Have the Bulldogs gone rogue?

[Bulldog4life]

After a disappointing premiership defence in 2017, there has been little chatter come out of the Whitten Oval this pre-season and Tim Watson is delighted the Western Bulldogs are prepared to show a nasty streak.

They became the first club since Hawthorn in 2009 to miss out on finals action after winning the flag, and the former Essendon premiership star believes it is clear they have drawn a line in the sand.

“I reckon there’s a nastiness that is manifesting itself in the organisation, and I’ve got to say after what happened last year and the amount of criticism they copped about the fact they experienced a premiership hangover - I like it,” Watson said on SEN Breakfast.

“What they are displaying now is that they mean business as a football club. They have put that all behind them.

“They’ve turned into this nasty football club. It’s a new personality that we’re seeing that’s been developed at the Whitten Oval and I think we’re going to see some very, very different Bulldogs step out this year.

“They’ve drawn a line in the sand.”

There has been silence from key figures at the club, particularly from coach Luke Beveridge, something Watson described as unusual.

“No-one from the Bulldogs has wanted to speak since the end of the season. Nobody wants to be out there speaking,” he said.

“We’ve put so many requests in to speak to Luke Beveridge - he’s not doing anything until he has to. It is unusual.

“The first time we will hear from Luke Beveridge will be the first time he stands up to do a press conference, be it for the pre-season competition, it won’t be for the AFLX because he’s not going to be coaching the Bulldogs.

“Peter Gordon – we heard from him for the first time on behalf of the club [last Friday]. He had a crack at the AFL on a couple of occasions and there was some snarly nastiness in what he was saying.”

He believes this low-key approach has stretched into their AFLX preparation, with the club naming just a 12-man squad with just 65 games of senior experience.

“They have put the least experienced team in the competition, so they’re not taking it as seriously as some of the other clubs might be, in terms of the way they’ve approached it,” Watson said.

“The total games for their players is 65, North Melbourne their total games is 1052.”

https://www.sen.com.au/news/2018/02/...gs-gone-rogue/

[Dry Rot]

So the brilliant Tim thinks lack of chatter = nasty streak?

[bornadog]

Good!! bring on the nasty streak and blow the competition away this season.

[Twodogs]

I hate reading that we are toughening up.

[dog town]

I don't buy into the nasty aspect of it but there is no doubt we are very secretive.

-Our coach doesn't speak.

-We have had I think two open training sessions.

-No intra club open to supporters.

-Mostly still photos of training no footage. Very little engagement compared to other clubs.

-We were the last side to agree to giving up our GPS data.

I have zero doubt Luke Beveridge puts an extremely high importance on keeping what we do quiet. I remember in 2016 thinking he was almost in pain when talk of our handball club started popping up.

Selfishly I hate that we get less access but if it wins us games I can cope with it.

[Axe Man]

The club needs to carefully strike the right balance between keeping what they need to in-house and properly promoting the club and providing their paying members with news and access. Can't see the harm in Bevo doing a few media spots.

[Cyberdoggie]

The club needs to carefully strike the right balance between keeping what they need to in-house and properly promoting the club and providing their paying members with news and access. Can't see the harm in Bevo doing a few media spots.

I don't think he really enjoys doing all the media interviews and public appearances.
He's probably the least extroverted of all the AFL coaches and I think he likes to focus on getting his job done while also having the work life balance needed to keep his sanity.
We have assistant coaches and they can spew out the rhetoric just the same as Luke, so I have no problem in giving him all the space he needs.

[Bulldog Revolution]

It was the type of season (2017) where some serious thinking and action was needed to turn it around

We needed to regain our focus and lets hope we have

[Flamethrower]

Are the Bulldogs taking a leaf out of the Marshawn Lynch playbook?

Treat the media with the distain it deserves off the field, go all Beast Mode on the field where it counts.

Can't wait for the 1st Bevo presser this year....

I predict he'll come out in a hoodie, and give the media a stream of Bill Belichick one liners.

Media: "How do you think the team will go following the premiership hangover?"

LB: "We're only looking at this week against Hawthorn in the JLT".

Media: "What about the loss of Jake Stringer, Stewart Crameri and Travis Cloke?"

LB: "I coach the Bulldogs. Go ask Geelong and Essendon about their guys".

Media: "Can you address all the rumours that were rife on social media about your player's behaviour?".

LB: "I don't do Twitter. Not on Yearbook, Snapface of Instachat".

[Sedat]

I love the quiet approach. Some of the garbage posted as 'news' the last few weeks in AFL circles is even more inconsequential and boring than usual at this time of year. And in hindsight the entire club from the president down was horribly overexposed last off season (for valid and unique reasons to be fair).

[Twodogs]

Are the Bulldogs taking a leaf out of the Marshawn Lynch playbook?

Treat the media with the distain it deserves off the field, go all Beast Mode on the field where it counts.

Can't wait for the 1st Bevo presser this year....

I predict he'll come out in a hoodie, and give the media a stream of Bill Belichick one liners.

Media: "How do you think the team will go following the premiership hangover?"

LB: "We're only looking at this week against Hawthorn in the JLT".

Media: "What about the loss of Jake Stringer, Stewart Crameri and Travis Cloke?"

LB: "I coach the Bulldogs. Go ask Geelong and Essendon about their guys".

Media: "Can you address all the rumours that were rife on social media about your player's behaviour?".

LB: "I don't do Twitter. Not on Yearbook, Snapface of Instachat".

Love your stuff Flamethrower.

I'm a bit conflicted with Balichick and his treatment of the press. One part of me says that the media is a way the normal Joe palooka gets information from him so if he treats the press core with contempt then he'd treat everyone else. Then again I like watching him abuse the dumb arse *!*!*!*!ers and their stupid questions as well.

But I guess if you are a Pats fan it's the last thing you are worrying about. Bevo could act his answers out with interpretive dance so long as I he stays and keeps winning us flags. A Punch and Judy show even.

[ledge]

What's the point of media Anyway all clubs put out the same old rhetoric , tearing it up on the track , focussed etc etc .. We are only going to hear the same stuff.
Don't bother with it and concentrate on football.
As a side note I did talk to a well respected reporter privately who seems to think we are on a mission and will surprise. Quietly confident on us bigtime.

[GVGjr]

We haven't gone rogue, this is just a typical load of horse manure by Tim Watson.

[SonofScray]

We've locked things down a fair bit. Clearly trying to keep some changes under wraps and maybe create an environment where there is more focus and ability to knuckle down sans media circus. I am fine with it. Excited by it, actually.

[Twodogs]

We've locked things down a fair bit. Clearly trying to keep some changes under wraps and maybe create an environment where there is more focus and ability to knuckle down sans media circus. I am fine with it. Excited by it, actually.

Pi can remember rocking up to training one day and the session was closed. We were used to closed sessions that you could sit in Barkers and watch or sneak into the ground somewhere else like the spot behind the Elite Learning Centre that used to be there. Then the fence went up and the only place you could see the ground from was up on mt mistake but I wouldn't advise scrambling around up there. You may last 10 minutes. Maybe.

Anyway I remeber thinking "finally, we are a footy club not an old boys network."