10 Brownlows, plus many Champions, but why one champion team?

[bornadog]

The bulldogs have produced so many brownlow medalists, in fact ten now with Cooney, as well as the greatest player of all time Teddy, add to that Round, Quinlan, Wilson ex doggies, who also added a brownlow (at other clubs), yet we only have one VFL/AFL premiership.

Why is it? Why can't we have a champion team instead of a team with champions. Is it the culture at the club? Is it bad luck with injuries? Is it just accepting and being satisfied with - all the "If we kicked that goal", "if the umpire didn't do this and that", in other words the excuses.

2009, has got to be our year, yet, I can't see us doing it without a decent spine?

Come on, what do we really need to get to the Granny, let alone win it?

My opinion is:

We need a mobile ruckman in the Ottens mould to help Huddo.
We need a mobile power tall forward (we all know that)
We need a CHB - time for Williams body to stand up.
We need one more midfielder in the mould of Cooney, Griffen. (Kerr would be ideal)

[Twodogs]

Because as a club we lionise individuals over team.



Frankly it shits me to tears whenever a player of ours wins a Brownlow, Coleman or some other AFL award because it just serves to reinforce the cult of the individual rather than sucess as a club. I've now seen 8 of our players win Charlie and not once have I woken with a hangover the next day or gone out and celebrated with a new tattoo. The cult of personality is holding our club back. Yeah we need champion players but those champions, and us supporters, need to be aware that team sucess is not just predicated on a player going out and getting 30 touches a game. Success only comes when players sacrafice their game for the good of the team and that's something Cooney learnt in the Sydney final-which incidentally I thought was almost his best performance for the year.

[Sedat]

I was pleased that Cooney won the Brownlow last night, but I'm still thinking more about Friday night and the missed opportunities in the 2nd half. I hope the players and match committee are as well.

[bornadog]

Because as a club we lionise individuals over team.



Frankly it shits me to tears whenever a player of ours wins a Brownlow, Coleman or some other AFL award because it just serves to reinforce the cult of the individual rather than sucess as a club. I've now seen 8 of our players win Charlie and not once have I woken with a hangover the next day or gone out and celebrated with a new tattoo. The cult of personality is holding our club back. Yeah we need champion players but those champions, and us supporters, need to be aware that team sucess is not just predicated on a player going out and getting 30 touches a game. Success only comes when players sacrafice their game for the good of the team and that's something Cooney learnt in the Sydney final-which incidentally I thought was almost his best performance for the year.

Excatly why I started this thread, the way I feel at this moment, I don't want to watch the GF and I hate listening to the build up as well, as it should be us in there.

[Go_Dogs]

Eh, I'm not too concerned. I don't think this group has any illusions about what they have acheived and will (no doubt in my mind) again set about improving and winning a flag this coming season. If anything, Cooney winning the Brownlow will instill some belief in our younger chaps that YES, you ARE good enough to do this AFL thing.

[Scraggers]

2009, has got to be our year, yet, I can't see us doing it without a decent spine?

Come on, what do we really need to get to the Granny, let alone win it?

My opinion is:

We need a mobile ruckman in the Ottens mould to help Huddo.
We need a mobile power tall forward (we all know that)
We need a CHB - time for Williams body to stand up.
We need one more midfielder in the mould of Cooney, Griffen. (Kerr would be ideal)
I agree with your summation here of what we need, but ...


Excatly why I started this thread, the way I feel at this moment, I don't want to watch the GF and I hate listening to the build up as well, as it should be us in there.

I disagree with this statement ... 2008 has to be seen for what it was ... a building year.

Building of strengths, game plans, teamwork, youth's ability etc

2008 has to be seen as a stepping stone to a great 2009 and 2010 NOT as an opportunity lost !!

[MrMahatma]

Truth be told, Cooney snagged a brownlow a year early. He'll be 20% better player next year, no doubt. Same with Griffen.

We're building a new culture too, IMO. I genuinely believe that team comes first for the young pups.

This group, plus a couple of smart acquisitions, can get us to a flag.

[bornadog]

I agree with your summation here of what we need, but ...



I disagree with this statement ... 2008 has to be seen for what it was ... a building year.

Building of strengths, game plans, teamwork, youth's ability etc

2008 has to be seen as a stepping stone to a great 2009 and 2010 NOT as an opportunity lost !!

Your right, we never expected to be in a prelim at the start of the year, I am just pissed that we could have been. We have to look forward to 2009/10 as you say.

[LostDoggy]

We are overanalysing.

All great teams have great players who have won Browlows etc. We can't possibly blame our good players for the lack of success we've had -- players don't get votes for just being selfish; previous Brownlow winners like Libba, Wynd etc. were as selfless and team-oriented as players got, and Teddy DID win a premiership.

Maybe we don't win premierships because we don't have enough players supporting our champion players due to crap recruiting, or because of gross mismanagement of resources in the past, or a lacklustre PR and branding department that has failed to exploit our unique value proposition of being the only AFL club in Melbourne's west, but we can't possibly blame our lack of premierships on the fact that we have had some great players in the club throughout our history!

[bornadog]

We are overanalysing.

All great teams have great players who have won Browlows etc. We can't possibly blame our good players for the lack of success we've had -- players don't get votes for just being selfish; previous Brownlow winners like Libba, Wynd etc. were as selfless and team-oriented as players got, and Teddy DID win a premiership.

Maybe we don't win premierships because we don't have enough players supporting our champion players due to crap recruiting, or because of gross mismanagement of resources in the past, or a lacklustre PR and branding department that has failed to exploit our unique value proposition of being the only AFL club in Melbourne's west, but we can't possibly blame our lack of premierships on the fact that we have had some great players in the club throughout our history!

You misunderstood, wasn't blaming the champion players. Just asking why we are able to produce champions, but not champion teams.

I think Eade is has started to change the club culture. For the first time in our history, I feel we have a list full of players that will sustain us for many years in the finals. Of course we need a few KPP's but overall its a pretty good list