Doug Hawkins says Luke Beveridge, Western Bulldogs players must beat Richmond Tigers

“I reckon he gets the best out of himself, and, hopefully, he continues to get the best out of the playing group.”

Dual North Melbourne premiership player David King, now a prominent commentator, told SEN on Tuesday he was a “believer in Bevo”, but said he believed Beveridge would follow Damien Hardwick’s template of quitting mid-season, having a break and then looking for a new club – should Beveridge decide it’s time he moved on.

King said the Bulldogs’ playing list “was short of the mark”, with key contract decisions to be made on ruckman Tim English and injured midfielder Bailey Smith.

Club chief executive Ameet Bains last year said he felt the Bulldogs had a top-four list, but they failed to make the finals. Hawkins said there should have been “alarm bells” after their round 23 loss to bottom-placed West Coast, the Dogs later commissioning an independent review of the football department by veteran administrator Peter Jackson.

The Bulldogs still boast elite talent in Marcus Bontempelli, Aaron Naughton, Bailey Dale, Adam Treloar, English and Tom Liberatore, the latter now out indefinitely after a fourth concussion in 12 months.

However, Hawkins has concerns about the team’s bottom six players, and does not understand why 2020 All-Australian Caleb Daniel, fourth in the Charles Sutton Medal count last year, has fallen from favour.

“I am surprised he is not in the side, particularly as our kicking skills at the weekend were ordinary, our field kicking was terrible,” Hawkins said.

Club champion: Former Bulldogs captain Doug Hawkins, now a traffic stopper, has backed Luke Beveridge to turn the team’s fortunes around. Credit: The Age

“I am not blaming our bottom six, but our bottom six are honest kids. Two or three may go on and be good players but, at the moment, when you have four or five, maybe six, who are struggling at the top level a little bit, it makes it hard.”

Hawkins said veteran midfielder Jackson Macrae, who has spent time in the VFL this season but had 21 touches, including five clearances on Sunday, was struggling with the pace of the game.

“I like Macrae, I think he is a good player, but, as we get older, the game gets a bit quicker, you get a bit slower, but his heart, and ability to win the footy, doesn’t change. It’s an interesting game this weekend, coming up,” he said.

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