By JARROD POTTER
“THAT’S definitely a moment I’ll never forget – all the boys got around me which was really nice and was probably one of the best feelings I’ve ever had.”
The thrill of booting a goal on AFL debut is the boyhood dream for many young footballers, but for Bailey Dale it was no fantasy.
Taking a handball off team-mate Easton Wood in the second term, the Western Bulldogs debutant ran past the 50-metre line and barrelled his first AFL goal through the uprights at Etihad Stadium against Fremantle.
The former Dandenong Stingray Dale, 18, originally from Chelsea Heights, has been part of the Kennel since last October, where he was selected at pick 45 at the AFL national draft.
He was tapped on the shoulder by head coach Luke Beveridge last week to say his debut was coming up and he couldn’t really believe it.
“It was a pretty surreal sort of feeling,” Dale said.
“Bevo (Beveridge) came up to me during the week and said pretty much ‘congratulations, you’re playing your first game’.
“But to get out there and have a run around with the big league was pretty amazing.”
The underdog Westerners tested the high-flying Dockers every step of the way in a nail-biting 13-point loss.
“When we kicked that goal to get us even – the crowd was so loud… that’s what we play for as a kid,” Dale said.
“Just listening to the crowd scream after you’re coming from behind or starting to win, that was one of the biggest moments for me.
“It’s a pretty positive feeling around the club – even on the weekend, we had a loss, but there were plenty of positives that we can match it with the top sides.”
He didn’t have to worry about waiting his turn on the sideline with the dreaded ‘substitute’s vest’ which has become a rite of passage for debuting players.
Beveridge instead decided to give Dale a full run-around and he played out his first match with a raucous support crew of family, friends and former team-mates from Edithvale-Aspendale Football Club.
“Got most of the family there, a lot of people from Edi-Ap (Edithvale-Aspendale) came down so that was very nice… probably had 40 people in the rooms after the games,” Dale said.
“It was disappointing to lose, but was still an amazing moment to share that with my friends and family.”
With his side sitting eighth under the new coach, Dale thought the Beveridge-inspired confidence and faith was a mighty motivator.
“I think that’s what Bevo has given us – that belief that we can match it with anyone and that’s pretty powerful around the club,” Dale said.
“He obviously has a lot of trust and belief in us and says to go out and back yourself every week and trusts what you can do… he knows that we all have the talent to go out and match it with the top teams and he’s given us that belief.”
After the hard work of his initial pre-season and a couple of early VFL matches – knowing he had built himself up to the level required – made the debut even more satisfying for the 182cm midfield prospect.
“Was a goal at the start of the year to play a game and I was being realistic about it – knew that I had to develop a bit more with my body and getting to know the game and getting up to the speed of the game,” Dale said.
“I didn’t really have any expectations to play myself, but to get an opportunity was obviously very good and I hope I can get a few more senior games from now on.”
Dale is the third Dandenong Stingray to debut this season behind Jack Lonie (St Kilda) and Tom Lamb (West Coast) – he thought all signs were trending upwards for the local TAC Cup club.
“It’s very promising for the Stingrays and they’ve got a very good development team down there in Mark Wheeler and Craig Black and the other assistant coaches, so it’s a very positive sign for the Stingrays,” Dale said.
