What if history repeats?

[bulldogtragic]

Purely hypothetical?

Like Dunkley & Essendon, and Dunkley unhappy with his role, Bailey Smith requests a trade despite being under contract.

Essendon offered a top 10 pick (Pick 8 from memory). We said no. Dunkley leaves anyway and not under contract we get second rounder pick 21 (Clarke) & late first rounder pick 15-18 (and some fringe later trading). - So Pick 8 lost - for - Picks 21 & 15-18.

What do YOU want Sam Power to do:

- Shut it down altogether. No discussion whatsoever, he contracted for next year and he?s staying.
- Promise Smith he will get to play midfield next year onward.
- Be open to a trade, but demand ?overs? or no trade like Dunkley to Essendon. Try to turn him around next year.
- Take the best offer (assuming a top 10 pick) for fear when he?s uncontracted next year we lose our whip hand and end up with much less like Dunkley.

[Bulldog Joe]

Purely hypothetical?

Like Dunkley & Essendon, and Dunkley unhappy with his role, Bailey Smith requests a trade despite being under contract.

Essendon offered a top 10 pick (Pick 8 from memory). We said no. Dunkley leaves anyway and not under contract we get second rounder pick 21 (Clarke) & late first rounder pick 15-18 (and some fringe later trading). - So Pick 8 lost - for - Picks 21 & 15-18.

What do YOU want Sam Power to do:

- Shut it down altogether. No discussion whatsoever, he contracted for next year and he?s staying.
- Promise Smith he will get to play midfield next year onward.
- Be open to a trade, but demand ?overs? or no trade like Dunkley to Essendon. Try to turn him around next year.
- Take the best offer (assuming a top 10 pick) for fear when he?s uncontracted next year we lose our whip hand and end up with much less like Dunkley.

The first thing I want to know is why.

If we know why he wants to move we have something to look at.

If we can't change that something we get the best trade.
If it is viable to change we keep the player and improve.

[Grantysghost]

Purely hypothetical?

Like Dunkley & Essendon, and Dunkley unhappy with his role, Bailey Smith requests a trade despite being under contract.

Essendon offered a top 10 pick (Pick 8 from memory). We said no. Dunkley leaves anyway and not under contract we get second rounder pick 21 (Clarke) & late first rounder pick 15-18 (and some fringe later trading). - So Pick 8 lost - for - Picks 21 & 15-18.

What do YOU want Sam Power to do:

- Shut it down altogether. No discussion whatsoever, he contracted for next year and he?s staying.
- Promise Smith he will get to play midfield next year onward.
- Be open to a trade, but demand ?overs? or no trade like Dunkley to Essendon. Try to turn him around next year.
- Take the best offer (assuming a top 10 pick) for fear when he?s uncontracted next year we lose our whip hand and end up with much less like Dunkley.

I'd have prefered the Dons deal. So I'd be take it, although wouldn't want to trade either.

[bulldogtragic]

I'd have prefered the Dons deal. So I'd be take it, although wouldn't want to trade either.

Catch 22 for sure. Not easy if it were to eventuate, hence the thread to see where views are. The Essendon Pick 8 looks a lot better in hindsight than it did at the time.

[Grantysghost]

Catch 22 for sure. Not easy if it were to eventuate, hence the thread to see where views are. The Essendon Pick 8 looks a lot better in hindsight than it did at the time.

Archie Perkins would've been very nice.

[Funke disco]

In my opinion we were always going to knock it back because of poor timing. Jamarra was going to go number 1 and any pick we acquired from the Dunkley trade would have been absorbed in Adelaide nominating for Jamarra at number 1. If it had been any other year (aside from the following when Darcy was picked) I would have been up for the trade.

[bulldogtragic]

In my opinion we were always going to knock it back because of poor timing. Jamarra was going to go number 1 and any pick we acquired from the Dunkley trade would have been absorbed in Adelaide nominating for Jamarra at number 1. If it had been any other year (aside from the following when Darcy was picked) I would have been up for the trade.

If Smith asks this year?

[Hot_Doggies]

I would take the top ten pick. We could load up with three first round mids. Realistically our window is 2025-2027 (prime Darcy, JUH), if Bont , Mccrae can hang around that long it’s a bonus.

[The Doctor]

I'd have prefered the Dons deal. So I'd be take it, although wouldn't want to trade either.

totally disagree GG

WE made a stand, to not trade, and it was the correct one. We almost won a premiership consequently. Also sends a message to other contracted players.

Looks great in hindsight.

[Grantysghost]

totally disagree GG

WE made a stand, to not trade, and it was the correct one. We almost won a premiership consequently. Also sends a message to other contracted players.

Looks great in hindsight.

Yep fair point.

[Bumper Bulldogs]

I for one would be guttered if we are going down this track once again. To me to sounds like we have a major issue in the footy department. Go back to Stringer, Dalhouse, Biggs, Roughead, Hunter, Dunkley. How could one club invest and loose so much quality. If it’s a Bevo thong of not settling standards or having the ability to manage a group of young men who are living their dream then he goes. If it’s the program (like the Indigenous people) not seeing us a LW a destination. Then let’s get to work and address that. (For JUH sake)

Let’s just go back to basics play him on the wing and tell him to run his guts out. I would rather him playing wing than Poulter. Anyway we are all not aware what’s going on and I truely hope it’s a nagging injury as he is part of the future and I hope he knows this. We have far too much talk about players not wanting to stay and with and we have three big fish in Naughton, English and Smith with plenty of noise around futures at the Bulldogs and I don’t like it one bit. .

[josie]

Poor Bevo, we blame his chompers then we blame his footwear (at least I hope that’s the kind of thong BB speaks of). Personally I hate thongs, although some folks have a thing for thongs, there’s a thong in my heart…, thing a thong if thixpence, why does Marsha always get what she wanth-it’th juth noth fair.

Sorry woofers, I had a strong coffee this arvo and after sweeping the home I’m still way too hypo.

Do teams strategically use coffee? If they don’t they should. Perhaps in 2nd or 3rd quarters for us.

[The bulldog tragician]

I for one would be guttered if we are going down this track once again. To me to sounds like we have a major issue in the footy department. Go back to Stringer, Dalhouse, Biggs, Roughead, Hunter, Dunkley. How could one club invest and loose so much quality. If it’s a Bevo thong of not settling standards or having the ability to manage a group of young men who are living their dream then he goes. If it’s the program (like the Indigenous people) not seeing us a LW a destination. Then let’s get to work and address that. (For JUH sake)

Let’s just go back to basics play him on the wing and tell him to run his guts out. I would rather him playing wing than Poulter. Anyway we are all not aware what’s going on and I truely hope it’s a nagging injury as he is part of the future and I hope he knows this. We have far too much talk about players not wanting to stay and with and we have three big fish in Naughton, English and Smith with plenty of noise around futures at the Bulldogs and I don’t like it one bit. .

Bailey Smith leaving would gut me too and make me question Bevo’s celebrated people management skills. Actually I already do question them, as to why we couldn’t sell and create the dream of more premiership success together. Why we’ve so quickly lapsed into a club that doesn’t attract A- graders and can’t manage footballers that are different beasts. Anyway I really can’t stomach the idea of losing our only young midfield gun and as someone mentioned earlier would prefer to be putting effort into understanding why he wanted to leave and addressing that.

[EasternWest]

Poor Bevo, we blame his chompers then we blame his footwear (at least I hope that’s the kind of thong BB speaks of). Personally I hate thongs, although some folks have a thing for thongs, there’s a thong in my heart…, thing a thong if thixpence, why does Marsha always get what she wanth-it’th juth noth fair.

Sorry woofers, I had a strong coffee this arvo and after sweeping the home I’m still way too hypo.

Do teams strategically use coffee? If they don’t they should. Perhaps in 2nd or 3rd quarters for us.

It's a good point. I'd forgotten about the chompers. Cursed faux piano keys. Rip 'em out I say.

[GVGjr]

Bailey Smith leaving would gut me too and make me question Bevo’s celebrated people management skills. Actually I already do question them, as to why we couldn’t sell and create the dream of more premiership success together. Why we’ve so quickly lapsed into a club that doesn’t attract A- graders and can’t manage footballers that are different beasts. Anyway I really can’t stomach the idea of losing our only young midfield gun and as someone mentioned earlier would prefer to be putting effort into understanding why he wanted to leave and addressing that.

I don't think we can doubt Bevo has genuine love for his players but I think we can question if he is a great developer of players that allows them to flourish at our club.
We can't lose someone like Bailey Smith and it would be a massive loss.

[1eyedog]

Libba and Treloar are 30+ there is definitely a full time midfied spot available. Problem for Baz is he can play in other positions better than Treloar, Libba and Macrae (to a point) can.

When Baz plays midfield one of them doesn't have a role.

[azabob]

Libba and Treloar are 30+ there is definitely a full time midfied spot available. Problem for Baz is he can play in other positions better than Treloar, Libba and Macrae (to a point) can.

When Baz plays midfield one of them doesn't have a role.

That’s what is comes down to, doesn’t it?

[chef]

If he wants to leave we should trade him. No point holding guys who dont want to be here

[Jeanette54]

Another problem we have when it comes right down to it, is that we are again in imminent danger of becoming an irrelevant club, again. Consequently, our press column inches, and media coverage is diminishing as quickly as our finals hopes.

There is no buzz about the Bulldogs. There is nothing to recommend us as a destination club to young players or indeed. young established superstars. The days of a Ted Whitten, Kevin Murray or a Bob Skilton, giving their heart and soul for a perennially under achieving club are long gone.

These days they want to be where the success lives, where they can associate their own brand with that of a fashionable, high achieving club. I say that coming from a generation that didn't care about a "brand".

Sadly, we largely squandered the success of 2016, just as we did post 1954, but there is more to it than that.

I don't know where we go from here. You can't cover it up with hype, you get found out too bloody quickly on the field.

Where do we go to from here? After sixty-five years following this club I've run out of both reasons (and excuses).

Nearly thirty years ago I wrote to this club, complaining about the offhand manner in which the administration treated an enquiry I made on behalf of a major international company for a corporate box. Frankly I was embarrassed that I made the suggestion to my then employer. Some years later, when my own company had grown, I offered a free opportunity, technology (which even the AFL took years to exploit) and I did not receive the courtesy of an answer.

My point is (from the outside) that management appear not to have progressed beyond the years of mere survival of the club. For a lot of the time I have followed the club, success seemed to be, "any year we keep the doors open is a good year". We have to be better than that.

ps Sorry it didn't start out to be quite so critical, and I realise I probably misjudged a lot of good people along the way. While we are financially better off than when I waved a collection tin for Irene Chatfield's campaign, and we have another premiership cup to show, it doesn't appear to have substantially altered the public's perception of the club. And that matters, whether its attracting members. or recruiting or retaining players.

[D Mitchell]

Another problem we have when it comes right down to it, is that we are again in imminent danger of becoming an irrelevant club, again. Consequently, our press column inches, and media coverage is diminishing as quickly as our finals hopes.

There is no buzz about the Bulldogs. There is nothing to recommend us as a destination club to young players or indeed. young established superstars. The days of a Ted Whitten, Kevin Murray or a Bob Skilton, giving their heart and soul for a perennially under achieving club are long gone.

These days they want to be where the success lives, where they can associate their own brand with that of a fashionable, high achieving club. I say that coming from a generation that didn't care about a "brand".

Sadly, we largely squandered the success of 2016, just as we did post 1954, but there is more to it than that.

I don't know where we go from here. You can't cover it up with hype, you get found out too bloody quickly on the field.

Where do we go to from here? After sixty-five years following this club I've run out of both reasons (and excuses).

Nearly thirty years ago I wrote to this club, complaining about the offhand manner in which the administration treated an enquiry I made on behalf of a major international company for a corporate box. Frankly I was embarrassed that I made the suggestion to my then employer. Some years later, when my own company had grown, I offered a free opportunity, technology (which even the AFL took years to exploit) and I did not receive the courtesy of an answer.

My point is (from the outside) that management appear not to have progressed beyond the years of mere survival of the club. For a lot of the time I have followed the club, success seemed to be, "any year we keep the doors open is a good year". We have to be better than that.

ps Sorry it didn't start out to be quite so critical, and I realise I probably misjudged a lot of good people along the way. While we are financially better off than when I waved a collection tin for Irene Chatfield's campaign, and we have another premiership cup to show, it doesn't appear to have substantially altered the public's perception of the club. And that matters, whether its attracting members. or recruiting or retaining players.

I agree with most of your post, particularly the PR side of things, there have been a number of similar experiences I've encountered over the years. However, bolded bit, I don't think that's right. The Club's enjoyed regular success, finals and Brownlows since the mid '80s. The pre 1985 easybeat and scragger images aren't spoken about and John Elliott's "tragic history" isn't repeated. My loose theory is that the bigger clubs are those which had success before WW11, C'wood, C'ton and E'don. Supporters attracted by that success parented the biggest demographic in Australian history, baby boomers, who followed their parents' team, so their support grew exponentially. It has been and is being passed on to subsequent generations. Hawthorn is the exception. Although our club has had success, that hasn't translated into significant increase in support and probably wouldn't with greater success unless that success was a notch higher and sustained, like Hawthorn's.

[westbulldog]

Disappointingly there is no public face to our club, Watson-Wheeler (never), Baines (occasionally), Board members (perhaps Luke Darcy occasionally, the rest never), Bevo (yes because coaches have to), other coaches (never), Chris Grant (never), the match committee, (whoever they are) (never). This current situation compares with he tenures of David Smorgon, Peter Gordon and Susan Alberti - there is no comparison.

[Sedat]

Disappointingly there is no public face to our club, Watson-Wheeler (never), Baines (occasionally), Board members (perhaps Luke Darcy occasionally, the rest never), Bevo (yes because coaches have to), other coaches (never), Chris Grant (never), the match committee, (whoever they are) (never). This current situation compares with he tenures of David Smorgon, Peter Gordon and Susan Alberti - there is no comparison.
Bevo does significantly more media heavy lifting that any other senior coach in the competition. Not saying it is right or wrong (or indeed who is initiating this imbalance), but it is obvious.

[Grantysghost]

Disappointingly there is no public face to our club, Watson-Wheeler (never), Baines (occasionally), Board members (perhaps Luke Darcy occasionally, the rest never), Bevo (yes because coaches have to), other coaches (never), Chris Grant (never), the match committee, (whoever they are) (never). This current situation compares with he tenures of David Smorgon, Peter Gordon and Susan Alberti - there is no comparison.

KWW was on the Danny Mcginlay and Tom Boyd pod last episode and was very good. Check it out. She talks about when to be and when not to be visible.

https://omny.fm/shows/dannyboydbulldogs

[D Mitchell]

KWW was on the Danny Mcginlay and Tom Boyd pod last episode and was very good. Check it out. She talks about when to be and when not to be visible.

https://omny.fm/shows/dannyboydbulldogs
I don’t mind her keeping in the background. Disney’s in strife in the US so she’s probably preoccupied.

[ReLoad]

And here I was opening this thread to read about a potentially glorious finale campaign winning the flag from way outside the top 4.

[D Mitchell]

And here I was opening this thread to read about a potentially glorious finale campaign winning the flag from way outside the top 4.
The way the season is trending, libber and Bont will go down with soft tissue injuries in Rd 22, recover in the week off, beat Freo in Perth, Melbourne at the G, Sydney in Sydney then, in a tense match, with 5 minutes to go, English will bang one through from the centre square, Naughton spill a mark in the goalsquare over Moore from a pass by Macrae, gather and goal to win by 13 points.

It's over, it's all over. The dam wall is busted...

[Bullies]

If he wants to leave we should trade him. No point holding guys who dont want to be here Wasn't the reason Dunkley wanted out was because of the behaviours of Smith and Hunter?

[bornadog]

Wasn't the reason Dunkley wanted out was because of the behaviours of Smith and Hunter?

No, only Hunter

[Nuggety Back Pocket]

Wasn't the reason Dunkley wanted out was because of the behaviours of Smith and Hunter?

You do not think $750,000 per year for 6 years, had any thing to do with it.
It’s all about the money these days $$$

[Bullies]

You do not think $750,000 per year for 6 years, had any thing to do with it.
It’s all about the money these days $$$ He used the behaviours of players as his excuse saying some weren't professional and enjoyed the party life.

[Bulldog Joe]

No, only Hunter

If that is true (and I don't know how we confirm it) why wouldn't the commitment to move Hunter on have been enough to keep Dunkley?

The fact that Dunkley was determined to go might have something to do with people that were/are still here.

[jeemak]

He used the behaviours of players as his excuse saying some weren't professional and enjoyed the party life.

If only everyone could get the level of enjoyment from a Netflix menu that he does.

Man I miss Happy Days.

[bornadog]

If that is true (and I don't know how we confirm it) why wouldn't the commitment to move Hunter on have been enough to keep Dunkley?

The fact that Dunkley was determined to go might have something to do with people that were/are still here.

His Uncle had a go at me on twitter and mentioned Hunter. He then deleted the tweet after a day.

That was the excuse, but as NBP said , it was all for the money and length of contract.

[azabob]

If only everyone could get the level of enjoyment from a Netflix menu that he does.

Man I miss Happy Days.

He best be coming back soon as the moratorium of saying we miss Happy Days is nearly up.