NEWLY reappointed Western Bulldogs coach Luke Beveridge says he didn't consider any approaches to coach rival clubs before signing a new contract at the Kennel.
Beveridge, who led the Dogs to premiership glory in 2016 and the Grand Final in 2021, put pen to paper on a new deal this week that will keep him at the Whitten Oval until at least the end of the 2025 campaign.
With 183 games already under his belt, he is now set to overtake club legend Ted Whitten's coaching record of 228 by the end of his contract.
Beveridge had been publicly linked to St Kilda, where he played 45 games over four seasons and his father John was a long-time recruiter, during the Saints' recent search for a replacement for sacked coach Brett Ratten.
Beveridge said he didn't consider any other options this time around - but that hadn't always been the case.
"There was a time before I signed my last contract where the club was in a position to make a decision on whether to reappoint me and keep going," he told reporters on Monday.
"That was probably about five years ago where there were some possibilities, but ultimately I've always wanted to stay here as long as I can and push the boundaries on what we can achieve and see it through.
"A lot's changed since I started so you feel like you've really got your hands in the clay and I don't want to walk away until I've expended what I can. I feel like I'm just getting started."
He has a 56.8 per cent winning ratio - better than any Bulldogs coach who has lasted more than two seasons.
"The energy's still there," Beveridge said.
"I'm absolutely invigorated and looking forward to the next challenge."
The Bulldogs lost 2022 best and fairest winner Josh Dunkley to Brisbane in the off-season but have bolstered their key position stocks with Liam Jones and Rory Lobb.
Those acquisitions, plus the continued development of emerging talents like Sam Darcy and Jamarra Ugle-Hagan, have given Beveridge a bullish outlook.
It follows an embarrassing fade-out in last season's elimination final defeat to Fremantle, during which the Bulldogs threw away a 41-point lead.
"The disappointment has, in a sense, been left behind, but it's in the subconscious," Beveridge said.
"That gives us a belief that we absolutely left something out there, so we've got to make sure that '23 is a year when we maximise our potential."
FIXTURE ANALYSED Which club has the hardest draw in 2023?
Beveridge is one of just two men in Bulldogs history to have coached the club to a flag, alongside Charles Sutton in 1954.
President Kylie Watson-Wheeler said it was a unanimous decision to re-sign the 52-year-old, who won consecutive AFLCA Coach of the Year awards in his first two seasons.
"This is a significant moment for our football club and its people," Watson-Wheeler said.
"Luke's passion for the club is evident and his record speaks for itself, taking us to our first premiership in 62 years, while finding sustained success through his eight seasons at the helm.
"We are so fortunate to have a strong and committed leader driving the Western Bulldogs' AFL team forward into the future, establishing an exciting playing group and building a culture that has helped the club's brand grow and membership surpass 50,000."
