Luke Beveridge says he has spoken with Rhylee West, after his famous father Scott publicly reproached the Western Bulldogs coach for dropping his son.
West, who played 324 games and won seven best and fairest awards over 16 seasons at Whitten Oval, described Beveridge’s handling of his son as “absolutely disgraceful management” in a Facebook post.
The 20-year-old was axed after recording just five disposals and three turnovers against Richmond, in his first appearance for the year.
Beveridge says the club has put an arm around the talented pup as the story has played out.
“Rhylee and I have come together… (our) relationship is extremely strong,” Beveridge told reporters on Friday.
“I feel like a little bit of a father figure to Rhylee at times.
“(We’ve been) just reassuring him that everything is going to be okay. The sensitivity around something like that being made public…
“Everyone’s really wary and cautious and definitely emotional towards Rhylee to make sure he’s okay.
“Something that should be private went public. That happens from time to time, it’s an emotional game.”
West was named the medical substitute for the Dogs’ win over Carlton on Sunday, but did not feature.
In two reserves appearances prior to his recall, West had 22 disposals and a goal against Gold Coast, and 25 disposals and three goals against the Giants’ twos.
“For Rhylee’s sake, I hope we just move on,” Beveridge went on.
“He’s just scratching the surface in his career and there’ll be some disappointment here and there, a lot of the boys have been through it.”
A Footscray player himself from 1993 to 1995, a guarded Beveridge had little interest in exchanging barbs with his former teammate.
“Scott and I historically… we played together, we’ve been really close mates,” he said.
“I’d rather not extend the commentary around that aspect if I can.”
Former Dogs defender Lindsay Gilbee believes West would be regretting the post, particularly as it was removed.
“I think the only person it can hurt is Rhylee… if Scott had his time again he wouldn’t have gone down that path,” Gilbee told SEN’s The Sporting Capital.
“It adds more pressure to Rhylee that he doesn’t need. He just wants to go back, play good footy and put his name up for selection again.”
Beveridge went on to say the club has historically managed disgruntlement among players’ families well.
“Brent Prismall does an enormous job as our welfare manager, talking to the parents along the way, (about) their own emotions. Occasionally I have those conversations too,” Beveridge revealed.
“It’s not something done weekly.’’
Perceived as somewhat eccentric at the selection table, Beveridge also defended the decisions made at match committee.
“When you’re fielding strong sides from week to week, unfortunately, occasionally, some of the lads are missing out,” he went on.
“I do head up a match committee, we collaborate and I think make really insightful and good decisions selection-wise, and it’s always with a view to win the game.
“I think it’s really held us in good stead, it’s helped us make two finals series when we looked down and out.
“Where maybe (other) clubs have stagnated and missed out, we’ve been able to come again by making alterations.
“The track record for the match committee here at the club has been really strong.”
The Bulldogs next face 2020 minor premiers Port Adelaide at the Adelaide Oval on Saturday night.