Who went today?

[The Coon Dog]

I'm finding it harder to get to games now played during the day.

On Saturday mornings my son umpires under 18's footy in the WRFL & I have taken up goal umpiring. Sometimes I get double headers doing the under 18's & reserves which finish at around 2pm.

On Sunday's Ryan is mentoring junior umpires which means we have to be at the ground at the ungodly hour of 8.20am. He then either umpires the under 11/12's or 13/14's & then finishes off with the under 16's which only start at 2pm.

I spent all day at Werribee South yesterday & it was freezing! Wind & rain coming in off the sea made it feel like it was only about 5 degrees.

[GVGjr]

I'm finding it harder to get to games now played during the day.

On Saturday mornings my son umpires under 18's footy in the WRFL & I have taken up goal umpiring. Sometimes I get double headers doing the under 18's & reserves which finish at around 2pm.

On Sunday's Ryan is mentoring junior umpires which means we have to be at the ground at the ungodly hour of 8.20am. He then either umpires the under 11/12's or 13/14's & then finishes off with the under 16's which only start at 2pm.

I spent all day at Werribee South yesterday & it was freezing! Wind & rain coming in off the sea made it feel like it was only about 5 degrees.

Do you find you are missing getting to watch the Dogs as much TCD or is the Junior football more than filling the void?

[Sockeye Salmon]

Do you find you are missing getting to watch the Dogs as much TCD or is the Junior football more than filling the void?

I can't speak for Baz but for the Ashwood U9's would take precedence for me

[LostDoggy]

Didn't go and haven't been all year - still have (and will continue to have) reserved seat memberships. Can't put my finger on the cause of my lack of enthusiasm which started last season but I loathe the AFL expansion policy. Maybe this despondency will pass with time as I get used to these so called franchise teams. I watched the game live (Foxtel), recorded it and have watched it several more times - the Doggies played really well and the love for the red, white and blue still flickers. I suppose I will vote for losing my love for the game ... but think it may be a little more complicated than that.

[Ghost Dog]

Didn't go and haven't been all year - still have (and will continue to have) reserved seat memberships. Can't put my finger on the cause of my lack of enthusiasm which started last season but I loathe the AFL expansion policy. Maybe this despondency will pass with time as I get used to these so called franchise teams. I watched the game live (Foxtel), recorded it and have watched it several more times - the Doggies played really well and the love for the red, white and blue still flickers. I suppose I will vote for losing my love for the game ... but think it may be a little more complicated than that.

I guess after losing Ward, I felt a bit the same. But I have to say, something very special is happening under Brendan McCartney. He has inspired this group and some of the acts of courage in our last game were just astounding.
Today I went to Maccas, where I can read the papers and savored every single photo and report
Watching them play as they did was immensely satisfying. Wasn't just the win, but the way we won, as a whole, integrated team - the whole hamburger - Quality Forward, quality backline with the meat in the center, a ball hungry ripper of a midfield. And with so few of us fans there.
Hope you can come and join us sometime Ms Bulldog.

[jeemak]

I'm finding it harder to get to games now played during the day.

On Saturday mornings my son umpires under 18's footy in the WRFL & I have taken up goal umpiring. Sometimes I get double headers doing the under 18's & reserves which finish at around 2pm.

On Sunday's Ryan is mentoring junior umpires which means we have to be at the ground at the ungodly hour of 8.20am. He then either umpires the under 11/12's or 13/14's & then finishes off with the under 16's which only start at 2pm.

I spent all day at Werribee South yesterday & it was freezing! Wind & rain coming in off the sea made it feel like it was only about 5 degrees.

Well I know who we can blame in future years when we get stiffed by the men in white!

Seriously TCD, I think it's great your youngun has decided to have a crack at the whistle. It must take a lot of courage for him to do so, and in the process he's probably learning A LOT about the behaviour of just about every age group that decides to leave their respective hovels on a weekend.

Not sure what the numbers are like with respect to participation, though I'd assume you're family is probably in the higher percentile when it comes to umpiring.

Good stuff to you and the family for supporting the local game. It's bloody important that somebody does it, across all areas.

[jeemak]

Didn't go and haven't been all year - still have (and will continue to have) reserved seat memberships. Can't put my finger on the cause of my lack of enthusiasm which started last season but I loathe the AFL expansion policy. Maybe this despondency will pass with time as I get used to these so called franchise teams. I watched the game live (Foxtel), recorded it and have watched it several more times - the Doggies played really well and the love for the red, white and blue still flickers. I suppose I will vote for losing my love for the game ... but think it may be a little more complicated than that.

None of what you've said is irrelevant. It's completely undertandable to be honest, and the fact you still support the club through buying a reseved seat is admirable, as many others wouldn't do so if they're not going to get to games weekly, if at all.

For the time being, I won't buy a reserved seat membership, don't think I ever will. I'll keep buying memberships, and I'll get to games as often as I can though I just like having the flexibilty of walking around to various areas of the ground and standing where I feel most comfortable. I have a regular area around isle 36 that I prefer though (sorry to those supporters around that area however, you'll be happy to know I don't like foul language and player bashing).

I'll also donate to the club when they give me a call on the mobes ad-hoc. I've dropped more than my membership costs in a season more than once in multiple donations in the past, and while I can afford it I'll do it again.

Right now I want to get to games because there's no expectation on the team to perform. Even though I get frustrated at games with the various issues our side has currently, I'm loving the fact we're building towards something again. For some reason it's more enjoylable (and stress free) to see us playing the players we are now rather than dealing with a side that's on the precipice of a top four spot and maybe a premiership chance only to be disappointed again.

Call that a lack of expectation if you will, call it a fear of failure. I couldn't care less. But for the reasons you've mentioned above, and the fact it's a crap and uneaven league in which we're competing we have our backs to the wall. I like that, and one day I'll see that backs to the wall mentality rewarded with a flag.......but only if I keep following.

[The Coon Dog]

Do you find you are missing getting to watch the Dogs as much TCD or is the Junior football more than filling the void?

As someone who had never missed a game in Victoria for about 15 years straight at one stage I thought I'd be shattered about missing Dogs games, but surprisingly I'm not.

Obviously I want to support my son & that takes precedence. It was nice on the weekend to listen to the game on the radio, then go home & later that night watch the replay.

I'm really enjoying the grass roots feel that local footy has.

[Maddog37]

My young fella has just started playing under tens this year and even though I am not a morning person I jump out of bed at 7am on Sunday mornings to go and watch him play.

It brings back all the feelings of being a kid and simply enjoying the game for what it is without all the AFL guff.

I was sick of turning up to Dogs games and watching softish insipid performances with no passion, flair or excitement. Lately, the way we are playing, win or lose is changing that and I am looking forward to seeing more games if this honest approach continues.

Call me a fairweather supporter but I still fork out over a grand each year for family gold memberships and reserve the right to go to games or not as I choose without justifying it to anyone.