Game Day AFL Finals Week 2 Semi Final - Hawthorn V Western Bulldogs

[LostDoggy]

87823, the biggest crowd to ever watch a bulldog win (at the time).

55 years since we had won consecutive finals. Crazy.

[Sedat]

There is something very special in every one of our 4 finals wins. I love them all equally like they are my children. We weren't perfect in this game by any means - most of the first half our forward line was dysfunctional and non-existent. But we hung in, stayed close and cashed in big time when it was our turn with the momentum.The last 6 minutes of the 3rd qtr was champagne footy. Clay Smith's two goals just before half time were massively important, just as the Caleb Daniel goal before 3/4 time in the PF and the Toby McLean goal just before half time in the GF were.

[LostDoggy]

Yeah we were in trouble in the second

[Twodogs]

Yeah we were in trouble in the second

But Bruest, of all people, misses an easy shot and that was all she wrote. We stepped it up a notch and they had no reply. We ran over the top of them.

[Topdog]

Bugger this Im going to go to JB and buy that victory pack DVD

[Twodogs]

Bugger this Im going to go to JB and buy that victory pack DVD

I reckon JB owes us a Victory Pack or two. We've probably shifted more units for them than anyone else.

[LostDoggy]

Bugger this Im going to go to JB and buy that victory pack DVD

Write it off as mental health medication.

[comrade]

Hawks 23 up from here, a mate says its all over and with this hawks side i can weakly try to argue for optimism..

When Breust took that mark in front, I was ready to stick a fork in us.

[comrade]

There is something very special in every one of our 4 finals wins. I love them all equally like they are my children. We weren't perfect in this game by any means - most of the first half our forward line was dysfunctional and non-existent. But we hung in, stayed close and cashed in big time when it was our turn with the momentum.The last 6 minutes of the 3rd qtr was champagne footy. Clay Smith's two goals just before half time were massively important, just as the Caleb Daniel goal before 3/4 time in the PF and the Toby McLean goal just before half time in the GF were.

Hard to pick Clay's semi or PF as his best performance. He kept us in the semi with some absolute clutch footy. Man, I'm happy that guy. 3 knee recos and he pulls out a finals series like that. Absolutely inspiring.

[Raw Toast]

When Breust took that mark in front, I was ready to stick a fork in us.

I wasn't happy or that optimistic, but just before the piece of play to get him that shot I had commented that we were still right in it - the Hawks just seemed to be labouring and they reacted to their own good pieces of play with something like relief rather than joy. We were fluffling chances, but it still felt to me that we were only a goal away from seriously threatening them.

Very glad of course, to have been correct in this instance. Smith's set shot was super important, we couldn't do any wrong for a period of time after that.

[The bulldog tragician]

Rumour has it that in the half time brawl some of our mouthiest players told the Three-Peaters they were "finished." Then proceeded to demonstrate that it was true. One of the joys of that game was seeing the Hawks look suddenly out of ideas. They couldn't even get 'unsociable' because we now have players everywhere who just won't cop that crap any more and have the size, bodies, confidence and attitude not to be one bit intimidated.

I'm not so sure the Breust miss was vital though I'm glad we didn't have to find out. We absolutely blitzed them when we got going. The thing this group taught us time and time again is they could never ever be written off. I think we would have come at them again even if Breust had nailed it.

I agree that watching each of these finals again puts forward something rich to appreciate. There's always a new detail to savour. Again. and again...

[Go_Dogs]

Dominated the first 5 minutes and Dicko missed two sitters before Hawks put the foot down, we were 86% in the forward half early, we will rue these wasted opportunities. Woody Got a goal back a Maclean had one disallowed. Not looking good. I've taken the dog down the beach before q2 starts..

That Wood goal was huge.

That goal they missed in the second when they could've gone up by 29 was a huge moment, but like TBT said, it mightn't have mattered.

[jazzadogs]

When Breust took that mark in front, I was ready to stick a fork in us.

I was in Galway for that one, and after that mark my family we so convinced we were done that they all silently got up and left the house. Then the magic happened.

They couldn't believe the change in atmosphere when they got back!

[Sedat]

I wasn't happy or that optimistic, but just before the piece of play to get him that shot I had commented that we were still right in it - the Hawks just seemed to be labouring and they reacted to their own good pieces of play with something like relief rather than joy. We were fluffling chances, but it still felt to me that we were only a goal away from seriously threatening them.

Very glad of course, to have been correct in this instance. Smith's set shot was super important, we couldn't do any wrong for a period of time after that.

Was eerily similar to the Round 3 game - they were 5 goals up in the first half, we hung in during the 2nd qtr and we then blitzed them in the 3rd. Only difference was that they came back hard in the last qtr of Round 3 because they still had the mystique about them and other clubs gave them too much respect, whereas we toyed with them in the SF because that mystique was finished.

[bornadog]

Was eerily similar to the Round 3 game - they were 5 goals up in the first half, we hung in during the 2nd qtr and we then blitzed them in the 3rd. Only difference was that they came back hard in the last qtr of Round 3 because they still had the mystique about them and other clubs gave them too much respect, whereas we toyed with them in the SF because that mystique was finished.

We learnt alot from that round 3 match, especially in close games.