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Western Bulldogs coach Luke Beveridge is disappointed footage of his players drinking beer after their AFL preliminary final win was leaked to the public.
Western Bulldogs coach Luke Beveridge is disappointed changeroom footage of his victorious AFL players drinking beer and dancing was leaked to the public.
Video of Dogs players celebrating their 71-point thrashing of Port Adelaide in last Saturday night's preliminary final was taken by a staff member.
"I am not upset but we're disappointed," Beveridge told reporters on Thursday.
"It's an internal thing. Unfortunately it was a staff member.
"And ... phones shouldn't be used to record our players in the dressing room and definitely shouldn't be sent to anyone.
"Has it caused any untold problems? No.
"I'm okay with people knowing that when we achieve a little milestone, when we create a significant memory on our timeline, that we celebrate it.
"The game can't be too clinical. We have got to make sure that we enjoy the times together.
"... We will live and learn as a group and hopefully it doesn't happen again."
Beveridge said there was due reason to celebrate the preliminary final triumph.
"I have, and we have, initiated different iterations of our leadership program over the journey," he said.
"At times we probably haven't been in the place that we'd like to be with that.
"Led by (captain) Marcus (Bontempelli), multiple lieutenants and players displaying leadership in our club, I feel we're in a really good place to be mature enough to do these sorts of things.
"There's a lot at stake, absolutely, for everyone. But it's a fairly easy decision to make, to condone that that is going to be okay."
He said the players drank mid-strength beers.
"One or two beers after the game isn't going to affect things too much," he said.
"And obviously the boys who might have an injury, if there's a corkie or a soft tissue issue, then they wouldn't be having a beer, they would be having a water or a soft drink.
"It's probably where we have got to, not that we haven't done it in the past.
"And it is an important part of our environment and our make-up and an aspect of what we do that makes our players enjoy playing for our footy club."
