Cats And Dogs

[HOSE B ROMERO]

Geelong... I should hate them more than i do. Not only for those finals losses in the '90's ('Billy, the monkey's off the back'. Thanks Sandy Roberts.) But also because of all those trips made down to 'sleepy hollow' only to make the sombre trip home without the points. There was a victory, probably in the early 90's (probably on youtube but unsure how to post it here) which felt like nirvana at the time. And another around the same time which we lost narrowly after Michael Frost missed a set shot late in the game. Probably the most damning statistic is that in all of EJ's career(20 years) he never played in a winning side........... that's right folks; apparently we were winless at the cattery from 1945 - 1972!!

Of the 76 matches we've played down there, we have won 15 (20%).

So surely now is the time for the club to 'draw a line in the sand'. A new era. Come on boys; time to avenge all that misery suffered by the players and supporters who made the trek down Highway 1 for all those years.

[Remi Moses]

Won there in 95 ( stirring victory just after EJ's death)
Had many a mare of a day down there , Round 2 1994 springs to mind .
Had a couple of come from behind games in 01 and 02, and last win was in 03, which was about 5 ground upgrades ago

[1eyedog]

Geelong... I should hate them more than i do. Not only for those finals losses in the '90's ('Billy, the monkey's off the back'. Thanks Sandy Roberts.) But also because of all those trips made down to 'sleepy hollow' only to make the sombre trip home without the points. There was a victory, probably in the early 90's (probably on youtube but unsure how to post it here) which felt like nirvana at the time. And another around the same time which we lost narrowly after Michael Frost missed a set shot late in the game. Probably the most damning statistic is that in all of EJ's career(20 years) he never played in a winning side........... that's right folks; apparently we were winless at the cattery from 1945 - 1972!!

Of the 76 matches we've played down there, we have won 15 (20%).

So surely now is the time for the club to 'draw a line in the sand'. A new era. Come on boys; time to avenge all that misery suffered by the players and supporters who made the trek down Highway 1 for all those years.

I'll hate them more than you do for you then.

[bornadog]

I remember going down there is 1985 when we had a pretty good team.

This was the first win I saw down there:

[Twodogs]

I remember going down there is 1985 when we had a pretty good team.

This was the first win I saw down there:

Yep. Remember that. Going down on the funny old train with the compartments.

[Twodogs]

An essay a friend of mine wrote on Australianfootball.com;


What follows is a Footscray/Western Bulldogs side of note. The team, from the backline, is as follows:

B: Ian Bryant (7) Herb Henderson (4) Dave Bryden (5)
HB: Ray Walker (3) David Darcy (7) John Jillard (10)
C: Dick Wearmouth (6) Terry Wallace (3) Simon Atkins (6)
HF: Alan Mannix (4) Kelvin Templeton (3) Graham Ion (5)
F: Don McKenzie (7) Ray Baxter (5) Charlie Sutton (9)
Foll: John Schultz (9) Ian Dunstan (5) Tony McGuiness (4)
Res: Dale Morris (4) Merv Hobbs (2)


A pretty good combination I’m sure you’d agree. Add EJ, Peter Box, Jack Collins and Wally Donald and you’d be ready to take on anyone. The honours amassed by the squad is impressive. Eight won the clubs Best and Fairest award - 16 wins in total - three are Brownlow Medallists and Kelvin Templeton grabbed two Coleman Medals in the late 70s. Four of the squad – Henderson, Jillard, Schultz and Templeton were named in the Footscray/Western Bulldogs “Team of the century” in 2003.

And the significance of the numbers in parentheses next to the players?

It represents the number of times that player took the field for the Scraggers at the home of the Geelong Football Club, Kardinia Park. Sadly, it also corresponds with the number of losses that player experienced at the venue while sporting the team's Tri-colours¹.

The “Cattery” has never been the happiest of hunting grounds for the Footscray Football Club, the 70 kilometre return journey along the Highway has more often than not proved to be a tortuous one for players and supporters alike. It’s staged 54 Cat & Dog skirmishes, (1941-2014 inclusive) since Geelong shifted its home matches there from its former abode, Corio Oval with the Bullies experiencing the thrill of victory on just 13 occasions. A draw on the opening day of the 1957 season was the closest the potential additions I offered to the “Best of” team above (Whitten snr, Box, Collins and Donald) came to a win there. Surprisingly Footscray prevailed in their first three visits to Kardinia Park. However the final leg of the trifecta, a 13.19-97 to 11.14-80 triumph on Saturday 14 July 1945 would be the last time they would depart the Moorabool Street venue with the four premiership points for more than a generation. This essay re-visits the lead-up to, and the eventual drought breaking victory, enjoyed by the boys of the Bulldog breed. The day they blew their Barwon blues to bits.

It's a bit long to reproduce in full here but you can read it in full at http://australianfootball.com/articl...%2Bhoodoo/1373

[Danny the snakeman]

We have only lost there once as reigning premiers so we can even the ledger this week.

[LostDoggy]

I remember going down there is 1985 when we had a pretty good team.

This was the first win I saw down there:

I remember this game very well. Aside from our dismantling of Essendon at home, it was probably the best game we played in a very memorable home and away season. The match highlight for mine was Les Bamblett kicking the best individual goal I have ever seen by a Bulldog late in the 3rd, just as Geelong were looking dangerous. Unforunately doesn't seem to be in the footage.

[cinder]

I'd love to beat them, can't remember the last time. Sick of them just having their way with us.

[Mofra]

Harry Taylor has never played in a Geelong side that has lost to the Bulldogs.

[Mantis]

Harry Taylor has never played in a Geelong side that has lost to the Bulldogs.

Whilst it sounds impressive, it's not true... He played in the rd 21 clash in 2009 which we won by 14pts.

http://www.footywire.com/afl/footy/f...stics?mid=4143

[always right]

I remember going down there is 1985 when we had a pretty good team.

This was the first win I saw down there:

How good would it be to have Lally Bamblett playing for us nowadays? He had an exceptional year in 1985.

[bornadog]

Harry Taylor has never played in a Geelong side that has lost to the Bulldogs.

We need to fix up Harry.

[Twodogs]

John Schultz went up the highway 9 times and never got a win. I hate those *!*!*!*!ing farm boys so much.

[Twodogs]

How good would it be to have Lally Bamblett playing for us nowadays? He had an exceptional year in 1985.

Wouldn't he just be the perfect addition. With the amount of time the ball spends in our forward 50 Lal would easily kick 100 goals. A game.