If it ever came to it

[Twodogs]

As a club we've had a number of near death experiences so I'm particularly interested in our collective thoughts on this question. After all there's been times when pretty much all off us have had to think long and hard and make a pragmatic decision about this question.


Do you want the club to merge, relocate, fold or continue in a lower league?


I'll start off by saying I abhorred the idea we'd join another club and would rather we died in '89, and if we'd merged, we'd have died in my heart anyway. Relocation would be marginally more acceptable-same club, different place-my heart would be broken but I'd get over it eventually. But if another Footscray started somewhere, anywhere, they'd get my full time support, especially if they played at the footy ground. I've pretty much always lived within walking distance of the footy ground and I just love the ugly old place.

[bulldogtragic]

I'd take another league. The clubs history defines us, not the league we play in. I was really disappointed the Lions couldn't go back to the VFA instead of getting taken over by a club 3000km away.

[Dry Rot]

As a Johnny come lately from Sydney, I'd go for relocation if I had a gun to my head, understanding that the club that I've come to love from afar would never be the same.

Better than going for the bloody Swans.

[bulldogtragic]

Faced with homes games on the Gold Coast/Darwin/Tassie etc in the AFL, or the Whitten Oval in the VFL. Wouldn't be a contest.

Being called Footscray again or being called The Darwin Dogs. No contest.

[Dry Rot]

Faced with homes games on the Gold Coast/Darwin/Tassie etc in the AFL, or the Whitten Oval in the VFL. Wouldn't be a contest.

Being called Footscray again or being called The Darwin Dogs. No contest.

Fair enough, but you'd rather watch Footscray in the VFL or a lower league than the Darwin Dogs play away games in Melbourne?

[bulldogtragic]

Fair enough, but you'd rather watch Footscray in the VFL or a lwoer league tahn the Darwin Dogs play away games in Melbourne?
Yeah. Take Sydney, how many genuine South Melbourne supporters would consider it tehir team with South heritage, that the premiership was won by South. Not many and those that would well, wishful thinking.

If the Dogs went to Darwin and won a preimership in 2030 - I wouldn't consider it a Bulldogs-Footscray premiership.

I'm personally into our identity, and i'd rather our identity be untouched and a lesser comp than be significantly altered to stay in the league. For me it's a bit like asking hetrosexual man whether he'd prefer to a have a woman not quite as beautiful to the one that's just left him, or take a good looking guy. Changing from what you are wont make you happy. Vain, but not happy.

[Sockeye Salmon]

A few years back it was reported that the then Melbourne president (Gardiner, I think) had admitted to having held merger talks with another club.

I was told it was us.

The plan was to be called the Melbourne Bulldogs. Games were to be played at the MCG, the training base would have remained at the Whitten Oval.

The jumper was to be a Melbourne jumper with a white Bulldog logo.

Chris Grant and David Neitz were the first choices as captain and vc and it was believed if Grant could be retained Bulldog supporters would jump on board.

The biggest sticking point was who to run the board as neither club trusted the other.


I probably would have accepted this deal.

[mjp]

Personally, I wouldn't be happy watching second level footy every week. As everyone here knows, the team I grew up supporting plays in a second tier league these days - whilst I follow their results, I make sure I watch as much AFL level footy as I can. If the club was to become a VFL side playing from the Western Oval, my relationship with it would become very similar to my WAFL I suspect - I would check the papers, watch the replays on ABC2, see a few games (when I could manage it) every year etc etc.

As for what else I would do, I honestly have no idea how I would feel about either a merged team in the AFL or who I would follow in the event that the Dogs were no more...how can anyone? This is a heart over head thing I am afraid, and it is really hard to know in advance how you will see things.

[westdog54]

Personally, I wouldn't be happy watching second level footy every week. As everyone here knows, the team I grew up supporting plays in a second tier league these days - whilst I follow their results, I make sure I watch as much AFL level footy as I can. If the club was to become a VFL side playing from the Western Oval, my relationship with it would become very similar to my WAFL I suspect - I would check the papers, watch the replays on ABC2, see a few games (when I could manage it) every year etc etc.

As for what else I would do, I honestly have no idea how I would feel about either a merged team in the AFL or who I would follow in the event that the Dogs were no more...how can anyone? This is a heart over head thing I am afraid, and it is really hard to know in advance how you will see things.

Second paragraph is spot on MJP. We'll never know how we'd handle a merger relocation until it came time. Look at Fitzroy supporters when the Brisbane merger was announced, a lot of people swore off the lions after Noel Gordon's effort on TFS.

As for the question, I wouldn't mind watching a second level team every week, I don't mind the local footy atmosphere TBH. I'd continue to watch and follow the AFL but without supporting a team.

[Raw Toast]

I don't know what I would do either. I'd thought I could handle a merger with North, but have recently found out that they were arch enemies. It's hard to imagine any other merger that wasn't a takeover.

If we were moved I suspect my reaction would depend a lot on the circumstances and how it was done. No guarantees that my passion would remain though. And if we went under or to a lower league I think I'd continue to mainly follow the AFL but can't imagine following another team with anything like the same intensity. I reckon I'd miss the doggies terribly but would also feel a little relief to be off the rollercoaster...

All power to Rose, Smorgon, Eade and the team in securing our mid-to-long terrm future in Melbourne's west.

[Hard Ball Get]

Id rather not think about it!
If it cme down to it I definetly wouldnt support another team if we merged or folded but I would stay interested in the footy.
I dont know if I could support a merged club. It would have to be a straight down the line merge. Not like the Brisbane/Fitzroy thing.

[bornadog]

I really found it hard to vote in this one as all options really mean the club is dead as an AFL team representing the western suburbs, unless it was a merger where the Doggies were the dominant club and they stayed at WO.

These answers are only if I didn't have any other alternative listed in the thread.

Merger - yes if say they still represented the Western Suburbs of Melbourne
- No if they had to move away from the area

Relocate - wouldn't be the same team so no. Look at the Sydney Swans, are they really the same team that was once South Melbourne? Once all the old South supporters die, that is it, the last link will be gone and they will be only remembered by future generations as Sydney

Fold - no options here

Same club different league - No longer the AFL and the elite Football code.

[ons]

I'd vote for entering the VFL.

I suggested as much at a crisis meeting for Fitzroy back in the 90s, when they were talking about a merger with North Melbourne.

It wasn't widely supported, but quite a few went along with the Coburg-Fitzroy venture, and now the Fitzroy Redz have a small if loyal supporter base. Playing in the VFL you are playing at some great grounds in Victoria, you will have a few games on FTA TV. Doggies supporters are a pretty hardy bunch, I reckon they could still draw 4000+ supporters in the VFL. I'd love to see a Western Bulldogs v Williamstown final.

Relocation would be my second preferred option. I'd still follow them, but would not feel that level of involvment that you have now, being able to get down to training, functions etc.. things vital to feeling 'a part of the club'. I would still follow their fortunes, but not with anywhere near the same passion.

The merger, well I'd stop following them.

[bulldogtragic]

I'd vote for entering the VFL.

I suggested as much at a crisis meeting for Fitzroy back in the 90s, when they were talking about a merger with North Melbourne.

It wasn't widely supported, but quite a few went along with the Coburg-Fitzroy venture, and now the Fitzroy Redz have a small if loyal supporter base. Playing in the VFL you are playing at some great grounds in Victoria, you will have a few games on FTA TV. Doggies supporters are a pretty hardy bunch, I reckon they could still draw 4000+ supporters in the VFL. I'd love to see a Western Bulldogs v Williamstown final.

Relocation would be my second preferred option. I'd still follow them, but would not feel that level of involvment that you have now, being able to get down to training, functions etc.. things vital to feeling 'a part of the club'. I would still follow their fortunes, but not with anywhere near the same passion.

The merger, well I'd stop following them.
Footscray Bulldogs Vs Williamstown Final.

[alwaysadog]

Emotions are funny things and can be manipulated, but my feeling is that a merger would leave me with a profound sense of loss that couldn't be overcome, a relocation if I was convinced that it was the only viable option would be acceptable on the level of logic but I couldn't imagine that I would follow them with any passion or any great interest, and they would have to play in our colours and jumper for me to have any interest.

[Topdog]

I'd go for the same club, different league option. There is just no way I could support another club. I got zero enjoyment from watching other clubs play footy and would be happy enough to go down to Whitten Oval to start watching VFL games.

[Lukiedog]

Wouldn't want to merge as you lose your identify. Can't fold as you're now dead and couldn't play in another league (assumption being VFL) as you lose the National exposure.

For me, at the end of the day I think relocating is the best of a bad solution. Sure the club has gone interstate or where ever but at least it still exits on the big stage.

[GVGjr]

Wouldn't want to merge as you lose your identify. Can't fold as you're now dead and couldn't play in another league (assumption being VFL) as you lose the National exposure.

For me, at the end of the day I think relocating is the best of a bad solution. Sure the club has gone interstate or where ever but at least it still exits on the big stage.

Very true. The club has gutted it out for ages and has now turned the corner. I know this is a bit of a hypothetical but I don't think anything is that palatable as far as I am concerned.