It's a love fest!

[always right]

Not sure it deserves its own thread but WTF.....everyone is so happy at the moment....who cares?

Have you ever heard more positive media coverage of our club? Sure it's a little over the top and symptomatic of the media who are desperate to find a new hobbyhorse to climb aboard...but how good is it to turn on the radio, read the newspapers or sit down and watch all the footy related TV shows to find the conversation dominated by the bulldogs. To quote our coach..."it's off the charts".

Driving back from golf at lunchtome yesterday I turned on SEN and heard Rohan Connolly, Andy Maher and others absolutely in raptures about our club. It was a bloody love fest.

Sure we are only ever one week away from a reality check but this is the most fun I can remember since we became known as "the attack dogs" early on in Eade's tenure. It's all a little surreal at the moment.....long may it continue.

[LostDoggy]

Its a beautiful thing!

[bulldogtragic]

Take it in and value it. We have some serious low times historically, so savour it while the going is great.

[bornadog]

What a weekend of Footy, the best for a long time. We win and go fourth with a team playing brilliant watch able football and the VFL side knock off the ladder leaders. I haven't felt this good about footy for a very long time.

[Doc26]

Not sure it deserves its own thread but WTF.....everyone is so happy at the moment....who cares?

Have you ever heard more positive media coverage of our club? Sure it's a little over the top and symptomatic of the media who are desperate to find a new hobbyhorse to climb aboard...but how good is it to turn on the radio, read the newspapers or sit down and watch all the footy related TV shows to find the conversation dominated by the bulldogs. To quote our coach..."it's off the charts".

Driving back from golf at lunchtome yesterday I turned on SEN and heard Rohan Connolly, Andy Maher and others absolutely in raptures about our club. It was a bloody love fest.
Sure we are only ever one week away from a reality check but this is the most fun I can remember since we became known as "the attack
dogs" early on in Eade's tenure. It's all a little surreal at the moment.....long may it continue.

I heard that as well. Was a surreal kind of moment culminating in Rohan Connolly endeavouring to sing our Club song on air.

This is a topic that I've become pretty sensitive about in recent years with many of the well known media identities giving us absolutely diddly squat; Andy Maher, Anthony Hudson, Jason Dunstall, Dwayne Russell, Greg Denham to name some of the worst culprits in recent times. It appears they're now slowly turning with the tide and starting to ride this latest bandwagon.

On the flipside, kudos to non Bulldogs in David King, Mark Fine, Gerard Healy, and KB who have been quite lone voices in the AFL media during our lean bottoming out / development years in giving us some positive messaging and exposure.

On Finey's Sunday morning show with Robert Shaw he could not have been more glowing about us and our future, maybe over the top but then that is his style, but this has been consistent with him for quite some time now. He seems quite well versed / astute when it comes to our Club which may come from one of his children supporting us.

[F'scary]

While acknowledging Shocktober, we were getting much worse press (or no press) than we deserved during the McCartney era. While his 3 years produced ordinary results, we were never anywhere close to being the worst team in the comp. But most of the time we were treated as if we were terminal.

[Sedat]

While acknowledging Shocktober, we were getting much worse press (or no press) than we deserved during the McCartney era. While his 3 years produced ordinary results, we were never anywhere close to being the worst team in the comp. But most of the time we were treated as if we were terminal.
Yes we were. From halfway through 2012 to halfway through 2013 we won something like 2 games and lost 20-odd. We were putrid in that time.

[Torpedo]

I think the last time this lovefest happened was the weeks leading up to being towelled up by Melbourne and Saints just a couple of months ago. Don't listen to it!

[Eastdog]

We are just going great guns at the moment. Im a Bulldog supporter in good times and bad times and boy have their been a lot of bad times. Under a new coach in Luke Beveridge and a team with some great youngsters we have well and truly turned it around from the huge events of the off season last year.

[1eyedog]

They were talking about the Bulldogs Premiership chances on SEN this morning. If we can beat Melbourne this week and win one of the West Coast or North game we will be serious top 4 candidates and then its off to Perth to face the Dockers which is tough but not insurmountable.

[Mantis]

They were talking about the Bulldogs Premiership chances on SEN this morning. If we can beat Melbourne this week and win one of the West Coast or North game we will be serious top 4 candidates and then its off to Perth to face the Dockers which is tough but not insurmountable.

Agree, but Sydney have a pretty soft draw and will start heavy favourites in their 4 remaining games:

Coll (H), GWS (A), St.K (A), GC (H)

[1eyedog]

Agree, but Sydney have a pretty soft draw and will start heavy favourites in their 4 remaining games:

Coll (H), GWS (A), St.K (A), GC (H)

Yeah I noticed that but they are always challenged by the Pies up there. We need them to drop that and we need to beat North.

[LostDoggy]

I wouldn't give them the GWS game either. GWS always play well against them, have plenty to play for, and Swans are definitely struggling.

Anyway, it's all irrelevant if we keep winning:)

[bulldogtragic]

Hi it's Jimmy. If you can dream it, you can do it.

[Happy Days]

Yeah I noticed that but they are always challenged by the Pies up there. We need them to drop that and we need to beat North.

Pies usually play them at Telstra Stadium. This game is at the SCG, so past form interstate doesn't matter so much.

We'll have to win the rest of our games to make top 4 - I don't think we will but the whole club deserves a huge wrap for being anywhere near the top 4 this far into the season, let alone in it.

Besides, is not travelling to Perth but instead getting, in all likelihood, one of Adelaide, North or Richmond, 3 teams we have killed this year (give it a few weeks until we smash the freaks), really that bad a result?

[LostDoggy]

I'm happy to hear it, but we don't get the coverage here in northern NSW.........got Foxtel now so that's helping my craving for bulldog news! Sit back and enjoy the ride, not sure just where we'll end up but I reckon it's about the journey not the destination!!

[Bulldog4life]

We could replace Wet Toast in the four. If Freo can beat them this week we will be playing them the week after for their spot. Go doggies

[bornadog]

We could replace Wet Toast in the four. If Freo can beat them this week we will be playing them the week after for their spot. Go doggies

Presuming we beat Melbourne. ;)

[Twodogs]

If we did finish in the top 4 would we prefer to travel to Perth or play Hawthorn here in week one?

[Bulldog4life]

If we did finish in the top 4 would we prefer to travel to Perth or play Hawthorn here in week one?

Good point. Would take either.:)

[ReLoad]

As mentioned in a previous post, this just feels like 1997 did. the big difference is i know we have another 10% improvement in our team as they are such young pups. wait till the whole team hits 80 games, this time next year, or early in 2017 we should be all rights be a juggernaut.

[always right]

I'm happy to hear it, but we don't get the coverage here in northern NSW.........got Foxtel now so that's helping my craving for bulldog news! Sit back and enjoy the ride, not sure just where we'll end up but I reckon it's about the journey not the destination!!

Nah...it's all about the destination.;)

[Scraggers]

It is a love fest right now, but its amazing how quick it can turn to nure !!

Last week, Richmond knocked off Hawthorn and sat 6th on the ladder (knocked out of 5th by our big win over Essendrug); and the media are all over them ... one journo saying they were now Premiership favourites. The loss to Adelaide on Friday and all of a sudden they're in danger of missing the finals all together !!

Take it all with a grain of salt.

[SonofScray]

Swings and roundabouts but you take the plaudits as they come. The opportunity that presents itself now is Finals and Flag That Wags. Imagine how good that would be, as we all have for certain. But add to it the benefits to our Club doing it in such a sour, dour era for the game where people are feeling alienated and isolated from its core. We are going to bring so much joy to The Day and are bringing such a positive perspective to the way the game can be played, it is a perfect storm in terms of cashing in.

Win a Flag, save the competition from the evils of a corrupt commission and flailing "powerhouses" in Essendon etc. They'll make a Disney movie out of this.

[F'scary]

Yes we were. From halfway through 2012 to halfway through 2013 we won something like 2 games and lost 20-odd. We were putrid in that time.

Cherry-picking somewhat but I acknowledge your point, we did have a really stinky patch. However, the full season results were 2012: 5 wins, 15th place; 2013: 8 wins, 15th place; 2014, 7 wins, 14th place.

From round 12 2012 to round round 11 2013 (22 games), we won 4 out of 22 games.

[Twodogs]

That's cheered me up.

[LostDoggy]

Agree, but Sydney have a pretty soft draw and will start heavy favourites in their 4 remaining games:

Coll (H), GWS (A), St.K (A), GC (H)
I'd tip the Saints. Might put some $$ on it.

Pies usually play them at Telstra Stadium. This game is at the SCG, so past form interstate doesn't matter so much.

We'll have to win the rest of our games to make top 4 - I don't think we will but the whole club deserves a huge wrap for being anywhere near the top 4 this far into the season, let alone in it.

Besides, is not travelling to Perth but instead getting, in all likelihood, one of Adelaide, North or Richmond, 3 teams we have killed this year (give it a few weeks until we smash the freaks), really that bad a result?
Yes, it is. To win a flag, we need to beat one or more of Freo, Hawks or Eagles. To do that we need the week off.

[Remi Moses]

I think it hurt most to be deemed "irrelevant".
It was harsh and brutal.
I'd like our fans to rock up though

[1eyedog]

Pies usually play them at Telstra Stadium. This game is at the SCG, so past form interstate doesn't matter so much.

We'll have to win the rest of our games to make top 4 - I don't think we will but the whole club deserves a huge wrap for being anywhere near the top 4 this far into the season, let alone in it.

Besides, is not travelling to Perth but instead getting, in all likelihood, one of Adelaide, North or Richmond, 3 teams we have killed this year (give it a few weeks until we smash the freaks), really that bad a result?

Not sure the stadium has much to do with it but as you say the SCG is an unproven entity. I think the Pies have in the past matched up well and there seems to be some sort of bogey side thing going on for Sydney. Let's hope it continues this week.

[westdog54]

Not sure the stadium has much to do with it but as you say the SCG is an unproven entity. I think the Pies have in the past matched up well and there seems to be some sort of bogey side thing going on for Sydney. Let's hope it continues this week.

I don't think it'll matter to much where this game is played. Sydney look shot.

You can't help but wonder how their supporters will react to a result like this after the ridiculous amount of money they've put into recruiting certain individuals.

[1eyedog]

Maybe I'm not giving the credit our northern neighbours deserve, but I'm not sure they'll care or even realise they're on the decline and they'll most likely just shift their attention to their No. 1 sport.

[westdog54]

You're probably right.

It's the old South Melbourne supporters I feel sorry for.

[Happy Days]

Sydney beat Adelaide by 10 goals 2 weeks ago. Not that I think they're anything close to what they were last year, but I think we're going a little early here in calling them finished.

[1eyedog]

You're probably right.

It's the old South Melbourne supporters I feel sorry for.

Yeah I do too to a point but then I think about 2005 and 2012 and I stop feeling sorry for them. Two flags inside 10 years would see me through to my days.

It's the old Fitzroy supporters I feel sorry for. The transplant just didn't work for them and many of them walk the wilderness alone.

[craigsahibee]

Wasn't it around this time of year that our younger players were supposed to be tiring? If anything, I believe our 1 - 4 year players are performing better than they were 2 months ago. Bevo and the MC have managed workloads exceptionally well. Hunter has been shielded from the rigours of AFL footy for the best part of the year and is flying. Redpath, young in experience not so much in years, has had his best month of footy. Wally is a beast, way beyond his years and shows no signs of slowing down. Bontempelli doesn't look like he has got out of second gear. I could go on. A lot has to be said about our list development and the ability to throw the team around week in, week out, not only to keep players fresh, but hungry to earn their spot back in the 1's.

[Rocket Science]

When you see the bandwagon getting bigger and bigger...

http://i.imgur.com/7jWj1b1.jpg

[ratsmac]

We are probably better off travelling to Perth first week of the finals anyhow (finishing 4th obviously), because if we are going to get anywhere in the finals series we will more than likely end up playing in Perth sooner or later, so week one wouldn't be so bad. At least we get to have a run over there against West Coast next round to get a feel for the ground.

[Remi Moses]

Wasn't it around this time of year that our younger players were supposed to be tiring? If anything, I believe our 1 - 4 year players are performing better than they were 2 months ago. Bevo and the MC have managed workloads exceptionally well. Hunter has been shielded from the rigours of AFL footy for the best part of the year and is flying. Redpath, young in experience not so much in years, has had his best month of footy. Wally is a beast, way beyond his years and shows no signs of slowing down. Bontempelli doesn't look like he has got out of second gear. I could go on. A lot has to be said about our list development and the ability to throw the team around week in, week out, not only to keep players fresh, but hungry to earn their spot back in the 1's.

I think the group did tire around the four week period .
The positive was that we won 3 and lost 1 by toughing it out

[jeemak]

I'd prefer Hawthorn in week one. We'd get a home final in week two and we'd be fresher for the prelim should we make it.

Wow, talk about being ahead of oneself.

[Bulldog Joe]

Why all this talk of playing at home in week 2.

Week 2 is the week of for the 2 sides from the top 4 winning in week 1.

I am looking for the week off to prepare for a home prelim.

[comrade]

Why all this talk of playing at home in week 2.

Week 2 is the week of for the 2 sides from the top 4 winning in week 1.

I am looking for the week off to prepare for a home prelim.

Let's start a petition now: #Etihad4Prelim

[craigsahibee]

I think the group did tire around the four week period .
The positive was that we won 3 and lost 1 by toughing it out

Agree. That four week period coincided with dour low scoring affairs against Saints, Carlton and Geelong. One wonders whether training loads had increased also