Fans not wanting us to win/make finals

[Rocco Jones]

Out of interest...

I totally get the frustration. Get wanting it all to end to said frustration, however...

Those who want us to lose/miss finals because it might mean Bevo stays and/or we don't make real change...isn't the club doomed anyway if our board accepts a win against a depleted Geelong as 'good enough'? Like if by definition, we need to be forced into the 'right' call, aren't we stuffed as a default?

If I truly believed I knew better than the board and that the club needed added depths of failure to realise their issues, then I'd want the board gone/massive changes to the club.

FWIW from my perspective, I want Bevo gone. I definitely hope we make finals. If we beat a depleted Geelong and continue the frustrating season in a final vs Blues, my wanting Bevo gone thing won't change in the slightest.

[bornadog]

I don't understand the mentality of not wanting to play finals. The players train all season to play finals and get a chance to go all the way. Finals experience is like gold for them.

There will still be a review on why we didn't make top 4, because that is what the club was aiming for.

[Sedat]

Out of interest...

I totally get the frustration. Get wanting it all to end to said frustration, however...

Those who want us to lose/miss finals because it might mean Bevo stays and/or we don't make real change...isn't the club doomed anyway if our board accepts a win against a depleted Geelong as 'good enough'? Like if by definition, we need to be forced into the 'right' call, aren't we stuffed as a default?

If I truly believed I knew better than the board and that the club needed added depths of failure to realise their issues, then I'd want the board gone/massive changes to the club.

FWIW from my perspective, I want Bevo gone. I definitely hope we make finals. If we beat a depleted Geelong and continue the frustrating season in a final vs Blues, my wanting Bevo gone thing won't change in the slightest.

IMO last week's incredible capitulation against a team who has a) been non-competitive for 2 full seasons and b) didn't really even want to win, will be the catalyst for real change in the footy dept. It doesn't actually matter if we go on a miraculous 5 match run and win the flag from here - the disastrous loss against WC confirms that real changes are required in the footy dept. That performance has given sunlight to the extent of our issues in game plan/ personnel/ fitness & conditioning/ player development/ in-game tactics. If Bevo survives the changes (I think he will), he have no choice but to accept that we need to change the above aspects to get the best out of the team.

But yeah, I want to beat those smug pricks in the shitty pissant pork-barrell toy ground with no wings for the first time in 20 years, even if they wheel out Scratcher Neale, Murray Whitcombe and Terry Bright.

[jeemak]

WCE wanted to win. They attacked the ball and the man ferociously and ran hard all day.

[Axe Man]

I've never not wanted us to win and I'm not about to start wishing loses now.

[The bulldog tragician]

IMO last week's incredible capitulation against a team who has a) been non-competitive for 2 full seasons and b) didn't really even want to win, will be the catalyst for real change in the footy dept. It doesn't actually matter if we go on a miraculous 5 match run and win the flag from here - the disastrous loss against WC confirms that real changes are required in the footy dept. That performance has given sunlight to the extent of our issues in game plan/ personnel/ fitness & conditioning/ player development/ in-game tactics. If Bevo survives the changes (I think he will), he have no choice but to accept that we need to change the above aspects to get the best out of the team.

But yeah, I want to beat those smug pricks in the shitty pissant pork-barrell toy ground with no wings for the first time in 20 years, even if they wheel out Scratcher Neale, Murray Whitcombe and Terry Bright.

If that happens, actually I would be in favour of Bevo being appointed for life as it would be the biggest, most miraculous turnaround from a demoralised disorganised group to slick fighting machine of all time. Reading about Bevo’s demeanour at his press conference makes that seem improbable.

[bornadog]

If that happens, actually I would be in favour of Bevo being appointed for life as it would be the biggest, most miraculous turnaround from a demoralised disorganised group to slick fighting machine of all time. Reading about Bevo’s demeanour at his press conference makes that seem improbable.

I thought he sounded like he has had a cold/flu

watch here and see what you think: https://www.westernbulldogs.com.au/v...=1692921548001

[josie]

I want us to have a culture of trying your guts out unconditionally and being tough/standing up for your teammates - best example I can think of is “play like Libba”. I also want a culture where we win even when we are favourites (something historically we’ve been poor at).

If this means we drop a place or two (or hopefully more) in draft spots so be it.

We will keep the majority of the playing list this year, even if we turn over 8 to 10 or even 12. Why would you want to build a loser culture? Yuk.

However counter to this, I’m not sure our culture (or emotional wellbeing) could bear another humiliating finals loss where we capitulate like we did in the elimination loss to GWS a while ago or the one last year against Freo or that horrible GF 2021. So I’m a wee bit torn. Overall though striving for a winning culture is more sound.

[josie]

If that happens, actually I would be in favour of Bevo being appointed for life as it would be the biggest, most miraculous turnaround from a demoralised disorganised group to slick fighting machine of all time. Reading about Bevo’s demeanour at his press conference makes that seem improbable.

Now that would be a story for the ages. Seeing the turn around since 2016 though I’d still want a thorough review. I’d wonder if Bevo would hang up the coaching boots if we could pull that off, and I’d even pay him out in full (or wealthy benefactors pay him out) as he’d deserve it!!

[Flamethrower]

WCE wanted to win. They attacked the ball and the man ferociously and ran hard all day.

Players always want to win - it is the clubs that tank whether it be playing players in unsuitable positions, or not tagging an opposition star player.

Actually maybe Bevo has been tanking since 2015?????

I definitely want to beat Geelong, Carlton beat GWS, and then the boys have another magic month of finals football cumulating in VFL / AFL premiership number 3.

Just can't see it as it appears we have a fractured football club at the moment.

[mjp]

FWIW from my perspective, I want Bevo gone.

I understand that but I'm still not sure that's the right decision and hate the circus that will surround us as it plays out.

I definitely hope we make finals.

Ummm. Yeah...I want to make it. I'm not really sure I'm super keen to watch it.

My rule has been - since I moved back to Perth in 2008 - attend the FIRST final every year ('cos there might not be another one). I couldn't go to the Saints one in the COVID season but have stayed true to my 'promise'...I can pretty much guarantee you if we draw Carlton at Marvel that I wont be spending the money to head across.

If we beat a depleted Geelong and continue the frustrating season in a final vs Blues, my wanting Bevo gone thing won't change in the slightest.

Agree that whatever happens this weekend shouldn't impact on coaching decisions...he's been at the club for 9 years and "we" should know whether we are in or out!

[Axe Man]

I can pretty much guarantee you if we draw Carlton at Marvel that I wont be spending the money to head across.

Marvel? They wouldn't even let us play the Cows at Marvel. If we make it there will be +80k at the MCG.

[Boots]

I'm fairly sure I have previously gone on the record as saying that it would be better for us to miss the eight, in terms of the fact that that is a sobering position that demands real action.

I don't think I can get to 'I would prefer us to lose' though.

There is a disconcerting sense accompanying this debate though that trying to win against the tide slowly and irreversibly grinds down our best players, like the action of bone on cartilage in an ageing knee. I suspect people preferring a loss cannot imagine a victory in finals, and would like to be free from the gruelling expectations of finals footy altogether so that we can 'play the kids' and glory in a loss full of possibility rather than another phyrric victory.

[GVGjr]

Out of interest...

I totally get the frustration. Get wanting it all to end to said frustration, however...

Those who want us to lose/miss finals because it might mean Bevo stays and/or we don't make real change...isn't the club doomed anyway if our board accepts a win against a depleted Geelong as 'good enough'? Like if by definition, we need to be forced into the 'right' call, aren't we stuffed as a default?

If I truly believed I knew better than the board and that the club needed added depths of failure to realise their issues, then I'd want the board gone/massive changes to the club.

FWIW from my perspective, I want Bevo gone. I definitely hope we make finals. If we beat a depleted Geelong and continue the frustrating season in a final vs Blues, my wanting Bevo gone thing won't change in the slightest.

There could be 4 motivators to this sort of thought amongst some fans

1) The season has been a long one and it's being seen as a car backfiring all the time so we are in a bad need of a service.
2) Expectations not being met and especially after dropping games to the 16th and 18th ranked teams and a heartbreaking loss to GWS before that.
3) Having not made the top 4 at the end of the H&A season in the last 9 years some people would strongly believe it's time for a bigger change.
4) As much as we will never forget our GF win in 2016 it's now time to look forward not backwards.

Making finals isn't a sign of success, especially limping into them, and winning them is vastly more important.
8 teams make the finals so if you make the top 8 and don't go on with it you have only had a slightly above average season and we have had enough of those.

I'm all for beating Geelong and making the finals but I can understand why it might not be as important for everyone. Things do need to change and a finals performance won't mask that for so many people. Winning a final however, will be vastly better received.

Go Dogs

[The Adelaide Connection]

10 weeks ago Carlton were among the bottom 4 conversation and Essendon were being talked about as a possible top 4 finisher.

If we make finals and somehow manage to reboot ourselves to somewhere near our best, on our day we could beat anyone. Is this the most open final series ever? With the Pies and Power coming back to the pack a little it could well be.

I am frustrated as anyone. I am over our vanilla, predictable, seemingly one-faceted game plan. But I don’t get people ‘hoping’ we miss finals. That is bananas. In the deep, dark winters of old when we were have been perennially handcuffed to the bottom would we be talking like this?