The nostalgia series - four years ago today, our final against the Hawks

[The bulldog tragician]

Four years ago today, we continued our amazing march to the finals. Sandwiched in between the stunning win in Perth and the emotion of the preliminary final, we perhaps forget that we were underdogs, coming up against the Three-Peaters, one of the best sides ever, filled with seasoned campaigners.Many wondered if we'd played our Grand Final against the Eagles and would suffer a let down.

Only two Footscray/Western Bulldogs teams had played in front of crowds bigger than this: the 54 premiers, and the 61 grand finalists. What better omen could we have had that history was about to be made. There was a brawl (we won) and the dawning realisation that these guys wanted a flag more badly than any other team I've seen. My blog on that win:

http://www.bulldogtragician.com/the-tragician-blog/category/2016-finals/2

[comrade]

When the Hawks shot out to around a 4 goal lead, I said to the crew I was with that it was over and I wanted to leave.

Not my proudest moment.

[bornadog]

We absolutely slaughtered the Hawks that night. Let them get a few cheapies in the last when it was all over.

At the end of the match started making my way down with a few mates, after the players had left the ground. Majority of Hawks fans had already gone. All of a sudden we heard a mighty roar and thought what is happening so we turned back up the steps and all the fans who were still there were singing the song along with the players who were projected onto the big screen.

It was a great feeling knowing we were in the prelim.

[Ozza]

Arrived at this game at about 3:30 in the afternoon with my old man....to stand in the line outside the MCC members and dash in to get the best spot on the wing, level 2. Walking through the CBD before hand with the bulldogs scarf accompanying the suit, I had quite a few random people say "go the dogs" or other comments about how they hoped we beat the hawks. Felt like everyone neutral was very much behind us/anti-Hawthorn. I had been to the Cats/Hawks game the week before, with Dogs scarf on, and people seemed to be with us and had loved the Eagles victory the night before.

Felt absolutely sick with nerves in the lead up to the game and didn't enjoy dinner in the long room beforehand and could barely even have a beer (which I can assure you is not normal!). I was just dreading the scenario of once again not being able to beat a team like Hawthorn in a final....they after all, are winners - and we are (were) not.

But the funny thing during the game, was that even when we were 4 goals down, it felt like we were playing pretty well but just not having a lot of luck and Hawthorn were just really really efficient.

The second half of the second quarter when we got rolling, it felt like we were just about to roll over them - but half time came too soon. But to come out and completely dominate the 3rd quarter was bliss.

After the game, soaked up the win in the long room with many pots until they closed, and the morning after, my wife was quick to suggest that I just book a flight to Sydney for the next week...even her as a cats supporter was swept up in it!

[comrade]

Arrived at this game at about 3:30 in the afternoon with my old man....to stand in the line outside the MCC members and dash in to get the best spot on the wing, level 2. Walking through the CBD before hand with the bulldogs scarf accompanying the suit, I had quite a few random people say "go the dogs" or other comments about how they hoped we beat the hawks. Felt like everyone neutral was very much behind us/anti-Hawthorn. I had been to the Cats/Hawks game the week before, with Dogs scarf on, and people seemed to be with us and had loved the Eagles victory the night before.

Felt absolutely sick with nerves in the lead up to the game and didn't enjoy dinner in the long room beforehand and could barely even have a beer (which I can assure you is not normal!). I was just dreading the scenario of once again not being able to beat a team like Hawthorn in a final....they after all, are winners - and we are (were) not.

But the funny thing during the game, was that even when we were 4 goals down, it felt like we were playing pretty well but just not having a lot of luck and Hawthorn were just really really efficient.

The second half of the second quarter when we got rolling, it felt like we were just about to roll over them - but half time came too soon. But to come out and completely dominate the 3rd quarter was bliss.

After the game, soaked up the win in the long room with many pots until they closed, and the morning after, my wife was quick to suggest that I just book a flight to Sydney for the next week...even her as a cats supporter was swept up in it!

Arranging travel plans for the prelim in the days following the semi final was good fun.

[merantau]

Four years ago today, we continued our amazing march to the finals. Sandwiched in between the stunning win in Perth and the emotion of the preliminary final, we perhaps forget that we were underdogs, coming up against the Three-Peaters, one of the best sides ever, filled with seasoned campaigners.Many wondered if we'd played our Grand Final against the Eagles and would suffer a let down.

Only two Footscray/Western Bulldogs teams had played in front of crowds bigger than this: the 54 premiers, and the 61 grand finalists. What better omen could we have had that history was about to be made. There was a brawl (we won) and the dawning realisation that these guys wanted a flag more badly than any other team I've seen. My blog on that win:

http://www.bulldogtragician.com/the-tragician-blog/category/2016-finals/2

Marvellous writing. Really enjoyed it BT.

[merantau]

I watched this game in Lombok on Australia+ TV. We get 5 live games a round during the season which is pretty damn good. Free-to-Air too!
So, like many, I couldn't believe our early misses and was gutted at how easily they scored. But gradually the worm turned and the second half was sheer bliss!

[Eastdog]

Went to this game. Was sitting on Level 1 in the Olympic stand. Great night that was. Everyone wanted us to win. The Hawks started off well but we came back into the game strongly and ran over the top of them in the end.

[jazzadogs]

Marvellous writing. Really enjoyed it BT.

Trag might have her own preferred seller, but if you liked the writing of the blog you should get the book!!

https://www.booktopia.com.au/the-mighty-west-kerrie-soraghan/book/9781863959254.html

[Twodogs]

Trag might have her own preferred seller, but if you liked the writing of the blog you should get the book!!

https://www.booktopia.com.au/the-mighty-west-kerrie-soraghan/book/9781863959254.html

I haven't been able to read my copy yet. Every time I pick it up and start reading I'm balling my eyes out after two pages.*




*True story.

[soupman]

That Bont mark on Hodge was crazy satisfying. Also Stringers goal in the third where he kicked it like he was jumping onto a horse was right in front of us and incredible. Also i had a kransky that night that produced the biggest burp of my life. Good times.

[Twodogs]

That Bont mark on Hodge was crazy satisfying. Also Stringers goal in the third where he kicked it like he was jumping onto a horse was right in front of us and incredible. Also i had a kransky that night that produced the biggest burp of my life. Good times.

Biggest burp? That's a fair effort.

[josie]

What a great night. The walk to the ‘G from Fed Square (after some inspiring speeches by Gordon and others), our tribe singing sons of the west & cheering all the way. It was a surreal feeling-I was surprised how many dogs fans there were.

Echoing Twodogs - I also highly recommend Tragicians book The Mighty West. A great read for all true blue RWB supporters. (My hubby and I still refer to Bailey Dale as Daley Bale-sorry if our memories are slightly awry).

[jeemak]

Biggest burp? That's a fair effort.

You think about all the burps he's probably done over the journey, truly momentous. But if there's anything that'll do it it's a kransky washed down with something fizzy.

For a moment you'd have felt like the guy who used to let a long scream in the outer at Waverley Park and get a clap for it.

[Twodogs]

You think about all the burps he's probably done over the journey, truly momentous. But if there's anything that'll do it it's a kransky washed down with something fizzy.

For a moment you'd have felt like the guy who used to let a long scream in the outer at Waverley Park and get a clap for it.

I burped on the Albert Park tram once during GP week and people walking on the street heard it over the F1 cars.

[bornadog]

What a great night. The walk to the ‘G from Fed Square (after some inspiring speeches by Gordon and others), our tribe singing sons of the west & cheering all the way. It was a surreal feeling-I was surprised how many dogs fans there were.

Echoing Twodogs - I also highly recommend Tragicians book The Mighty West. A great read for all true blue RWB supporters. (My hubby and I still refer to Bailey Dale as Daley Bale-sorry if our memories are slightly awry).

You know walk to the G was the idea of SOS right here on WOOF. He started the campaign and it just grew

[merantau]

Trag might have her own preferred seller, but if you liked the writing of the blog you should get the book!!

https://www.booktopia.com.au/the-mighty-west-kerrie-soraghan/book/9781863959254.html

Don't worry. I have my copy and it's been well read. Love it.

[soupman]

You think about all the burps he's probably done over the journey, truly momentous. But if there's anything that'll do it it's a kransky washed down with something fizzy.

For a moment you'd have felt like the guy who used to let a long scream in the outer at Waverley Park and get a clap for it.

I still remember it so it must've been pretty impressive. Matthew Croft bought a kransky just after me too, unsure if he had similar results.

[jazzadogs]

My memories of the Hawthorn game are waking up early in Dingle, Ireland and putting on my bulldogs jumper. We (partner, mum, stepdad) drove up towards Galway, stopping at the Cliffs of Moher where we went for a walk from one end to the other. We then continued north to Galway, and as soon as we arrived at our accommodation I got out the iPad and clicked on the AFL Global Pass. After 15 minutes the mood was not good, and everyone had left because they didn't want to have to deal with me in a foul mood.

I remember my mum cautiously walking back in, not having checked the scores, and the relief when she saw I was in a good mood ('relief' did not describe her when I abandoned the family holiday two weeks later to fly back for the granny). The pubs of Galway had to deal with an idiot in a bulldogs jumper for the night.

[jeemak]

I burped on the Albert Park tram once during GP week and people walking on the street heard it over the F1 cars.

Of course you did!

[jeemak]

I still remember it so it must've been pretty impressive. Matthew Croft bought a kransky just after me too, unsure if he had similar results.

Apparently he burped so hard he travelled into the future. Nobody there understands how someone who was documented in the anals as being so unbelievably slow could generate enough speed to travel forward in time.

[jeemak]

My memories of the Hawthorn game are waking up early in Dingle, Ireland and putting on my bulldogs jumper. We (partner, mum, stepdad) drove up towards Galway, stopping at the Cliffs of Moher where we went for a walk from one end to the other. We then continued north to Galway, and as soon as we arrived at our accommodation I got out the iPad and clicked on the AFL Global Pass. After 15 minutes the mood was not good, and everyone had left because they didn't want to have to deal with me in a foul mood.

I remember my mum cautiously walking back in, not having checked the scores, and the relief when she saw I was in a good mood ('relief' did not describe her when I abandoned the family holiday two weeks later to fly back for the granny). The pubs of Galway had to deal with an idiot in a bulldogs jumper for the night.

Legendary.

[soupman]

Apparently he burped so hard he travelled into the future. Nobody there understands how someone who was documented in the anals as being so unbelievably slow could generate enough speed to travel forward in time.

I really hope you mean annals.

[jeemak]

I really hope you mean annals.

Bart Simpson - I know what I said......

[josie]

You know walk to the G was the idea of SOS right here on WOOF. He started the campaign and it just grew

Dim memory.... onya SOS!! It was really well run & thoroughly enjoyable.

[Mofra]

Bont's mark against Luke Hodge - the exact moment in time when the baton was passed to a new generation of stars.

[comrade]

Bont's mark against Luke Hodge - the exact moment in time when the baton was passed to a new generation of stars.

That was nice, but my favourite was the intercept and kick to Dickson at the start of the 4th to seal the game.

[bulldogsthru&thru]

This game was when I really started to believe. Ok the defeat of the eagles was impressive. But was it just us having a great day? This night, we were coming up against a top four fellow Victorian team. The reigning three time champs at that. Historically, finals games against victorian heavyweights hasn't been our forte. At least not after the elimination round. When the hawks kicked away I thought that was it. We got one step further than last year but it's still too early. Then the comeback came and it was a bit hard to believe. During that last quarter I couldn't stop thinking about the fact we were in another prelim. There was dread there no question. But also that horrible feeling us bulldogs supporters have - hope. We were coming up against the new kids on the block. We weren't scared of them. I thought this could be our best opportunity of making the big dance but at the same time, after our 8 consecutive prelim losses, I didn't want to dare to dream. I certainly enjoyed the win over the hawks. It created belief. But I was quite hung up on the week to come.

[Bulldog Revolution]

Pickens second goal and running double fist pump roar celebration - plus his third the dribble along the ground to extinguish all hope for the hawks

[Murphy'sLore]

Went to this game and sat right on the fence (which I never do) along with extended family. I remember when the Hawks banner went up before the game, it was so slick and professional-looking, printed on vinyl or something and it just seemed to symbolise that here was a club, a wealthy club, that was well-established and accustomed to winning, whereas we were a bit rough round the edges and definitely the underdog...
After that it's all a blur until walking back through Fitzroy Gardens, bellowing the song at the top of my voice, to the huge embarrassment of my young daughter. And then I left my Bulldogs duffel coat in the taxi. Still annoyed about that.