The Western Bulldogs are set to undergo a review of the men’s football department, with assistance from long-time AFL club executive Peter Jackson.
The 2021 Grand Finalists have suffered consecutive disappointing seasons under coach Luke Beveridge, giving up a 41-point lead in their 2022 elimination final loss, and failing to make the 2023 finals altogether thanks to late-season losses to Hawthorn and wooden spooner West Coast.
It sees Beveridge enter the 2024 campaign as one of the AFL’s most under-pressure coaches, even though he’s contracted until the end of 2025, given the high regard in which the industry holds the club’s list.
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On Monday the club announced CEO Ameet Bains would undertake a review of “various aspects of the administration, operation and integration of the AFL men’s program, the program’s overarching environment and how the club best maximises the opportunities of on-field success.
“This is an important step that will benefit the AFL men’s program, our players and our staff,” club president Kylie Watson-Wheeler said.
Peter Jackson, the former Essendon and Melbourne CEO who helped stabilise both clubs on route to premierships, will come on board to assist.
“Peter will provide his advice to club leadership outlining his perspective on our men’s program and any recommendations he has for enhancing our AFL team’s future success, which we will consider, and share relevant details of in due course,” Watson-Wheeler said.
The review comes after a series of off-field changes with a major revamp of the club’s depleted assistant coaching ranks.
Matt Egan (Coaching & Performance Manager), Daniel Pratt (Backline & Defensive Systems coach), Jarryn Geary (Development & Player Leadership coach) and Alex Johnson (Development Coach) have come on board, along with Daniel Duvnjak-Zaknich (Head of Physical Performance) and Dr Anthony Hipsley (Chief Medical Officer).
