Beveridge finds new tricks to preserve old Dog

The Advertiser

11-06-2025

Western Bulldogs coach Luke Beveridge hopes enacting his Plan C for Tom Liberatore will play a role in extending the club great's AFL career beyond this season.
Liberatore, 33, made his name as a hard-as-nails midfielder and has spent stints across half-forward as the Bulldogs' engine room evolves.
A third role is also in play for Liberatore - a 2016 premiership on-baller - who featured in defence during the Dogs' last-start defeat to Hawthorn.
Ahead of a clash with St Kilda on Thursday night, Beveridge indicated he will consider deploying Liberatore in the back half more often in a bid to preserve the 246-game stalwart.
"You've all collectively, like us, garnered a huge amount of respect for Tom with his tenacity and the way he plays the game," Beveridge said.
"When you think of the coalface and how hard it is - sometimes I refer to it as 'the octagon' - you can't expect a player like Tom, who plays the way he does, to do it for as long as he does all the time.
"So we're looking to lighten his load a little bit and looking for another layer for Tom.
"We're hoping that his (playing) future goes beyond this year."
Beveridge said Liberatore was receptive to the idea of playing in defence, and the coach felt it would add flexibility to the Bulldogs' line-up.
It comes with former defender Ed Richards, recruit Matt Kennedy and emerging star Joel Freijah reshaping the midfield unit under the guidance of Liberatore and skipper Marcus Bontempelli.
"You know there's going to be integrity in Tom's defensive game and it all sort of makes sense without diminishing his importance as an inside mid," Beveridge said.
"His priority one is still as a contest and stoppage player, but we might explore that more here and there.
"My reassurance to him was that it's just a layer and maybe a Plan C - because the Plan B' is really for him to play a little bit of forward time as well."
The Bulldogs (6-6) will start warm favourites against St Kilda (5-7), despite Ross Lyon's side enjoying a surprise last-start victory over Melbourne before their mid-season bye.
Key forward Sam Darcy has been cleared to return from a knee injury to add further firepower to the Dogs' attack.
Western Bulldogs coach Luke Beveridge hopes enacting his Plan C for Tom Liberatore will play a role in extending the club great's AFL career beyond this season.
Liberatore, 33, made his name as a hard-as-nails midfielder and has spent stints across half-forward as the Bulldogs' engine room evolves.
A third role is also in play for Liberatore - a 2016 premiership on-baller - who featured in defence during the Dogs' last-start defeat to Hawthorn.
Ahead of a clash with St Kilda on Thursday night, Beveridge indicated he will consider deploying Liberatore in the back half more often in a bid to preserve the 246-game stalwart.
"You've all collectively, like us, garnered a huge amount of respect for Tom with his tenacity and the way he plays the game," Beveridge said.
"When you think of the coalface and how hard it is - sometimes I refer to it as 'the octagon' - you can't expect a player like Tom, who plays the way he does, to do it for as long as he does all the time.
"So we're looking to lighten his load a little bit and looking for another layer for Tom.
"We're hoping that his (playing) future goes beyond this year."
Beveridge said Liberatore was receptive to the idea of playing in defence, and the coach felt it would add flexibility to the Bulldogs' line-up.
It comes with former defender Ed Richards, recruit Matt Kennedy and emerging star Joel Freijah reshaping the midfield unit under the guidance of Liberatore and skipper Marcus Bontempelli.
"You know there's going to be integrity in Tom's defensive game and it all sort of makes sense without diminishing his importance as an inside mid," Beveridge said.
"His priority one is still as a contest and stoppage player, but we might explore that more here and there.
"My reassurance to him was that it's just a layer and maybe a Plan C - because the Plan B' is really for him to play a little bit of forward time as well."
The Bulldogs (6-6) will start warm favourites against St Kilda (5-7), despite Ross Lyon's side enjoying a surprise last-start victory over Melbourne before their mid-season bye.
Key forward Sam Darcy has been cleared to return from a knee injury to add further firepower to the Dogs' attack.
Western Bulldogs coach Luke Beveridge hopes enacting his Plan C for Tom Liberatore will play a role in extending the club great's AFL career beyond this season.
Liberatore, 33, made his name as a hard-as-nails midfielder and has spent stints across half-forward as the Bulldogs' engine room evolves.
A third role is also in play for Liberatore - a 2016 premiership on-baller - who featured in defence during the Dogs' last-start defeat to Hawthorn.
Ahead of a clash with St Kilda on Thursday night, Beveridge indicated he will consider deploying Liberatore in the back half more often in a bid to preserve the 246-game stalwart.
"You've all collectively, like us, garnered a huge amount of respect for Tom with his tenacity and the way he plays the game," Beveridge said.
"When you think of the coalface and how hard it is - sometimes I refer to it as 'the octagon' - you can't expect a player like Tom, who plays the way he does, to do it for as long as he does all the time.
"So we're looking to lighten his load a little bit and looking for another layer for Tom.
"We're hoping that his (playing) future goes beyond this year."
Beveridge said Liberatore was receptive to the idea of playing in defence, and the coach felt it would add flexibility to the Bulldogs' line-up.
It comes with former defender Ed Richards, recruit Matt Kennedy and emerging star Joel Freijah reshaping the midfield unit under the guidance of Liberatore and skipper Marcus Bontempelli.
"You know there's going to be integrity in Tom's defensive game and it all sort of makes sense without diminishing his importance as an inside mid," Beveridge said.
"His priority one is still as a contest and stoppage player, but we might explore that more here and there.
"My reassurance to him was that it's just a layer and maybe a Plan C - because the Plan B' is really for him to play a little bit of forward time as well."
The Bulldogs (6-6) will start warm favourites against St Kilda (5-7), despite Ross Lyon's side enjoying a surprise last-start victory over Melbourne before their mid-season bye.
Key forward Sam Darcy has been cleared to return from a knee injury to add further firepower to the Dogs' attack.