Due accolades

[brilliantgriffen]

Is anyone else frustrated with the disregard the media is treating our great start to the season? It appears we are not rated by anyone! I know it can be better to sneak "under the radar" and it puts less pressure on us, but I think we have to prove we can perform under close scrutiny and great expectation, if we are to challenge for a flag- or develop into a side that will.

Last week all of the headlines where about St Kilda- how they are in trouble, how their "structure" wont work with three talls and the audacity of Aker to accuse the untouchable Robert Harvey of grabbing his testicles (although firm contact with that area is quite apparent). There was next to nothing on how, on the night, St Kilda where torn apart by a hungrier, better football side.

Today I awake to headlines in the Herald Sun "Brave Bombers run out of troops" "Bombers game plan torn apart" "speedy plan takes its toll". I thought Essendon where fantastic last night, however I think we deserve our share of credit. Does anyone else share my sentiment?

Brilliant start to the season by the guys- lets hope the injury gods begin to be kind to us and our 8,000 odd unsigned members get on board immediately!

[Dancin' Douggy]

Who cares? Let them ignore us as long as they possibly can. If we keep quietly notching up wins, that's the best possible case scenario.

[The Bulldogs Bite]

The crap about Essendon was always going to come though given they were 'exciting' prior to their injuries. I knew by three quarter time - either way the match went - the papers would be all over how good Essendon looked. To some length you can perhaps understand that, although we do deserve more credit than given for. Number of key players were well down yet we grinded out a victory. I suppose we can only keep winning.

The headlines etc. of last week were annoying though, we completely out-played St. Kilda and out-muscled them but all I read was how 'poor' they were and how their list is in trouble. Obviously the media is hesitant to give credit to The Dogs because of last years dramatic downfall, but the point is we're winning games of football and look impressive.

As another post said though, we shouldn't care - that's out of our hands. What we need to focus on is playing four quarters of football a week and getting wins on the board.

[ledge]

Very good point, when they keep printing how the opposition are in strife everytime we beat them it probably doesnt help our membership base.
In saying that you can only keep beating what is presented to you,I dont think Adelaide, St Kilda or Melbourne had too many injuries to be written up as a reason for losses, and we have beaten them all so far.
Interesting point is how many sides have we beaten that have been pointed out as top 8 material? 3 i believe, so take that into account and worse possible scenario is we will end up 5th!
Can we name 4 sides better than us? These are maybes of course, Geelong?, Hawthorn? and seriously at the moment thats all i can see.

[Bulldog Revolution]

We lost our right to great PR at the end of last year

Hopefully internally we are more focused on substance rather than the spin in 2008 - I am sure that will be one of the outcomes of the work with the leading teams group.

If we keep persisting with what we are doing then the respect will return, and its only round 4. We'd be better to focus on continuing to improve.

[The Coon Dog]

We lost our right to great PR at the end of last year

Can't agree there BR. Do you think if Collingwood, Essendon & let's look at Calrlton's last few seasons & the run they got in the media off season, finished like we did last season, they wouldn't be hailed as champions after a 4-0 start? Of course they would.

Ok, it was a decent write up after round 1, particularly with Johnno. Round 2 was all about how poor Melbourne were. Round 3 was all about how St.Kilda aren't as good as everybody (the media) thought they were. Round 4 was all about Essendon's injuries!!!

If we win next week it will be all about Wallace's limited tenure.

Some clubs just don't get the automatic good run others seem to get, bit like the AFL fixture in that regard!

[Topdog]

Am I one of the only people who thinks that Essendon weren't actually that great?

Sure they looked "exciting" but most of what they did came from either our poor mistakes of free kicks that left me wondering if I was at netball or football?

Our field kicks our handballs were much more polished in the first quarter and we smashed them. I don't believe we were undone by their pace, just a lack on concentration on our behalf.

As much as their injuries hurt them it was our pressure that undid them.

[firstdogonthemoon]

Happy to stay "underrated" for the rest of the year.

But it has been annoying to hear all the bombers supporters sooking about their players injuries - some teams "might have beens" get much more of a run than we usually do, but whatever.

[Sockeye Salmon]

Happy to stay "underrated" for the rest of the year.

But it has been annoying to hear all the bombers supporters sooking about their players injuries - some teams "might have beens" get much more of a run than we usually do, but whatever.

I'd be perfectly happy to listen to all the other teams whinge about how we shouldn't have won the 2008 premiership.

[LostDoggy]

We lost our right to great PR at the end of last year

Hopefully internally we are more focused on substance rather than the spin in 2008 - I am sure that will be one of the outcomes of the work with the leading teams group.

If we keep persisting with what we are doing then the respect will return, and its only round 4. We'd be better to focus on continuing to improve.

Spot on. We were disgraceful and the media deserved to focus on other clubs in Victoria. Collingwood and North overachieved with the list they had and the only reason why Carlton has been in the news is the high profile recruit and the outstanding membership drive they have rallied. We deserved to be ignored much like the Tigers and Demons. Thankfully we have got some runs on the board and some credits in the bank and we are now getting our fair share of recognition.

[ledge]

Sockeye i will take that too

[The Coon Dog]

Spot on. We were disgraceful and the media deserved to focus on other clubs in Victoria.

Fair enough over the the pre season, but when the real stuff starts, don't we all start equal? Or are some just more equal than others?

[LostDoggy]

Fair enough over the the pre season, but when the real stuff starts, don't we all start equal? Or are some just more equal than others?

No we dont especially with our lackluster effort in the preseason competition. We were on the nose both on the field and off and we needed to get up some credits.
We pinched the Adelaide game so of course the media focused on Johnson 300th.
Melbourne was hardly a test and the focus was the fact that they had also been thrashed the week before as well. We gained a lot of coverage for our inspired effort against the Saints and we will win over a few more after last nights effort even though most are focusing on Lloyd, Lucas and the injuries they suffered.
The Prez also wrecked a lot of the positive coverage that we should have got against the Saints because of the membership fiasco. The win became somewhat secondary.
Sorry but we create our own excitement and media coverage by getting things right on and of the field and I think the media is cautious with heaping too much praise on us because we stunk it up at the end of 2007.

[hujsh]

I think the Dermie artitle was pretty positive and pretty long.

If we win, the praise will come.

If we beat Sydney, they will be climbing all over eachother to write about our 'amazing turnaround'.

[ledge]

4-0 only 2 clubs are in that positon at the moment, dont think the media has done much about Geelong considering , but i think theirs is the opposite, its expected.
Hawthorn and us seem to be the 2 teams they could have zoomed in on and i think they chose Hawthorn because of "Buddy" and his superstar status, a bit like Johnathon Brown at Brisbane over the last few years.
Whats got them on the hop now is we are popping up with Hill and Griffen and co, so they are hoping they will go away and Buddy is the man.
And Hawthorn did end last year looking like the next up and coming team.
4-0 no one can do any better than that, the media are waiting to see who drops off first and its only common sense says it will be us out of the 3 of us.(this is presuming Hawthorn wins of course)

[1eyedog]

4-0 only 2 clubs are in that positon at the moment, dont think the media has done much about Geelong considering , but i think theirs is the opposite, its expected.
Hawthorn and us seem to be the 2 teams they could have zoomed in on and i think they chose Hawthorn because of "Buddy" and his superstar status, a bit like Johnathon Brown at Brisbane over the last few years.
Whats got them on the hop now is we are popping up with Hill and Griffen and co, so they are hoping they will go away and Buddy is the man.
And Hawthorn did end last year looking like the next up and coming team.
4-0 no one can do any better than that, the media are waiting to see who drops off first and its only common sense says it will be us out of the 3 of us.(this is presuming Hawthorn wins of course)

It would be great to make in 5-0. Especially against Richmond. Interesting to see if the Bulldogs, Hawthorn and Geelong go 5-0.

[KEN]

What a great win by the Bulldogs. Can't wait until next Sunday my wife and two children are going to there first AFL Game. Level 3 General Admission where are the best seats what gate - need some advice pls?
How do you keep small children entertained 5 Boy & 7 Girl advice pls?:D

[Sockeye Salmon]

What a great win by the Bulldogs. Can't wait until next Sunday my wife and two children are going to there first AFL Game. Level 3 General Admission where are the best seats what gate - need some advice pls?
How do you keep small children entertained 5 Boy & 7 Girl advice pls?:D

You can rock up and buy general admission at the gate. This lets you sit just about anywhere on level 3. Give yourself 15-20 minutes before the bounce.

I take my 4yo who watches a bit but gets bored fairly easily. I take a backpack full of food, books, crayons and anything else I can think of that might keep him entertained. It helps if others in our group bring their kids as well.

[ledge]

What a great win by the Bulldogs. Can't wait until next Sunday my wife and two children are going to there first AFL Game. Level 3 General Admission where are the best seats what gate - need some advice pls?
How do you keep small children entertained 5 Boy & 7 Girl advice pls?:D

Yes take food or you will be very poor, my kids i make rolls or even put hot dogs in a thermos, trick is to put it in theyre backpack and they carry it.
You will have to open it at gate though and show it to security.
On the bulldog website they have a panorama of the ground and you can see what view you will get from any seat.
Hope thats of help to you.

[Bulldog Revolution]

Can't agree there BR. Do you think if Collingwood, Essendon & let's look at Calrlton's last few seasons & the run they got in the media off season, finished like we did last season, they wouldn't be hailed as champions after a 4-0 start? Of course they would.

Ok, it was a decent write up after round 1, particularly with Johnno. Round 2 was all about how poor Melbourne were. Round 3 was all about how St.Kilda aren't as good as everybody (the media) thought they were. Round 4 was all about Essendon's injuries!!!

If we win next week it will be all about Wallace's limited tenure.

Some clubs just don't get the automatic good run others seem to get, bit like the AFL fixture in that regard!

The media gets a plan of the story it wants to tell, and when the results dont fit that story it is a bit lost.

The story they wanted to be telling about us, was a club in crisis, and one that had imploded with all the off season coaching exodus and a CEO and coach that did not get a long - this dysfunction angle was the one they wanted and the results haven't supported it.

But that said a lot of footy people stuck there necks out and trumpeted how good we were going to be 2007 and they feel we let them down, so they are now a little slow to jump back on board - there is a perception in the footy world that we are flawed, too small and not tough enough. I dont think we will get the respect we crave until we have performed at a higher level for longer.

If Carlton had won their first four then people would have been positive clearly, but nobody would have thought they were champions or going to win the flag, the angle would have been young team turns it around under former club champion/new coach and the impact of Judds leadership.

Essendon have swept the broom through the place hiring a new coach, and the story the media have decided they want to run with is the bombers newfound speed and fresh approach.

Collingwood are performing well, not being hailed as champions, but as a team of substance - I believe we are certainly capable of being a better side than them but we will have to prove it.

[The Coon Dog]

I'd just like them to report on the particular game they cover between two opposing teams.

Not in the context of what happened last year, but on the 120 minutes of football played between the two sides.

The context bit can occur during the week when looking for fluff or filler stuff, but when reporting about the game, keep to just that.

[hujsh]

I'd just like them to report on the particular game they cover between two opposing teams.

Not in the context of what happened last year, but on the 120 minutes of football played between the two sides.

The context bit can occur during the week when looking for fluff or filler stuff, but when reporting about the game, keep to just that.

Only so much happens in a match, they want extra drama and more at stake.

[BulldogBelle]

We lost our right to great PR at the end of last year.

Agreed BR, after the way we finished last season - I still shake my head thinking about it. We need to earn that respect back and the only way to do it - is to keep winning and winning well.

[Topdog]

I actually disagreed with BR about losing our rights but the following post makes a lot of sense. Esp. the bolded bit.


The media gets a plan of the story it wants to tell, and when the results dont fit that story it is a bit lost.

The story they wanted to be telling about us, was a club in crisis, and one that had imploded with all the off season coaching exodus and a CEO and coach that did not get a long - this dysfunction angle was the one they wanted and the results haven't supported it.

But that said a lot of footy people stuck there necks out and trumpeted how good we were going to be 2007 and they feel we let them down, so they are now a little slow to jump back on board - there is a perception in the footy world that we are flawed, too small and not tough enough. I dont think we will get the respect we crave until we have performed at a higher level for longer.


They were all made to look like fools for hailing us as champs......Good thing we are making them look like fools again this year but for the right reasons.

BTW TCD you are dreaming about the reporting on the match.

[aker39]

=If we win next week it will be all about Wallace's limited tenure.




I'll be happy to win next week and see Wallace as the headline.

[aker39]

BTW TCD you are dreaming about the reporting on the match.


You are never going to get an even report when Mark Robinson is covering an Essendon game.

[Bulldog Revolution]

I'd just like them to report on the particular game they cover between two opposing teams.



Completely agree - against St Kilda we played some fabulous footy, and friday night you could argue that Essendon broke down because their players could not physically run with us for four quarters. So to have those efforts not recognised or appreciated is disappointing, but the players will be noticing, and hopefully it only fuels our already steely determination

Looking forward to attacking Richmond - they will come out breathing fire next Sunday and so our players should have no trouble getting up for it.




They were all made to look like fools for hailing us as champs......Good thing we are making them look like fools again this year but for the right reasons.



Here, here - there weren't many that viewed us as a chance to make a big improvement

[ledge]

They are near bottom we will be expected to win so wont be any media hype if we do, just that we are 5-0

[alwaysadog]

We shouldn't get side tracked by the Essendon supporter sooks who cry murder for anything done against them and look for the most ridiculous excuses for any failings.

I think that BR is right and the media burnt their collective fingers on us last year and don't yet trust our form. If we are honest we expected a better 4 quarter effort from our boys against the Dons than we got, especially after 3 really good quarters against St Kilda one of our nemesis teams. This lower key performance refuelled media doubts about us but anyway good Essendon stories sell more papers etc than good ones about us.

I think there is another point that we are overlooking; that the media expected the Dons minus Lloyd and Lucas to a push over, and they weren't' they were competitive for one quarter and on top in one. If you add to that the fact that they played exciting football during this time, reasons are irrelevant to the story line, and the media had something to beat up.

Now who is really surprised they used an oversimplified line; in spite of the media commentators huge egos and over inflated view of their own perspicacity, we aren't exactly talking about rocket scientists. In fact even a slight deviation from the adopted line is likely to throw them so completely off the track that a nervous breakdown appears imminent.

Having come to the conclusion that Essendon not us was the story of the night how then do they present the reality that we won and by a reasonable margin in the end? Simple if the facts don't fit the story line you either ignore them or make up a line that might sound plausible irrespective of the evidence, ie injuries killed their run, once the genie was out of the bottle there was no stopping it, no one sat back and really analysed what had gone on..

Now I concede that there are few instances when they comprehend what is behind unexpected events. Next time you listen to a replay of an after match press conference with a coach ask your self how dull and lacking insight are the questions, and how much they adhere to a collective mindset about what has gone on. They don't want analysis they want theatre, cheap headlines to avoid any real effort to analyse the game. It's no wonder Wallsie fits in so well, but it must be agony for the coaches who are trying to distil all they have seen and done in the preceding 3 or so hours.

Now what they should have said was that the Essendon side had a good shot and weren't good enough and when we had to we put the foot down, but somehow it lacks the necessary hype and spin; so life is made to fit their breathless view of existence drawn from plots best described as male equivalents of afternoon TV's soap operas.

[beaser]

Im happy to have our form under scrutenised

[bornadog]

We shouldn't get side tracked by the Essendon supporter sooks who cry murder for anything done against them and look for the most ridiculous excuses for any failings.

I think that BR is right and the media burnt their collective fingers on us last year and don't yet trust our form. If we are honest we expected a better 4 quarter effort from our boys against the Dons than we got, especially after 3 really good quarters against St Kilda one of our nemesis teams. This lower key performance refuelled media doubts about us but anyway good Essendon stories sell more papers etc than good ones about us.

I think there is another point that we are overlooking; that the media expected the Dons minus Lloyd and Lucas to a push over, and they weren't' they were competitive for one quarter and on top in one. If you add to that the fact that they played exciting football during this time, reasons are irrelevant to the story line, and the media had something to beat up.

Now who is really surprised they used an oversimplified line; in spite of the media commentators huge egos and over inflated view of their own perspicacity, we aren't exactly talking about rocket scientists. In fact even a slight deviation from the adopted line is likely to throw them so completely off the track that a nervous breakdown appears imminent.

Having come to the conclusion that Essendon not us was the story of the night how then do they present the reality that we won and by a reasonable margin in the end? Simple if the facts don't fit the story line you either ignore them or make up a line that might sound plausible irrespective of the evidence, ie injuries killed their run, once the genie was out of the bottle there was no stopping it, no one sat back and really analysed what had gone on..

Now I concede that there are few instances when they comprehend what is behind unexpected events. Next time you listen to a replay of an after match press conference with a coach ask your self how dull and lacking insight are the questions, and how much they adhere to a collective mindset about what has gone on. They don't want analysis they want theatre, cheap headlines to avoid any real effort to analyse the game. It's no wonder Wallsie fits in so well, but it must be agony for the coaches who are trying to distil all they have seen and done in the preceding 3 or so hours.

Now what they should have said was that the Essendon side had a good shot and weren't good enough and when we had to we put the foot down, but somehow it lacks the necessary hype and spin; so life is made to fit their breathless view of existence drawn from plots best described as male equivalents of afternoon TV's soap operas.

Well written Alwaysadog and totally agree with all you said.

[alwaysadog]

Good ol' Wallace beating it up with his outrageous media talent. What can we conjure up next week?

Wallace and his love child trying to hide the fact that they couldn't close out agame they should have won. Who would expect anything less from that pair.

[ledge]

Tell you the truth i would rather have Lake having the kick than Will, in any case it wasnt a hard kick and i dont think many players would have missed it.
How about Wallace admits the Richardson mark was over the line and we would have won!!
Wallace has now got the Richmond fans disease, whinge when even the most obvious free kick is given against him.
Not Lakes fault no Richmond backman punched, maybe he should look in his own backyard?

[Sockeye Salmon]

Tell you the truth i would rather have Lake having the kick than Will, in any case it wasnt a hard kick and i dont think many players would have missed it.
How about Wallace admits the Richardson mark was over the line and we would have won!!
Wallace has now got the Richmond fans disease, whinge when even the most obvious free kick is given against him.
Not Lakes fault no Richmond backman punched, maybe he should look in his own backyard?

Had Gia's kick been given a goal and we were only 2 goals behind with 8 minutes left rather than 4, maybe Wallace wouldn't have tried to close out the game and they might have held on?

Sliding doors. Who knows what would have happened.

[Topdog]

Sliding doors. Who knows what would have happened.

Exactly. We would have been up by about 30 if that goal had gone through instead of 18 20 seconds later.

[LostDoggy]

I am pretty happy with the amount of attention we get in the media, given we are a small club. I think we get quite a few player-focused stories.

I am less happy with the commentators. Bruce, in particular, has a fixation with the glamour clubs (Essendon etc). He can't contain his excitement when they are beating us. Drives me to drink.

[1eyedog]

Tell you the truth i would rather have Lake having the kick than Will, in any case it wasnt a hard kick and i dont think many players would have missed it.


Cept Welshy:D

[immortalmike]

As others I've noticed it seems that we aren't ever the focus its either they (the opposition) played badly or well its never the converse. The stories of the first 5 rounds were;

Round 1: Bock should have kicked that goal.
Round 2: Melbourne are horrible.
Round 3: Saints stopped after quarter time or they are pretenders.
Round 4: Injuries cost the Bombers.
Round 5: Tigers played really well.

Why is it never Bulldogs murdered St Kilda after quarter time or the Dogs failed to kick straight in the first quarter against the Tigers. Oh well I give up.

[hujsh]

As others I've noticed it seems that we aren't ever the focus its either they (the opposition) played badly or well its never the converse. The stories of the first 5 rounds were;

Round 1: Bock should have kicked that goal.
Round 2: Melbourne are horrible.
Round 3: Saints stopped after quarter time or they are pretenders.
Round 4: Injuries cost the Bombers.
Round 5: Tigers played really well.

Why is it never Bulldogs murdered St Kilda after quarter time or the Dogs failed to kick straight in the first quarter against the Tigers. Oh well I give up.

People come up with these reasons when they don't rate or like a team. I hate Collingwood so i find reasons why they do well (eg easy draw in 06) and predict that they will be bad eventually when push comes to shove (they fell over and it was awesome)

[alwaysadog]

Tell you the truth i would rather have Lake having the kick than Will, in any case it wasnt a hard kick and i dont think many players would have missed it.
How about Wallace admits the Richardson mark was over the line and we would have won!!
Wallace has now got the Richmond fans disease, whinge when even the most obvious free kick is given against him.
Not Lakes fault no Richmond backman punched, maybe he should look in his own backyard?

That my friend is exactly what all the hype is supposed to avoid. A tactic straight out of the McGuire handbook, that the ex dog apprentices at Tigerland have practiced to such an extent they have outdone the master.

[alwaysadog]

Had Gia's kick been given a goal and we were only 2 goals behind with 8 minutes left rather than 4, maybe Wallace wouldn't have tried to close out the game and they might have held on?

Sliding doors. Who knows what would have happened.

Wallace always tries to close out games. He doesn't have plan B.

[alwaysadog]

I am pretty happy with the amount of attention we get in the media, given we are a small club. I think we get quite a few player-focused stories.

I am less happy with the commentators. Bruce, in particular, has a fixation with the glamour clubs (Essendon etc). He can't contain his excitement when they are beating us. Drives me to drink.

Well at least it has a useful outcome.

[brilliantgriffen]

I think the media are taking notice a bit more notice now!

[bornadog]

I think the media are taking notice a bit more notice now!

Yeah sort of, they still rate Geelong and the Hawks as the two top teams. A couple of injuries here and there and we sill see how they cope.