Huge loss doesn't shake Dogs' flag dream

[LostDoggy]

Matt Windley From:Herald Sun
August 16, 2010

THE wounded Dogs emerged from their kennels yesterday - wounds still raw, but heads held high - to honour club legend Brad Johnson.

But there was no escaping the elephant in the room that was the humiliating 101-point loss to Geelong less than 24 hours earlier.

There was no shying away from the loss, no "kennel cough" excuses, just a steely resolve to bite back.

Midfielder Daniel Giansiracusa said he was disappointed to dish up such a display on the eve of what was an important day for the club and the Johnson family.

"There's no excuses, we were terrible," Giansiracusa said at Johnson's testimonial lunch at Crown.

"They played really well, but what we served up was not acceptable. I suppose the good thing about it is it happened in Round 20 and we've got time to fix it.

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"I think you've got to acknowledge what you did wrong and why it happened, but it wasn't a Western Bulldogs performance. You can accept getting beaten by a better side, but when you show no fight like we did then that's pretty disappointing."

Assistant coach Paul Williams said there would be a critical review of the game, but also said the club would move on quickly in preparation for its clash with Sydney at the SCG on Saturday night.

"We're not going to push things under the rug," Williams said.

"But we will be moving on really quick because we've got to get into the Sydney game as soon as possible and make sure that we get back on the horse, and I think we've got a mature enough side to be able to bounce back."

Loss aside, the day of celebration still managed to fester an air of belief that this group still had the potential to do something special.

President David Smorgan: "We've got to lift after last night's game. It wasn't the result that we wanted for the season, certainly in view of what was happening today.

"But we will regroup and put last night behind us and move on to bigger and better things. We're fourth on the ladder for a good reason - because we're good enough - and over the next few weeks you're going to see us do even better."

Talking on stage about his skipper, coach Rodney Eade said: "At this stage, unfortunately, he hasn't been involved in a premiership, but I'm certain we can rectify that this year."

Out of context, Eade could have been made to look like he said his side WILL win this year's flag. But that he could come out with such a line after such a harrowing defeat speaks volumes of his unshakeable belief in his players.

The fact remains, though, that the Dogs will almost certainly have to defeat three sides that they have a collective 0-4 record against this year in Collingwood, St Kilda and Geelong.

Giansiracusa said he believed they could beat those sides, but also said that belief had to be turned into actions.

"There's got to be a time where you've got to draw a line in the sand and say, 'We've got to beat sides like that'," he said.

"Eventually you've got to beat those sides if you want to go all the way, that's fact that we haven't done that yet, but I've got the utmost belief in the group that we can beat those sides and match it with the best sides in the competition - now it's about actually doing it."

The last word goes to Johnson himself.

Addressing the crowd, the skipper paused upon thinking about the night before and then delivered one last rallying cry.

"Our main drive, and our main passion, is to create our own success and that is winning a second flag for this football club," he said.

"And we will do absolutely everything, I can guarantee you that, to get our season to a position where we can absolutely have a huge onslaught on that. We're going to finish top four and we're going to have a real crack at it."

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[bornadog]

Another dickhead who can't spell SMORGON

[AndrewP6]

"I suppose the good thing about it is it happened in Round 20 and we've got time to fix it."

Now that's optimism... if this had happened in Rd 2 and he said that, I'd understand.

[Murphy'sLore]

Another dickhead who can't spell SMORGON

Also says FESTER when he means FOSTER.

[Twodogs]

Also says FESTER when he means FOSTER.

Peter Fester was a gun!

[ratsmac]

I'm glad the players still have the faith because mine was ripped away on Saturday night. I still am none the wiser of what the hell went so horribly wrong.

[AndrewP6]

Peter Fester was a gun!

Nickname "Uncle"???

[Flamethrower]

"I suppose the good thing about it is it happened in Round 20 and we've got time to fix it."

Now that's optimism... if this had happened in Rd 2 and he said that, I'd understand.

A week is a long time in football, and confidence can be regained in 15 minutes. The proof was there for all of us to see on Saturday night. Geelong were shot to bits after the Collingwood game - one week later they are premiership favourites again.

[Bulldog4life]

Another dickhead who can't spell SMORGON

Ha ha. One of my pet gripes too. Always annoys me when I see it on this Forum.

[LostDoggy]

Another dickhead who can't spell SMORGON

Yes, that is why we call him SMORGO, not SMORGA!!