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  1. #1
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    Murphy: A fortress on Mars



    Cards on the table. I love Tasmania. I’ve been a visitor to the apple aisle about a dozen times and every time I’ve made the trip it’s been harder to leave each time.

    I’m not sure if it’s because it reminds me of Ireland or Gippsland (where I grew up), or both.

    For quite a few years, the Bulldogs would travel to the enchanting Tasmanian town of Launceston to play Hawthorn for premiership points.

    I have strong memories of walking the foggy, steep hills of Launceston in search of my early morning coffee.
    It was an idyllic scene that could’ve been taken from an Agatha Christie novel. The only downer was the fact that in a few hours’ time, we had to play the Hawks, who at the time, were the all-conquering multi premiership Hawks.

    Wins were hard to come by in Tassie…

    I can’t help but wonder this week what kind of thoughts will be swishing around the heads of the Gold Coast Suns players this coming Saturday morning as they wander the romantic streets of Ballarat.

    No doubt they’ll enjoy the stunning architecture of the gold rush era as their morning stroll navigates the deep, blue stone drains that line the streets of downtown Ballarat.

    When their minds drift to the game and opponent that awaits them, what will they think then?
    I’m speculating, but I’m not sure that Mars Stadium in Ballarat is a fortress just yet. A home away from home, yes, the land of opportunity for a club born in Footscray, yes, but is it a hostile environment for our opposition? Not yet.

    This is the challenge for our boys this week, and for every week we play on Mars in the ensuing years.
    We need to make winning there a routine. We need to dominate teams.

    We need this domination to reverberate around the competition so that every team that wakes up in Ballarat swallows hard on their coffee with a deep gulp of resignation and those unwelcome thoughts flood into their heads; ‘today is going to be a tough day’.

    There are plenty of political and economical reasons for the city of Ballarat and the Western Bulldogs to want this relationship to hold up and stand the test of time, but what everyone wants is a kill.

    Ballarat is a football town and the Bulldogs are their football team. Nothing bonds those two things together more than wins of ferocity and predictability. Give the people what they want. It’s as old as the cheers of Rome’s colosseum.

    There’s no better time to establish this hostile football home for our people like right now.

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    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.

  2. Thanks Eastdog, HOSE B ROMERO thanked for this post
  3. #2
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    Re: Murphy: A fortress on Mars

    We really do need to make this ground a fortress. It was ashame we failed last year, but lose again and it will be difficult to build up the local membership.
    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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  5. #3
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    Re: Murphy: A fortress on Mars

    Need to get the win there. Gold Coast struggling and I believe also Lynch is out this weekend so that helps a bit.

    Really dissapointing last year to go down against Port in what was an important game for us in the context of trying to play finals again.
    "Footscray people are incredible people; so humble. I'm just so happy - ecstatic"

  6. #4
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    Re: Murphy: A fortress on Mars

    It's a fortress for Port Adelaide at the moment.
    Have you been reading those Roddy Doyle books again, Dougal!?


    I have, yeah Ted, you big gobshite

  7. #5
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    Re: Murphy: A fortress on Mars

    Quote Originally Posted by Twodogs View Post
    It's a fortress for Port Adelaide at the moment.
    Yeah that's needs to change. I thought when we beat the Bombers last year we were right in again to make the finals but losing those games at the end and not beating I reckon the Eagles at home hurt.

    That's last year now and we are looking forward now.
    "Footscray people are incredible people; so humble. I'm just so happy - ecstatic"

  8. #6
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    Re: Murphy: A fortress on Mars

    No niceties has got to be the starting point. Plenty of noise from the crowd. And a bit of hostility towards the opposition.

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