Same old Dogs

[hujsh]

Can't beat teams when it matters.

Can't win the close ones.

Won't win a premiership in the next century.

[Bulldog4life]

McClure gave us 6 out of 10 at the half way mark of the season. Always hated us. Up yours Sellers.

[G-Mo77]

Can't beat teams when it matters.

Can't win the close ones.

Won't win a premiership in the next century.

A lot of us would have been thinking this in that last quarter.

[GVGjr]

Who said history never repeats? Same ground, same margin and same result as last year.

In the words of Raylan Givens, "I don't care how it gets done, as long as it gets done"

[hujsh]

A lot of us would have been thinking this in that last quarter.

It's good to point out when we do win the close important games to hopefully moderate that sentiment next time.

[Yankee Hotel Foxtrot]

We've all seen previous incarnations of the Dogs who looked good for alot of the time, but who- when success beckoned the brave- wilted at the crucial moment(s). Those teams seemed to take on the accumulated failures as mental baggage which was like a feedback loop time and time again when big moments presented.
Is this a different group? Because these too are the moments that when accumulated build good, strong, resilient and reliable teams. We've seen a few of these types of wins in the past 2 seasons.

A few more of these types of wins and our group will believe, and that in turn will gild belief into resolute, ironclad resolve to win at all costs, and that's a path where ultimate success lies.

[ledge]

They already believe, that belief came in Sydney last year

[Eastdog]

4 point win again against the Swans. Yes Dogs!

[bulldogtragic]

New dogs.

[Webby]

Is Sydney not the toughest road trip in footy today??? 2 from 2... It's gotta make you believe.

I went to the Port game. I'm convinced that, with the crowd factor, a visiting team has got to be 3-4 goals better than the opposition in order to get the chocolates. Games like tonight have to give teams like us belief. It has to validate us. Wins and losses, percentage etc. are all well and good, but good sides have to have the culture of belief. Particularly when the heat's on in finals footy. Results like today build that. The lack of panic when the heat's on. The poise, the belief to stick to the process or the method, or the system, or whatever you want to call it.

Success breeds success. Clubs bluff or believe their way to flags. Certain teams keep their heads when the heat of finals footy is on - rather than looking sideways at each other. (I'm convinced that's what cost us in '97.) so results like tonight are just invaluable. They give players something to draw from. The "we'll find a way" factor. It's priceless.

Not only does it get is the invaluable 4 points, but it gives us a cultural basis to build upon. Hawthorn have it in spades. We need it, and it's pleasing to see that we're developing it... Winning culture... No matter what it takes, we'll find a way. We won't find excuses to fail. A great feeling.

[Doggy]

Can't beat teams when it matters.

Can't win the close ones.

Won't win a premiership in the next century.

Can't win away from Etihad.

[jeemak]

I was on edge in the last quarter, but at the back of my mind I knew that after the surge resulting from the Adams abomination we'd still have a couple of minutes up our sleeve to break them open.

What was different this time around was that I knew guys like the Bont wouldn't waste the football by foot that late in the game and that close to goal (remember the Collingwood game when he was at CHF and should have iced it with a set shot), because this group learns.

I was immensely impressed with how we adapted our structure after half time to cope with the type of game that was being played. Not only does this group learn, it also listens.

[Eastdog]

Can't win away from Etihad.

Well that has been proven incorrect now.

[GVGjr]

Well that has been proven incorrect now.

It was proven incorrect after the Port win ;)

[Eastdog]

It was proven incorrect after the Port win ;)

Yep that's right. Winning at the G was great but that will be our home venue for the finals.

[The bulldog tragician]

Early this afternoon on ABC the discussion was on who could be vulnerable to going out of the 8 - us apparently. �� Even if we'd lost today this would have been ridiculous.

I guess our past history means we're treated with a lack of respect. Days like today, and the path I'm convinced these boys are on, will finally start to put that to rest.

[Eastdog]

I'm starting to believe.

[Bulldog4life]

Early this afternoon on ABC the discussion was on who could be vulnerable to going out of the 8 - us apparently. �� Even if we'd lost today this would have been ridiculous.

I guess our past history means we're treated with a lack of respect. Days like today, and the path I'm convinced these boys are on, will finally start to put that to rest.

One of them would have been McClure I think

[SonofScray]

Form a queue, comb your hair and prepare to bow down before the Drought Breakers. It is happening. There is still a monkey on our back, but it has a terminal illness.

[Bulldog Joe]

A terrific result, but it is wasted if we take the next 3 games with any degree of complacency.

[jeemak]

What I neglected to say in my earlier post, was that in the second quarter before Stringer put it on the board I thought we were going to let another slip by eight or nine goals in a mid season slump.

Watching the fight of that quarter when things structurally weren't right, and we were not playing well under pressure, coupled with our excellent third quarter I started to think differently about the group.

[Jeanette54]

I think JJ's final act was a sign that the team is changing for the better. He could have just walked away and let the Bont have the shot; but he ran to get free and demanded the ball. JJ really wanted the responsibility of that final shot. Just another symptom as to how this team is changing.

Great win doggies.

[comrade]

I've harped on about our so called curse too much previously, so I'll leave it be.

Happy I was there to see our boys win a big game.

[Webby]

Early this afternoon on ABC the discussion was on who could be vulnerable to going out of the 8 - us apparently. �� Even if we'd lost today this would have been ridiculous.

I guess our past history means we're treated with a lack of respect. Days like today, and the path I'm convinced these boys are on, will finally start to put that to rest.

That's very true. Despite salary caps, draft system etc. people still perceive that, due to the colour or the bloody jumper, certain teams can't win. It's ridiculous. People who buy into that are lemmings.

Sydney were a rabble in the 1990's. Didn't win a flag for 70+ years. Boston Red Sox, Clevelans Caveliers etc. it's bunkum. If the team are good enough and thy believe enough, they'll win it. Simple as that.

Do you think that, when Sydney play Carlton or Essendon, they're at a psychological disadvantage because the 23 year olds in the Essendin or Carlton guernseys are thinking "we've got 16 flags behind us"??! Of course not. It's all down to the 21 blokes who are out there on the day.

If you're good enough and you believe enough and you're poised enough, you can beat anyone.... I don't don't think Bevo, Bont, Stringer, Libba etc etc really give two hoots about what's happened 100 years ago. It's all about the current 21. Today. And we're as good as anyone. We're respected and we're feared. And we have no weight of history on our backs. Nothing to lose. Might as well just go for it.

We should turn this "you're only Footscray" rubbish into a positive... We have nothing to lose... Everything to gain. It's very liberating, and it's fun. Let's just go for it. What's the worst that can happen?!

[Eastdog]

I think JJ's final act was a sign that the team is changing for the better. He could have just walked away and let the Bont have the shot; but he ran to get free and demanded the ball. JJ really wanted the responsibility of that final shot. Just another symptom as to how this team is changing.

Great win doggies.

Huge pressure on JJ in the end and he did so well. Just great effort under pressure.

[BornInDroopSt'54]

Form a queue, comb your hair and prepare to bow down before the Drought Breakers. It is happening. There is still a monkey on our back, but it has a terminal illness.

Iron your trackie dacks too.
Over and above skill levels, this team is full of character and belief in each other. We can play on the SCG, Adelaide Oval, MCG, against the odds, with underdone players, against negative media reporting, with bad umpiring and three knee reco's.
And win.

[bulldogtragic]

New dogs.

With new tricks.

[boydogs]

I've harped on about our so called curse too much previously, so I'll leave it be.

Happy I was there to see our boys win a big game.

What did you think about Jeanette's comment?

[comrade]

What did you think about Jeanette's comment?

I don't think this team is changing, I think this team is different all together.

Like the Hawks 2008 teams was different, the Cats 2007 teams was different, the Swans 2005 team was different, the 2004 Red Sox was different, the 2016 Cavaliers was different etc etc.

Every time we lose a supposed big game, the same cliche is trotted out. Same old Bulldogs, implying some curse or loser mentality causes our players to self combust as if a player like Bontempelli is thinking about all those prelim losses from years gone by as he's making a split second decision under pressure.

It's ridiculous and has been proven ridiculous time and again by teams who were tarred with the 'loser curse' brush yet ended up winning it all.

If we win the flag in the future, it won't be because we somehow overturned the curse or loser mentality inflicting the club, as if that's what is holding us back. It will be because we finally had a team good enough to win it all.

[Twodogs]

The two big curses. The Hockyroos winning gold and Austalia winning a series in India.

[Mofra]

I think JJ's final act was a sign that the team is changing for the better. He could have just walked away and let the Bont have the shot; but he ran to get free and demanded the ball. JJ really wanted the responsibility of that final shot. Just another symptom as to how this team is changing.
JJ worships Lebron.
I think he'd jump at the chance to prove himself a clutch player 7 days a week.

[Twodogs]

JJ worships Lebron.
I think he'd jump at the chance to prove himself a clutch player 7 days a week.


I don't know how many more floaters he has to jump and stretch to mark with 25 seconds left on the clock and two points the difference my heart can take.

[LostDoggy]

These Dogs are creating their own history.