Western Bulldogs coach Luke Beveridge has lashed critics of Adam Treloar as "nasty" and "vindictive" after the star midfielder turned on a scintillating AFL preliminary final performance.
The 28-year-old more than made up for his quiet semi-final against the Brisbane Lions by tearing apart Port Adelaide on Saturday night.
Treloar gathered 23 possessions and had a game-high 13 score involvements as the Bulldogs hammered the Power by 71 points.
After arriving at the Whitten Oval during last year's trade period when he was controversially forced out of Collingwood due to salary cap pressure, Treloar has significantly improved the Bulldogs' impressive on-ball brigade since.
Although he didn't name anyone, Beveridge appeared to take aim at some journalists and prominent media commentators Kane Cornes, Tim Watson and David King for their assessment of Treloar.
A former Collingwood and GWS player, Treloar has been open about some of the mental health challenges he has faced during his career.
"We all cop the constructive criticism when it happens but some of that stuff was just nasty," Beveridge said.
"If you're going to fail at life, fail at something that is noble, fail at something that you can dust yourself off and be proud that you had a go.
"If you're failing at trying to pull people apart and bring them down like two or three journalists did this week, I don't know how people around you can live with you, how they can lie in bed with you or how they can look at themselves in the mirror.
"For a guy like Adam, people know he's had some challenges over the journey. It was just really poor and vindictive stuff.
"It was really distasteful.
"He had an average game last week and he didn't like it.
"Him and I had a really good chat about the preparation this week but what a great night for him to withstand that and give a great contribution for his teammates and our footy club.
"I'm really proud of him and just bloody disappointed in a few people who were just really nasty."
Treloar will make his second grand final appearance - after Collingwood's losing effort in 2018 - when the Bulldogs face Melbourne in the decider at Perth's Optus Stadium on September 25.
