Premiership window

[1eyedog]

I've never liked the idea of premiership windows, Hawthorn have completely dispelled that notion for me but how long can we continue to play top 4 football? How many more cracks do we have at the big dance in the next 3 years? Are Grant, Everitt et al. and Barry Hall (potentially) going to tip the balance to allow us to go one more step next September? What are your thoughts on breaking a 55 year Premiership drought in terms of player turnover?

[LostDoggy]

Welsh and Eagle out, Barry and young gun in. Window open.

[GVGjr]

I think the notion of a premiership window is somewhat flawed. Good teams maintain a high standard. We will lose a few players and recruit a few players and we will be in a strong position to challenge again.

[1eyedog]

I think the notion of a premiership window is somewhat flawed. Good teams maintain a high standard. We will lose a few players and recruit a few players and we will be in a strong position to challenge again.

Over the next 3 years I agree. We appear to have a good youngish list that have committed to the cause.

[The Bulldogs Bite]

Akermanis, Welsh, Eagleton & Johnson will all decline/retire. From that group, only really Johnson has earned his stripes IMO. Aker has given us SFA in the last two games when we've needed it. He was absolutely dreadful tonight. I'd rather invest our time into developing the next batch of young players (Reid, Wood, Lynch, Roughead, Grant, Boumann etc.) It could be argued Hudson, Hahn and possiby Gia may decline too - but it's all a hypothetical.

I personally think we'll fall a little bit next season. Unless we unearth some new talent, that is.

[Before I Die]

Akermanis, Welsh, Eagleton & Johnson will all decline/retire. From that group, only really Johnson has earned his stripes IMO. Aker has given us SFA in the last two games when we've needed it. He was absolutely dreadful tonight. I'd rather invest our time into developing the next batch of young players (Reid, Wood, Lynch, Roughead, Grant, Boumann etc.) It could be argued Hudson, Hahn and possiby Gia may decline too - but it's all a hypothetical.

I personally think we'll fall a little bit next season. Unless we unearth some new talent, that is.

I thought his pressure and attack on the player was sensational. He didn't kick any goals but his tackling and the example he set for others was fantastic.

[The Bulldogs Bite]

I thought his pressure and attack on the player was sensational. He didn't kick any goals but his tackling and the example he set for others was fantastic.

He turned the ball over/kicked to nobody almost every time. It killed us. We got Aker to the club for his ability to make the right decisions in big finals. That includes kicking goals; he did neither. The last two weeks have been the worst two games I've seen him play.

[GVGjr]

Akermanis, Welsh, Eagleton & Johnson will all decline/retire. From that group, only really Johnson has earned his stripes IMO. Aker has given us SFA in the last two games when we've needed it. He was absolutely dreadful tonight. I'd rather invest our time into developing the next batch of young players (Reid, Wood, Lynch, Roughead, Grant, Boumann etc.) It could be argued Hudson, Hahn and possiby Gia may decline too - but it's all a hypothetical.

I personally think we'll fall a little bit next season. Unless we unearth some new talent, that is.

I have been saying for a couple of months now that we need to make some hard decisions on delistings etc but based on what I have seen this season there is no reason why Johnson can't go on again and it's really up to Akermanis to see if he wants to continue. Tough decisions need to be made on Welsh, Eagleton and a few others.

[Yankee Hotel Foxtrot]

There really is no such window in my opinion. Each year is it's own unique set of circumstances.

Having said that you would think that we still have a strong list, even with any impending retirements, and it then comes down to how much the group improves next year, relative to the other intangible of how other teams improve.

Hopefully some shrewd drafting & trading can help add to our depth and improve areas of deficiencies.

[azabob]

I have been saying for a couple of months now that we need to make some hard decisions on delistings etc but based on what I have seen this season there is no reason why Johnson can't go on again and it's really up to Akermanis to see if he wants to continue. Tough decisions need to be made on Welsh, Eagleton and a few others.

Are you willing to name the few others? Are they from the "1999 draft"?
Personally I think Welsh, Eagleton should retire, re sign Johnson and Akermanis on one year deals.
The big question is if we get a Barry Hall do Murphy, Gia, Hahn all improve due to a bigger body being around them?

[The Underdog]

I don't know about premiership windows or clocks or whatever, I just think it's so hard to make it to that final 4 and get the chance to play in the GF, that to miss out 2 years in a row and have to go back to the start is such a huge opportunity missed.

[The Bulldogs Bite]

I have been saying for a couple of months now that we need to make some hard decisions on delistings etc but based on what I have seen this season there is no reason why Johnson can't go on again and it's really up to Akermanis to see if he wants to continue. Tough decisions need to be made on Welsh, Eagleton and a few others.

Yep - proud of Johnson and no doubt he will/should play on in 2010.

I struggle to make a case for the rest. If we chase Hall (and we should) then I don't know if we can/should keep Aker. He's been very good for us, but has failed badly in the last two games when we've needed him. I think we need to be mindful of the group's age and really start to develop 2-3 young players next season.

Cross/Gia are two names I'd throw up at the trade table.

[AndrewP6]

Hawks showed anything can happen...and just last year the Saints barely scraped into the top four and then bombed out... so you can't rule anything out... I just don't see a premiership coming from the current list... two of our better players this year are the two oldest...

[GVGjr]

Are you willing to name the few others? Are they from the "1999 draft"?
Personally I think Welsh, Eagleton should retire, re sign Johnson and Akermanis on one year deals.
The big question is if we get a Barry Hall do Murphy, Gia, Hahn all improve due to a bigger body being around them?

I have been naming them. I believe that we need to move on 7 players this season.

[azabob]

I have been naming them. I believe that we need to move on 7 players this season.

Ok then, I thought you were talking about players from tonights game.
My mistake.

[Remi Moses]

Yep - proud of Johnson and no doubt he will/should play on in 2010.

I struggle to make a case for the rest. If we chase Hall (and we should) then I don't know if we can/should keep Aker. He's been very good for us, but has failed badly in the last two games when we've needed him. I think we need to be mindful of the group's age and really start to develop 2-3 young players next season.

Cross/Gia are two names I'd throw up at the trade table.

I know tough love is on the agenda but I'd be stunned if they traded Gia or Cross. Particular as we are in a shallow draft this season. BTW premiership window is just a bullshit modern term,as we saw tonight Stkilda's ''window'' had been shut a few years back after successive prelim final losses.

[SonofScray]

If you go by that theory, I think it might be about to get slammed shut.

The Premiership clock has us running out of batteries at 12:55

[yeah_sampson]

I thought this year was different... and oh my it was!!! The feeling at the "G" last night was all about the Bulldogs! The crowd for the doggies was in full flight and Ive never been so sure we would be in a Grand Final. That last quarter seemed to just go! and the 3 Quarter poor umpiring seemed to swing the game into Saints favour.

But having said that I dont think trading all our players away at the end of the year would do us any favours. Look at St Kilda last year, not a great team and even thought they were lucky to even make the top four, but this year have turned it around.

Premiership Window is open every year.......... but who wants to jump through it MOST, WILL!!

[LostDoggy]

A bit of incremental tinkering with the list including delisting/trading some of the fringe players, and getting Barry Hall. My biggest concern is holding on to Davoren the fitness guy:( but it think if we get that right, we should be up there. Look at Geelong, and yes, the Saints, four preliminary finals they have made and finally they win won.

[Mofra]

If you go by that theory, I think it might be about to get slammed shut.

The Premiership clock has us running out of batteries at 12:55
Good. The general concensus on the Saints was their premiership window died with the GT era after losing key players. Premiership windows rarely fit the stereotype (Hawks are an example).

[bornadog]

Premierships are going to get even harder with two new teams coming into the competition and the AFL wanting to ensure they are successful.

[bulldogtragic]

I think next year, possible 2011 and 12. After that it's a rebuild with most of the '99 draftees on the way out or gone.

[Mantis]

I think next year, possible 2011 and 12. After that it's a rebuild with most of the '99 draftees on the way out or gone.

Rd 1 2013 using only players on our list at present and besides Lake keeping no-one who will be over 28 at the start of the year.

B: Harbrow (24), Boumann (23), Lake (31)
HB: Wood (23), Williams (26), Tiller (26)
C: Hill (24), Ward (22), Everitt (24)
HF: Stack (24), Jones (22), Higgins (25)
F: Lynch (25), Grant (23), Cordy (22)
R: Roughead (22), Cooney (27), Griffen (26)

Int: Picken (26), Addison (25), Minson (27), Reid (23)

If our young guys develop the way we hope they can I can see us up near the top for some time yet.

[strebla]

Rd 1 2013 using only players on our list at present and besides Lake keeping no-one who will be over 28 at the start of the year.

B: Harbrow (24), Boumann (23), Lake (31)
HB: Wood (23), Williams (26), Tiller (26)
C: Hill (24), Ward (22), Everitt (24)
HF: Stack (24), Jones (22), Higgins (25)
F: Lynch (25), Grant (23), Cordy (22)
R: Roughead (22), Cooney (27), Griffen (26)

Int: Picken (26), Addison (25), Minson (27), Reid (23)

If our young guys develop the way we hope they can I can see us up near the top for some time yet.

That looks a good side and we will also have a couple of handy inclusions with some father sons it is not a window we need it is a desire (which we have in spades) to win although shattered i am confident nof the future our list is as deep as any and deeper than most.

[LostDoggy]

Rd 1 2013 using only players on our list at present and besides Lake keeping no-one who will be over 28 at the start of the year.

B: Harbrow (24), Boumann (23), Lake (31)
HB: Wood (23), Williams (26), Tiller (26)
C: Hill (24), Ward (22), Everitt (24)
HF: Stack (24), Jones (22), Higgins (25)
F: Lynch (25), Grant (23), Cordy (22)
R: Roughead (22), Cooney (27), Griffen (26)

Int: Picken (26), Addison (25), Minson (27), Reid (23)

If our young guys develop the way we hope they can I can see us up near the top for some time yet.

Fairly young list, looks bloody good though.

[LostDoggy]

I must say, that looks a very good team. But we still don't know if Jones, Boumann or Grant will make it.

[Rocket Science]

Rd 1 2013 using only players on our list at present and besides Lake keeping no-one who will be over 28 at the start of the year.

B: Harbrow (24), Boumann (23), Lake (31)
HB: Wood (23), Williams (26), Tiller (26)
C: Hill (24), Ward (22), Everitt (24)
HF: Stack (24), Jones (22), Higgins (25)
F: Lynch (25), Grant (23), Cordy (22)
R: Roughead (22), Cooney (27), Griffen (26)

Int: Picken (26), Addison (25), Minson (27), Reid (23)

If our young guys develop the way we hope they can I can see us up near the top for some time yet.

Blow me down, an actual spine.

It's an encouraging glance forward, particularly if you allow for a conservative 2 or 3 additions via the draft between now and then...but that half back line's a worry.

[Mofra]

It's an encouraging glance forward, particularly if you allow for a conservative 2 or 3 additions via the draft between now and then...but that half back line's a worry.
Depends whether Boumann is given licence to run. I don't have official training times but he would have to be one of the quickest blokes at the club, or at least he makes everyone he is playing against look slow. Freak.

Not sure why we are talking rebuild already. We are 2010 contenders, we will have 3 f/s selections in 2010 & 2011 whilst everyone else gets scraps so ar already ahead of everyone else, and we have players on the list who would probably have been playing senior football at other clubs.

[BornInDroopSt'54]

There are no guarantees in football. We may not make the 8 next year. Look at Hawthorn. It is such an incredible achievement to make a Prelim, it takes a long pre-season, good recruitment, player and team management, luck with injuries, winning enough games to get in the top 4, and a lack of a dominating team like Geelong of the last two years etc etc.
There is plenty of room for optimism, I am a natural optimist and throughout these finals believed the Dogs would win the premiership. However our chance of winning the flag with this team may have ended with this prelim, only time will tell. Fate has to shine on you. Good management is not enough.
We can only hope and if you're a Bulldogs supporter you have that in buckets. Love you guys and the journey we share. Thanks for your posts throughout the year, previously my supporting was a lonely thing, you helped me share it.