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The Western Bulldogs have been caught out conducting a somewhat bizarre training stunt ahead of a media conference on Thursday.
As journalists descended upon their home base at Whitten Oval, cameras managed to capture vision of AFL players in action during their Thursday session masked by blindfolds.
Coach Luke Beveridge then faced reporters and may have thought the club was going to get away with the kooky drill as he responded to questions about out-of-favour big man Rory Lobb and returning half-back Ed Richards.
But it was only a matter of time before the questions turned to the unusual blindfolds.
?Was hoping you wouldn?t ask me about that,? Beveridge said.
?Josh Piterman, the Phantom of the Opera (star), said he sort of concentrates even more when he puts on the mask, so we figured if we have both eyes shut it would make our boys concentrate a little bit more,? Beveridge said before quickly adding, ?I?m taking the p***, obviously.?
?When I saw him (the camera operator) standing over there with the camera, I said to (assistant coach) Matty Spangher the timing couldn?t be worse,? Beveridge said.
?So there are bits and pieces that Johnno (goalkicking specialist coach Brad Johnson) and Matty Spangher (forwards coach) are doing with the forwards just to make them think about different things.
?Obviously, it goes against logic, you actually watch the ball onto your boot on a set shot so in a significant way (kicking with the blindfold on) helps remind you that you need to do that.
?You know, it?s really hard to kick when you?re blindfolded ...?
Beveridge said they tried not to coach the players ?too far outside the box?, but admitted the blindfolds were as ?left-field? as anything they had experimented with.
?And it?s exposed us with you guys here with the cameras,? he said.
Beveridge confirmed that dashing defender Richards would play in the Gather Round clash against Geelong on Saturday night, and said livewire forward Cody Weightman would also be named after dislocating his elbow in Round 3.
Beveridge also addressed questions about Lobb who is again playing VFL this weekend and facing renewed trade speculation.
According to 7NEWS chief AFL reporter Mitch Cleary, Lobb could be on his way to a fourth AFL club at the end of the year as the club looks to prioritise All-Australian ruck Tim English (who is a restricted free agent).
?If Tim English stays I expect other clubs to come hard for Rory Lobb,? Cleary said on Talking Footy.
?He was linked to St Kilda a couple of seasons ago when he made the move initially to the Kennel, so watch this space on Rory Lobb.
?At the age of 31 I think he does have some footy left in him and I think rival clubs will begin to ask the question of a player of his quality.?
Beveridge said ?alarm bells? were not ringing over Lobb?s career, and predicted he could play for six more years.
?As a guy in his early 30s, he didn?t play a lot of footy as a teenager, and if anyone?s gonna have a long career, it?s Rory Lobb,? Beveridge said.
?So I see him as having another half-a-dozen years in the game and I think he?s got a really long period in his career ahead of him.?
