When will the pain of 1997 go away?

[LostDoggy]

In 1961 Footscray went into the Grand Final against Hawthorn, who had never won a premiership (can you believe we had more premierships than Hawthorn???) in front of 107,935 spectators! We had beaten Hawthorn the one time we'd played them during the season, had beaten the favourites Melbourne in the prelim and lead at half time in the grand only to go down by 43 pts.
Does anyone have a memory of it? I remember the streamers along Buckley and other streets, but not the game. I was 7yo.

Yep they smashed us - literally. Ran through Hobbs and Schultz early in the game and were far bigger bodied than us. We sold all our tickets the previous week against Melbourne. We were a fairly inexperienced team and no match for them in the second half.

John Kennedy coached them and also coached their 1971 Premiership team which was seen as a pretty tough side. Asked how the 71 team would line up against the 61 team, Kennedy said, "if this team saw the 61 team run onto the ground, they would all jump the fence and run home."

[immortalmike]

I think my response in 09 was in most part due to my experience of the 97 prelim. That day we lost the unlosable and cemented in my mind that no matter what we are destined never to win a premiership. I realize this is an overly negative and in many ways completely irrational view. I'm okay with this but I guess as Bulldog supporters we all have this PTSD about 97 and this is my way of dealing with it.

In 09 we had every right to win that game, but despite that all I could see at 3 quarter time was us losing. I envisioned the scenario unfolding almost exactly as it did. That's why when the Saints started coming I wasn't even my usual nervous self, when Riewoldt dove I didn't yell, and when the siren sounded I didn't shed a tear. I knew with absolute certainty that we would lose that game. I often feel that something just won't allow the Footscray Football Club to reach the pinnacle of our competition, whether that be ourselves, the AFL or something more divine like the Football gods. All I know is that in 97 something snapped in my 12 year old self, so to answer the threads question never, the pain will never go away.

[Ghost Dog]

I think my response in 09 was in most part due to my experience of the 97 prelim. That day we lost the unlosable and cemented in my mind that no matter what we are destined never to win a premiership. I realize this is an overly negative and in many ways completely irrational view. I'm okay with this but I guess as Bulldog supporters we all have this PTSD about 97 and this is my way of dealing with it.

In 09 we had every right to win that game, but despite that all I could see at 3 quarter time was us losing. I envisioned the scenario unfolding almost exactly as it did. That's why when the Saints started coming I wasn't even my usual nervous self, when Riewoldt dove I didn't yell, and when the siren sounded I didn't shed a tear. I knew with absolute certainty that we would lose that game. I often feel that something just won't allow the Footscray Football Club to reach the pinnacle of our competition, whether that be ourselves, the AFL or something more divine like the Football gods. All I know is that in 97 something snapped in my 12 year old self, so to answer the threads question never, the pain will never go away.

Thanks for that. Enjoyed reading it. Even if like Geelong, we won three finals, it would never go away?

[I'm Not Bitter Anymore!]

What about that final where Brownless kicked a goal after the siren? I felt like I'd been shot.

[jeemak]

What about that final where Brownless kicked a goal after the siren? I felt like I'd been shot.

Came back from Buller that afternoon. My dad refused to take me to the game, said it had been too long a day.

After quarter time being five goals down it was looking like a good decision. Up until the last few seconds I was livid I wasn't there.

I'm glad my dad made the decision he did.

[Remi Moses]

What about that final where Brownless kicked a goal after the siren? I felt like I'd been shot.

Me and some mates were 13 seconds away from a huge night.
Talk about ruining a potential big one.

[Sedat]

Came back from Buller that afternoon. My dad refused to take me to the game, said it had been too long a day.

After quarter time being five goals down it was looking like a good decision. Up until the last few seconds I was livid I wasn't there.

I'm glad my dad made the decision he did.

Billy Brainless was useless all night - of course he was going to kick the winner. Just another September experience of being kicked in the teeth. Truth be told, we did a magnificent job coming back from 6 goals down to hit the front with 30 seconds left.

[Eastdog]

What was the biggest lead in that PF against Adelaide in 97. I just don't know how we lost that. We were cruising into the 97 GF and all of a sudden it's taken away.

[jeemak]

Billy Brainless was useless all night - of course he was going to kick the winner. Just another September experience of being kicked in the teeth. Truth be told, we did a magnificent job coming back from 6 goals down to hit the front with 30 seconds left.

Wouldn't you like to be our dentist. Every few years you hit pay dirt.

On the back of 2008-2010 our dentist has bought a place along the Great Ocean Road, and has sent his two boys to Scotch College.

[Sedat]

What was the biggest lead in that PF against Adelaide in 97. I just don't know how we lost that. We were cruising into the 97 GF and all of a sudden it's taken away.

We kicked a goal after the half time siren to be 32 points up at HT. Adelaide then kicked 2 goals in the first 2 minutes of the 3rd qtr - it stayed between 3-4 goals for the next 45 minutes until we got blown away in the last 15 minutes.

[Eastdog]

We kicked a goal after the half time siren to be 32 points up at HT. Adelaide then kicked 2 goals in the first 2 minutes of the 3rd qtr - it stayed between 3-4 goals for the next 45 minutes until we got blown away in the last 15 minutes.

Jarman was instrumental in that. So pretty much right at the end we gave in.

[jeemak]

Jarman was instrumental in that. So pretty much right at the end we gave in.

Crumbled is probably a better word mate. I don't think anyone ever stopped trying (if that's what you meant).

We basically blew all of our opportunities to finish them off, and when you have a team coming at you relentlessly, and finishing off their good work you can't afford to do that.

[Eastdog]

Crumbled is probably a better word mate. I don't think anyone ever stopped trying (if that's what you meant).

We basically blew all of our opportunities to finish them off, and when you have a team coming at you relentlessly, and finishing off their good work you can't afford to do that.

We just stopped and the Crows scored unanswered goals. I have no doubt the effort was there from our team for the whole match. How did the 98 PF go. We got beaten badly in that one.

[jeemak]

We just stopped and the Crows scored unanswered goals. I have no doubt the effort was there from our team for the whole match. How did the 98 PF go. We got beaten badly in that one.

Well Adelaide had about 46 players on the field, and we had maybe 12 or something like that. With four of them being injured and Rohan Smith playing CHB on Robran.

At least that's how it seemed.

Seriously, we got beaten in every aspect of the game across the entire field. There was nothing more to it, aside from some injury concerns leading in.

[Eastdog]

Well Adelaide had about 46 players on the field, and we had maybe 12 or something like that. With four of them being injured and Rohan Smith playing CHB on Robran.

At least that's how it seemed.

Seriously, we got beaten in every aspect of the game across the entire field. There was nothing more to it, aside from some injury concerns leading in.

We were very confident going into that match but it came crashing down all around us. It's amazing how the Crows won it in 98 from 5th position. With the finals system today that is very rare to win it from outside the top 4. Carlton in 99 made the GF from 6th and could of won the GF amazingly.