Jason Johannisen says the Western Bulldogs are embracing change


WESTERN Bulldogs speedster Jason Johannisen says the Dogs are embracing change as they seek to even their season ledger against Brisbane Lions this week.

The 14th-placed Bulldogs are just one game out of the eight and are aiming for a third straight win on Saturday night at Etihad Stadium.

“We can’t look too far ahead, but we’ve got that belief, and we know if we play our best footy — it doesn’t matter who we play — we’ll be right in it,” the 2016 Norm Smith medallist said.

The Dogs slumped from first to 10th in 2017, but Johannisen said a revamped game-plan and injection of youth were starting to pay off.

“We’ve moved on from that — it feels like a very long time since we were there on the big stage — but it’s a different group and we’re focusing on the future,” he said.

“It was frustrating last year. We had high expectations of ourselves and we really didn’t perform. But now we’ve got a completely new group, full of youth and it’s a pretty exciting time. They’re showing great promise and hopefully we can keep the momentum going.”

The Dogs have fielded the AFL’s youngest team in every round of the season.

Just nine members of the 2016 premiership team played in Saturday’s win against Gold Coast — Zaine Cordy, Lachie Hunter, Josh Dunkley, Luke Dahlhaus, Tom Boyd, Caleb Daniel, Toby McLean, Jack Macrae and Johannisen.

Asked about changes to coach Luke Beveridge’s game plan, Johannisen said: “I can’t give away too much, but because we have a different playing list now, it’s building towards our strengths as a group. It’s a work in progress.

“Bevo hasn’t really changed that much. He drives a positive environment and is always teaching us new things.”

Johannisen said the players “laughed” at suggestions teammates had fallen out and cliques had developed since the drought-breaking flag.

“It was absolutely ridiculous — we are as united as a group as we’ve ever been,” Johannisen said.

“From all my time being here at the Dogs, we’ve always been a strong, close group and that’s never changed. We have such a special bond.”

Johannisen, 25, said players such as Macrae and McLean had elevated their games amid an influx of new talent.

“That’s what we probably needed a bit last year — blokes with a bit more experience,” he said. “And young guys like Aaron Naughton, Ed Richards, Tim English and Billy Gowers are playing some really good footy, which is pretty awesome to watch.”

Johannisen on Tuesday unveiled the club’s Indigenous Round guernsey designed by 16-year-old Wurundjeri-Yorta Yorta artist Cooper Craig-Peters, a member of the Dogs’ Next Generation Academy.

“I slept for a couple of hours and in my dream I pictured this guernsey,” Craig-Peters said.

“I woke up straight away and went straight into the study and started drawing my design up.

“It’s still surreal, I still think I’m dreaming. It feels so great and I feel so warm inside to have my actual design on this guernsey.”