What does WOOF mean to you survey

[GVGjr]

As you would all be aware, contributions to discussions has been dwindling for a while now and I’m just trying to gauge our WOOF community to see if it’s worth maintaining the site going forward.
In the poll I’ve listed a number of options which will hopefully give me an idea about the likely participation to discussions going forward will look like and I’d appreciate it if you can be as honest as you can with your responses
A non-response would indicate that you don’t plan on contributing to discussions going forward. The poll will allow multiple selections but please no more than two.

And finally if you prefer, please contact me via the private message option with any suggestions, comments or thoughts.

Just so you know I have number in mind (of WOOF members) that would make it viable and obviously if we have enough people interested and willing to participate then I’m more than happy to keep the site running.
If we fall short of that number it becomes difficult to justify the time and effort to keep the site running.

A lot of us, so many in fact, have been here from the early days so I know the site means a lot to many people but it’s not as vibrant as it should be so that’s why I’m canvassing the WOOF community now


Regards
Gary

[S Coast Simon]

I definitely don’t contribute as much as I would like and I will make an effort to get more involved. I view this site daily as I love to read and discuss everything bulldogs. You all do an amazing job on here please keep it going

[Max469]

You do a great job Gary and I don't contribute as I should. I am here every day and would miss if not here.

[josie]

Guessing folks are waiting on some footy action before posting. During footy season and during trade season I would feel kind of like I had lost a limb (ok an exaggeration- as if I had lost my car keys) without woof.

[jeemak]

I’ve struggled to post as much after my move to Vietnam and due to work prior to that.....

It’s a great site, a good positive start to the season will hopefully have it humming again.

[Hotdog60]

I will contribute a bit more once footy season starts.
I'm here on a daily basis I would check before work sometimes if time permits and I always check in after work and weekends.
Being up north this site is a life line to the Bulldogs because you read Bulldogs in the news up here there's Canterbury left of the title.
I would miss the VFL reports and AFLW reports so I would be force back to Big Footy a site I haven't been to since I stubble onto this one in 2009.
It will be a sad sad day if this site closes. I'll be left with trolling google news and low quality reporting with no depth or knowledge.

[soupman]

This is the only website I check every day.

I only contribute when I think I have something to contribute that hasn't already been sent (unless I just need to vent).

I know within my family there are multiple people both members of this forum and not who enjoy its content and the discussion it provokes.

This is easily the best source of information on the Bulldogs for anything ranging from official articles to obscure opinions about rookie list prospects.

[bornadog]

I think people see the site as primarily for discussing the Bulldogs and footy and therefore it dies down a bit in the off -season. When the footy season starts again, hopefully it will ramp up once more.

I don't bother with any other footy site and can't stand discussions on facebook. Twitter to me is more of a news feed from Media and the club and a few others.

[boydogs]

I post a bit but like others I'll be more active when there is more happening during the season
Probably get a better idea of activity a few weeks in

[Bulldog Joe]

i really appreciate the site and check in as regularly as I can.

Unfortunately, my ability to contribute has been impacted over the past 3 or 4 years due to other facets of my life.

This also means I get to less footy than previously and makes me more reliant on the contributions of others.

I will continue to do what I can to maintain a worthwhile contribution.

[Bumper Bulldogs]

Like others I'm time poor and (I have now made it my New Years resolution) to make more effort to add to some of these threads. I truely understand and appreciate the efforts and time that running and maintaining these type of site require.

Your passion, thoughts, knowledge and insights are highly rated and don't go unrecognised. A huge thank you to you, the other mods and everyone who make it a must go to to have a read and enjoy the banter, discussion, highs and lows of our beloved club and players. :)

[Yankee Hotel Foxtrot]

I won't try to justify my decline in output, as I'm sure many have similar competing demands on our time.
Whilst I check the site out daily during the off-season, regular contributiins would come at the expense of attending to other priorities.
During the season, I'll be a consistent contributor again, in and around the actual games.
I love the site, but completely understand that it needs to be vibrant enough a place to justify the effort required to keep it going.

[AshMac]

To me, this site is the best source of INFORMED news, opinion, discussion and debate about the dogs. I’m on here most days in the off-season but find my interest in footy in general w little lower at this time of year.

When the season was on it’s the best source of inside info and club news and getting amongst the conversation is great!

Plus it’s just nice to be somewhere that everyone loves the dogs as much as I do.

[hujsh]

I check the site every day (sometimes even before my emails at work) and would be lost on where to get my Bulldogs fix without it.

I used to post a lot but kind of felt I wasn't actually contributing anything and eased off (I was also a teenager and matured/grew up). I'll generally make my point or weigh in if there's a debate I have an opinion on or feel like challenging someone's position.

[Eastdog]

WOOF is great. Enjoy reading all your contributions and do post now where I think I am able to on a thread.

I occasionally start some interesting threads for discussion and have a big involvement in setting up the set threads during the season.

Will probably increase my posting rate once the season really starts getting underway.

[BornInDroopSt'54]

WOOF has enriched my Bulldog experience exponentially. I have been a lone wolf supporter all my life but finding WOOF gives me involvemnt in the Bulldogs community. I tend not to project my opinions about coaching, team tactics much I am more of a footy follower but try to contribute my loyalty and support.

[KT31]

I thoroughly enjoy being part of the Woof community, whilst living interstate it was my "go to" for all Bulldogs and AFL news.
Living back in Vic and with Footy off seasons being my peak work seasons, I don't get on or contribute as much as I would like/should.
Gaz, you and the Mods do a great job and Woof would be sorely missed if closed down.
I promise to do my best and lift my game.
To add , being part of the Woof family when we won the Flag really enriched and enhanced what was already a fantastic time.

[The Pie Man]

Reckon I've checked WOOF at least once every work day for 11 years.
It's connected me more to the club - especially in the Rocket years - and having a group outside of my family (I'm not friends with a single Dogs fan) to share our recent success with has been *grand*
I'll commit to contributing more and lurking less

[Eastdog]

I’ll add as well while I’m in Victoria myself Metro Melbourne specifically this forum is great in particular for our interstate supporters and overseas supporters like Fredi and FarAwayDog who wouldn’t get much AFL and Bulldog news from where they are.

[Axe Man]

The demise of WOOF would dramatically increase my productivity at work and we simply can't have that! Please do not force me back to Big Footy where I can't stand at least 50% of the dogs posters, never mind the other clubs supporters.

I have no idea what's involved in running this site but is there any benefit in getting more people involved to spread the load? I'm sure there would be a few on here that would be willing to help.

[GVGjr]

The demise of WOOF would dramatically increase my productivity at work and we simply can't have that! Please do not force me back to Big Footy where I can't stand at least 50% of the dogs posters, never mind the other clubs supporters.

I have no idea what's involved in running this site but is there any benefit in getting more people involved to spread the load? I'm sure there would be a few on here that would be willing to help.

I'll be in touch ;)

[angelopetraglia]

I'm also another who would really miss WOOF if it didn't exist. It has been a fantastic resource over the years to have an intelligent and informed discussion about all things Western Bulldogs. It has helped me ride out the pain (e.g. Prelim losses, Rhode era, McCartney fall out) and feel the raw joy and passion of that on unbelievable month in 2016.

[The Doctor]

You get better news, insight and analysis here than anywhere else.

[Scraggers]

The problem with Facebook, Big Footy and other social media's is the trolls. WOOF has all the info they have (most times before they have) and the trolls are kept in check. I LOVE WOOF !!!!

I have been a member of WOOF for over ten years; WOOF is the only source of information I truly trust. WOOF keeps us ex-pats connected with our club. WOOF is the reason I have so many Bulldog mates from all over the continent. WOOF is the reason I got to see my team win a Grand Final live.

I would not survive without WOOF.

I understand the reason for this thread. Like others, my contributions have waned with work and family commitments ... Like others, I will endeavour to contribute more.

Thanks Gary :)

[Torpedo]

This site links me with my tribe and I would be bereft without it. I'm not one for a lot of input , but I love reading members' views and insights. Particularly now that I live in regional Vic and don't get to many games anymore, opening this forum is part of my daily ritual. Even at this time of year with not much material to work with, there is almost always something of interest to ponder. Your efforts in keeping this forum going are deeply appreciated.
Is there anyway the club itself could consider providing some support and insider access, as I'm sure the members here are among the most committed/ hardcore long term supporters of the club. You would think the club would love to get closer with supporter groups. My internet here is appalling and the club's site is not so useful, as it's very graphics heavy and video based. I struggle to open the videos most nights. Never have a problem reading the contributions here though, and they are more thoughtful, insightful and useful than the many puff pieces on the club's site.
If its partly a financial matter, I'm happy to chip in for an annual fee/contribution to maintain the site.

[Testekill]

I used to be a moderator on Bigfooty so I started posting on WOOF because it meant I could just let my hair down and be myself. I still do post here because it's just a much more chill alternative where you're not wading through slapfights or bad faith posting just to get to the meat.

[Eastdog]

It is great during the trade and draft time getting some big posts from Mofra, BT and The Doctor to name a few about the talent out there.

[BulldogBelle]

I think that one big problem with this site is that the women's football and the VFL are on separate pages. To increase the content and viewing pleasure please get rid of the separate pages and combine them into this one. This is my opinion and I know others may have a different opinion.

[GVGjr]

I think that one big problem with this site is that the women's football and the VFL are on separate pages. To increase the content and viewing pleasure please get rid of the separate pages and combine them into this one. This is my opinion and I know others may have a different opinion.

I know it's been a bugbear of yours but it's nowhere near a big problem

[Hotdog60]

I think that one big problem with this site is that the women's football and the VFL are on separate pages. To increase the content and viewing pleasure please get rid of the separate pages and combine them into this one. This is my opinion and I know others may have a different opinion.

I like them separate. When I come on the forum I click new posts so all the information is right in front of me anyway. The Women's comp will only get bigger and I wouldn't be surprised or hope that they are curtain raisers for every game played in the season including the finals series.

[boydogs]

I think that one big problem with this site is that the women's football and the VFL are on separate pages. To increase the content and viewing pleasure please get rid of the separate pages and combine them into this one. This is my opinion and I know others may have a different opinion.

I use New Posts, so it doesn't matter

https://www.woof.net.au/forum/search.php?do=getnew&contenttype=vBForum_Post

[bornadog]

I think that one big problem with this site is that the women's football and the VFL are on separate pages. To increase the content and viewing pleasure please get rid of the separate pages and combine them into this one. This is my opinion and I know others may have a different opinion.

I think it is great how we have these separate forums for each, and they are easily found by pressing the forum button and the list is in front of you.

[Go_Dogs]

As many have said, it can be challenging to find time to make articulate and considered contributions - particularly at this point of the off-season. We don't get huge amounts of access to pre-season training, the draft and trade period is a distant memory and we're another month away from real footy.

There's a lot of unknowns this season, along with a hint of expectation. I'm confident we'll see more activity as we near round one.

[chef]

I guess i find it hard to be too active this time of year as theres not much going on, I'll still check in and lurk a couple of times a day.

Though i do mod a board(soccer, its small and good like this place) on BF i havent been on the Dogs board for years and dont want to ever go back(its terrible). I'd be happy to pay to fee/donation to keep this site going.

Im sure things will pick up again once the games start.

[westdog54]

When I get a notification from the Bulldogs App or something on my Facebook feed about some big club news, I immediately log on to WOOF to check out the discussion and see if I can contribute.

If some big AFL news breaks I do the same.

Because this forum is the only online football discussion worth having.

[Smads57]

Gary - when I discovered this site just over 4 years ago, i couldn't believe my luck. So many trips into and back from work since have consisted of checking WOOF for the latest news/thoughts of contributors.

I have not been a great contributor within most threads but have tried to instead identify a 'niche' space where I can contribute something in an area that is 'less mainstream'. As I have always been interested in watching 'seconds' football (purely for watching the development of the next 'gun'), I have been making contributions to the VFL thread on game days - obviously this restricts my input during the off season.

I also tend to go to many of the club's functions, so try to add some thoughts from these events from time to time - again this means limited input during the off season.

In a nutshell, I will be contributing to this site again in 2019 in those areas noted above.

[bulldogtragic]

Gary - when I discovered this site just over 4 years ago, i couldn't believe my luck. So many trips into and back from work since have consisted of checking WOOF for the latest news/thoughts of contributors.

I have not been a great contributor within most threads but have tried to instead identify a 'niche' space where I can contribute something in an area that is 'less mainstream'. As I have always been interested in watching 'seconds' football (purely for watching the development of the next 'gun'), I have been making contributions to the VFL thread on game days - obviously this restricts my input during the off season.

I also tend to go to many of the club's functions, so try to add some thoughts from these events from time to time - again this means limited input during the off season.

In a nutshell, I will be contributing to this site again in 2019 in those areas noted above.

At the risk of sidetracking the thread, I really appreciate your VFL updates and insights. Even if you do leave occasionally at halftime for a hot date. :D

A bunch of people have their areas on intense interest and share same (VFL, TAC, coaching, news articles, draft, trade etc). I think that's why WOOF is so good, you can log off most weeks feeling better informed across the board for it. But I think Gary makes a keen observation that of the hundreds of forum members maybe only 30 are active contributors. I know I appreciate when new posters jump in as regulars and enhance the discussions with their perspectives. When more news starts to filter in, I hope that's what happens too.

[GVGjr]

Gary - when I discovered this site just over 4 years ago, i couldn't believe my luck. So many trips into and back from work since have consisted of checking WOOF for the latest news/thoughts of contributors.

I have not been a great contributor within most threads but have tried to instead identify a 'niche' space where I can contribute something in an area that is 'less mainstream'. As I have always been interested in watching 'seconds' football (purely for watching the development of the next 'gun'), I have been making contributions to the VFL thread on game days - obviously this restricts my input during the off season.

I also tend to go to many of the club's functions, so try to add some thoughts from these events from time to time - again this means limited input during the off season.

In a nutshell, I will be contributing to this site again in 2019 in those areas noted above.

As BT mentioned your contribution has been significant, as have many other members, so it's not the case of wanting members to post for the sake of it but there are little ways members can choose to contribute a bit more to the site if they really want it to get stronger.

In general terms for a forum:

Quality over quantity also works particularly well for discussion forums and at times we have a few too many tweet type contributions that aren't worth opening the thread to start with.

Last year even the posting for the Marmo and James awards were well down in some weeks. I would have thought that is an easy thread for members to contribute to but after a loss it's basically the same 12 to 20 people casting their votes and that is low numbers for a forum that might have more than a 100 contributors log on during the day.

Starting threads is also a great way to encourage others to participate as is welcoming new members or acknowledging a quality contribution from another member. At the moment it's left to too few to try and keep things vibrant.

I know many people who have been with the forum for a long while are now time poor but if people are logging on 4 or 5 times a day and in some instances even more than that as many do especially during the season I think it's more about self motivation than genuinely being time poor.

We've only have about 60 people read this thread since it was started and only 45 have even cast a vote. That's very low numbers for a discussion forum even if it is the off season and means 25% of the forum members don't have the time to even select one of the pre-selected options provided.

[mjp]

We've only have about 60 people read this thread since it was started and only 45 have even cast a vote. That's very low numbers for a discussion forum even if it is the off season and means 25% of the forum members don't have the time to even select one of the options provided.

That’s a bit sad. I have to say none of the options really felt like ‘me’ but since you asked me to vote I did...I would be keen to understand why others chose to ignore the request? I have to admit, I wasn’t really sure what to pick...I have been with the site from the start and for someone interstate it plays a key role in keeping me connected with the club. I am not really a snap face person so whilsr I technically ‘follow’ the club on social media I really don’t. And whilst I technically have the clubs app on my phone, I really don’t. And whilst I technically follow a heap of afl journos on twitter so I can see bulldogs content, I really don’t. Honestly, I grew tired of the ‘special’ members commentary video with Bevo etc emailed directly to me by the club as well... I pretty much rely on this site for all of that stuff...and the comments of the posters on here’s really colour my opinions on the team.

On your other points here whilst I do try to contribute every week, I pretty much never, ever vote in the awards threads mostly because I just don’t care who the ‘best’ players were in any given game (and I don’t think that is a secret). The site is great. I wish there was a bit more debate (I guess) but honestly some times when I post it is just to write stuff down and I really don’t care what others think about it (again, probably not a secret).

Do I miss anything we ‘used’ to have? Of course. I mean, obviously I miss fight club. And further to that I miss the interviews TCD used to do...I miss those a lot because it gave it stuff that was ‘ours’ and the fact these guys who many of us so admired would give up a bit of time for a ‘fansite’ made it just feel a little more special and important. I think that ‘stuff’ certainly encouraged interaction and brought people to the site but then again, you have the stats not me.

I don’t know mate. I log on here pretty much every day to see what my ‘bulldogs people’ think about the world...I don’t have many of them over here - I mean, my business is a left foot barrel from Freo hq and the eagles are building their new home base at my footy club - and I would feel pretty lost without it.

[GVGjr]

Thanks MJP, if there are other options that might more accurately reflect how people feel, I'm happy to add them to the poll.
As I said in the opening post it's more about trying to gauge if there is enough interest in the WOOF community to keep the site running.

One of the great pleasures I had when we originally started the site was that I think it linked more interstate members with the club and they didn't feel the isolation they might have previously. But now there are many different options available that might be better connect people with the club especially the time poor supporters. I think online communities like WOOF can still bridge that gap for the non Victorian based followers of the club but there are substantially more platforms that communicate to the supporters.

Last year I contacted something like 80 lapsed members of the site that used to contribute to discussions but now don't. Some say they will lift it up a notch but in most instances it's perhaps one or two posts before it dries up again. Most of them say that they would just prefer to read the thoughts of others and they don't want to contribute and many don't even bother to respond.

I do get that things like voting for the better players each week isn't for everyone but it's an example of how we've lost momentum. To me it's more about the quality of discussion not necessarily the volume but if there is low volume and the contributions are more in line with tweets than genuine discussions it's not a good sign for the site going forward.

There needs to be a reason for people to log on and want to contribute to discussions but if there is only a handful of posts to read and the quality of the posts isn't much then it certainly won't motivate others to contribute.

I still enjoy talking about the Bulldogs and it's is something I don't think I will ever grow tired of but I'm not sure how many others still have that passion.

[hujsh]

I will say that if the club performs better I suspect many more will cast votes on the best on threads. When the team plays shit and it's really just Macrae and one other who had a good day it's hard to care who the 4th best on was because the 4th best on probably wasn't that great.

When you have a good run and there are well performing players you want to highlight and different performs to choose from that's when those threads become more interesting and relevant.

I often don't vote because I don't keep track very well of who performed (back in the day I'd barely notice half of Scott Wests many possessions until I saw in the stats he had 45 or something)

[westdog54]

Thanks MJP, if there are other options that might more accurately reflect how people feel, I'm happy to add them to the poll.
As I said in the opening post it's more about trying to gauge if there is enough interest in the WOOF community to keep the site running.

One of the great pleasures I had when we originally started the site was that I think it linked more interstate members with the club and they didn't feel the isolation they might have previously. But now there are many different options available that might be better connect people with the club especially the time poor supporters. I think online communities like WOOF can still bridge that gap for the non Victorian based followers of the club but there are substantially more platforms that communicate to the supporters.

Last year I contacted something like 80 lapsed members of the site that used to contribute to discussions but now don't. Some say they will lift it up a notch but in most instances it's perhaps one or two posts before it dries up again. Most of them say that they would just prefer to read the thoughts of others and they don't want to contribute and many don't even bother to respond.

I do get that things like voting for the better players each week isn't for everyone but it's an example of how we've lost momentum. To me it's more about the quality of discussion not necessarily the volume but if there is low volume and the contributions are more in line with tweets than genuine discussions it's not a good sign for the site going forward.

There needs to be a reason for people to log on and want to contribute to discussions but if there is only a handful of posts to read and the quality of the posts isn't much then it certainly won't motivate others to contribute.

I still enjoy talking about the Bulldogs and it's is something I don't think I will ever grow tired of but I'm not sure how many others still have that passion.

FWIW I may be moving to NSW in the next 12-18 months so I might be relying on WOOF more than ever.

[GVGjr]

FWIW I may be moving to NSW in the next 12-18 months so I might be relying on WOOF more than ever.

I can recall living on the Central Coast of NSW in the 90's and having bugger all access to news, reports, TV and even radio calls of the game. I used to have to sit in front of the PC and AFL.com hitting the refresh button every 30 seconds to see how we were going.
I'd also have to knock off a bit earlier on a Monday and drive out to Terrigal to get the Sunday papers before the news agent shut.
I even used to record the footy show which started about 11pm on Thursday night and watch it a day later.

Fortunately with the advanced technology if people want to follow the club now from interstate there are plenty of options.

[westdog54]

I can recall living on the Central Coast of NSW in the 90's and having bugger all access to news, reports, TV and even radio calls of the game. I used to have to sit in front of the PC and AFL.com hitting the refresh button every 30 seconds to see how we were going.
I'd also have to knock off a bit earlier on a Monday and drive out to Terrigal to get the Sunday papers before the news agent shut.
I even used to record the footy show which started about 11pm on Thursday night and watch it a day later.

Fortunately with the advanced technology if people want to follow the club now from interstate there are plenty of options.

I'll definitely be getting a Kayo subscription.

[Eastdog]

I contribute quite a bit on the game day threads themselves particularly when we play interstate not so much when we play here as I’m fully focussed being at the game and always post up my after match thoughts at the end.

Where did Lantern go?

[Scraggers]

Like Westdog and MJP; living in this two team town, we get very little Bulldogs news unless we stuff up royally it we are playing against the Dorkers or Weasels.
This site is my life life and connection to the club.

I also loved the interviews that TCD used to put up on the site regularly. I would love it if someone with ‘connections ‘ to our great club could get that happening again :cool:

[Dry Rot]

I saw this thread the other day and have given it a bit of thought before responding. I think you can break this up into looking at site activity in the off season, and in season.

This off season

Once the trading and draft periods were over, we've had little news to discuss. I understand most of the training sessions are closed so we don't know much about that. Thank God we have had no major new injuries. The coaching staff has not really changed. Some issues like Picken's concussion and Boyd's bad back were known previously.

I think that other related or competing sites are struggling as well. AFL.com is struggling to put up any interesting use across the competition at the moment. BigFooty has had all sorts of nonsense, including threads comparing Bontempelli to David Bowie. It may have a lot more traffic and posts, but it is certainly quantity and often nonsense over quality.

During the season

The reported drop off is a concern. Speaking for some of the interstate supporters here without Foxtel, it is very difficult to post best players based on listening to a radio call or six minutes of highlights. Likewise, without watching the game, it is difficult to sensibly post in game day threats. Often I'm just posting questions rather than opinions.

So from my perspective I'm not that concerned about the pre-season here and expecting things to really pick up in a few weeks with the preseason games. However, the drop off is a concern during the season.

Does anyone have any good ideas about how to get some new members? I suppose the SEO of the site could be looked at, but I think we need more then that.

Thoughts?

[boydogs]

Does anyone have any good ideas about how to get some new members? I suppose the SEO of the site could be looked at, but I think we need more then that

Promoting on Bigfooty, Facebook and Twitter would work, but would you want it to?

The site functions well as a boutique with quality over quantity

[The Bulldogs Bite]

My contributions have died off in recent times mainly due to lack of time, I’ve moved into a new place, got married and got a new job all within a year.

I still try to login most days and post when I can offer something. I’m sure that will pick up once the season starts but apologies for my drop off.

As a poster from the beginning, I’d be lost without WOOF. It’s certainly been a great part of my life to share experiences and opinions with other like minded people. It helps with the bad taste of a loss and it sweetens victories - think back to 2016 and we had some wonderful stories going around.

Let’s hope activity picks up as the team itself improves.

[Doggy]

I have been a WOOF member for 8 or so years. I have never been a prolific poster and do admit to being just a lurker recently. I have been through some personal issues over the last 12 months and I suppose with the team not doing so well the passion has waned a touch.
I, like many on here log in every day to get the latest info on our club.
I am planning on being far more active this year and can't wait for the season to start.

Onwards and Upwards.

[Happy Days]

There's definitely times I've definitely posted more, but I still try to maintain a presence. Working at a job where you actually have to do something has hindered my ability to post as much as I'd like

I think the contributions will definitely pick up once there's current content to talk about. We've kinda plateaued at gaining new members who contribute a heap, so in addition to what everyone's said we're a bit tapped for those "whats your favourite memory of x" threads that take up so much time in the off-season.

That said, I need WOOF GVG, please don't close the site. Have you thought about reaching out to the club for some assistance? I know they have an official presence here and they definitely owe us after taking so, so much.

[ratsmac]

Life would not be the same without WOOF. Like a lot of the others have said, I check in here on a daily for any "real" news about the club. If I see something of any significance between all the BS on Facebook forums or the like, I will come straight to WOOF to see if any sensible people have said anything about it here. If there is nothing I know it was nothing.

I am guilty of being a lurker who needs to contribute more to topics. Its easy when we are winning games and grand finals to contribute but no so in the off season after a disappointing couple years after reaching the summit. I will be adding my 2 bobs worth more often from now on.
I believe things will pick up again when we start winning more games again.

Thanks to all who keep this site ticking over. I enjoy all the personalities that come out through their posts. I have definitely taken for granted the time and effort it takes in to keeping such an good informative forum going while keeping the trolls and keyboard warriors at bay. If there is also a financial burden that makes it hard to keep this site up and running I'm happy to donate to ease the burden.

Again thanks to all the Admin and Mods who make WOOF happen.

[GVGjr]

There's definitely times I've definitely posted more, but I still try to maintain a presence. Working at a job where you actually have to do something has hindered my ability to post as much as I'd like

I think the contributions will definitely pick up once there's current content to talk about. We've kinda plateaued at gaining new members who contribute a heap, so in addition to what everyone's said we're a bit tapped for those "whats your favourite memory of x" threads that take up so much time in the off-season.

That said, I need WOOF GVG, please don't close the site. Have you thought about reaching out to the club for some assistance? I know they have an official presence here and they definitely owe us after taking so, so much.

We do have a great core of contributors in the WOOF community and it's certainly not about quantity over quality but over the last 2 years there has been a dwindling participation rate which has me questioning if there is enough interest to keep it going.

When you look at Bulldogs Bite response, just married, new house and new job then it's clear he is stretched for time
Many others like yourself are also finding it harder to get onto the site than perhaps before.

For whatever reasons we've lost some good contributors completely and at the same time many others are struggling for time which is understandable. In previous years we had the same challenges but we had enough new members wanting to contribute to conversations which just about covered it.

Over the last 3 years though we've had enough new members join but getting enough of them to be regular contributors has been a frustrating experience. For every AshMac and Vred who have recently joined and made a good contribution there are 30 others that have joined but with little too no interest in contributing to discussion. Many of them are very clear that they only joined the site to read the thoughts of others and some are quite sharp in their response that they won't be contributing.

Dry Rot mentions SEO's (Search Engine Optimisation) for the site but I don't believe that is the issue. If 60 people sign up in 2017 then enough people are finding the site however, if 18 months later only 3 of them get to double digits in post numbers then that creates a void.

Happy Days, I don't want to close the site and I know it means a lot to a number of people but I do think it's worth reminding the WOOF community of where we are and where it's possibly heading.

[GVGjr]

Life would not be the same without WOOF. Like a lot of the others have said, I check in here on a daily for any "real" news about the club. If I see something of any significance between all the BS on Facebook forums or the like, I will come straight to WOOF to see if any sensible people have said anything about it here. If there is nothing I know it was nothing.

I am guilty of being a lurker who needs to contribute more to topics. Its easy when we are winning games and grand finals to contribute but no so in the off season after a disappointing couple years after reaching the summit. I will be adding my 2 bobs worth more often from now on.
I believe things will pick up again when we start winning more games again.



2,500 posts in so you are hardly a lurker ratsmac.

Perhaps a strong season will spark some of the members.

[I'm Not Bitter Anymore!]

WOOF is an island of sanity - footy would be colourless without it

[soupman]

Couple of further points that may explain the lack of enthusiasm atm:

-the club is giving next to nothing back. Uninspiring form gives little to get excited about. And it's complete unwillingness to let the supporters in by shutting us out of any inside info or even just being able to watch pre season training kills the off season. Aside from the one report on BF from the training camp there has been virtually no reports on anything football related at the club. I remember my favourite parts of preseasons past have been reading about who impressed posters when they went down to watch training. Atm we are getting none of that.

-the constant stream of "news" and "opinions" fromAFL related media makes it almost fatiguing to want to think about issues. For example, I have already seen about 10 variations of the same article discussing the impact of the new ruck rule. I don't really feel like diving into and extended discussion on here about something I was only mildly interested in to start with anyway.

-is there a chance that the discussion on here has become almost universally too in depth? By that I mean aside from gameday threads most posts are at the least a paragraph, if not half an essay. This is a good thing, but when a topic is comprehensively covered within 10 posts and it is clear that you are expected to articulate any point you make I can see how some new posters may have trouble becoming active contributors. Not only is there potentially the hurdle of new posters not feeling like they could contribute enough, but also the time it takes to create a decent sized post (anywhere from 5-25 minutes) could just be too much for someone who signs up purely to browse a couple of times a day.

[Vred]

Soon as season starts I’ll be in here daily. Offseason right now so it’s bound to be slow, but yeah never close, I read here almost daily and is a great way for me to catch up on the Dogs.

a suggestion if your trying to grow is remove the “no gmail or hotmail” limitation on signing up for new members, I can tell you that put me off signing up for the longest time because I simply didn’t have a non gmail account to sign up with.

[Mofra]

I really enjoy Woof and would be very sad to see it go.

There is some excellent discussion on here and all Bulldogs related articles find their way here too which helps when just quickly scanning the net.

[Insufficient Intent]

One of the strengths of WOOF is the absence of vacuous posts. No one opens their mouth here unless they've something meaningful to contribute.
Quality over quantity, always time well (and enjoyably) spent.

[EasternWest]

I have been a WOOF member for 8 or so years. I have never been a prolific poster and do admit to being just a lurker recently. I have been through some personal issues over the last 12 months and I suppose with the team not doing so well the passion has waned a touch.
I, like many on here log in every day to get the latest info on our club.
I am planning on being far more active this year and can't wait for the season to start.

Onwards and Upwards.

I hope everything is on the up and up mate.

[Eastdog]

I have been a WOOF member for 8 or so years. I have never been a prolific poster and do admit to being just a lurker recently. I have been through some personal issues over the last 12 months and I suppose with the team not doing so well the passion has waned a touch.
I, like many on here log in every day to get the latest info on our club.
I am planning on being far more active this year and can't wait for the season to start.

Onwards and Upwards.

Like EasternWest said hope everything is alright now Doggy.

[Doggy]

Thanks EasternWest and Eastdog.
It's been a tough 12 months, my dad was diagnosed with Alzheimer's and its been hard for him and hard for the family to come to terms with.
I'm sure we'll all get through it just like many other families have had to do.
It's such a shit disease.

[Eastdog]

Thanks EasternWest and Eastdog.
It's been a tough 12 months, my dad was diagnosed with Alzheimer's and its been hard for him and hard for the family to come to terms with.
I'm sure we'll all get through it just like many other families have had to do.
It's such a shit disease.

So sorry to hear that mate. Stay strong for your Dad and the family.

[Daughter of the West]

I'd be incredibly sad if this site were to shut up shop. I haven't been a terribly prolific poster, but being on maternity leave with pup #2 has meant that I'm looking at a proper computer very infrequently and mindless scrolling through facebook with phone in hand a hell of a lot more (particularly at 2am...!).

Is there a way to optimize the presentation of Woof to look at on a phone rather than a computer/ipad?

[dadsgirl16]

I too would be lost without this wonderful site..check it daily to get my fix

I Am probably guilty of reading more than contributing but promise to amend my ways!

[Eastdog]

I wonder how difficult it would be to create a WOOF app for the iPhone. Would be another great way to access the site. Bigfooty has an app.

[AndrewP6]

How long have numbers dropped off for? It is the off-season, after all. I for one, am not interested in the least in AFLX, AFLW, preseason reports (everyone is flying!), draft prospects, state leagues. I know many are, and good luck to them, but not me.One post earlier alluded to feeling unsure about posting as there are many knowledgeable posters. I know I’ll look at posts and just skip them if/when I feel that way.

If possible, see what things are like early in season. It’s a footy site primarily.

[Sedat]

Woof is the only reason I keep in touch with the footy. I greatly appreciate the work done by GVGjr and the mods to keep it going and I hope it continues, but understand if it cannot.

Some of the pre-match tactical write-up threads circa 2008-2010 were top shelf - dirty media scribes could only wish they had 5% of the ability and insight to cover the game with as much detail and knowledge.

[SonofScray]

WOOF is a site I check multiple times daily during footy season and fairly frequently in off season.

I really enjoy contributing to the post game review, Bankers & Anchors and Three Things I Learned threads. Love framing the game through those lenses and seeing who saw it differently.

If I am on social media in-game I'll use twitter. Contributions around women's footy there are a little stronger too.

Reddit, big footy, Facebook I check but tbh it's a minefield of dross and very few linear discussions to get much out of.

[Dancin' Douggy]

I totally love woof. It is my go to source of all footy related news.

I have absolutely zero interest in any other sport on earth (other than surfing) so I pretty much drop off over summer.

I will make a concerted effort to contribute more. I used to start the odd thread, but I'm usually on my phone rather than my computer and it's very very difficult to write stuff on woof on your phone. very frustrating and un-user friendly.

I've just recently got a laptop so I'll be able to contribute more.

I want to thank the moderators and everyone involved in keeping woof up and running.

Baby please don't go.

[The Pie Man]

Just throwing this out there as some *may* feel similar.

Not crying about this at all, but I feel I can be a bit of a thread killer with my posts...as my post will either be the last on a thread with no further discussion or someone will quote an earlier post and continue the thread ignoring my post.

Anyone else relate?

I'm fine with it - just explains my lack of posting at times, despite checking the site close to daily.

[boydogs]

Just throwing this out there as some *may* feel similar.

Not crying about this at all, but I feel I can be a bit of a thread killer with my posts...as my post will either be the last on a thread with no further discussion or someone will quote an earlier post and continue the thread ignoring my post.

Anyone else relate?

I'm fine with it - just explains my lack of posting at times, despite checking the site close to daily.

Great, you've killed the thread now

[The Pie Man]

Great, you've killed the thread now

Only took 10 hours to get pointed out :p

[Twodogs]

Just throwing this out there as some *may* feel similar.

Not crying about this at all, but I feel I can be a bit of a thread killer with my posts...as my post will either be the last on a thread with no further discussion or someone will quote an earlier post and continue the thread ignoring my post.

Anyone else relate?

I'm fine with it - just explains my lack of posting at times, despite checking the site close to daily.

Yep, I sometimes feel that way too.

[westdog54]

Just throwing this out there as some *may* feel similar.

Not crying about this at all, but I feel I can be a bit of a thread killer with my posts...as my post will either be the last on a thread with no further discussion or someone will quote an earlier post and continue the thread ignoring my post.

Anyone else relate?

I'm fine with it - just explains my lack of posting at times, despite checking the site close to daily.

Has happened to me plenty of times.

I also don't see 'likes' or 'thanks' for my posts as I generally browse and post using the mobile version of the site, which is greatly trimmed down.

[The Pie Man]

Will re-iterate that it hasn't diminished my love of the site - if things I've contributed can't be expanded on, then so be it - it just explains a lack of posting at times.

I've learnt a lot about the game by coming here - some of where the game has gone I may never fully understand. It's still (mostly) a cracking spectator sport run by douche-bags

[Eastdog]

I just got a like now for a post from BID54.

[Scraggers]

Has happened to me plenty of times.

I also don't see 'likes' or 'thanks' for my posts as I generally browse and post using the mobile version of the site, which is greatly trimmed down.

Sorry ... had to do it :p

[Scraggers]

I know its been spoken about before, but with the amount of people accessing WOOF via mobile, I do wonder if an app would be a better way of producing input and contributions.

I always access WOOF via my mobile when I'm at home and PC when I'm at work; replying to a thread via mobile is so much harder.

[Eastdog]

I know its been spoken about before, but with the amount of people accessing WOOF via mobile, I do wonder if an app would be a better way of producing input and contributions.

I always access WOOF via my mobile when I'm at home and PC when I'm at work; replying to a thread via mobile is so much harder.

I suggested that. Could be an idea we could pitch to GVGjr.

[hujsh]

It is harder to read the gameday thread at the games on my phone. Would have to depend on the cost of setting up and getting an app in the stores I imagine.

Maybe there are Woofers who can volunteer to do that and help out? I would if I did. (easy claim to make not having to back it up)

[westdog54]

It is harder to read the gameday thread at the games on my phone. Would have to depend on the cost of setting up and getting an app in the stores I imagine.

Maybe there are Woofers who can volunteer to do that and help out? I would if I did. (easy claim to make not having to back it up)

If you look down the bottom of the screen, there's a little drop box that reads -- Woof. It lets you select Mobile viewing.

The interface is fairly limited but its far, far easier to read. There are some advanced posting features that don't work on mobile style and the quote buttons can be a little clunky but it gets the job done.

[hujsh]

If you look down the bottom of the screen, there's a little drop box that reads -- Woof. It lets you select Mobile viewing.

The interface is fairly limited but its far, far easier to read. There are some advanced posting features that don't work on mobile style and the quote buttons can be a little clunky but it gets the job done.

Thanks, hardly every noticed that in all the years the site's been here.

[westdog54]

Thanks, hardly every noticed that in all the years the site's been here.

I found it by accident as well but its a god send if I'm on the train.

[GVGjr]

First up a big thanks to those who have contributed to discussions so far.

A quick view of things so far.
There has been 65 members cast votes. Just 82 members have ready the thread in over a week. A high number of people in terms of % didn't share their views. About 10 members of the 65 don't have the time anymore and some would prefer to just read the thoughts of others so the numbers of those with the time and interest isn't great.

Those who would like the forum to keep going are very committed and I know the site means a lot to them and there have been a few offers to assist which has been greatly appreciated. On top of that there has also been some very good suggestions on what might improve things. I'll look into some of the more system type options a bit further for consideration.

Maybe it's the time of the year but we haven't had as many people read the thread as I thought might. I'll look at it again in the next few days.

[Bulldog4life]

I had a sabbatical from posting on WOOF due to some health issues which I explained to Gary. However I am no where near finished with WOOF and certainly intend posting again.As Jack Dyer used to say I have just been lurking recently but lurkers don't win premierships. But as the poll states I’ll be coming out of my summer slumber and will be right back into it soon.

[GVGjr]

I had a sabbatical from posting on WOOF due to some health issues which I explained to Gary. However I am no where near finished with WOOF and certainly intend posting again.As Jack Dyer used to say I have just been lurking recently but lurkers don't win premierships. But as the poll states I’ll be coming out of my summer slumber and will be right back into it soon.

All the best B4L. Hope you are on the mend.

[Eastdog]

I had a sabbatical from posting on WOOF due to some health issues which I explained to Gary. However I am no where near finished with WOOF and certainly intend posting again.As Jack Dyer used to say I have just been lurking recently but lurkers don't win premierships. But as the poll states I’ll be coming out of my summer slumber and will be right back into it soon.

Hope all is well now B4L.

[GVGjr]

If anyone is interested in assisting the site with some organisation of threads and a few other tasks would you be so kind as to send me a private message. Easty and Bulldogtragic do a lot of work behind the scenes especially during the season and it would be great if we could add a couple of more dedicated WOOF members to that.


Thanks

[Axe Man]

I originally came to WOOF after getting a PM on Bigfooty telling me about the site. I wonder if we could selectively target some of the higher quality posters on Bigfooty to get a few more active posters on board?

[Eastdog]

If anyone is interested in assisting the site with some organisation of threads and a few other tasks would you be so kind as to send me a private message. Easty and Bulldogtragic do a lot of work behind the scenes especially during the season and it would be great if we could add a couple of more dedicated WOOF members to that.


Thanks

That would be good. Someone could start the Always Right match committee threads each week as I currently do that one along with Bankers and Anchors and the game day and other round matches threads which I’m happy to continuing doing.

[WBFC4FFC]

I know Gary has queried my contribution rate before. It is less than most.

Time has become more of an issue with family and business but more to the point is the initiations of discussions by others early in the piece. The content and feedback on the forums are insightful, well-thought out and always carried out with respect. We are all emotional in following our team but this sight is great in-terms of dealing with the crux of the matter, refraining from slagging players, coaches, staff and fellow members without it being constructive.

Love the site and I do not want to even think about the hours dedicated by Gary and Co in running the site. A labour of love that I am sure we all truly appreciate but never get to say it enough. I'd love to be in a position to help but me even responding before the deadline for this thread took a lot of time and effort.

Hopefully WOOF can continue in some shape or form moving forward.

PS: Can't remember what my votes were officially on, as I ticked most and then save prior to reading your comment Gary, where you say to limit it to two.

[GVGjr]

Thanks to everyone who has participated so far:

Inspired by a number of our quality members and a few encouraging private messages, we will keep the site running for another season no matter what. Hopefully it might also mean a few more years after that as well.

I've taken on some of the feedback so far (I'd like some more) and I can confirm we will start working with one of the technical guys to upgrade the software and we will also look at an app to make checking the site easier when people are on their mobile phones.
There were a couple of other suggestions we can also work with.

We still had less than 70 votes in nearly 2 weeks since the thread was started so I'd certainly like to hear from anyone who's been undecided about casting their votes and please feel free to contact me via a private message if you prefer that. Some things we can potentially fix and improve and perhaps some we can't but I'd still rather know if there is anything we can do a bit differently that might improve the site.

Encouragingly there has also been a couple of offers to assist the site with some organisation activities.
We've also got a couple of ideas we will be working on that might interest our current members and maybe some prospective ones.

Just remember though, the site is what you make of it. If we have a good participation rate then we might not only survive but thrive. If you have good ideas for a thread it helps the site immensely. Twodogs, the mods and myself need others to pitch in when they can and in the end we all benefit from it by having a more vibrant forum to visit.

Regards and Go Dogs,
Gary

[bornadog]

Having said all that GVGjr, I think it is during the season when the real test comes in on whether the site is supported. It would be good to get contributions from everyone and not just the usual suspects.

I can understand off season, people are not going to contribute as much and we should expect that. I certainly don't as there is not a lot to discuss (in my opinion).

The AFLW forum is not getting much love and I suspect alot of woofers are not that interested in talking about it. Maybe we can get more women to participate???

Go dogs!!!

[westdog54]

What about the 'match preview' threads we used to share around. Each week someone would take a turn at previewing the match ahead.

I know I'd be able to make the time to write up one preview during the season.

[mjp]

Having said all that GVGjr, I think it is during the season when the real test comes in on whether the site is supported. It would be good to get contributions from everyone and not just the usual suspects.

I can understand off season, people are not going to contribute as much and we should expect that. I certainly don't as there is not a lot to discuss (in my opinion).

The AFLW forum is not getting much love and I suspect alot of woofers are not that interested in talking about it. Maybe we can get more women to participate???

Go dogs!!!

It's funny...I didn't really have much to say about last week's game...it was just a dull game against what I thought was pretty poor opposition in (what appeared to be) terribly windy conditions...

[Murphy'sLore]

Guilty of everything -- I always have WOOF open on my laptop but I must admit I haven't checked in much recently, partly because it's the off-season, which is why I only saw this post today.

I do rely on WOOF as my go-to for Bulldog and general footy information and I frequently regurgitate the intelligent opinions of others and pass them off as my own in family discussions! I am very shy about technical matters, STILL don't understand the rules and I guess my chief interest is on the cultural side (gee I miss Lantern), which is why I limit my posts to peripheral threads about mostly non-football matters. I just don't feel smart enough to contribute on actual football.

But WOOF has really educated me and I will be forever grateful, and it's been so wonderful to feel like a part of the community, especially during that magical month in 2016.

I'm so relieved the site will continue for at least another year, I'd really miss it if it disappeared.

[EasternWest]

Thanks to everyone who has participated so far:

Inspired by a number of our quality members and a few encouraging private messages, we will keep the site running for another season no matter what. Hopefully it might also mean a few more years after that as well.


I know it's a time sink for you Gary, but is it also a financial sink? I don't post a lot but I read a lot and am more than happy to chip in some money if mitigating costs will make your life easier.

[Ghost Dog]

Being abroad and teaching I am afraid I have lapsed especially during the off season.
But Woof has been a great highlight of my internet AFL experience. So many mainstream commentators gloss over us and it's here I get all my good info. I will try to post a bit more when I can ( with something of insight if I can get it! being out of Australia one misses a lot. Been away for Chinese New Year. But thanks so much to GVGjr, Tragic, Easty and others who put in the yards.

I think the club is in your debt guys for all the effort you put in. It's especially important for abroad / interstate fans.

[Eastdog]

I mentioned earlier in this thread but I wonder where Lantern is nowadays. I recall he was a good poster. W W Biscuit was another one who I see online very occasionally. He was a very passionate Doggies fan who grew up out close to Waverley.

[hujsh]

I mentioned earlier in this thread but I wonder where Lantern is nowadays. I recall he was a good poster. W W Biscuit was another one who I see online very occasionally. He was a very passionate Doggies fan who grew up out close to Waverley.

A few left around the end of the Rocket era/during the McCartney era and it's hard to blame them for losing interest/investment at that time. TCD is another that comes to mind

[GVGjr]

I mentioned earlier in this thread but I wonder where Lantern is nowadays. I recall he was a good poster. W W Biscuit was another one who I see online very occasionally. He was a very passionate Doggies fan who grew up out close to Waverley.

Not the thread to be asking those questions Easty. As a general rule we shouldn't discuss or speculate on why people stop posting

[Eastdog]

Not the thread to be asking those questions Easty. As a general rule we shouldn't discuss or speculate on why people stop posting

Yeah totally right GVGjr. My mistake. Yeah people have their reasons so not fair to speculate. We cannot judge. GVGjr is a great moderator.

[merantau]

I am a great admirer of the people who drive WOOF. I think it is a great source of news, opinion and debate about our Club and football in general.
I drop off a fair bit in the off season from the contribution side if things and I have not been logging in every day as I usually do. But when the season rolls around... !!!
As for me, when we return to Indonesia WOOF is a vital link for me. It keeps me connected to the Dogs even though I'm not physically at games. I also have great admiration for the insight, knowledge, wit and passion displayed by so many contributors.
This may have been suggested already but why not launch a WOOF recruiting campaign? I'm sure we all know people who would benefit from and enjoy being WOOF members.

[Eastdog]

Im pretty sure WOOF got recongised in the Bulldog yearbook.