“I think what gets lost in this game is the contribution mums and dads and siblings make in a young person being drafted to sport at this level,” McCartney said.
Watch BulldogsTV's exclusive interview with Brendan McCartney on the media player above.
“It is probably a reminder to the parents that meeting these young men, [that] they are all high quality young boys and the family should take a lot of credit for that.
“As a coach the one thing you want a mum and dad to know is that you will coach their boy and mentor him like you would your own son and that is important to us.”
McCartney saw the coaching panel’s role in the draft process as adding more depth to the recruiters’ extensive character assessments - judging their ability to take direction and ultimately contribute to the team’s success.
“Supreme talent that fits the team and adds to the team is always a much better commodity… we place a high premium on it - almost 50-50 - I will be honest with you there,” he said.
“The recruiters, they can ascertain talent by watching and observing, for [the coaching group] it’s meeting young people and asking them questions.
“Just understanding that when you sit with a young person, is he going to be good to coach, is he the sort of young fellow that you want to spend time with and invest into and these boys we brought in this year, they are all terrific young men.”
The journey is just beginning for the next generation of young pups but from day one they are adding and building towards a stronger, more united Western Bulldogs.
Commit to Our Heartland. Become a Western Bulldogs member before November 28 to ensure you receive your membership pack in time for Christmas.
