Western Bulldogs retirees Ryan Hargrave and Lindsay Gilbee will be supporters in the stands during the team’s next finals tilt, but both players feel they are leaving the Club in good hands.

Featuring in the Bulldogs most recent finals run, including three Preliminary Finals appearances, both defenders missed out on the ultimate glory of a Premiership but have high hopes for the current crop of young pups at Whitten Oval.

Throwing his support behind new Senior Coach Brendan McCartney and the emerging talent on the playing list, Hargrave is excited for the future of the Club.

“I have had the opportunity to play with some young guys here now and those guys are really starting to come on,” Hargrave said.

“Although we are probably not in a position win-wise where we want to be I think the Club is definitely heading in the right direction with Macca and the way he is going about it.”

“I will be a supporter now so I will be watching on eagerly and I am definitely excited about the future.”

Gilbee believes he is still learning under Coach McCartney despite being in his 13th year on an AFL list.

“I think [the Club] is in great hands,” Gilbee said.

“Obviously externally and people probably beg to differ, but being on the inner sanctum … we have got a great footy program which Macca has put together and some really high quality assistant coaches.

“We are learning a lot behind the scenes and definitely there is light at the end of the tunnel that I can definitely see.”