EXCLUSIVE: NEW Western Bulldogs coach Brendan McCartney has a meeting with full-back Brian Lake high on his list of priorities.

Although McCartney stressed every player on the list would be treated equally, Lake looms as a special case amid speculation he wants to leave Whitten Oval.

"What we will do is make every effort to cover off any player we feel is unsettled or may need to talk to us," McCartney told the Herald Sun.

"It's very difficult, bearing in mind players are now on leave, but all of our players are really important to us as people," he said.

"Where a player sits, emotionally and mentally, in the club is really important.

"It's important we understand where he sees himself and what he thinks he offers the club."

Lake has two years to run on a lucrative contract, but is coming off a disastrous season dogged by injury and has been mooted as a major player in trade week.

The two-time All-Australian stopped short of saying he would definitely be at the Dogs next year in a Footy Show interview last Thursday, indicating the new coach would have a strong bearing on his future.

McCartney said he wanted to talk to several players about stepping up into leadership roles or moving to new positions on the ground. Asked if there was an option to consider Lake as a forward, McCartney replied: "Absolutely."

McCartney received the news he had won the job late on Sunday night after the Dogs' board convened to ratify the recommendation of the sub-committee.

"There was an overwhelming sense that it is now a massive responsibility, knowing so many other great people have coached this club, it has had so many great players and it has been close to winning premierships," McCartney said.

"We (will) have a brand of footy that opposition clubs are wary of - they just know it will be a contest and, more often than not, it will be pretty hard to get a kick against (us)."

McCartney said there was a lot to like about the Dogs' gameplan, but acknowledged the team had to lift in some areas.

"Part of the game is on a parallel with the better teams. A couple of areas, which I don't want to elaborate on, there's a difference," he said. "If you're behind the better teams in two or three areas, you're already giving them three or four goals start.

"It's that difference we've got to make up.

"I think I have the model to teach the game well and build a brand of footy that will be sustainable over a long period of time and handle a lot of different game styles and pressures."

He said winning the contested ball was the cornerstone of the game.

McCartney is also a strong believer in aggression around the ball.

"You've got to have the physical strength and technique to do it," he said.

"I've seen it taught, I've seen it learned and I've seen people really master it. That will be the challenge."



http://www.heraldsun.com.au/sport/af...-1226141208552