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Bulldogs coach “numb” after Giant loss

Western Bulldogs coach Luke Beveridge was left feeling numb after his side’s 25-point away loss to Greater Western Sydney in their first AFL foray outside Victoria this season.

May 23, 2016, updated May 23, 2016
Steve Johnson of the Giants gets a pass away despite the challenge from Bulldog Shane Biggs. Photo: David Moir, AAP.

Steve Johnson of the Giants gets a pass away despite the challenge from Bulldog Shane Biggs. Photo: David Moir, AAP.

The Bulldogs led for just a brief period in the second quarter at Spotless Stadium on Sunday after conceding the first 20 points of the game.

Although they shaded the Giants by 13 in contested possessions, they couldn’t find a way back in to the game after giving up five unanswered goals in the second quarter.

Injuries to several players including Robert Murphy, Jason Johannisen, Matthew Suckling and Tom Boyd plus suspensions to Jack Redpath and Matthew Boyd have bitten deep into the Dogs’ depth.

However, Beveridge wasn’t offering that up as an excuse, stressing his players genuinely believed they could beat the in-form Giants, who had won their previous five games.

“We just at no stage could get any momentum on the scoreboard ourselves to really threaten them,” Beveridge said.

“But I didn’t feel like there was any point in the game where we couldn’t (win), even with six minutes to go there was only four goals in it and I still felt like we were a chance.”

He praised GWS for their speed and pressure and for being more efficient.

Beveridge said debutant and defender Kieran Collins would learn a lot from the game.

One potential worry for Beveridge is a report of Lin Jong for a first quarter bump on Matt Buntine, which forced the Giants’ defender off the ground with concussion.

-AAP

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