Pretty fun times ahead, say Lade

Pretty fun times ahead, say Lade

https://i.postimg.cc/SN23PX59/lade.webp

The acquisition of Brendon Lade is experience personified for the Bulldogs, finding a home at the Kennel with 12 years on a coaching resume.

The 46-year-old will take charge of a midfield stacked with talent and he can’t wait to get started.

“I am pretty excited actually,” Lade said.

“It is going to be pretty fun times going ahead I reckon. We’ve got a pretty good list and some real talent there.

“I am looking forward to imparting some of my knowledge onto the players and coaches.”

After spending time at St Kilda, the pull of the Bulldogs and a fresh challenge was enough for Lade to make his way across to Whitten Oval.

“A chance to go to another club – Bevo and Granty were pretty keen to talk to me and get me across,” he said.

“It’s nice to feel wanted and to come to a great club like the Bulldogs.

“Hopefully we can have some success sooner rather than later.”

Lade’s focus on connection and his knowledge of the game were key factors behind the acquisition.

“My big thing is I am all about connection and relationships – I like to develop that with players, coaches and the staff,” he said.

“My football knowledge, I think that is pretty good. Hopefully I can help people get better, I see the game quite well.

“There is a lot of talent through our midfield, that’s pretty exciting. We’ve got some real exciting key forwards, which are going to be great to work with.

“Obviously, I worked with Max King at St Kilda but Naughton, Darcy and Ugle-Hagan all in the forward line, that’s pretty exciting for the football club.”

First up on the agenda for Lade however; working with the class of Marcus Bontempelli, Bailey Smith and Jack Macrae in the midfield.

“We’ve got some All-Australians in the midfield – a few have played in a premiership as well,” he said.

“It would be great to stay in the finals and go a bit deeper. Hopefully experience that success again because one is good but it would be nice to have a lot (premierships).”

Lade will team up with Luke Beveridge for the first time and has already had meaningful conversations with the premiership leader.

“I’m pretty pumped, you don’t get to work next to premiership coaches too often,” Lade said.

“I am coming in to learn, eyes wide open. Hopefully I can add bits here and there.

“Some of the chats we had, we aligned pretty well – we spoke for 90 minutes at his place the other day freely and easily, so hopefully that continues through our coaching journey.”

Sounds perfect.

Fun is fun. The club decided fun is actually not fun after 2016 so I hope we're changing our opinion on how fun fun things are.

Looking forward to seeing what Lade brings.

All the best to him.

Must admit, I kind of cringe at the “I’m all about connection and relationship” stuff.

Do we know anything about his background?

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Boots

Do we know anything about his background?

---

Player or coach? He was a Port Adelaide player and very good
As a coach he's been at Port, Saints and now with us. He interviewed for the Essendon senior coach role so has ambition.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Boots

Do we know anything about his background?

---

He's very big.

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=ViwtwII83oE

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Boots

Do we know anything about his background?

---

Really great tap ruck at Port. Not the greatest around the ground, he was ok, but in terms of the art of tap ruck he was a master.

From memory and prior to Port coming into the competition Port apparently had Lade and Tredrea playing in a lower league so that it would escape the eye of other recruiters.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Boots

Do we know anything about his background?

---

Looks like a tiled wall with a Western Bulldogs decal applied.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Axe Man

Looks like a tiled wall with a Western Bulldogs decal applied.

---

Zing!

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Axe Man

Looks like a tiled wall with a Western Bulldogs decal applied.

---

I'm angry at myself that I laughed.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by GVGjr

Player or coach? He was a Port Adelaide player and very good
As a coach he's been at Port, Saints and now with us. He interviewed for the Essendon senior coach role so has ambition.

---

This gives me a bit of hope.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Boots

This gives me a bit of hope.

---

He's clearly been brought in as Bevo's 2IC and he has a lot of experience. He will work well with the other coaches and of course the players. I think he will be a very good addition for Bevo and the team.

During Lade's interview on trade radio, the hosts mentioned that Tim English is a Port Adelaide supporter, and was a big fan of Lade.

Additionally, we know English looked up to and modelled his game on Rory Lobb. Is this operation keep English?

Or operation “win hit outs”?

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by MrMahatma

Or operation “win hit outs”?

---

I'll take "burn inside your gut whenever you are being torn apart by your direct opponent, do everything possible to nullify him at every single stoppage, and keep competing like your life depends on it until the ball has cleared the area"

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Sedat

I'll take "burn inside your gut whenever you are being torn apart your direct opponent, do everything possible to nullify him at every single stoppage, and keep competing like your life depends on it until the ball has cleared the area"

---

Catchy. I like it. Let’s get t-shirts

Lade looms large on our horizon. With Bevo extention happening Lade's big shoulders and heart plus his professional support of Bevo are critical.
Working out a better defence system amongst other issues too.