Western Bulldogs fans must show loyalty

[Sockeye Salmon]

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…

That's a whole load of bollocks

[LostDoggy]

That's a whole load of bollocks

Somehow "bollocks" doesn't do it justice.

But it's a start

[mighty_west]

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…

I cannot believe any side goes out with a lack of heart, there are far too many players, men, in the public eye who would be embaressed to the extreme if they generally ran out there and just gave up, yes you may get the odd player who doesn't seem to care, but by large, the majority of players go out and give their 100%.

We were all there in 2003, and 1996, we got hammered a few times, and i mean REALLY hammered, the North & Carlton games at the G in the mid 90's were two of the worst i have ever witnessed, the Mothers Day game v Freo at Docklands was also a real shocker, then off course we have the Geelong game this year.

For whatever reason's, and i also go back to injuries, and making players look like they don't give 100%, when they are restricted in ways that it is impossible to go that extra mile, there is nothing more frustrating as a player, let alone for his supporters, that may be more an issue for the MC, but never say we had no heart, that is total BS.

It may have also to do with structures & game plans, and hey, terams just do have off days, off weeks, Geelong had an off month last year, they also won the GF, does that mean they played with no heart during that time?

The bad times, such as 96, 03, most of the times it can look like players don't try hard enough, perhaps they try too hard, and not work smart enough, there is a massive difference there, lack of confidence is also another reason, why do players, gun players have off periods? why did Greg Chappell make all those ducks in a row, why did Bradman make a duck in his final innings? did they show no heart? why do great teams have off times, i'm sure it's not because a lack of heart.

[Picken Knows]

It's healthy sometimes for any organisation to have it's revenue affected, it can be the best way to snap things into place. [/b]

The club did not lose 1 cent by you not going on Saturday night. The AFL take all of the money from finals ticket sales.

What you lost, was the chance to be amongst fellow bulldog members celebrating won of the better wins in our history.

Does this person have a valid reason to be disappointed? Start there…

Yes.

Does this mean the person has a valid reason not to attend a final?

No.


The Magpies have played in 167 finals and the bulldogs have played in less than 30.

I don't think we have the luxury to pick and chose the finals we go to.

[LostDoggy]

That's a whole load of bollocks

Somehow "bollocks" doesn't do it justice.

But it's a start

I'm on this forum for debate and to discuss the club. If you want to discuss something I've written, then discuss it. Just writing “that's a load of bollocks” doesn't add anything to the argument.

The club did not lose 1 cent by you not going on Saturday night. The AFL take all of the money from finals ticket sales.

What you lost, was the chance to be amongst fellow bulldog members celebrating won of the better wins in our history.

Yes.

Does this mean the person has a valid reason not to attend a final?

No.

The Magpies have played in 167 finals and the bulldogs have played in less than 30.

I don't think we have the luxury to pick and chose the finals we go to.

That's not what I'm talking about in terms of revenue. I'm talking about the membership numbers. Pointing your finger at supporters after a performance like the one in the Qual Final is not going to boost your membership.

Also, please consider that my reasons are very real. It's not a load of bollocks — that's how I feel. The reasons I gave are the exact reasons I stayed away, and I shared them with you all in response to an article I felt trivialised the role a club should take in being open and accountable. I wasn't at the game, but I sat in a pub in the city and screamed at the TV, heart pounding like everybody else's I suspect. I pay my way every year, and I have the right to voice my concerns.

The fact I get shot down immediately is — I feel — an indication of just how much our fans don't get it sometimes. Perhaps I'm just sick of the club not being able to handle the pressure of not being the underdog. It seems we have to be the rank outsiders to show some spirit.

Let's hope I'm proven wrong this weekend. I'll gladly print out my original post on 250gsm paper and eat it.

[bornadog]

I'm on this forum for debate and to discuss the club. If you want to discuss something I've written, then discuss it. Just writing “that's a load of bollocks” doesn't add anything to the argument.



That's not what I'm talking about in terms of revenue. I'm talking about the membership numbers. Pointing your finger at supporters after a performance like the one in the Qual Final is not going to boost your membership.

Also, please consider that my reasons are very real. It's not a load of bollocks — that's how I feel. The reasons I gave are the exact reasons I stayed away, and I shared them with you all in response to an article I felt trivialised the role a club should take in being open and accountable. I wasn't at the game, but I sat in a pub in the city and screamed at the TV, heart pounding like everybody else's I suspect. I pay my way every year, and I have the right to voice my concerns.

The fact I get shot down immediately is — I feel — an indication of just how much our fans don't get it sometimes. Perhaps I'm just sick of the club not being able to handle the pressure of not being the underdog. It seems we have to be the rank outsiders to show some spirit.

Let's hope I'm proven wrong this weekend. I'll gladly print out my original post on 250gsm paper and eat it.

I don't believe the club pointed the finger at anyone, all they were askling for is loyalty, because if they don't ask, people don't bother supporting the club. This doesnot happen at many clubs and I don't understand why it happens at our club.

North supporters are worse, oh wait Fitzroy and South Melbourne were worse and now they have dissappeared and don't exist. Is that what you want.

[boydogs]

North supporters are worse, oh wait Fitzroy and South Melbourne were worse and now they have dissappeared and don't exist. Is that what you want.

That's missing the point BAS is tying to make

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.

Readers of the Bulldog magazine & the Seadogs report have commented on WOOF previously that communication with members is poor. Injury lists on the website are often patently incorrect. The club doesn't make the effort to keep members up to date with what is happening