Remembering the Dogs under Rocket

[ReLoad]

For mine it was the day we blitzed the hawks and lead by 80 points at half time at the dome.

What made it so special was that my wife - a passionate hawthorn member cracked the sads at quarter time and went home.

What made it even more special was that I was "access denied" for a week but I really didn't care!

[comrade]

For mine it was the day we blitzed the hawks and lead by 80 points at half time at the dome.

What made it so special was that my wife - a passionate hawthorn member cracked the sads at quarter time and went home.

What made it even more special was that I was "access denied" for a week but I really didn't care!

I love a massive Doggies win as much as the next bloke but a week drying out is never fun

[BulldogBelle]

I loved the article but Scott Welsh 50/50? I can understand Tim Callan but not Scotty Welsh.

I thought he was great for us. I certainly never expected him to be as good as he was. I missed him a bit in 2010, but even more now!

[Ghost Dog]

Sam Landsberger From: Leader



RODNEY Eade sat in the Telstra Dome stands as the Western Bulldogs beat North Melbourne in Round 21 of 2004 with a smile sprawled across his face.

Most fans remember it as Matthew Croft and Simon Garlick's farewell match, as Croft turned the clock back all the way to his junior days with five goals.

But Eade was smiling for different reasons. He had just been appointed coach and was grinning as a young Lindsay Gilbee struck bullet-like passes, Brad Johnson showcased his mercurial best with two goals and first-year player Adam Cooney, lucky to see through his mop of red hair, gathered 25 touches.

Eade's reign had unofficially begun. He saw enough from Gilbee to demand the sublimely-skilled defender stay at Whitten Oval - Sydney and Collingwood both had him in their sights - and made the bold statement the club needed to strip back and regenerate.

"If the top five (Luke Darcy, Johnson, Scott West, Chris Grant and Rohan Smith) are the top five in the best-and-fairest next year, we won't be going anywhere," he said in 2004.

It was a scary prospect for fans. How can a club that had not won a final since 1998 want to go forward with its best players taking a back seat?

It did. And how.

In 'Rocket's' first season the Dogs finished with a bullet. They ended ninth with five wins from their past six matches and had flag contenders scared after pantsing West Coast to cost it the minor premiership.

The pain of missing out on finals, courtesy of a stroke of bad luck brimming from an umpire error in that one loss, burned all summer.

The Dogs came out snarling in their next match, towelling up Richmond by 115 points to kick off 2006.

They kept their promise and played finals that year despite a spate of injuries, rolling fifth-placed Collingwood in front of a packed MCG to advance to a semi-final ahead of time.

It was that night that epitomised just how enormous the task Eade had taken on.

His side was pummelled by eventual premier West Coast to the tune of 12 goals at Subiaco. Ouch.

The Dogs had improved 500 per cent since Eade took over, and were still a mile off the mark.

It was at that stage Eade started to get serious about bridging the gap.

In the next two years the Dogs traded for Jason Akermanis, Andrew McDougall, Ben Hudson, Tim Callan, drafted Scott Welsh and got Barry Hall for 2010.

Tick, cross, big tick, two fifty-fifties and an even bigger tick for Barry.

For the mutual contempt between Aker and the Dogs now, the Brownlow medallist was worth every piece of angst in 2009, when he hit All-Australian form and nearly boosted the club to the head of the summit.

The aggressive trading paid dividends. The Dogs became top-four quality and desperately unlucky to not reach a grand final.

Eade made hard calls to get there. Grant retired earlier than expected, knee injuries forced Darcy and West's hands and Smith walked away two years shy of the first of three preliminary finals.

Only Johnson ignored the clock and played and played until his body simply could play no more.

Under Eade's reign Dale Morris was turned from VFL scruff to AFL star, Liam Picken was unearthed, Brian Lake became a dual All-Australian, Cooney won a Brownlow and Johnson became a legend

Come 2011, the Dogs first year without any of the 'fab five' Eade talked about on arrival, and it has all unravelled.

Be it the club's horrid injury curse, inability to cope with the forward press or the staleness of Eade after seven years, his tenure is over.

And with Johnson retired, Gilbee playing VFL and Cooney out injured the circle has fully turned.

So, with two games remaining, will the Dogs next coach be sitting in the stands?

And if he is, will he marvel at the aggression of Luke Dahlhaus, creativity of Easton Wood and be able to convince Callan Ward to stay, as Eade did with Gilbee?

The Dogs made the right call with Eade to no avail. They need to again.

FIVE BEST WINS UNDER ROCKET

1. Elimination Final, 2006 - Collingwood 11.14 (80) def by Western Bulldogs 18.13 (121)

In front of 84,282 fans a baby Dogs side blew fifth-placed Collingwood away with a six-goal-to-none third quarter to secure the club's first finals victory since 1998. Given no chance by punters, Scott West was again best-afield, while Brett Montgomery recovered from his opening-bounce coathanger to boot four goals.

2. Round 1, 2008 - Western Bulldogs 19.12 (126) def Adelaide 18.15 (123)

Brad Johnson played the role of milestone man and hero, kicking three goals in the last seven minutes to pinch a famous win in game No. 300. Nathan Bock missed a chance on the siren to steal victory, and the Dogs would go on to win their next seven matches, seal a top-four finish and shelve a year of disappointment.

3. Semi-Final, 2010 - Western Bulldogs 11.11 (77) def Sydney 10.12 (72)

The gutsiest win under Eade. With a skeleton side in and trailing by five goals, a major to debutant Andrew Hooper on the stroke of halftime lit the fuse. Robert Murphy dominated the second half as the Dogs came from the clouds and held on, courtesy of some Daniel Bradshaw shanks. The win signalled the end for Eade's Sydney successor Paul Roos and captain Brett Kirk.

4. Round 17, 2005 - Western Bulldogs 20.13 (133) def Geelong 14.14 (98)

The game when, after 17 matches under Eade, the Dogs clicked. Angered by a lack of respect by Geelong in the build up, the Dogs came out breathing fire and at one stage led by 68 points on the back of two interstate losses totalling 127 points. Ryan Griffen towelled up Gary Ablett and this was the game when the AFL stood up and realised the Dogs, under Eade, would be a force.

5. Round 13, 2006 - West Coast 8.16 (64) def by Western Bulldogs 10.13 (73)

The Dogs became the first Victorian side to trump the Eagles in Perth since Melbourne in 2002, carrying out a precise chip-and-run gamestyle tailored to dethrone West Coast to perfection. What a win. It put them back on track for finals as Scott West gathered a casual 39 touches, while eventual All-Australian captain Brad Johnson booted 4.4.

FIVE MOST PAINFUL LOSSES UNDER ROCKET

1. Preliminary Final, 2009 - St Kilda 9.6 (60) def Western Bulldogs 7.11 (53)

Where to start? One of the most painful on-field nights in the Dogs' history. They dominated the first quarter, should have iced the game and led for almost the entire final term. Four goals to Nick Riewoldt won that match, but he was gifted his first, which brought him into the contest. The captain went down after a nudge from Brian Lake, was handed a free kick and booted what proved a crunch goal before the ball was bounced to start the second half. For the Dogs this was the year, and the one, that was taken away.

2. Round 21, 2005 - Melbourne 16.13 (109) def Western Bulldogs 16.9 (105)

The Dogs entered in league-best form on the back of four big wins and knowing victory against the Dees would sew up a shock finals berth. They led all night and had the chance to finish off Melbourne, but for a botched Daniel Giansiracusa shot from point blank. A fortunate free kick to Jeff White at a ruck contest 45m out on the boundary ended as the match-winning goal as a young Dogs side paid full price for lacking the experience needed to close a high-pressure match.

3. Round 9, 2011 - West Coast 26.19 (175) def Western Bulldogs 8.4 (52)

A disgraceful effort that, in reality, proved the Dogs were never going to make finals this season let alone push for a flag. Ten goals to Josh Kennedy and a lack of effort from the Dogs cast the dye for change, which inevitably ended Eade's tenure.

4. Round 9, 2009 - Geelong 17.14 (116) def Western Bulldogs 17.12 (114)

One of the great games ever played, but a painful finish for the Doggies. They came from six goals back - twice - and looked set to steal the game when Brad Johnson marked only 15m out and the siren sounded. But Johnson rushed the kick, missed and handed Geelong victory in Jason Akermanis's 300th game. That pair both played blinders, while Picken was brave in the final quarter.

5. Round 19, 2009 - Western Bulldogs 13.19 (97) def by West Coast 16.6 (102)

The upset of the season as West Coast scored its first away win in two years. The Dogs took the Eagles lightly and saw them pound through the first 10 goals as the home side blazed away. Aker put the Dogs in front in the final term, but they still found a way to lose. The match put the sting in the Dogs, as they hit peak form and rolled Brisbane away and top-four sides Geelong and Collingwood afterwards to secure third place.

Fun to read
But Huddo 50/50? He's got clydesdale-like consistency and always used to contest at ground level. Say used to, as I feel his time is up, but surely a bit disrespectful to the old fella.

Easton Wood creative? Um, yeah, has about a 3:7 ratio of getting caught, trying to be the dashing rebounder. Time and a place Easton!

[Go_Dogs]

I wish I could have bottled the feeling after that one.

Had that sort of feeling after beating Geelong late in the season in 2009.


The article was a great read.

[LostDoggy]

Can anyone remember the most enjoyable matches?

I think he is right with the 2006 final against Collingwood. The biggest crowd we had played since 1961 (yes sad), and beating Collingwood. What a day that was.

Tlotally agree, it was a fantastic feeling that day. However, my painful memory tells me I followed it up with a trip to Perth to see us steam-rolled by the Weagles the very next week. If I recall, it was Scotty & Bubba's 300th games??

[1eyedog]

Pretty sure the most disappointing losses were:

1/.Prelim final 2008
2/.Prelim final 2009
3/.Prelim final 2010**

Losing to West Coast by 5 points during 2009 in a year they came last? Sorry, but to me that is in the "couldn't have cared less" category.

** Order selected due to increasing feeling of resignation as each year passed by.

This by a fair way.

[Murphy'sLore]

Can anyone remember the most enjoyable matches?

I think he is right with the 2006 final against Collingwood. The biggest crowd we had played since 1961 (yes sad), and beating Collingwood. What a day that was.

Best 40th birthday present I could have asked for

[LostDoggy]

In the next two years the Dogs traded for Jason Akermanis, Andrew McDougall, Ben Hudson, Tim Callan, drafted Scott Welsh and got Barry Hall for 2010.

Tick, cross, big tick, two fifty-fifties and an even bigger tick for Barry.

Fun to read
But Huddo 50/50? He's got clydesdale-like consistency and always used to contest at ground level. Say used to, as I feel his time is up, but surely a bit disrespectful to the old fella.

Easton Wood creative? Um, yeah, has about a 3:7 ratio of getting caught, trying to be the dashing rebounder. Time and a place Easton!

I read it as he gives him a "big tick"??????

[Ghost Dog]

I read it as he gives him a "big tick"??????

Misread! Where's me bifocals.