On Round 1...

“Both teams are similar this week in terms of our experience out. On average, North has got 15 more games played in their team than we have. 

“As you evolve into the future and young players like Sam Davidson and Josh Dolan get their opportunities, and Liam Jones, Adam Treloar, Marcus and a few others out, it starts to skew it the other way. The week-to-week proposition changes, and we’re in that this week.

“We’re definitely (approaching the week) with the same system. There was some encouragement coming out of Launceston. We got a reminder in the third quarter against the Hawks that we’ll be vulnerable if we let our guard down in certain areas.

“Essentially out of that game, Riley Garcia, Jordan Croft and Marcus are the three coming out, with some experience coming in in Ed Richards, Bailey Dale and Rhylee West. Arty Jones is added to that mix too...I think the team is maybe strengthened a fraction.

“We’ll look to double-down on some things we did well, and understand – like what happened last night – that teams can get a leg up with just a change in intensity and a refocus.

“We’ll need to be aware that the Kangaroos really improved in the back half or the back end of last year. We only just got by them in one of those two games but this year is a different year. We anticipate they’ll improve again.

On missing Marcus Bontempelli...

“He’s been a constant (in my time as coach), so it just opens up some things and some considerations around where one or two players might play, or how they’ll fill the void.

“You lose a player, but you don’t lose 100%. There’s not many players who can cover a Marcus Bontempelli, but we’ll look to do that as a group.

“He’ll come into the box with us and have a look at some stoppages with Jarryn Geary (on match-day). Brendon Lade’s going to be our bench coach this year, so that mean’s there a chair next to Gears (in the coaches’ box).

“I wouldn’t let many others up there, but we’ll let Marcus.”

On Jamarra Ugle-Hagan...

“There’s a number of resources looking after him, whether it’s from our club or the AFL.

“What we tried to do was normalise your thinking around the flexibility of our thinking that he might be here or he might not.

“I understand that with the season now here, you’re all expecting him to be here all the time, but there’s a big chance that he won’t. We’re trying to make sure that everyone understands that, and hopefully if it’s exception-based, then in a month of two you’re reporting that he’s had a really good block of 4-5 weeks.

“What I will say is that I can’t guarantee next week that he’s here every session, or the week after.”

On his coaching contract...

“I’ve mentioned previously that each season for me is a brand-new project.

“I feel like we’ve got to the start of the season, and we’re in good order. We’ve had a few injuries, but this team that runs out tomorrow at Marvel will be a strong team. Like the other 17 clubs, we want to get off to a good start, but nothing for me in what transpires over the ensuing weeks is a leverage point for my future.

“There’s uncertainty and I’m okay with that. You’re always thinking to yourself ‘what is next for me?’. I love what I do and I’ve got no intention to finish it up, but what is the next challenge? It might be 2026 senior coach of the Western Bulldogs, and that might happen down the track but we’ll see what happens.”