Question: This season so far…

[bulldogtragic]

Does it remind you of any particular season in your viewing lifetime, or is this altogether new and different?

[SonofScray]

Glass half empty: 08/09 in some respects.

We are very good. Good enough on our day. Not convinced we’ll have enough of our days when it matters. Can see Melbourne and Geelong doing what St Kilda and Geelong did to us in the Eade years.

Glass half full:

Rare territory for us. Our best is better than I’ve seen. If we are fit and settled at the pointy end, the flag will wag.

[comrade]

Glass half empty: 08/09 in some respects.

We are very good. Good enough on our day. Not convinced we’ll have enough of our days when it matters. Can see Melbourne and Geelong doing what St Kilda and Geelong did to us in the Eade years.

Glass half full:

Rare territory for us. Our best is better than I’ve seen. If we are fit and settled at the pointy end, the flag will wag.

08/09 always felt like we were a distant third in the flag race. This year feels like there is no juggernaut and we're in it up to our eyeballs.

[Grantysghost]

Glass half empty: 08/09 in some respects.

We are very good. Good enough on our day. Not convinced we’ll have enough of our days when it matters. Can see Melbourne and Geelong doing what St Kilda and Geelong did to us in the Eade years.

Glass half full:

Rare territory for us. Our best is better than I’ve seen. If we are fit and settled at the pointy end, the flag will wag.

I think we are already in rarified air. Freo and Eagles in Perth, GWS away, Port away, Cats in front at the final siren at Bracks Park.
I can't recall another season like it.

[Bulldog Joe]

08/09 always felt like we were a distant third in the flag race. This year feels like there is no juggernaut and we're in it up to our eyeballs.

Agree on the 08/09 version, but considering the respective injury lists etc, we can be the juggernaut.

We copped Richmond and Melbourne as opponents when we had lost a significant top level player and we needed to work some adjustment over the following weeks.

The away wins were full of merit and we are actually improving as the season progresses. If we get close to a healthy list we will be extremely hard to stop.

[bornadog]

This year is a bit like 1998 when after 14 rounds (games) we were 10/4 so similar. We finished the year second on the ladder, only beaten by a goal in the last round to make top.

However, the players and the depth this year are far better, and we won't have a Rohan Smith playing CHB on a monster CHF in the prelim.

[GVGjr]

1985 to me and we had a great team that year

[Rocco Jones]

This year is a bit like 1998 when after 14 rounds (games) we were 10/4 so similar. We finished the year second on the ladder, only beaten by a goal in the last round to make top.

However, the players and the depth this year are far better, and we won't have a Rowan Smith playing CHB on a monster CHF in the prelim.

Basically same answer word for word for me.

[Twodogs]

1985 to me and we had a great team that year

Yep. Very similar. In 1985 we had a dominant tall forward and a couple of handy small/mediums. Good midfielders, a slightly undersized but well organised defence and good squad depth we could call up from.

[Dry Rot]

Basically same answer word for word for me.
And me.

1998 was the first season I thought of when I saw the OP.

And my season as a Dogs fan and seriously following AFL

[comrade]

However, the players and the depth this year are far better, and we won't have a Rowan Smith playing CHB on a monster CHF in the prelim.

And a team that finished 5th won't lose in the first week of finals and still win the flag.

[The bulldog tragician]

This year is a bit like 1998 when after 14 rounds (games) we were 10/4 so similar. We finished the year second on the ladder, only beaten by a goal in the last round to make top.

However, the players and the depth this year are far better, and we won't have a Rowan Smith playing CHB on a monster CHF in the prelim.

We have more A-graders now I believe.

However that 98 loss was an example of both the best and worst of Terry Wallace, and to some degree that playing group. Can’t decide if they were scarred by 97 or conversely believed we were now “owed” that win & just needed to turn up, but it was equally bitter.

There isn’t an outstanding contender this year. I’m very impressed by our group’s resilience. It was no small feat after that Geelong loss to come out with such commitment. If we just have injury luck at the right time I don’t see why we can’t challenge this year. And let’s face it Aaron Naughton is an upgrade on Simon Minton- Connell. :)

[MrMahatma]

98 to me too.

At this point though, we could press on and be the front runners by season’s end. We were just spectacular against WC. Good luck anyone playing against us if we bring that level of intensity.

[Happy Days]

Basically same answer word for word for me.

Even “Rowan”?

[Mofra]

We're in rare air - simply because I don't recall us ever having two 100 point wins in a season. We are more ruthless, piling on goals late against the Eagles as well.

[Rocco Jones]

Even “Rowan”?

Ha, very good. I did say 'basically'.

[bornadog]

We're in rare air - simply because I don't recall us ever having two 100 point wins in a season. We are more ruthless, piling on goals late against the Eagles as well.

I checked the years 1985, 1992, 1997, 1998, 2008, 2009, 2016 and there were a few 100 point wins, but not twice. There were also some thumpings in those years. Our three losses to date have been 28, 22 and 5 points.

[merantau]

I checked the years 1985, 1992, 1997, 1998, 2008, 2009, 2016 and there were a few 100 point wins, but not twice. There were also some thumpings in those years. Our three losses to date have been 28, 22 and 5 points.

Thanks for pointing that out as it is a really significant point. It speaks to us having better systems in place, more experience playing together perhaps and better players overall.

[whythelongface]

08/09 always felt like we were a distant third in the flag race. This year feels like there is no juggernaut and we're in it up to our eyeballs.

This. Always felt like Geelong and St Kilda had our measure. Our biggest issue was lack of height in the forward line whereas now we have a plethora of options. On our day no team can match us. We just need to be switched on.

[SonofScray]

I checked the years 1985, 1992, 1997, 1998, 2008, 2009, 2016 and there were a few 100 point wins, but not twice. There were also some thumpings in those years. Our three losses to date have been 28, 22 and 5 points.

First time in Club history that we've done it.

[comrade]

This. Always felt like Geelong and St Kilda had our measure. Our biggest issue was lack of height in the forward line whereas now we have a plethora of options. On our day no team can match us. We just need to be switched on.

We also didn't have Bont.

[jeemak]

This. Always felt like Geelong and St Kilda had our measure. Our biggest issue was lack of height in the forward line whereas now we have a plethora of options. On our day no team can match us. We just need to be switched on.

The tide was turning against Geelong, it was so disappointing we came out nervous or whatever we were in the qualifying final in 2009. I did feel the miserly nature of St Kilda and their workmanlike midfielders who were also very very good players had our measure and as comrade says, we didn't have the Bont.

This team is a bit of everything from over the years, I can't figure out which one it most resembles.

[Grantysghost]

This. Always felt like Geelong and St Kilda had our measure. Our biggest issue was lack of height in the forward line whereas now we have a plethora of options. On our day no team can match us. We just need to be switched on.

Didnt we beat the Cats rd 22 or something? We choked in the QF in the first qtr. Other than that we were even. Thought it was any of the 3 teams mentioned that year. Just needed to take your chances on the day which we failed to do.

It was all erased shortly after with the flag. (nab cup).

[Eastdog]

We could finish top as well. First time in our history in the VFL/AFL if we do.

[boydogs]

2016 feels the most similar, getting an injury every week and feeling like our best is good enough if we get everyone back. Lots of the same players, the handball happy style, and game style innovation with the way we play 6-6-6 and stand on the mark