Ghost Dog
03-08-2018, 01:21 PM
Winning is not everything. Now it’s finally proven.
While it was great to hold the flag in 2016 ( more than great ), the WAY we won it is the thing everyone will remember. Who won the flag in 1998? Ummm, 2002? Ummm honestly I’m not such a footy nerd to remember this without Googling. BUT I bet for years to come people will remember 16.
It’s not if you win or lose, it is how you play the game. They teach you this in Jnr footy right? And personally I believe this - Wayne Carey is an example. Or Essendon if they win this year....
I have to express some admiration for Sydney here. Those guys love putting their head over the footy and even their young players all have this ‘bloods culture’. They have lost their mojo for now but generally they play exciting footy and are almost always in with a chance. For some reason we still don’t believe in ourselves as much as we should. If we never win another flag for some years, I don’t mind. But I want to see us define our playing style and identity post 2016. So what is our 'Bloods culture'? What do call our playing style? Mongrel? at the moment it's more like a pack of howlers...anyway ahem.
We win tackle counts more often than not.
We can come back from big deficits.
We seldom use injury as an excuse.
Even when the game is lost we stick it out.
We don’t use not having a tall forward as an excuse.
If you push us around, expect our guys to rally and fly the flag.
Our Skills are solid and workman like, not needing to be fancy but we do the simple things well.
(In a 2016 Tory Dickson the bricklayer manner. )
Our recruiters are savvy folk and make brilliant Bont-like decisions.
We can unearth the best rookies.
This is what we are THE BULLDOG spirit.
Also
Our Office in Ballarat is a closed window.
Open the glass and show photos our guys and ladies, pictures with the community etc. ( looks like office is empty ).
Make the western corridor our hunting ground, MARS our fortress and get really close with the local Western District.
Make our women’s team into elite athletes able to succeed.
Inspire with new types of community work ( not just visit schools, continue to do interesting and innovative things ).
GO DOGS - Feel free to add your checklist.
While it was great to hold the flag in 2016 ( more than great ), the WAY we won it is the thing everyone will remember. Who won the flag in 1998? Ummm, 2002? Ummm honestly I’m not such a footy nerd to remember this without Googling. BUT I bet for years to come people will remember 16.
It’s not if you win or lose, it is how you play the game. They teach you this in Jnr footy right? And personally I believe this - Wayne Carey is an example. Or Essendon if they win this year....
I have to express some admiration for Sydney here. Those guys love putting their head over the footy and even their young players all have this ‘bloods culture’. They have lost their mojo for now but generally they play exciting footy and are almost always in with a chance. For some reason we still don’t believe in ourselves as much as we should. If we never win another flag for some years, I don’t mind. But I want to see us define our playing style and identity post 2016. So what is our 'Bloods culture'? What do call our playing style? Mongrel? at the moment it's more like a pack of howlers...anyway ahem.
We win tackle counts more often than not.
We can come back from big deficits.
We seldom use injury as an excuse.
Even when the game is lost we stick it out.
We don’t use not having a tall forward as an excuse.
If you push us around, expect our guys to rally and fly the flag.
Our Skills are solid and workman like, not needing to be fancy but we do the simple things well.
(In a 2016 Tory Dickson the bricklayer manner. )
Our recruiters are savvy folk and make brilliant Bont-like decisions.
We can unearth the best rookies.
This is what we are THE BULLDOG spirit.
Also
Our Office in Ballarat is a closed window.
Open the glass and show photos our guys and ladies, pictures with the community etc. ( looks like office is empty ).
Make the western corridor our hunting ground, MARS our fortress and get really close with the local Western District.
Make our women’s team into elite athletes able to succeed.
Inspire with new types of community work ( not just visit schools, continue to do interesting and innovative things ).
GO DOGS - Feel free to add your checklist.