Bulldogs coach calls out ‘bizarre’ Bomber claims

Western Bulldogs coach Luke Beveridge has called out “bizarre” claims from Essendon ruckman Sam Draper that players would want out of the club if he stayed on beyond this season but was unmoved by the suggestions injured midfield star Bailey Smith was “gone”.

Draper was given a dressing down by Essendon officials and teammates after the Bulldogs expressed dismay when the big man told the Clubby Sports 200+ podcast that he had a “big call about the Doggies”.

“If Bevo’s still there, there’ll be some players requesting trades,” he said before declaring Smith, who is off contract at the end of the season and recovering from an ACL injury, would leave.

Beveridge on Thursday was reticent to go into depth in a response but said people at the Bombers were “alarmed” enough to apologise and hoped one of his players wouldn’t do the same thing.

“We break new ground all the time, it was bizarre to me,” he said.

“The people who became aware, who were close to him at the football club, were extremely alarmed and reached out to me to express their apologies. But ultimately, as I have said in the past, my No.1 concern is our players are taken care of and supported and the critical lens that’s aimed at them week to week, I’m always happy when they are in a good space. It’s unusual.

“We all think certain things at times with the emotion of the game, we are connected to many, many people across the code, but do we express them in the public domain? Normally, we don’t. This is one where I am sure he’s had a think about it and wouldn’t do it again.”

Draper isn’t the only one to suggest Smith, who is back running on grass having had reduced contact hours at the club during the early rehab of his season-ending knee injury, would not be at the Bulldogs next season.

But Beveridge said while his confidence around keeping the 23-year-old had not wavered, that speculation was not ne, or unexpected.

“I think there’s a few people saying it and when there’s someone like Bailey who is an attractive commodity, he’s out of contract, it’s only natural there would be speculation about his future and others,” he said.

“We just think it’s part of the process.

“The good things is Bailey is back running on the grass … feeling good about himself, he’s progressing. That will help with his peace of mind, feeling really positive about his return which will be next year.

“I just think it’s a natural thing someone like Bailey would be spoken about.”

The Bulldogs expect to get gun forward Jamarra Ugle-Hagan back for Sunday’s clash with Hawthorn having lost leading goalkicker Cody Weightman to an elbow injury.