WESTERN Bulldogs coach Luke Beveridge has bristled at suggestions he made a mistake at the selection table before they were thrashed by West Coast at Domain Stadium.
Nic Naitanui was dominant in his battle with Bulldogs ruckman Tom Campbell, amassing 48 hit-outs and kicking a goal in his first game back after the death of his mother.
He was well supported by Callum Sinclair, who racked up 22 hit-outs and kicked two goals. Campbell battled manfully for his 12 hit-outs and was supported by Jack Redpath, especially after Campbell suffered a corked leg in the last quarter.
But Beveridge said he saw no reason to add another ruckman to the squad, especially after a month in which the Bulldogs had beaten Essendon, Port Adelaide, Melbourne and Collingwood.
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"We normally work out where the opposition is hitting it and today we didn't so much," he said.
"So, the Eagles deserve the credit. As I said, their mids really got the better of us and ultimately they gave their forwards really good supply and we found it really hard to contend with
"If you get a ruckman within your ranks like Nic and you can really capitalise on his hits to advantage, then you can get some huge benefits because your mids can really leverage off that.
"Now we're not quite in that space at the moment but we've been really happy with Tommy Campbell and Jack Redpath and what they've been doing."
WATCH: Luke Beveridge's full post-match media conference
Beveridge said Tom Boyd had been playing good football in the VFL and would be considered for an senior call-up if Campbell's injury rules him out of next week's blockbuster game against North Melbourne and likely All Australian ruckman Todd Goldstein. Will Minson will also be considered.
Jarrad Grant suffered a broken nose in the last quarter and Dale Morris was subbed out of the game with an Achilles injury.
But in better news for the club, Beveridge was hopeful Matthew Boyd and Liam Picken would be available for the match against the Kangaroos as the Bulldogs look to rebound quickly.
"We just had a chat about a number of things and one of those things that we keep coming back to is all the positives in our year and what our young players and what our group has been able to do," Beveridge said.
"That's going to be an important part of moving on quickly. Acknowledge that the Eagles were very good, maybe learn a little bit from that and the experience. After a loss when you start talking about who you are playing next week, it's all OK."
Beveridge also rejected suggestions it might have been a mistake to engage in a shoot-out with West Coast, saying: "it's the way we play".
