The Western Bulldogs are determined to stick together and support each other, as their stay in a Queensland hub is set to be extended until at least the end of the home-and-away season.
Senior coach Luke Beveridge described yesterday’s announcement as “a bit disconcerting at the start” as his players and staff get their heads around what 2020 will now look like.
“Especially for our staff and our players who haven’t got partners here and have left kids behind… everyone straight away searches for some answers and what it means for them,” Beveridge told media today.
“It’s still a little bit blurry emotionally for people, to understand where it all sits.
“We’ve already - through our players and our staff – put together some pitches to bring people up, so hopefully that’s facilitated.
“Straight away everything is still okay. We’ve planned to be here for a little while, it’s just the extension of that and what that might mean for everyone.”
Beveridge, alongside senior player leaders Marcus Bontempelli and Mitch Wallis, spoke about the importance of supporting fellow players and staff.
“I think we were somewhat prepared for things to change to some extent, so it’s really processing the information and at the end of the day trying to support our people - our players and staff and their families and partners as best we can,” Bontempelli told the Herald Sun.
“It’s not just the players, it’s so much bigger, there are staff up here who are sacrificing their own circumstances and being flexible to support the league and players and the game, they’re doing an incredible job, so we want to support them as well.”
Wallis, one of six players who has his family alongside him in the hub, said the players were in a positive frame of mind about the challenge ahead and thankful for the support of those around them.
“It’s not lost on any of the players the amount of sacrifices the coaches, assistant coaches, managers and even trainers are making being up here, being away from loved ones back home,” he told SEN’s Time On.
“But we’re going to attack it, we’re going to be optimistic about it. But it’s going to throw up its challenges.”
But despite the ever-changing nature of the season, Beveridge said it would still be important in hub life to find the right balance between football and life.
“Our ambition is to continue to make sure we win as many games as we can, so there is a really serious side to all this as far as performance goes,” Beveridge said.
“But we need to lighten the mood and find a balance and have some social activities so we’re in the right frame of mind.”
