"en\" dir=\"ltr\">The Dogs cause a big upset over the Giants!<a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/hashtag\/AFLGiantsDogs?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">#AFLGiantsDogs<\/a> <a href=\"https:\/\/t.co\/XyKtdv3D1t\">pic.twitter.com\/XyKtdv3D1t<\/a><\/p>\n<p>&mdash; AFL News, Results &amp; Rumors (@RumorsAFL1993) <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/RumorsAFL1993\/status\/1916106002149347334?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">April 26, 2025<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p><script async src=\"https:\/\/platform.twitter.com\/widgets.js\" charset=\"utf-8\"><\/script><\/p>\n<p>Callaghan had his worst handball receive game of the season, and the Dogs punished them any time GWS tried to bite off a kick into the guts.<\/p>\n<blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\" data-width=\"500\" data-dnt=\"true\">\n<p lang=\"en\" dir=\"ltr\">Buku Khamis that is glorious \ud83d\ude0d<a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/hashtag\/AFLGiantsDogs?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">#AFLGiantsDogs<\/a> <a href=\"https:\/\/t.co\/9ZiGxWOBpP\">pic.twitter.com\/9ZiGxWOBpP<\/a><\/p>\n<p>&mdash; AFL (@AFL) <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/AFL\/status\/1916099098123391037?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">April 26, 2025<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p><script async src=\"https:\/\/platform.twitter.com\/widgets.js\" charset=\"utf-8\"><\/script><\/p>\n<p>That\u2019s two weeks in a row of forcing teams to play left-handed.<\/p>\n<p>This isn\u2019t a team surviving a year from hell \u2013 it\u2019s a team that\u2019s building something dangerous.<\/p>\n<p>With a flexible list, a dangerous game-style, and a coach who keeps evolving, all I can say is this \u2014 my friends and I were various shades of wrong.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Every offseason two of my mates and I do a ladder bet. The stakes of the bet aren\u2019t huge, third buys first a parma. This year we made the bet after Jamarra Ugle Hagan\u2019s shooting star offseason, the Bontempelli, Weightman, Jones and Treloar injuries, and Luke Beveridge coaching into the last year of his deal&#8230;.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":37,"featured_media":73915,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[7,8298,598,344],"tags":[29,8260,427],"hub_post_cat":[],"class_list":["post-73914","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-australian-rules","category-guywholikessport","category-special-interest","category-sports","tag-afl","tag-guywholikessport","tag-western-bulldogs"],"acf":{"md_tip_date":null,"md_tip_date_end":null,"md_market_url":"","tip_date":"29\/04\/2025","event_country":"Australia"},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.neds.com.au\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/73914","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.neds.com.au\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.neds.com.au\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.neds.com.au\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/37"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.neds.com.au\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=73914"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/www.neds.com.au\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/73914\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":87781,"href":"https:\/\/www.neds.com.au\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/73914\/revisions\/87781"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.neds.com.au\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/73915"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.neds.com.au\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=73914"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.neds.com.au\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=73914"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.neds.com.au\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=73914"},{"taxonomy":"hub_post_cat","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.neds.com.au\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/hub_post_cat?post=73914"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}