Swapping Giants for Bulldogs, developing young players is Stewart Edge’s forte and the Development Coach has made an immediate impression in the new role.

With four years’ experience coaching the forward and backline at GWS Giants, Edge joins the Bulldogs with a strong understanding of how to foster young talent and support their transition into senior football.

“Prior to the Bulldogs [I had] a four year stint with the Giants right back from their inception when they had a TAC [Cup] team,” Edge said.

“Then their state league team which was a team that was developing in the NEAFL competition, then obviously the first two years of their AFL program.”

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Edge has already drawn comparisons between the two sides who are in a similar phase of development and said there is a lot to like at the kennel this season.

“Initial impressions would be that the [Bulldogs] list isn’t dissimilar to the Giants, in that a lot of young players and some of the father son guys… are coming through with a lot of talent,” he said.

“The list has got good depth – there’s a lot of guys capable of playing at the level and now the challenge is for them to keep on improving into that second and third year.”

Earmarking Jason Johannisen and Daniel Pearce as two emerging defenders to watch, Edge’s role will predominantly be working with the Club’s young players across the back line.

“I am working with the backs here and there is plenty of young talent coming through to work with,” he said.

“Some of the exciting young defenders are JJ and Pearcey as well, some of the young guys with good turn of speed.

“They are showing that they can adapt that speed to a defensive role not just a free-flowing attacking role.”

Despite the additional personnel in the coaching department and increased number of players across the AFL and VFL squads, Edge said the Club had pared the messaging right back this pre-season.

“The coaching staff have been able to boil the message down pretty concisely into four main areas for the summer,” he said.

“So the players are getting a really consistent message right from the players arriving off the most recent draft through to the guys who have been here since Brendan has been here.”