A road trip to Perth is one of the most intimidating fixtures on the AFL schedule, but Western Bulldogs coach Brendan McCartney says his youthful side will cross the Nullarbor ready to make amends for recent losses.
“It’s a challenge when you go over [to the West] with the most experienced of teams, but we’re going to be a little bit inexperienced on the weekend but we’re coming over to have a good crack at it,” McCartney told Perth radio station 6PR.
Watch Brendan McCartney discuss Sunday's opponents Fremantle on the media player above.
Making seven inclusions to the squad for Sunday, McCartney has brought back a mix of fresh faces and experience. The most seasoned of the inclusions is 202-game defender Lindsay Gilbee.
After a horrid run of injuries early in 2012, Gilbee will play his first senior game of the season this weekend against the Dockers.
“He’s had two or three weeks back in our VFL competition at Williamstown,” McCartney said.
View Brendan McCartney's coach profile.
“He was actually going pretty well, but he’s had a calf[injury] then had a bad medial ligament injury in Round 3.”
“It’s been a bit of journey, but he’s a good club person Lindsay and we hope he can come in and help some young players and set up some attacking play for us.”
Amidst recent heavy losses, Liam Picken has been on player that has continued to draw praise, particularly for his negative roles through the midfield.
Asked whether he would again set Liam Picken the task of shutting down one of Fremantle’s prime movers, McCartney said he was keeping his options open.
“Some players are best suited to use their man as a starting point, and Liam is one of those people.
“He plays best when he can probably make it difficult for someone to play the way they want and then draw the ball himself, so quite possible we will, but it depends on how they set up.”
With a five win and eight loss record McCartney, made no excuses for his sides’ disappointing performances in recent weeks, but has indicated that this can often happen with a young and inexperienced side.
“We’re really in a stage, I think, where we know we need to play better, and we’re confident we will but at the same time we know that we’re just blooding so many young kids into our club.
“We’ve got to do a bit of both, we’ve got to try and create some great footy and give some young kids some experience.”
“If we’ve got the honest hats on, we know we’ve got a lot of work to do this year, and a lot of work to do in the near future, because we’re one of three or four clubs that are putting 12 or 13 under 30 or 40 game players out there [each week].
“We’re not shying away from that and we’re not making excuses, but that’s the exciting part for our Club too.”
