It's probably just me, but this team is hard to love!

[jeemak]

Great post Soup.

As an aside, let's not forget how ordinary we were in 2008 and 2009 in qualifying finals. We literally didn't show up to consecutive qualifying first quarters much like we didn't show up against GWS three years ago, the Saints two years ago and Geelong on Friday night. Funnily, that side actually had some of the exact same issues as this current one on an individual player perspective, and also had to play an extremely taxing style to be its best due to a lack of personnel dictating a game plan that required absolute focus across the ground.

Additionally, they accounted for themselves when the heat was really on quite well (prelims from those years) - much like the current team can.

We need a review of our recruiting methodologies/ list management.

[jeemak]

Footy peaked in 2016.

Our ‘men of mayhem’ run and gun handball style was tough yet exhilarating in full flight and was an antidote to the clinical but pretty boring short kicking game plan Hawthorn had perfected, third man up allowed around the ground ruck contests to clear more easily and stupid rules like 666, the man on the mark bullshit and ‘dissent’ 50s hadn’t yet polluted the game.

Also, the greatest ever game of Australian rules football was played that year (our prelim) and there’s a reason nothing has come close to it since.

You're not allowed to call it the best ever because it wasn't a grand final and didn't involve one of the big Melbourne clubs. Get it together mate.

[jeemak]

Totally with soup. I am a Celtics fan (typing this whilst during timeouts and breaks) and the way they have played as a team since Jan is amazing. I love them as a team but also a lot more individually because of it.

We all have our personal tastes and get mjp might not like certain traits. I think Dunks, outside of truly gross stuff, is the worst/most boring type of jock but whatever. Other than him, I am more or less as okay with the guys as I have ever been. They are footy players and I am a leftist nerd, probably the less I know about them as humans, the better. But again whatever. Just don't do anything truly awful.

You hide it well mate.

[jeemak]

As a product, football is pretty ordinary right now.

Over officiated, rules that have taken out some of yesteryear's highlights (i.e. the bump) and the one thing nobody mentions - a SEVERELY diluted talent pool. An 18 team competition in this country is too much when it comes down to quality. The bottom 5-6 on each list, at a guess, have no business being on an AFL list to begin with (harsh, but wouldn't have got a shot 10+ years ago).

The talent pool comment is interesting, and I agree with you. I reckon it's exacerbated by the fact defencive structures are coached into the players within an inch of their lives, and even the best of players from the last decade or so would struggle to break them down by hand and foot.

[bornadog]

Footy peaked in 2016.

Our ‘men of mayhem’ run and gun handball style was tough yet exhilarating in full flight and was an antidote to the clinical but pretty boring short kicking game plan Hawthorn had perfected, third man up allowed around the ground ruck contests to clear more easily and stupid rules like 666, the man on the mark bullshit and ‘dissent’ 50s hadn’t yet polluted the game.

Also, the greatest ever game of Australian rules football was played that year (our prelim) and there’s a reason nothing has come close to it since.

That year will live in our memories forever, however, I am hungry for more premierships.

[Jeanette54]

That year will live in our memories forever, however, I am hungry for more premierships.

Then bring back Clay Smith, that man would get a kick even if he was on crutches. That big hit on Griff in the prelim was a thing of beauty, resulting in Daniel's goal. Any Team with Clay and Libba in it can never beaten.

[Jeanette54]

I referred to them as the most dishonest team I have seen play for the club in my decades of watching it.

Count yourself lucky that you aren't old enough to remember them playing when Royce Hart was coaching. That was the only time since 1959, that there was no reason to continue to follow them. For some reason, masochism perhaps, I still went every week at the time.

[bornadog]

Count yourself lucky that you aren't old enough to remember them playing when Royce Hart was coaching. That was the only time since 1959, that there was no reason to continue to follow them. For some reason, masochism perhaps, I still went every week at the time.

Same

[BornInDroopSt'54]

I don't EXACTLY know how to put my finger on it, but for some reason the 'dogs post 2017 have been really HARD to LOVE.

2016 we were easy to love. 2017 those players had some cash in the supporter love bank. But from 2018 onwards...

Don't get me wrong - there are players who I think are amazing (Bont), but apart from Libba, Naughts and Caleb, I really just don't "love 'em". I don't know why.

I mean, I loved Dunks but the whole Essendon thing has soured me on him.
I WANT to love Gardner because of his battler status but somehow I just don't.
Tim is just too pretty and is the antithesis of the Hudson style ruckman who I have always been drawn too.
Bailey S? Umm. I don't know...the Cotton On stuff? Really? I guess it could be those stupid ads for tradie underwear or whatever but I just wonder who is advising him and what REALLY matters to him? Is footy as important to him as it appeared it was pre- draft???
Bailey Dale frustrated me so much as a forward that I still can't QUITE get there.
Jacko sooks it up when things aren't going his way.
Bailey Williams was there for me but something isn't right with him since the mid-point of last year...
Alex Keath is great - but somehow seems 'un-bulldog-like' - and just like things being 'un-strayan' I can't even really define what it means.
Westy is nearly there for me but the whole stuff with his Dad in the media last year was off putting.
Cody will no doubt be there but he DOES throw his head back for free-kicks and that is frustrating ('cos he DOESN'T need to do it).

I could go through the team but I will stop there...I guess there have been some games - think the way we finished the regular season last year - where the team just seems to play without care. And whilst I KNOW back in the old days we were terrible on a regular basis I just seem to remember that when the great coaches of my life were in charge (Wallace, Eade) we simply took care of business when we needed too...I still remember a headline from the Herald Sun once upon a time that said "Dogs have TRUE GRIT - What about the Rest" from the Wallace era after we won a Friday nighter vs North in what was an incredibly tight season.

Friday night? I mean, I got it wrong...I actually said that the forwards wouldn't get us, but our inability to stop kicking it to Stewart would. So much for that. But I had NO expectation we would win and was 100% not surprised when Geelong came out and kicked 3x coast-to-coast goals. And on top of that, every AFLW player we have is leaving to go 'somewhere else' and it's just doing my head in. Sure, of the past 5x 100+ point victories in the AFL we have had 4x of them...but that just re-inforces my feelings that we are flat track bullies who run their hardest when the ball is 'bouncing their way'.

Is it just me? Man, I hope it is.

Hhhmmmmm.
MJP Remind me not to live with you, picky.
The vibe is not working for you.
Now is the winter of our discontent.
I get giraffe vibes from Tim. Potentially one of the greatest ever giraffes in AFL history, only needing to beat the out of control elephant at Arden St. He is Shultz like in appearence so I feel he is s special part of my Bulldogs.
Dunks has found love with GWS/The Filth / Bulldogs Treloar.
Love is part of Bulldogs. Keep them too although, must admit Dunks is not that endearing to me but what is important here?
I have no doubt MJP you can read a training room.
A few wins after the break may sooth your cynicism.