The Next Bulldogs Premiership

[BornInDroopSt'54]

Plan A:
1. We work at McCartney’s plan of teaching those of the current crop that look like most likely to play a part in a premiership in say three or four years. Who of this crop will make it and show the most improvement? Cordy, Grant and Roughead are givens.
[B]2. We judiciously recruit players with the attributes to complement the players in #1 (in other words players that have what we need that the above crop doesn’t) but again with the goal of getting players that can be taught the skills perceived to be needed. What type of players will we need? Obviously a fast classy midfielder but what else? Remember this is to win the premiership, not just to be competitive? Can we get there with a good ordinary champion team that is a well taught team even without a champion like Chris Grant or Brad Johnson?
3. For the remaining games of 2012 we expect to see some signs of improvement and to be better able to identify who needs what. What do we hope, some signs from Cordy and who else, given that Wallis and Libba have shown enough to suggest they’ll go the distance?
4. We teach like hell.
5. Marked improvement in years 2013, 2014.
6. 2015/2016 bulldogs premiership.

[Dry Rot]

Plan B: Chaos, then long term success in 2018 at the earliest

2012

Team performs much like the last few weeks, no further wins.

Enter bidding war for mini draft with pick 5, but so do other teams below us and stuff the bid for the player we want and we end up with the gun KPF of the mini draft.

Use pick 6 on best available outside midfielder.

Trade Lake to Hawks for their first-round pick, get best tall defender with this pick. Hope that we achieve at least a 25% strike rate with remaining pics.

2013

Sons, Demons and Port improve. Ditto GWS who have poached 2 more good senior planners from other clubs.

Libba, Smith, Dahl and Wallis improve while remaining senior players fall away. The forward line functions as well as it did this year playing ruckmen not forwards.

Win wooden spoon, draft the outstanding prospect with pick one which is a tall forward. Griff returns to Adelaide for family reasons, use pick one from Port for the best available outside midfielder.

Hope that we achieve at least a 25% strike rate with remaining pics.

2014

All senior players gone or cooked.

Further improvement from the four above but our current lack of quality players in the 22–26 year age group is fully exposed.

Forward line still dysfunctional but some young defenders showing promise.

Further improvement from GWS means that we get few wins, the coach is sacked and we get the spoon again. Draft best outside midfielder with pick one.

Hope that we achieve at least a 25% strike rate with remaining pics.

2015

Draft picks from 2012 and 2013 start to show real promise, along with one of the new tall forwards we recruited. Overall team skills much better, along with speed.

Skills and speed exploited by new coach, team performs much better but still has too many light young bodies, finishes mid-table.

2016

Both tall forwards recruited start to show real promise, while various previous midfield picks start to have breakout years, coach encourages that we take the game on. We become the young punk team, attractive to watch.

Inconsistent but more successful year, including some memorable wins against teams above us.

Make finals and win the 1st final.

2017

A better and more consistent version of the previous season, as bodies get bigger and various young guns have breakout seasons, forward line begins to be feared and defence working well.

Well experienced inside midfielders work well with highly skilled outside midfielders producing finals finish. Perform beyond expectations, make preliminary final

2018

Now with so many of the team with bigger bodies and have played 50-100 games, we are a top 4 team.

Years of shit performances and good draft picks mean we have quality across the park and down the spine, along with skills and spade.

Play GWS in grand final and win because of hard contested ball that Macca instilled in many of the players.

[AndrewP6]

Play GWS in grand final and win because of hard contested ball that Macca instilled in many of the players.

We're going to win a GF because of the influence of someone long after they've departed the club?

[azabob]

We're going to win a GF because of the influence of someone long after they've departed the club?

Harsh!

[Remi Moses]

If some on here were club powerbrokers we'd have had our 3rd or 4th coach after McCartney .:eek:

[AndrewP6]

Harsh!


If some on here were club powerbrokers we'd have had our 3rd or 4th coach after McCartney .:eek:

That's what the post from Dry Rot said...2014 - Further improvement from GWS means that we get few wins, the coach is sacked and we get the spoon again

[Remi Moses]

That's what the post from Dry Rot said...2014 - Further improvement from GWS means that we get few wins, the coach is sacked and we get the spoon again

With all this clairvoyancey, can I get the Oz lotto numbers for next week.

[AndrewP6]

With all this clairvoyancey, can I get the Oz lotto numbers for next week.

Not from me, check with DR!

[Remi Moses]

Plan B: Chaos, then long term success in 2018 at the earliest

2012

Team performs much like the last few weeks, no further wins.

Enter bidding war for mini draft with pick 5, but so do other teams below us and stuff the bid for the player we want and we end up with the gun KPF of the mini draft.

Use pick 6 on best available outside midfielder.

Trade Lake to Hawks for their first-round pick, get best tall defender with this pick. Hope that we achieve at least a 25% strike rate with remaining pics.

2013

Sons, Demons and Port improve. Ditto GWS who have poached 2 more good senior planners from other clubs.

Libba, Smith, Dahl and Wallis improve while remaining senior players fall away. The forward line functions as well as it did this year playing ruckmen not forwards.

Win wooden spoon, draft the outstanding prospect with pick one which is a tall forward. Griff returns to Adelaide for family reasons, use pick one from Port for the best available outside midfielder.

Hope that we achieve at least a 25% strike rate with remaining pics.

2014

All senior players gone or cooked.

Further improvement from the four above but our current lack of quality players in the 22–26 year age group is fully exposed.

Forward line still dysfunctional but some young defenders showing promise.

Further improvement from GWS means that we get few wins, the coach is sacked and we get the spoon again. Draft best outside midfielder with pick one.

Hope that we achieve at least a 25% strike rate with remaining pics.

2015

Draft picks from 2012 and 2013 start to show real promise, along with one of the new tall forwards we recruited. Overall team skills much better, along with speed.

Skills and speed exploited by new coach, team performs much better but still has too many light young bodies, finishes mid-table.

2016

Both tall forwards recruited start to show real promise, while various previous midfield picks start to have breakout years, coach encourages that we take the game on. We become the young punk team, attractive to watch.

Inconsistent but more successful year, including some memorable wins against teams above us.

Make finals and win the 1st final.

2017

A better and more consistent version of the previous season, as bodies get bigger and various young guns have breakout seasons, forward line begins to be feared and defence working well.

Well experienced inside midfielders work well with highly skilled outside midfielders producing finals finish. Perform beyond expectations, make preliminary final

2018

Now with so many of the team with bigger bodies and have played 50-100 games, we are a top 4 team.

Years of shit performances and good draft picks mean we have quality across the park and down the spine, along with skills and spade.

Play GWS in grand final and win because of hard contested ball that Macca instilled in many of the players.

Now you've got that sorted, can you work on those Oz lotto numbers?

[gohardorgohome]

I don't see any improvement in the win loss ratio next year. Gut feel it will get worse. Then gradual improvement. I would think there should soon be enough salary cap room open up to poach a gun Gold Coast or GWS young player or two.

[Bumper Bulldogs]

If this was true Dry Rot, I would be very happy. I still think hat we have a better list than what most think (Not by much). I would add in a trade of Minson as he will be cooked by 2016 and with the trade value he would currently have we could maybe shave a year or two off your well thought out script.

I have a feeling that the forward line with Grant, Jones & Cordy will also start to be 2014 and hope that we are not dysfunctional as you describe.

[KT31]

If some on here were club powerbrokers we'd have had our 3rd or 4th coach after McCartney .:eek:

Or quite possibly the same coach as last season.;)

[BornInDroopSt'54]

Plan B: Chaos, then long term success in 2018 at the earliest

2012

Team performs much like the last few weeks, no further wins.

Enter bidding war for mini draft with pick 5, but so do other teams below us and stuff the bid for the player we want and we end up with the gun KPF of the mini draft.

Use pick 6 on best available outside midfielder.

Trade Lake to Hawks for their first-round pick, get best tall defender with this pick. Hope that we achieve at least a 25% strike rate with remaining pics.

2013

Sons, Demons and Port improve. Ditto GWS who have poached 2 more good senior planners from other clubs.

Libba, Smith, Dahl and Wallis improve while remaining senior players fall away. The forward line functions as well as it did this year playing ruckmen not forwards.

Win wooden spoon, draft the outstanding prospect with pick one which is a tall forward. Griff returns to Adelaide for family reasons, use pick one from Port for the best available outside midfielder.

Hope that we achieve at least a 25% strike rate with remaining pics.

2014

All senior players gone or cooked.

Further improvement from the four above but our current lack of quality players in the 22–26 year age group is fully exposed.

Forward line still dysfunctional but some young defenders showing promise.

Further improvement from GWS means that we get few wins, the coach is sacked and we get the spoon again. Draft best outside midfielder with pick one.

Hope that we achieve at least a 25% strike rate with remaining pics.

2015

Draft picks from 2012 and 2013 start to show real promise, along with one of the new tall forwards we recruited. Overall team skills much better, along with speed.

Skills and speed exploited by new coach, team performs much better but still has too many light young bodies, finishes mid-table.

2016

Both tall forwards recruited start to show real promise, while various previous midfield picks start to have breakout years, coach encourages that we take the game on. We become the young punk team, attractive to watch.

Inconsistent but more successful year, including some memorable wins against teams above us.

Make finals and win the 1st final.

2017

A better and more consistent version of the previous season, as bodies get bigger and various young guns have breakout seasons, forward line begins to be feared and defence working well.

Well experienced inside midfielders work well with highly skilled outside midfielders producing finals finish. Perform beyond expectations, make preliminary final

2018

Now with so many of the team with bigger bodies and have played 50-100 games, we are a top 4 team.

Years of shit performances and good draft picks mean we have quality across the park and down the spine, along with skills and spade.

Play GWS in grand final and win because of hard contested ball that Macca instilled in many of the players.

Great reading of the tealeaves Dryrot. Its reassurring that you can see our way through the current performances to greater success. Yours is no fairytale though with our pick 5 in next years critical draft thwarted, and I like the tribute to serendipity with us ending up with the best selection by luck.
You obviously don't think much of many of the current team, with none of them except Libba, Smith, Dahl and Wallis surviving, even Griff shunted off honourably like an unwanted character in a Dickens novel transported to Australia.
I can see that its possible for a team in our position to win a premiership within three or four years and in one of our darkest moments its good to realise and not lose hope. Your call is not the most optimistic but wittily pessimistic. Lake, Griff , Williams,Boyd and Murphy could very feasibly be part of a successful Bulldog team in three or four years.
After the loss today to St kilda, its painful to hope.

[Mantis]

I'm almost resigned to the fact that I will never see one.

Worse still is that we face a huge task to even exist in current form in 10 years time... We are becoming less and less relevant every day and we need to turn it around very quickly.

[Maddog37]

I'm almost resigned to the fact that I will never see one.

Worse still is that we face a huge task to even exist in current form in 10 years time... We are becoming less and less relevant every day and we need to turn it around very quickly.


Stick fat Mantis. We have some trying times ahead but we have survived trying times in the past and come out the other side ok.

Lots of negativity around at present on WOOF and in general media circles but things are never as bad or as good as they seem.

[LostDoggy]

Stick fat Mantis. We have some trying times ahead but we have survived trying times in the past and come out the other side ok.

Lots of negativity around at present on WOOF and in general media circles but things are never as bad or as good as they seem.

I agree with you 100%, and have even stopped posting for the most part as I couldn't handle my frustration at some of the negativity going around, and as was pointed out to me quite forcefully, nobody wants to hear it. So I have capitulated and remained mostly silent.

The negativity was inevitable. We didn't win a flag, and are paying the price of failure. After such an exciting period, sliding down the other side of the curve was always going to be a rough ride. Our biggest curse as a club is the premiership drought, as it's a self-fulfilling situation. I feel a lot for the players being caned by our supporters continually for the wrongs of 58 years past. Supporters are frustrated, even incredibly knowledgable and respected posters are not immune to it, and that frustration is played out in most of the negative posts on here. They're not wrong or incorrect per se. Just borne of frustration rather than pure logic.

My premiership plan?

2012 — Continue to blood the kids and assess the list. Every last resource of the club needs to go into this year's draft.

2013 — We will likely be just as bad, if not worse, as we farewell senior champs and the young guys get one more preseason into them. Finish bottom four and again draft well.

2014 — The good young players we've got now — Wallis, Libba, Dahlhaus, Jones, Cordy, etc — will have 3-6 years in the system, and we'll start to take some scalps and play more exciting footy. Finish just outside the eight. Trade some picks for some good talent from GWS/Gold Coast that can't be retained now that their salary cap is brought back into line with the rest.

2015-2018 — our next shot.

2019 (if we fail again) — see 2011. Start again.

Success is purely perseverance. Nothing else.

[chef]

I'm almost resigned to the fact that I will never see one.

Worse still is that we face a huge task to even exist in current form in 10 years time... We are becoming less and less relevant every day and we need to turn it around very quickly.

Sadly, I feel the same way. FA is also going to decimate us IMO.

[Bulldog4life]

Stick fat Mantis. We have some trying times ahead but we have survived trying times in the past and come out the other side ok.

Lots of negativity around at present on WOOF and in general media circles but things are never as bad or as good as they seem.

I agree Maddog. I have been a member for over 50 years and have seen the rise and fall a number of times. From 1965 to 169 in 5 seasons we won 23 games out of 90. A tad over 25%. I only missed a handful of games during this time. So harden up all the doomsayers on this board. Maybe you young ones have been spoiled:). These are the times that you stick with the Club and good times will happen again. Sometimes in life you just have to be patient. This is just one of those times.

[LostDoggy]

Will be the reserves team playing in the VFL.

[LostDoggy]

I agree Maddog. I have been a member for over 50 years and have seen the rise and fall a number of times. From 1965 to 169 in 5 seasons we won 23 games out of 90. A tad over 25%. I only missed a handful of games during this time. So harden up all the doomsayers on this board. Maybe you young ones have been spoiled:). These are the times that you stick with the Club and good times will happen again. Sometimes in life you just have to be patient. This is just one of those times.

I went through those times as well as a kid but still went each week.
These days you can turn it around in 2 seasons ie West Coast
With 4/5 picks in the top 40 next draft and games into the kids 2014 is a possibility for something I havent seen
Keep the faith youngsters it will be all the more sweeter when it comes

[Chicago1]

I agree Maddog. I have been a member for over 50 years and have seen the rise and fall a number of times. From 1965 to 169 in 5 seasons we won 23 games out of 90. A tad over 25%. I only missed a handful of games during this time. So harden up all the doomsayers on this board. Maybe you young ones have been spoiled:). These are the times that you stick with the Club and good times will happen again. Sometimes in life you just have to be patient. This is just one of those times.

I agree completely. After 35 years of following a team, 13 of those years from 10000 miles away, I look back proudly at the times I stuck by the club when we were at the depths of despair. Standing out in the cold and rain back in the early 80s and seeing the team lose almost every week was character building. I had my chance of deserting the Doggies and supporting another team at the time since I had no family attachments to the Bulldogs, but there was and always will be an inexplicable attachment to a team I freely chose to follow from the very first time I saw them in April 1976. And I guess I have Gary Dempsey to blame for that!:p

This year has been very difficult to take, considering the great joy the Bulldogs gave me the last six years. But I think back to 1989 when I lived in Perth and wore my Footscray gear to every Eagles match and was ridiculed by the Eagles supporters. However, I guess I gained the respect of those I sat with at every match and took pride in my being called "Footscray" by them at both the WACA and Subi. The memories I have of a sport and of a team I had never even heard of until I was 23 have become an intricate part of my life. And for that I will be ever so grateful, even in tough times like now.

And as I've said many times on here and BF, try supporting a team like the Chicago Cubs who last won a championship in 1908. I guess I live in hope, because I ain't got nuffin else.:D

[Remi Moses]

I always hark back to the Royce Hart nightmare!
Particular 1981 season was just excruciatingly bad.
Back then there was no draft to look forward to like now.

[Chicago1]

When I come to think about it, maybe Royce Hart is the reason for my hatred of all things Richmond.:D

[LostDoggy]

nice post Chicago1, can really relate to your experience, we just need to grin and bear it until our mighty club climbs back up the ladder, I just hope we dont lose too many members.

[Mantis]

I agree Maddog. I have been a member for over 50 years and have seen the rise and fall a number of times. From 1965 to 169 in 5 seasons we won 23 games out of 90. A tad over 25%. I only missed a handful of games during this time. So harden up all the doomsayers on this board. Maybe you young ones have been spoiled:). These are the times that you stick with the Club and good times will happen again. Sometimes in life you just have to be patient. This is just one of those times.

But haven't times changed?

Success over the past 5 or 10 years is almost directly related to the amount of money clubs can generate via sponsorship, members and stadium deals. We did a remarakble job to have 3 top 4 finishes during this time, but for struggling clubs like us it's pretty tough.

If we lose 3,000 to 5,000 members next year (which is realistic giving how disenchanted our supporter base is) this is probably at a minimum $600K we are down, if we add in the extra $500K we have to find to run our own VFL team we are already $1.1mil behind before we get started... Good luck running a successful footy program with these sorts of limitations.

[LostDoggy]

I think we need to draft KPP, not more midfielders

[Eastdog]

I think we need to draft KPP, not more midfielders

Agree Danstar. 5 midfielder can be worth 1 KPP. They are very difficult to find.

[Bulldog4life]

But haven't times changed?

Success over the past 5 or 10 years is almost directly related to the amount of money clubs can generate via sponsorship, members and stadium deals. We did a remarakble job to have 3 top 4 finishes during this time, but for struggling clubs like us it's pretty tough.

If we lose 3,000 to 5,000 members next year (which is realistic giving how disenchanted our supporter base is) this is probably at a minimum $600K we are down, if we add in the extra $500K we have to find to run our own VFL team we are already $1.1mil behind before we get started... Good luck running a successful footy program with these sorts of limitations.

Times have changed and you make some good points. Even more reason why all supporters should stick with The Club in these tough times.

[BornInDroopSt'54]

Will be the reserves team playing in the VFL.

Yes good call; that would galvanise the club and it would be great to watch them rise. However most of the emrging players would be required in the ones, so the twos would have to succeed on a great depth of young talent and great recruiting.

[BornInDroopSt'54]

I agree Maddog. I have been a member for over 50 years and have seen the rise and fall a number of times. From 1965 to 169 in 5 seasons we won 23 games out of 90. A tad over 25%. I only missed a handful of games during this time. So harden up all the doomsayers on this board. Maybe you young ones have been spoiled:). These are the times that you stick with the Club and good times will happen again. Sometimes in life you just have to be patient. This is just one of those times.

I remember us improving and defeating Carlton at the Western Oval in the 80's, something I'd never seen and having the noise of the Bulldogs crowd joyous and exhaltant; it was europhic not least to hear the crowd who were full of long suffering and were more used to harsh, negative barracking but on this occasion their voice was sweet enough to bring tears to my adult eyes. It was so sweet to see the 'blue blooded' team that had shaken us like a rag doll over the years, walking off exhausted and defeated whilst we marched off full of the future. Sweetness born of years of defeat and stunted hope.
We now return for at least a couple of years to those defeats and yes the spectre of the club's obliteration, and getting simple pleasure from players showing promise but when we do turn the corner it will be sweet again. As a club and a forum we need to galvanise ourselves for a period and not give in to despair or cheap whingeing. Know our time will come again.

[LostDoggy]

I remember us improving and defeating Carlton at the Western Oval in the 80's, something I'd never seen and having the noise of the Bulldogs crowd joyous and exhaltant; it was europhic not least to hear the crowd who were full of long suffering and were more used to harsh, negative barracking but on this occasion their voice was sweet enough to bring tears to my adult eyes. It was so sweet to see the 'blue blooded' team that had shaken us like a rag doll over the years, walking off exhausted and defeated whilst we marched off full of the future. Sweetness born of years of defeat and stunted hope.
We now return for at least a couple of years to those defeats and yes the spectre of the club's obliteration, and getting simple pleasure from players showing promise but when we do turn the corner it will be sweet again. As a club and a forum we need to galvanise ourselves for a period and not give in to despair or cheap whingeing. Know our time will come again.

Mate that is a fantastic piece and you have reminded me of what it is to be a bulldog. The bulldogs of old were fighters, always have been fighters and when the going got tough they come out even harder. It is a message that may have got lost in the past with name changes and corporate involvement but I think this should be a reminder to all that the old dog is still here, still willing to crack in and have a go against the odds.

Yes, I have called for a shake up of the footy department, and I am not a fan of the coach, but what counts at the end of the day is the people that hold this club together, the members, supporters and volounteers. We need to return a little to some old ways. I am more then happy to stop my aggitating cause a split fan base is a split club.

My support is one hundred percent behind this great club, adversity, we as Bulldogs spit in the face of adversity....bring it on.

[LostDoggy]

Mate that is a fantastic piece and you have reminded me of what it is to be a bulldog. The bulldogs of old were fighters, always have been fighters and when the going got tough they come out even harder. It is a message that may have got lost in the past with name changes and corporate involvement but I think this should be a reminder to all that the old dog is still here, still willing to crack in and have a go against the odds.

Yes, I have called for a shake up of the footy department, and I am not a fan of the coach, but what counts at the end of the day is the people that hold this club together, the members, supporters and volounteers. We need to return a little to some old ways. I am more then happy to stop my aggitating cause a split fan base is a split club.

My support is one hundred percent behind this great club, adversity, we as Bulldogs spit in the face of adversity....bring it on.

Good man! Welcome back!!

[Ghost Dog]

I remember us improving and defeating Carlton at the Western Oval in the 80's, something I'd never seen and having the noise of the Bulldogs crowd joyous and exhaltant; it was europhic not least to hear the crowd who were full of long suffering and were more used to harsh, negative barracking but on this occasion their voice was sweet enough to bring tears to my adult eyes. It was so sweet to see the 'blue blooded' team that had shaken us like a rag doll over the years, walking off exhausted and defeated whilst we marched off full of the future. Sweetness born of years of defeat and stunted hope.
We now return for at least a couple of years to those defeats and yes the spectre of the club's obliteration, and getting simple pleasure from players showing promise but when we do turn the corner it will be sweet again. As a club and a forum we need to galvanise ourselves for a period and not give in to despair or cheap whingeing. Know our time will come again.

Great post. Thanks for this!