Nobody believes in us. Are they right?

[mjp]

Not sure if I'm over thinking this but pretty much every preview I read has us finishing closer to the bottom 4 than the top 4. The latest one today (ESPN) said in closing:
=======
Most likely: The Bulldogs continue to be heavily reliant on midfield stars Marcus Bontempelli and Tom Liberatore, while Aaron Naughton remains one of the most inconsistent forwards in the game. With that said, they enter the final two rounds of the season in 10th place and still alive for an unlikely finals berth.
=======
Source: https://www.espn.com.au/afl/story/_/...ern%20Bulldogs

Pretty sure the Herald Sun had us finishing 13th yesterday but I can't find the link today.

Are ALL the pundits right? Wrong? Should we be getting a little MORE credit for the past few years or a little less? To me, our draw seems 'fine', we seem to have added a couple of good recruits (Sanders and Coffield) and some decent depth (Harmes and Bramble) and both our mids and forwards seem to be verging on 'elite'. Yeah, I have some concerns down the other end but no doubting the ability of Jones, Richards and Dale...not EVERY player in the 22 can be AA-quality.

I guess I sorta guess why we aren't trusted - but even when we LOST games in 2023 it wasn't like we were getting smashed...there were a few defensive collapses (yep, disappointing) but they also implied we had first built sizeable leads. So clearly the ability is there.

I'm usually glass half empty but 13th? Man.

[Grantysghost]

I guess we finished 9th with our best players having awesome years.
For the first time since 2016 im actually not super expectant for this season.

Losing close games, yeah i guess but youre still losing.

My worry as always has been the very shakey defence and where is the improvement coming from?

Sanders yep.... Marra....?

[Happy Days]

Not believing =/= not being good.

We could easily be good but we’ve done nothing in 2 years to make anyone “believe” in us. I get it.

[GVGjr]

Not sure if I'm over thinking this but pretty much every preview I read has us finishing closer to the bottom 4 than the top 4. The latest one today (ESPN) said in closing:
=======
Most likely: The Bulldogs continue to be heavily reliant on midfield stars Marcus Bontempelli and Tom Liberatore, while Aaron Naughton remains one of the most inconsistent forwards in the game. With that said, they enter the final two rounds of the season in 10th place and still alive for an unlikely finals berth.
=======
Source: https://www.espn.com.au/afl/story/_/...ern%20Bulldogs

Pretty sure the Herald Sun had us finishing 13th yesterday but I can't find the link today.

Are ALL the pundits right? Wrong? Should we be getting a little MORE credit for the past few years or a little less? To me, our draw seems 'fine', we seem to have added a couple of good recruits (Sanders and Coffield) and some decent depth (Harmes and Bramble) and both our mids and forwards seem to be verging on 'elite'. Yeah, I have some concerns down the other end but no doubting the ability of Jones, Richards and Dale...not EVERY player in the 22 can be AA-quality.

I guess I sorta guess why we aren't trusted - but even when we LOST games in 2023 it wasn't like we were getting smashed...there were a few defensive collapses (yep, disappointing) but they also implied we had first built sizeable leads. So clearly the ability is there.

I'm usually glass half empty but 13th? Man.

This is Mark Robinson vie on our chances this year

13th: Western Bulldogs

Like them but I always wonder what would happen if, God forbid, Bontempelli falls over? Consequently, there is doubt about midfield depth. With Ugle-Hagan older, and Lobb and Sam Darcy as support, could it finally be the right time for Naughton to go back? They need an interceptor and Jamarra just might be able to handle the No.1 mantle in the F50.

[Grantysghost]

Naughton back.... No way. That's out of the blue! /s

[Bulldog Joe]

Clearly none of the media commentariat trust us.

We did lose games we should not have lost, but if we held on against GWS in Ballarat (when 2 tall defenders Bruce and Keath go down AND the other Gardner is so banged up he doesn't play the next week) we are in finals and GWS miss.

The same media commentariat all tip GWS as top 4.

Have they improved their list, because our list looks to be better.

With all that, I am still struggling to trust us.

If our game plan is right and our effort is there we can win the whole thing.

[GVGjr]

Not sure if I'm over thinking this but pretty much every preview I read has us finishing closer to the bottom 4 than the top 4. The latest one today (ESPN) said in closing:
=======
Most likely: The Bulldogs continue to be heavily reliant on midfield stars Marcus Bontempelli and Tom Liberatore, while Aaron Naughton remains one of the most inconsistent forwards in the game. With that said, they enter the final two rounds of the season in 10th place and still alive for an unlikely finals berth.
=======
Source: https://www.espn.com.au/afl/story/_/...ern%20Bulldogs

Pretty sure the Herald Sun had us finishing 13th yesterday but I can't find the link today.

Are ALL the pundits right? Wrong? Should we be getting a little MORE credit for the past few years or a little less? To me, our draw seems 'fine', we seem to have added a couple of good recruits (Sanders and Coffield) and some decent depth (Harmes and Bramble) and both our mids and forwards seem to be verging on 'elite'. Yeah, I have some concerns down the other end but no doubting the ability of Jones, Richards and Dale...not EVERY player in the 22 can be AA-quality.

I guess I sorta guess why we aren't trusted - but even when we LOST games in 2023 it wasn't like we were getting smashed...there were a few defensive collapses (yep, disappointing) but they also implied we had first built sizeable leads. So clearly the ability is there.

I'm usually glass half empty but 13th? Man.

Yep I get what that many in the media don't trust us but some of the other teams they are favoring over us are hardly pillars of positivity for the season ahead.

I've stated a few times how much further we are ahead of where we were 12 months back and I believe we have added a couple of good players to our list. With some natural progression with players like Ugle-Hagan, Darcy, West, Weightman and O'Donnell etc plus players like Lobb and Treloar are far fitter than 12 months back.

I look forward to some more positive stories coming out of the media about our chances throughout the season and if we can get off to a fast start it's going to be a hard for their negativity to continue.

[Grantysghost]

Clearly none of the media commentariat trust us.

We did lose games we should not have lost, but if we held on against GWS in Ballarat (when 2 tall defenders Bruce and Keath go down AND the other Gardner is so banged up he doesn't play the next week) we are in finals and GWS miss.

The same media commentariat all tip GWS as top 4.

Have they improved their list, because our list looks to be better.

With all that, I am still struggling to trust us.

If our game plan is right and our effort is there we can win the whole thing.

Gws are a very good side.

[bornadog]

Only Libby Birch in The Age picks us 4th. The rest of their writers have gone from 6th through to 13th, with the main bloke, Jake Nial, 10th

I really don't care about what these so called experts think.

[Grantysghost]

Only Libby Birch in The Age picks us 4th. The rest of their writers have gone from 6th through to 13th, with the main bloke, Jake Nial, 10th

I really don't care about what these so called experts think.

Where do you have us BAD? I have us 8th.

[bornadog]

Where do you have us BAD? I have us 8th.

Every year I say top 4, and gut says this is the year

[bulldogsthru&thru]

I think we're capable of finishing anywhere from 1st to 16th.

[Grantysghost]

I think we're capable of finishing anywhere from 1st to 16th.

Weve never finished first in the history of the club!

[Mofra]

A little more accurate goal kicking last year and we finish 6th.

It's rarely mentioned and I'm happy to stand alone on this, but I really think we'll improve based on our facilities alone. WO is far better than Skinner.

[bornadog]

Weve never finished first in the history of the club!

That is something I would love