Developing the Western Bulldogs’ young brigade will continue to be high on the agenda at Whitten Oval, according to Senior Coach Brendan McCartney.
The emergence of a number of young pups this season, as well as the growing maturity of the group has been a highlight, as the Bulldogs move into the next phase of their rebuild.
McCartney is confident that gradually exposing the young side to more game time will have long term benefits and will put them in good stead for the future.
“You just keep giving game experiences to young people,” McCartney said.
“Well over half our team are still in their infancy in learning the game and what they were able to do in the second quarter last Saturday afternoon was hang in the game and just survive for ten minute patches.
“Sometimes you’ve just got to exist in a game when it’s not going your way and not let it get away on you.
“The more often they are in that environment and they come out the other side the closer you are.”
On average 61% of the Bulldogs list in any given match have played less than 50 games, while the Club has also blooded four draftees this season in Brett Goodes, Jake Stringer, Jack Macrae and most recently Nathan Hrovat.
McCartney has been impressed with a number of recruits selected through the trade and delisted free agency period with Koby Stevens, Nick Lower and Tom Young making strides in their development with extended runs in the seniors.
McCartney said he has a clear vision of where he wants to take the Club and how he intends to get there, but is realistic in the time frame it may take.
“We are quite clear about what we are doing with our list and how we are developing our players,” he said.
“We know that we’ve done a lot right throughout trading and who we have brought in and our drafting in the last two years and we are really seeing signs of that already.
“We know we still have a long way to go.”
The emerging Bulldogs’ side is increasingly able to deliver on McCartney’s game plan, with a number of exciting passages of play in recent weeks giving glimpses of what his team is capable at its best.
“I’m the coach of this club and we are hell bent on developing a brand of play, a style of play that is sustainable and works when the heat’s on, and building the right type of playing list that can deliver that,” he said.
“We are seeing little signs every week, we saw a few more signs for longer periods last week – the challenge is to do it again.”
The Western Bulldogs take on Port Adelaide in Darwin on Saturday night and will be looking to secure their second victory in as many games.
