I wonder how many of us where tid up in local comps finals ?
This is my excuse and Im sure plenty of others.
It's better to die on our feet than live on our knees.
Number at the ground was 39500. I'm not sure there were more Swans supporters. I saw more Doggies but i heard more Swans. We are a quite-ish bunch
I was there and yes the Swans were more vocal than us, but at the end it was the roar of Dogs fans that was the loudest!
The best game i've been to for ages and next week anything goes after coming back 5 goals down and winning it proves it can happen on the night.
Go Dogs...................
It's a shame you missed this one BAS, i know exactly how passionate you are mate, and obviously the ultimate prize is Premiership success, but you also have to break it down to a game by game basis [hey, as Dogs supporters what else can we do?], heartbreak with the finals losses, but ecstasy with winning finals games like last night.
You know i am more of a laid back supporter at games, not over the top with passion & celebration during games, more of an observe type, but i have to say i lost my voice, belted the seat in front as hard as i can, when the siren went it was just unbelievable, the memory of that game last night will be remembered up there with the best victories, if we get put out this week against the Saints, i am extremely grateful i was there to be part of that, it's a shame you missed out, wins like that as supporters is what it is all about.
I'll be there next week against the Saints. And as I've kept saying, it's all about how we go about it. Win or lose, I expect a fight like we gave last year in the same game, and I'll be happy. It's all about passion. All of it. There always has to be a loser. But a good game is where both teams have the passion and drive, and that's what I want from the Dogs.
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.
I agree 100% with Smorgo. I couldn't believe what a guy behind me was yelling out when things were bad in the second quarter "Smorgan has to go he has been there too long and delivered nothing".
If it was not for David Smorgan we could be dead and buried for christ sake he doesn't play or coach.
I know we all crave for the ulimate sucess, in my book when you look that we have ended up at least as good as the last 2 years against all the odds, it's a good effort. AND IT AINT OVER YET.
I was hoping and praying for a win last night, firstly for ME, then for the team and tyhen to stick it up our own supporters that have given up on us.
We had one of the worst supporters I've come across in ages near us. Started abusing our players half way through the first half. He ended up in a nice blue with the bloke in front of him (all to do with how the dickheads beer ended up in his lap ).
Then the tool had the nerve to complain about the supporters around him.
Had another one behind me who was a one man commentry team, "kick it, KICK IT!. What did you kick it for?". He was good natured and a laugh, though.
It amazes me just how many supporters don't understand the concept of supporting a side.
We had one bloke near us who for the whole first half shouted out negative stuff, with not one positive thing. The worst part however was that it was often completely unrealistic or unjustified criticisms ie. Our player would be chasing a Swan, but when they got shepperded (sp?) he would crack the shits because they didn't try hard enough, despite doing everything right.
There was also another bloke that started bagging Hahn. Now thats quite possible understandable when Hahn stuffs up in play, but that wasn't the situation. This was in the warmups, when Hahn did something like mark the ball in the general goalkicking they tend to do, and this bloke shouts out dead serious "Stop being so timid Hahn". It is the warmup for gods sake.
Agreed.
For me, I don't get to pick and choose when to support my side. When the Bulldogs are playing - we go to the footy...its just what we do on weekends.
Was so disappointing to be outnumbered by an interstate team at a final - in what could have been Brad Johnson's final game.
Was great to get a good come from behind win after Sydney were playing superb footy early. Was great that Johnno played reasonably well and with plenty of energy. Was great to see another player who supporters love to spray - Gia, stand up and kick the important goals we need despite having to sacrifice his own game (again) to try and shut out (firstly) McVeigh and then Shaw.
The crowds have been down at all of the finals so far this year. Even Geelong/St.Kilda only had 63,000 - and it may be to do with the ticket pricing - and in the first weekend the weather was sh1t. But if you didn't go to the game because you thought we'd lose, and you're shattered you missed it - then I'm sorry - you copped your right whack.
I am a reserved seat, social club member and I admit the cost of tickets is a factor in me attending finals. I missed week 1 due to a prior engagement, and went on Saturday night mainly because it could've been Johnno's last game. I will be there again this week for the same reason. I cried after Saturdays game, it was an amazing feeling and I was so happy for Johnno. I hope to see us win a preliminary final, come on Dogs!!
Well, it's all about the reason, isn't it? If you didn't go because you thought we'd lose, or if you didn't go because you were disappointed in a lack of heart or effort from the week before, I believe are two different things. Any club thinking that it can turn on a weak display, offer no valid reasonable explanation and then turn on their supporters for walking away is kidding itself. It's a typical us-versus-them, working-class mentality that quite frankly shits me up the wall. Collingwood's Heath Shaw summed it up beautifully on Sunday's Footy Show when he talked about what he thought was the catalyst for their year — a winning culture that sees them play every game to win it no matter what.
There are no gimmes in competitive sport.
If the club wants to cry foul that their supporters stayed away, they need to be honest with themselves and ask why. It's healthy sometimes for any organisation to have it's revenue affected, it can be the best way to snap things into place. I honestly believe that sometimes fans can be detrimental, especially when they pat players on the back for lacklustre performances. They need to be held accountable, and when they turn on bad games (which they'll all do, all teams do) they need to be open and honest about why.
The teams that do this the best — Essendon, Hawthorn, West Coast — all enjoy VERY solid membership numbers, because the members know they're valued and wanted, and they know the club will work hard for them, not feed them some bullshit line. Rocket and the club might have contempt for the media, and some would argue rightly so, but they forget sometimes that behind the eyes and ears of reporters are the minds of members, who read the paper looking for an answer to why things are going wrong and are greeted with spin and bullshit.
Bagging out fellow supporters for being disappointed is not the way to success. First ask yourself: Does this person have a valid reason to be disappointed? Start there…