Western Bulldogs Senior Coach Luke Beveridge has drawn on the song lyrics of iconic Australian band Hunters and Collectors in his final address for season 2020.
Beveridge was speaking to players, coaches, staff and families from their Gold Coast hub, for the 2020 Charles Sutton Medal award presentation.
It was the final coming together for the travelling party, which has spent the best part of three months living interstate together through the compromised 2020 AFL season.
Hunters and Collectors lead singer Mark Seymour, an avid Bulldogs supporter, put on a virtual performance for the players and coaches during their hub stay, to help celebrate Beveridge’s 50th birthday.
Beveridge drew metaphorical inspiration from several songs to deliver his message, including the 2007 track ‘Westgate’.
And the cold wind blows
Hell broke free when the bridge came down
“I think we’re all still a bit numb from Saturday. We strive to go as far as we can, and we probably felt we had a little bit left in us. It’s disappointing, but we march on,” he said.
“The bridge did come down on Saturday, our bridge. Metaphorically, hell might break free next year, if we learn from it and we hopefully aspire to grow from it, improve from it, and attack the competition again.
“That hell breaking free might just be us next year. Those, hopefully, are our intentions.”
To describe their time in the Gold Coast hub, and their opportunity to have a well-earned rest after a difficult campaign, Beveridge recalled the lyrics from ‘Faraway Man’.
You and me and the tribe
We all belong together
Sunday is coming
But the weeks go on forever
Cos I’m waiting for Sunday
And I hear the wind blow
Come up and see me
The faraway man
“We’ve all been fortunate enough to come together and build our relationships, make them stronger,” he said.
“Hopefully that’s a really important thing for us in the future. I thank all of you for being significant contributors to hub life.”
The Bulldogs coach saved the most literal of references for last, through the lyrics of the iconic football-related song, ‘Holy Grail’.
I've been searching for an easy way
To escape the cold light of day
I've been high and I've been low
But I've got nowhere else to go
I followed orders
God knows where I've been
But I woke up alone
All my wounds were clean
I'm still here
I'm still a fool for the holy grail
“That’s what we’re chasing. We chase it again in 2021. I hope we’re all looking forward to it,” Beveridge said.
