Luke Beveridge has addressed a mystifying move for his star ruckman as a “vote of no confidence” claim emerged on Friday night.
And it’s only set to muddy the waters after shock talks of a trade possibility a fortnight ago.
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Tim English was perplexingly deployed deep in defence during the Bulldogs’ 35-point loss to Sydney on Friday night, prompting curiosity from the Fox Footy panel at the SCG.
Rory Lobb became Beveridge’s preferred option in the middle, totalling 18 centre-bounce attendances by full-time to English’s six.
The 28-year-old was in the middle for 25 per cent of centre ball-ups, after averaging close to 70 per cent attendance for the year.
“What message is Luke Beveridge sending by playing Tim English at full back?” Hawthorn legend Jason Dunstall posed mid-game.
“It’s a vote of no confidence in the ruck.”
In his post-match press conference, the only explanation the Dogs’ coach gave was that Sydney’s Brodie Grundy was simply too strong for his charges.
“We weren’t planning to (use Lobb more than English),” Beveridge told reporters in Sydney.
“I just think our guys found Brodie Grundy just too strong. He just dominated … that was a challenge.
“I thought ‘Lobby’ did pretty well.”
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Probed further on English and if he was managing some sort of ailment, Beveridge said: “He’s not carrying anything. He was a bit stiff in the back over the break.
“Ultimately, some of the ruckmen in the competition – and Brodie’s one of them – (are) just a huge handful for any ruckman; they’re just big and strong … you just give credit to their ruckman.”
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Following Beveridge’s media conference, triple flag-winning Tiger Jack Riewoldt said he agreed with Dunstall’s “no-confidence” mid-match claim.
“This is two games in a row … two weeks ago, he came up against Rowan Marshall and Tom De Koning, and they ruck him at centre bounce and get him to roll forward,” Riewoldt said.
“He’s standing at full back while Rory Lobb takes the ruck against Brodie Grundy in the Swans’ forward line.
“Take it back two weeks ago, and he was standing at full forward while Lobb took the ruck in his own forward line.
“This could not be a bigger vote of no confidence in Tim English. They’ve put him at full back.”
Lewis believes “the questions will come” as to why that was the move Beveridge decided to make on the night.
“I’m tipping he hasn’t played a lot at full back, so that’s certainly news,” he said.
“I think if you’re trying to put a player in a position where they can, one, have confidence, and two, flourish with the skillset they have, full back is not the right position for Tim English.
“The questions will come … no doubt they’ll come during the week, but at the end of the day, he was well-beaten in the middle of the ground.
“He came into the game with a back injury, so I wonder how much that had hampered him in his ability to wrestle and perform – but he was dominated in that part of the ground.”
Riewoldt defiantly added: “You can’t play a team defence and system, and then expect a man who prior to tonight played maybe 10 per cent in one quarter in his career down back, and expect that system to stand up against the second-best team in the competition.
“That’s not a move to win a game of footy, for me.”
English, a South Fremantle product, is contracted at Whitten Oval until 2029, but has been the subject of trade scuttlebutt in recent weeks.
Just a fortnight ago, Lewis, speaking on Fox Footy’s On the Couch, said he’d heard “strong word around” that the 208-centimetre ruckman was “gettable” this year.
“It would surprise me if he’s there next year,” he said in mid-June.
And Friday night’s curious move is only set to pour more fuel on speculation about English’s future in red, white and blue.
“He’d have to be asking himself, ‘Am I the number one ruck at this club, now?’” Riewoldt said.
Lewis responded: “We spoke about it a couple of weeks ago On the Couch. Read into that what you will, but there’s movement on the field that is indicating that he might not be their number-one ruckman.”
Riewoldt added: “The drums are only going to get louder on this after what’s happened in the second half tonight … I think it might have been a shot across the bow at Tim English.”