"IT'S all about the future now."
That was Western Bulldogs coach Luke Beveridge's most revealing line in the aftermath of his side's eventual hard-fought 17-point victory over Sydney at Marvel Stadium on Saturday night.
The man who led the club to the drought-ending 2016 premiership could have been excused for more short-term thinking, especially after a rampaging first half where his Bulldogs kicked six goals to one.
ROUND 1 MATCH HIGHLIGHTS – BULLDOGS VS SWANS
Instead, Beveridge, ever the realist, stayed on plan just one week into the new season, after scraping together only eight wins a year ago.
"It is a very new team and, obviously, Bailey Smith played his first game tonight and 'Lloydy' (Sam Lloyd) and Taylor (Duryea) played their first games for the club and the mix is a bit different," the coach told reporters.
"Tim English hasn't played a lot of ruck and so we're trying to bed down something that provides a really good platform every week – and tonight there were some really encouraging signs.
MATCH REPORT: DOGS HOLD OFF SWANS
"It's all about the future now. Things have changed and it's all new and we've got great faith and hope that it's all going to be positive from here on in.
"But the main thing is that the boys continue to fight – win, lose or draw – and hopefully our season is consistent, but we play Hawthorn next week … so a new challenge awaits."
The Dogs led by as many as 40 points early in the third term, but by just four a quarter later after conceding eight of the next 10 goals, so their ability to steady themselves again was a bright point.
