‘Roll the dice’: Dogs’ bold selection calls come under microscope as great endorses change

The Western Bulldogs’ call to “roll the dice” at selection has come under the microscope after the club fell to 2-3 in an up and down start to its season.

Dogs coach Luke Beveridge has made several surprising selection moves already including using All-Australian guns Jack Macrae, Bailey Dale and Caleb Daniel as the sub – the latter of whom was left out of the 23 altogether for Friday night’s loss to Essendon.

Beveridge has put his bold calls down to the evolution of the team and needing to expose young talent to bigger roles after two failed seasons including missing the finals last year as well as his mainstays simply being out of form.

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In another curious move, the Dogs subbed out gun top draftee Ryley Sanders during their loss to Essendon. It marked the second time Sanders has been subbed out of a game this season, with the 18-year left visibly frustrated on the sidelines on Friday night.

While Beveridge’s selection changes have raised some eyebrows, St Kilda champion Nick Dal Santo endorsed the need for change at Whitten Oval with a long-term vision after underwhelming in recent years.

“I back Luke Beveridge that this group isn’t getting it done. We would be complaining and disagreeing if he was doing the same thing and expecting a different result,” Dal Santo said on Fox Footy Live.

“(It’s time for) New personnel, roll the dice and bring new kids in. This group isn’t winning a premiership as it currently stands, so you need to find the next players.

“If that means some of these players who have won premierships and been mainstays and All-Australians (fall down the pecking order), that’s a really difficult conversation. I know it hurts that you’re not part of the program going forward, I get it.

“But I’m all for that.”

Former Hawthorn sharpshooter Ben Dixon implored the Dogs to embrace an even more ruthless approach like Suns coach Damien Hardwick, who last week dropped several veterans amid wholesale changes, leading to an improved effort against GWS.

“(Gold Coast) Moved a few of the older players out and said: ‘Let’s have a look at the young players’. They almost won that game of footy,” Dixon said.

“That’s what ‘Bevo’ (Beveridge) has to do.”

Geelong premiership forward Cameron Mooney was meanwhile still confused as to where things are breaking down for the Dogs.

“It’s a big call, isn’t it? Everyone expected this team to play finals for the last couple of years. On paper, they look so good, so where are they getting let down?,” Mooney posed.

“Is it what they’re being taught and coached during the week? Or is it just generally the players aren’t rocking up?

“We talk about the mind games – Dennis Pagan always said the game is played 90 per cent above your shoulders. The Bulldogs fail on that one so many times.”