I know every game counts, BUT...

[mjp]

Of course, every time you win you get 4-points...whether it's home or away, 10-goals or 10-points...it's always the same.

But if ever it counted for more, surely this week is the week.

#1 - We HATE these guys.
#2 - They are quite good...but form has been a bit dubious lately, so they are going to be somewhere between vulnerable and determined to hold their fort. It's gonna be TOUGH.
#3 - A positive-ish performance by us last week...is it actually REAL? This week will prove it.
#4 - The loss to the Orange at Ballarat in 2023 seemed to indicate 'the end'. Or the start of the end? In any case, we never really recovered.
#5 - We HATE these guys.

This just has those 'big game' vibes...here's hoping the players are feeling it as well. When was our last real 'WIN' away from home with 'stuff' on the line? I mean, the cattery late in 23 but it just felt like we (and they) were done before the game...Was it actually the finals in 2021 - Brisbane and Port, back to back? I mean - did any of that even really happen??

[MrMahatma]

I reckon we beat them. I feel like we’re on an upward trajectory and they’re flat.

[SonofScray]

For me there's no big game vibes, or any vibes around us. That's an experience you get when your footy club is fair dinkum. And we aren't.



They bring their best and we don't. We lose.
We bring our best and they bring their best, we lose.
We bring our best and they don't? Toss a coin.

[Eastdog]

Will be a tough game on the road for us but I do give us a chance.

The next few weeks are important for us but we should just take one game at a time.

Our defensive game across the ground must be on if we are to win.

Essendon in this area of the game without the ball have been very good over the last couple of weeks and it was huge in their win over the Giants last Saturday.

[Mantis]

I reckon we beat them. I feel like we’re on an upward trajectory and they’re flat.

Based purely off beating up on the 2nd worst team in the comp? What about the flat as a tack performances we produced the previous 2 weeks?

[bulldogsthru&thru]

I think this game will basically show us what we're really made of this season. Either we win and turn this ship around or we lose in the typical manner and end up in the 10th-14th bracket of the ladder.

A dominating win against a shambles Tigers side is not enough to overcome 2 and a bit seasons of uninspiring footy. I don't have faith. The hawks game basically slammed the door shut on this season for me. I hate the hoping week to week that this side will get real. Why would this week be any different?

But I agree it's an important game.

[ledge]

GWS have two important cogs missing . This is our defining game for the season, win we get some more confidence and it goes in an upward trajectory , lose and we aren’t even a mid range side.

[Eastdog]

Based purely off beating up on the 2nd worst team in the comp? What about the flat as a tack performances we produced the previous 2 weeks?

I'm a bit like that with the win last Saturday. As great as it was margin wise the Tigers were very bad.

I don't think before that match we expected to win by that much as the Tigers despite the injuries have been very good with their effort this season. They nearly knocked off Carlton and beat Sydney of course.

[bornadog]

The GWS game will be a real test for the club and the result will let us know how far we are off the top 8 teams.

GWS are loaded with talent, whereas we have our top end talent, as well as up and coming young talent.

Let's see where we are at and what we need to do to beat the top teams.

[Grantysghost]

It's kind of alarming to me that our gameplan works so well.
Under 0 pressure in the midfield.

The Saints and the Tigers had no midfield of note when we played them.

Gold Coast did.

Coming up against a stacked midfield this week, lets see if we can stand up.

The Tigers side was vfl standard.

[merantau]

Like all of the above I recognise the importance of this game. Only a win will do. It's as simple as that. Smashing them would be very satisfying.

The Richmond game did not tell us much. This game is the acid test for us and we must be up for it from the get-go.

[1eyedog]

Of course, every time you win you get 4-points...whether it's home or away, 10-goals or 10-points...it's always the same.

But if ever it counted for more, surely this week is the week.

#1 - We HATE these guys.
#2 - They are quite good...but form has been a bit dubious lately, so they are going to be somewhere between vulnerable and determined to hold their fort. It's gonna be TOUGH.
#3 - A positive-ish performance by us last week...is it actually REAL? This week will prove it.
#4 - The loss to the Orange at Ballarat in 2023 seemed to indicate 'the end'. Or the start of the end? In any case, we never really recovered.
#5 - We HATE these guys.

This just has those 'big game' vibes...here's hoping the players are feeling it as well. When was our last real 'WIN' away from home with 'stuff' on the line? I mean, the cattery late in 23 but it just felt like we (and they) were done before the game...Was it actually the finals in 2021 - Brisbane and Port, back to back? I mean - did any of that even really happen??

It's counted far more in the past than what this game does this week and it hasn't made any difference. The Essendon and Fremantle games were more important and we couldn't get the job done.

I'll watch anxiety / stress free which is nice because I have zero expectations and am no longer fussed by a loss at this stage. Would be nice to win and I'll enjoy the positivity around it but it just feels that at least we are looking somewhere around 9-12 this year.

If it's looking like 9 hopefully it's 12.

[bulldogsthru&thru]

It's counted far more in the past than what this game does this week and it hasn't made any difference. The Essendon and Fremantle games were more important and we couldn't get the job done.

I'll watch anxiety / stress free which is nice because I have zero expectations and am no longer fussed by a loss at this stage. Would be nice to win and I'll enjoy the positivity around it but it just feels that at least we are looking somewhere around 9-12 this year.

If it's looking like 9 hopefully it's 12.

I had no stress or anxiety watching our loss to freo. I knew what the outcome was going to be. I'll just enjoy the wins as they come and hope for better days after a loss.

No use getting too upset over something you can't control.

Please don't monitor the match day thread.

[Sedat]

I'm excited by the next 5 weeks. We will either become a serious contender in 2024 after those 5 weeks, or we will be 5 weeks closer to making the necessary changes needed to become a serious contender again.

[mjp]

Please don't monitor the match day thread.

I wish I could like this twice.

No point getting upset...but I'M UPSET!!!

Pretty sure there's a Whiplash scene there somewhere but I would need GG to impose your face behind Myles Teller's drum kit.

[hujsh]

I had no stress or anxiety watching our loss to freo. I knew what the outcome was going to be. I'll just enjoy the wins as they come and hope for better days after a loss.

No use getting too upset over something you can't control.

Please don't monitor the match day thread.

I think that's probably the attitude we need to have. We've proven to be mid at best, poor at worst over the course of a few seasons now and having expectations of a top 4 team doesn't make it more fun. Look for improvement, enjoy the ups, accept there are going to be downs.

[bulldogsthru&thru]

I wish I could like this twice.

No point getting upset...but I'M UPSET!!!

Pretty sure there's a Whiplash scene there somewhere but I would need GG to impose your face behind Myles Teller's drum kit.

I thought I told you to stay out of there!

I need a burner woof account. I'll call myself EasternWest or something....

[bulldogsthru&thru]

I think that's probably the attitude we need to have. We've proven to be mid at best, poor at worst over the course of a few seasons now and having expectations of a top 4 team doesn't make it more fun. Look for improvement, enjoy the ups, accept there are going to be downs.

Yeah I think dogs fans have been extra sensitive because of 2016 and 2021. We had high hopes. I feel like we were entitled to have such high hopes. It's just taken a while to sink in that it's just not our reality for whatever reason. As frustrating as it is, it just needs to be accepted. I watched a 2min YouTube video on stages of grief so I'm an expert on the topic.

Imagine if 2016 never happened. I don't care what anyone says. That'll always help me get over losses for a while.

[Mantis]

My 8yo was talking about footy rivalries this morning and we went through all the traditional/ big ones:

Carl v Coll
Adel v Port
Ess v Coll

We got onto the topic to who was our biggest rival and I said GWS...why he asked, because we don't like them, and they don't like us... this is big game.

For all of those at the point that they don't care how we go, or aren't losing their shit when we stink is a better way to phrase it, I really commend you on reaching that stage... I'm not there yet and truly believe there is a really good team buried amongst the rubble.

GWS are ripe for the picking, they'll be fielding just as many, maybe more players who have played <50 games which I know is a really important metric so there's no ****ing excuses this week... we need to win.

[josie]

Love your passion Mantis. I?m hoping we stick it right up ?em. As game day draws nearer I?m always hoping the team flicks a switch and become consistently, persistently good. Especially against the plastics.

[EasternWest]

I thought I told you to stay out of there!

I need a burner woof account. I'll call myself EasternWest or something....

I'll sell you the username. 50 dollar bucks.

[bulldogsthru&thru]

I'll sell you the username. 50 dollar bucks.

Throw in the avatar and you've got yourself a deal.

[Grantysghost]

I wish I could like this twice.

No point getting upset...but I'M UPSET!!!

Pretty sure there's a Whiplash scene there somewhere but I would need GG to impose your face behind Myles Teller's drum kit.

Not sure that's even possible....

https://i.postimg.cc/pdnH9dBg/dogdrums.png (https://postimages.org/)

[mjp]

Not sure that's even possible....


If you took your job even semi seriously that dog would be animated and saying "ummm upset" in a blubbery voice.

[Grantysghost]

If you took your job even semi seriously that dog would be animated and saying "ummm upset" in a blubbery voice.
Ha, i thought the peoples beard woof scarf was enough

[EasternWest]

Throw in the avatar and you've got yourself a deal.

From my cold, dead hands.

[1eyedog]

Yeah I think dogs fans have been extra sensitive because of 2016 and 2021. We had high hopes. I feel like we were entitled to have such high hopes. It's just taken a while to sink in that it's just not our reality for whatever reason. As frustrating as it is, it just needs to be accepted. I watched a 2min YouTube video on stages of grief so I'm an expert on the topic.

Imagine if 2016 never happened. I don't care what anyone says. That'll always help me get over losses for a while.

Yeah well it at least eliminated the 'you've only won one flag' blanket pay out to 'you've only won two flags' pay out to which I also say 'hell yeah we have!'

[kruder]

When was the last significant win against a contender? Brisbane early last year? I think at that stage we were both out of form.

We absolutely need to win this game, we need something to solidify the foundations of this group. Make them believers.

[Grantysghost]

When was the last significant win against a contender? Brisbane early last year? I think at that stage we were both out of form.

We absolutely need to win this game, we need something to solidify the foundations of this group. Make them believers.
That's a very good call

Brisbane was in rd 3.

We beat GWS in rd 8 23, however they weren't really the same team.

That's an insanely long time to have not beaten a good side.

Prior to that was rd 19 22, v Demons at Marvel when Marra kicked that epic goal.

[MrMahatma]

Based purely off beating up on the 2nd worst team in the comp? What about the flat as a tack performances we produced the previous 2 weeks?

Based on me being an eternal optimist, on me thinking things aren?t as bad as we somethings think, and based on me thinking that if I put it out there? it?ll happen. Plus Alex Keath hasn?t played in a loss all season and isn?t planning on starting that now.

Bullet proof reasons to get behind I?d say.

[Grantysghost]

Based on me being an eternal optimist, on me thinking things aren?t as bad as we somethings think, and based on me thinking that if I put it out there? it?ll happen. Plus Alex Keath hasn?t played in a loss all season and isn?t planning on starting that now.

Bullet proof reasons to get behind I?d say.
Alex means dont lose in Bulgarian.

[Mofra]

This is exactly the game we should win, but.... trust in this team is still low.

Sam Darcy has a big say here. Sure his opponent gets a bit of rebound, but Taylor will stick with Marra/Naughts inside 50 and they have nobody who can stop Darcy when he sticks his arms up. And Darc should beat their second ruck.

[Uninformed]

Every game is 'just another game'

No prissy emotionalism. A coach that needs to play on 'rivalries' to get a lift has lost the plot.

There is no history. There is just now. Today. And it is just another game of cold hearted, dead eye professionalism. Just another game of focussed pressure and performance all game. Just another game of total domination, magnificent skill and superb teamwork. Just another game of fighting it out to the last second. Just another game of Bulldog glory!

[hujsh]

We need a 2015 Sydney moment for this team. I don't know if it comes this year though

[Grantysghost]

Every game is 'just another game'

No prissy emotionalism. A coach that needs to play on 'rivalries' to get a lift has lost the plot.

There is no history. There is just now. Today. And it is just another game of cold hearted, dead eye professionalism. Just another game of focussed pressure and performance all game. Just another game of total domination, magnificent skill and superb teamwork. Just another game of fighting it out to the last second. Just another game of Bulldog glory!
Love it! The future is fantasy and memories are flawed so let's #bemorebulldog (or just dog) and live in the moment. It's really all there is.

[Grantysghost]

We need a 2015 Sydney moment for this team. I don't know if it comes this year though
Would have to be v a big team at the G maybe. Like a Pies or Blues.

Why does that seem so impossible now.

And here's Bevo wearing Birks. This shit is serious.

#bemoreevolved

[bulldogsthru&thru]

When was the last significant win against a contender? Brisbane early last year? I think at that stage we were both out of form.

We absolutely need to win this game, we need something to solidify the foundations of this group. Make them believers.

Yeah good point. It's been a loooong time and probably is a major reason the fan base is hugely down on confidence.

[Go_Dogs]

I agree. I hate GWS pretty much as much as I hate 16 other clubs. But they have Toby Greene and he?s a proven prick, plus Bugg played for them, and he was an idiot too.

Massive test for our group.

Here?s hoping it can be a defining moment like our away win v Swans all those years back.

[bornadog]

That's a very good call

Brisbane was in rd 3.

We beat GWS in rd 8 23, however they weren't really the same team.

That's an insanely long time to have not beaten a good side.

Prior to that was rd 19 22, v Demons at Marvel when Marra kicked that epic goal.

Carlton round 9 2023

[jazzadogs]

We need a 2015 Sydney moment for this team. I don't know if it comes this year though

This is what I've been thinking too. I think Bevo would have used that win to build the winners mentality, the why not us, and it was definitely a stepping stone to our success. What does he have to build off with this group?

[jazzadogs]

Carlton round 9 2023

Going in to that game we were 7th and they were 8th, coming off 3 losses in their last five games. It was a good win after being challenged in the final quarter.
If we'd beaten Carlton in the second half of the year when they were good, I'd agree with you.

[Yankee Hotel Foxtrot]

This game seems as good as any for group to find a bloody reason to forge an identify upon. And we really need a new identity.

We need to be ruthless and step up our execution in key moments, in key games, when under duress and always for the team's betterment NOT just for the individual's own output.

In my opinion, that's how they're going to get confidence and forge trust and absolute belief in each other. And it's what happens upstairs in those aspects that really maximizes the physical and technical skills of the players.

That, again in my opinion, is what that 'next level' is you see from Champion teams when it counts. You know, when a great team goes behind by a goal late...and look like they're about to yield....but then they just steel themselves and execute the right moves from the very next contest and win the game, and it was never in doubt.

Hawks used to give me that vibe in the 80's and Geelong too in the last decade or so.

We need to find that to enable this group to reach their absolute maximum potential. Its what will make guys like Bramble, VDM etc step up to be valuable contributors. We need our bottom 6 role players to reduce the number of costly mistakes they produce in trying to perform their role.

Let's see some evolution of that against GWS. Why the hell not! As MJP says I know every game counts, BUT.....

Lets start to bloody stamp a different persona to our 2024 NOW and why not against bloody GWS!!!


Most teams have a team that they just get on a streak against, you know like Geelong against us at their boggy mud patch for so many years.

We don't.. I can't think of any team we really own right now... it was Essendon for a while, but there has been a couple of big let downs there for us... so nope... Richmond... well not when it counted in the last few years. Gold Coast have also regularly broken any streaks (at inconvenient times too!)

I would love nothing more than for us to ALWAYS rise to the challenge against GWS.
It still pains me how limp we were in that final where Greene assaulted Bontempelli without ANY response. Or when Greene karate kicked Dahl.

The spirit of the 2016 Prelim should've been absolutely franked on occasions like those...and thus forever mentally consigning GWS to be our bitches.....but alas

Here we are in 2024, but a shaky semblance of that relentless 2016 group of BullGods, step up boys...
Never a better time nor team for this group to FINALLY make a statement to the competition about their state of self-belief.

[The bulldog tragician]

We need a 2015 Sydney moment for this team. I don't know if it comes this year though

I think we forget we lost the next 3 games after that awesome win. Improvement isn’t always linear. But totally agree the current group has no history of standing up against top opponents or winning the close ones.

[Axe Man]

My 8yo was talking about footy rivalries this morning and we went through all the traditional/ big ones:

Carl v Coll
Adel v Port
Ess v Coll

We got onto the topic to who was our biggest rival and I said GWS...why he asked, because we don't like them, and they don't like us... this is big game.

That's funny - I was talking to my 8 year old about the exact same thing recently.

[bornadog]

That's funny - I was talking to my 8 year old about the exact same thing recently.


what did they say?

[hujsh]

I think we forget we lost the next 3 games after that awesome win. Improvement isn?t always linear. But totally agree the current group has no history of standing up against top opponents or winning the close ones.


Yeah you're right but it just feels like that game was the beginning of building that belief. 2016 was built on winning close enough, hard fought games. That was the match we proved we could do it and in hostile territory

[Axe Man]

what did they say?

He knows GWS are our rivals but he said GWS are the Swans rivals not ours because they are both from Sydney. He was thinking about it in terms of 18 teams into 9 rivalries so he's not wrong I guess. Trouble is in that scenario it leaves us with whoever is left over, probably St Kilda or North.

[bornadog]

He knows GWS are our rivals but he said GWS are the Swans rivals not ours because they are both from Sydney. He was thinking about it in terms of 18 teams into 9 rivalries so he's not wrong I guess. Trouble is in that scenario it leaves us with whoever is left over, probably St Kilda or North.

I tend to agree with him. We had a bit of rivalry a few years ago, but it sort of fizzled out.

Essendon were really our traditional rival as they hated us and tried to keep us out of the VFL, plus we had the Champions of Vic title. That died, because the media doesn't like a smaller club having a bigger club as a rival. They take rivalry to be a big crowd at the MCG.

[Eastdog]

We need a 2015 Sydney moment for this team. I don't know if it comes this year though

That was great win. That first season under Bevo was fun.

[Eastdog]

I tend to agree with him. We had a bit of rivalry a few years ago, but it sort of fizzled out.

Essendon were really our traditional rival as they hated us and tried to keep us out of the VFL, plus we had the Champions of Vic title. That died, because the media doesn't like a smaller club having a bigger club as a rival. They take rivalry to be a big crowd at the MCG.

Our local rivals by geography from Footscray are Essendon and North Melbourne.

When we play the Dons or Roos they are like local derbies to me.

[ledge]

Our local rivals by geography from Footscray are Essendon and North Melbourne.

When we play the Dons or Roos they are like local derbies to me.

Geelong ? I mean one end of our ground is Geelong road and they are the ones we compete with as far as west of Melbourne is concerned.
We have also had some great games against them , sadly lost all of them.

[Eastdog]

Geelong ? I mean one end of our ground is Geelong road and they are the ones we compete with as far as west of Melbourne is concerned.
We have also had some great games against them , sadly lost all of them.

Yep very true ledge. Geelong old vfl zone was Werribee.

[The bulldog tragician]

Yeah you're right but it just feels like that game was the beginning of building that belief. 2016 was built on winning close enough, hard fought games. That was the match we proved we could do it and in hostile territory

It did FEEL important but the very next week we lost to St Kilda after leading by 49 points at half time. It’s just fascinating how we view some wins and losses and the stories we weave around them.

[bornadog]

It did FEEL important but the very next week we lost to St Kilda after leading by 49 points at half time. It’s just fascinating how we view some wins and losses and the stories we weave around them.

That game was one out of the bag, after Clay did a third ACL and Picken knocked out just on half time and the whole team was around him. Really put the sting out of our bite

[Sedat]

It did FEEL important but the very next week we lost to St Kilda after leading by 49 points at half time. It’s just fascinating how we view some wins and losses and the stories we weave around them.
Your new avatar hasn't gone unnoticed. It's only a matter of time before everyone else here gets on the Chomper Train.

[bulldogsthru&thru]

That game was one out of the bag, after Clay did a third ACL and Picken knocked out just on half time and the whole team was around him. Really put the sting out of our bite

The players' heads were elsewhere in the 2nd half. Facts that every saints fan overlooks. It was not a normal game. The same game they claimed Billings to be greater than Bont. They probably made a DVD out of it.

[EasternWest]

what did they say?

Fark Toby Greene

[The bulldog tragician]

Your new avatar hasn't gone unnoticed. It's only a matter of time before everyone else here gets on the Chomper Train.

I feel queasy whenever I see it. The Joke has gone on too long!

[Grantysghost]

I feel queasy whenever I see it. The Joke has gone on too long!
Omg i just saw it.

MEIN EYES!

[EasternWest]

I feel queasy whenever I see it. The Joke has gone on too long!

Ride the bomb until it lands.

[The bulldog tragician]

Ride the bomb until it lands.

As a joke this is the picture of Harmes that displays when my sister calls me while for her a picture of Rory Lobb in those fluoro pink speedos appears when I call. Fair to say our most unfavourite duo.

[EasternWest]

As a joke this is the picture of Harmes that displays when my sister calls me while for her a picture of Rory Lobb in those fluoro pink speedos appears when I call. Fair to say our most unfavourite duo.

The evidence suggests otherwise, friendo:).

[Grantysghost]

The evidence suggests otherwise, friendo:).
https://media.giphy.com/media/v1.Y2lkPTc5MGI3NjExZzAwbmZhZnZxOHNtbHdzeTJoNGg5b3pvODU0MG15O GltYXVpM20xaCZlcD12MV9pbnRlcm5hbF9naWZfYnlfaWQmY3Q9Zw/MdXl4KwZogSzAn6Xx4/giphy.mp4
https://media.giphy.com/media/v1.Y2lkPTc5MGI3NjExZzAwbmZhZnZxOHNtbHdzeTJoNGg5b3pvODU0MG15O GltYXVpM20xaCZlcD12MV9pbnRlcm5hbF9naWZfYnlfaWQmY3Q9Zw/MdXl4KwZogSzAn6Xx4/giphy.mp4
https://media.giphy.com/media/v1.Y2lkPTc5MGI3NjExZzAwbmZhZnZxOHNtbHdzeTJoNGg5b3pvODU0MG15O GltYXVpM20xaCZlcD12MV9pbnRlcm5hbF9naWZfYnlfaWQmY3Q9Zw/MdXl4KwZogSzAn6Xx4/giphy.mp4

[The bulldog tragician]

The evidence suggests otherwise, friendo:).

Deny, deny, deny!