A MAJOR review of the Western Bulldogs coaching structure has shored up Brendan McCartney’s position as senior coach.

But McCartney’s coaching panel faces key changes, with the 53-year-old handed specific growth areas in the review to address his shortcomings.

The Herald Sun understands McCartney has conceded he has flaws as a coach which he will aggressively address in the off-season, but his future is in no doubt for 2015.

The review took in the club’s footy department and coaching structure, drilling into the reasons for the fade-out that culminated in an embarrassing loss to Greater Western Sydney.

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The Dogs will boost their tactical acumen in the coaching department and are likely to change the way peer and coaching reviews are conducted after some brutally honest feedback in exit interviews.

There is a concession from Whitten Oval that McCartney and his coaching panel went too hard during those exit interviews, which put some players off side.

But no one at the Dogs is apologising for holding players to account after the diabolical finish to the season.

Like Mark Thompson after Geelong’s 2006 review, McCartney will have more time freed up from peripheral issues to concentrate on one-on-one coaching of players.

The review has strongly indicated McCartney is the man to lead the Dogs forward, but must be surrounded by as much coaching depth as possible.

That will include more resources, possibly in opposition analysis, with fans frustrated by the lack of tactical moves put forward by McCartney at times this year.

Bulldogs chief executive Simon Garlick confirmed to the Herald Sun the scope of the review.

“From our point of view it was sat with the way we finished the year,’’ he said.

“It has brought with it a review and assessment of how we can improve and while it has created some discomfort in the club everyone is really committed to moving forward.”

The Dogs are confident Adam Cooney will stay next year despite rumblings about his discontent and feel Will Minson is comfortable about his future at the club.

Shaun Higgins will land at North Melbourne tomorrow on a four-year deal worth around $400,000 a season.

The Dogs hope that will land them an end-of-first-round pick at around selection 20 or 21 which teamed with their first selection (no. 5) could be swapped for a top-three pick to secure key talls Patrick McCartin or Peter Wright.

Garlick confirmed interest in Sydney’s Sam Reid but said he was settled in Sydney,

“We are going to be pretty proactive to ensure the trade period provides us with specific needs or lets us slide up the draft to get into a zone where we might be slightly more specific.”

Both St Kilda and Melbourne are desperate for deals that give them an extra pick or players inside the top 20.