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  1. #1
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    287 Days: Lin Jong and the Bulldog spirit

    Watch here NOTE:Video is 32 minutes.



    The Western Bulldogs has always been about more than just the players who pull on the jumper each week. From the senior coach, to Jan who cuts out the letters for the banner each week, to the AFLW team and the families of everyone connected to the Club, there’s an enduring bond. Once a Bulldog person, always a Bulldogs person.


    Former skipper Bob Murphy is fond of describing this current crop Western Bulldogs, players and staff alike, as a motley crew, an assorted cast of characters from all over map. They’re all different, some more so than others, but together they make up a unique group worth far than the sum of their parts.


    But one common thread is a care for each other than transcends kicks, handballs and scoreboards, and this is never more apparent than when one of that group goes down with a serious injury. And as it does with players every other weekend, Lin Jong suffered a serious knee injury back in June, 2017, and by the end of the game, the group embrace had been set in motion.


    Within a couple of days the BulldogsTV cameras began rolling on Lin’s battle to return, and what they captured was the story of an entire Club coming together to nurse one of their own back to health. As expected, there’s the usual shots in the rooms post-match of players embracing, and wishing their teammate well, but what fans don’t usually see is how the players’ partners would also reach out to Krista Fisher, Lin’s girlfriend, to make sure she was doing ok.


    It’s Player Welfare Manager Brent Prismall checking in to see if Lin needed a break from the grind of a nine-month rehab, and fans offering words of encouragement in the Club cafĂ©, and on social media, every single day. It’s the Cheer Squad creating the ‘We’ve missed you, Jongy’ banners in anticipation of his return, and the genuine excitement in Luke Beveridge’s voice when he tells Lin he’s back in the side.


    It’s the little things that make a place great, and it’s those moments, and relationships that 287 Days is about.


    In particular, Nick Stone, the Club’s Rehab and Conditioning Coach is central to the story. His role in not only Lin’s physical recovery, but also the emotional support and friendship he provides in tough times can’t be overstated. Every player spoken to for this piece couldn’t speak highly enough of Stone and his role in the process.


    287 Days takes you from the surgeons table, through the long grind of rehab, to Victoria University’s high-tech training facilities, to the triumphant return to Etihad Stadium, and all the highs and lows in between.


    It’s about Lin Jong, but it’s also about the Western Bulldogs and it’s people and the spirit that binds them all.
    FFC: Established 1883

    Premierships: AFL 1954, 2016 VFA - 1898,99,1900, 1908, 1913, 1919-20, 1923-24, VFL: 2014, 2016 . Champions of Victoria 1924. AFLW - 2018.

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  3. #2
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    Re: 287 Days: Lin Jong and the Bulldog spirit

    Great film. Love it.

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  5. #3
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    Re: 287 Days: Lin Jong and the Bulldog spirit

    Terrific access to the workings of the club.

    Good to see Lin back in the team and slowly building his form. Calls to have him dropped after a couple of games back from a serious injury were a touch premature ans moving forward he can be a valuable member of the team given his physical attributes and strength around the ball.

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  7. #4
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    Re: 287 Days: Lin Jong and the Bulldog spirit

    Loved the interaction between Bevo and Jongy about where he was pre injury and where he is now. Some cynics may suggest it was all for the cameras but I think we all know enough about Bevo to understand that it was pretty sincere. Great initiative by the club and looking forward to seeing Lin have a huge impact in games for the rest of the year and beyond.
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  8. #5
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    Re: 287 Days: Lin Jong and the Bulldog spirit

    Thanks BAD.

    I'll have to give this a look sometime during next week.
    "Footscray people are incredible people; so humble. I'm just so happy - ecstatic"

  9. #6
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    Re: 287 Days: Lin Jong and the Bulldog spirit

    Quote Originally Posted by craigsahibee View Post
    Loved the interaction between Bevo and Jongy about where he was pre injury and where he is now. Some cynics may suggest it was all for the cameras but I think we all know enough about Bevo to understand that it was pretty sincere. Great initiative by the club and looking forward to seeing Lin have a huge impact in games for the rest of the year and beyond.
    I really hope Jong can make it, he certainly has all the attributes, just needs the confidence.
    FFC: Established 1883

    Premierships: AFL 1954, 2016 VFA - 1898,99,1900, 1908, 1913, 1919-20, 1923-24, VFL: 2014, 2016 . Champions of Victoria 1924. AFLW - 2018.

  10. #7
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    Re: 287 Days: Lin Jong and the Bulldog spirit

    He seems like such a decent person. Very emotional viewing. We forget or overlook the pain & sheer grind they go through. Lin could have easily been a premiership player - remember the broken collarbone when he was playing well in the WCE final, and his tears on the bench. He’s had terrible luck. Footy really can be heartbreaking.
    www.bulldogtragician.com A blog about being a lifelong fan of the Dogs and our quixotic attempt to replicate 1954. AND WE DID
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  11. #8
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    Re: 287 Days: Lin Jong and the Bulldog spirit

    *!*!*!*! I really want to see him succeed. I hope that before anyone takes a shot at him in the future they remember that he turned down offers from other clubs to stay a dog and remember everything he's been though for us.

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  13. #9
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    Re: 287 Days: Lin Jong and the Bulldog spirit

    He kicked a good goal last weekend.
    "Footscray people are incredible people; so humble. I'm just so happy - ecstatic"

  14. #10
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    Re: 287 Days: Lin Jong and the Bulldog spirit

    Jong just needs to back himself and play on instinct, and all the training stuff will come through. I remember hearing Dermi commented in Lin's first rookie year that Lin has natural instinct to read the ball from the packs, its something that you cant teach to a first year player.
    I watched the VFL final at Ethiad, in 2016 when he won the VFL Final BOG, and he looked miles ahead of other AFL players. He out marked a number of Melbourne listed players ( low standard) but he just looked above the grade. Up until he broke his hand he was a good mark, so not sure what happened to that.
    He has elite traits in his running, speed and yes marking when he gets it.

    Just hope those 1% he can turn into positive stats. If he gets it all together we have another big body midfielder.

  15. #11
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    Re: 287 Days: Lin Jong and the Bulldog spirit

    Quote Originally Posted by macca View Post
    Jong just needs to back himself and play on instinct, and all the training stuff will come through. I remember hearing Dermi commented in Lin's first rookie year that Lin has natural instinct to read the ball from the packs, its something that you cant teach to a first year player.
    I watched the VFL final at Ethiad, in 2016 when he won the VFL Final BOG, and he looked miles ahead of other AFL players. He out marked a number of Melbourne listed players ( low standard) but he just looked above the grade. Up until he broke his hand he was a good mark, so not sure what happened to that.
    He has elite traits in his running, speed and yes marking when he gets it.

    Just hope those 1% he can turn into positive stats. If he gets it all together we have another big body midfielder.
    Yesterday, he played his best game for this year. I think he is a confidence player, and once he gets that confidence back, and stays injury free, he may just make it.
    FFC: Established 1883

    Premierships: AFL 1954, 2016 VFA - 1898,99,1900, 1908, 1913, 1919-20, 1923-24, VFL: 2014, 2016 . Champions of Victoria 1924. AFLW - 2018.

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  17. #12
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    Re: 287 Days: Lin Jong and the Bulldog spirit

    So what do we make of the fact he's still not signed? The others not signed are Lynch, which I guess will happen a bit later. And then Honeychurch reportedly likely to go to GCS and Campbell I can't see retained. But Jong as the really interesting one of the signed, assuming the media reporting on Dahl, Roughy, Wally & Libba is correct.

    Is Jong weighing up a move? Is he on the move? Is the club holding his contract dealing up and using it as bait for an offer? Will we offer him a contract?

    I thought this would've been done already with Smith, Biggs, Dahl & Honeychurch leaving/alledegly leaving.
    Rocket Science: the epitaph for the Beveridge era - whenever it ends - reading 'Here lies a team that could beat anyone on its day, but seldom did when it mattered most'. 15/7/2023

  18. #13
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    Re: 287 Days: Lin Jong and the Bulldog spirit

    We are not flush with midfield depth. I saw some good signs from Jong in the few late season games he played in the seniors. Hope he is re-signed, especially if Dahl got ng to Geelong and even more do if Wallis moves elsewhere.

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  20. #14
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    Re: 287 Days: Lin Jong and the Bulldog spirit

    Quote Originally Posted by bulldogtragic View Post
    So what do we make of the fact he's still not signed? The others not signed are Lynch, which I guess will happen a bit later. And then Honeychurch reportedly likely to go to GCS and Campbell I can't see retained. But Jong as the really interesting one of the signed, assuming the media reporting on Dahl, Roughy, Wally & Libba is correct.

    Is Jong weighing up a move? Is he on the move? Is the club holding his contract dealing up and using it as bait for an offer? Will we offer him a contract?

    I thought this would've been done already with Smith, Biggs, Dahl & Honeychurch leaving/alledegly leaving.
    Hard to say BT, Jong just struggles to hold down a permanent spot so if he is to leave us for another club I suspect he would want to have a better chance to play senior footy.

    I hope he stays but we might need another week or two to really know.
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  21. #15
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    Re: 287 Days: Lin Jong and the Bulldog spirit

    I have it on good authority Jongy has a 2 year deal in front of him and it is pretty much a done deal that he is staying with us.

    Has had a torrid time with injury so I suspect he feels two things:

    1 - the club has done right by him in helping and backing him through what has been a very interrupted few years and
    2 - the love of Bevo. Jongy must really feel that Bevo rates him highly and if he could just get himself right would be given many games by Bevo.

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