Western Bulldogs coach Luke Beveridge has dismissed speculation linking star ruckman Tim English to a move away from the Whitten Oval, labelling the rumours inaccurate.
Lewis's Comments Dismissed
Former Hawthorn champion Jordan Lewis, who worked alongside Beveridge during his time as an assistant coach at the Hawks, claimed English was considering a move during the off-season. An All-Australian and State of Origin representative, English is contracted with the Bulldogs until the end of 2029.
Speaking on Fox Footy on Monday night, Lewis declined to specify which club English was targeting. Beveridge responded by saying, “Old scoop Lewis. He’s come back with a half a scoop of vanilla, if he’s going to speculate and make statements, you’ve got to give the full scoop. Tim’s contracted until the end of ‘29, so a player of his ability and impact, he’s secure here. It came out of left field for us, didn’t know where it came from, other than Lewy. I don’t know who he’s talking to, but we’re not sure there’s any accuracy in any of that.”
Beveridge's Conversations with Players
Beveridge did not deny having strong discussions with key players following a 57-point defeat by Adelaide. “I’m having those conversations with all our players, and they seem to be processing it pretty well. They’re determined to improve, and Tim’s no different,” he said.
Veteran midfielder Adam Treloar was used sparingly against the Crows, spending most of the third quarter on the bench. Treloar has endured a torturous run with soft-tissue injuries since being named All-Australian in 2024. It will almost certainly be the 33-year-old’s final season in the AFL.
“He’s been a bit crook, he’s missed the first couple of days, been a bit ill, but he’ll train,” Beveridge said. “He wants to see out the year, so we’ll work through that and continue to help him find his best.”
Bulldogs Urged to Rediscover Form
Beveridge has urged the Bulldogs to rediscover their best in Sunday’s clash with St Kilda, who they have beaten by an average of 67 points in their past three meetings. “We’ve won eight (this season), and we’re not good at certain things. We don’t measure up in certain things in the game, and there are some vulnerabilities. We don’t score from clearance like we used to ... we’re not using the ball too well. Our vulnerabilities around the midfield battle, how opposition teams have got on top of us and how that’s affected how we’ve supported our backline,” he said.
