Tom Boyd has all the makings of the dominant key forward that Western Bulldogs fans have been dreaming of for many years.
But before 19-year-old Boyd morphs into such a beast, don't be surprised to see him used as a ruckman or roaming warrior behind the ball this AFL season.
One year after being taken with the No.1 draft pick by Greater Western Sydney, Boyd joined the Bulldogs on a seven-year deal worth close to $1 million per season.
Almost six months after putting pen to paper, Boyd will make his club debut against West Coast at Etihad Stadium on Saturday.
Throughout the pre-season, coach Luke Beveridge promised to take a patient approach with the star signing that is likely to be more scrutinised than any of his teammates.
They are far from shallow words.
"When things don't go to plan, we're not going to hang him out to dry," Beveridge told AAP.
"We're going to try and find a way for him to lift his performance.
"If that means he plays a bit more in the ruck, or maybe even behind the ball at some point, we'll definitely explore that to help him.
"Because being a key forward can be a difficult existence, especially if you're not getting supply at times."
Beveridge was quite impressed with what Boyd achieved during his pre-season stints in the ruck.
"We've seen him do terrific things. He's actually a pretty good ruckman," he said.
"We've been really happy with what he's been doing there and he feels a lot more settled.
"It's only going to help build his game and build his tank."
Beveridge suggested it could potentially help Boyd if pundits gave him proper time to develop and didn't demand too much too early.
"But if they don't, well that's their prerogative," he added.
The 44-year-old, who played a part in recent premierships at Hawthorn and Collingwood, wasn't interested in putting a time frame on Boyd's rate of development.
"We'd like to think he can perform at a really high level, quicker than most 19-year-olds," he said.
"But we're going to give him time."
Share
