The Monday Soapbox - R9, 2025

[GVGjr]

Lets hear what you want to get on your soapbox about?
Umpiring or something Kane Cornes said? The floor is yours.

[GVGjr]

We have played on a number of different grounds although Ballarat is a bit of an own goal.
Is there a fairer system or is it just the price you pay for being a smaller club?

[Aidan7557]

2/3 years in Darwin is ridiculous. Besides that know people have complained about out fixture but the reality is we barely travel from this point onwards so it balances out. We really have a chance to get on a big hot streak right now.

[Pleather Sole]

Super Saturday on Fox is still a schemozzle. It is such a bubble and squeak mess. If you're tuning in just to watch your team's game, too bad you'll be lumbered with a magazine style bunch of segments all irrelevant to you and it will ruin the build up and the post match coverage is likely to be gone despite if you win or lose.
Worst invention in years. Such a wankfest of blowhards. I despair.
Its unforgiveable that Pox Footy has sole rights of every Saturday game, but to then cock it up so badly and aim it only at fans who would buy Sherrin shaped Nutri Grain if they could is criminal.
I have already circled my calendar with a smile for our non Saturday games.

[Bulldog Joe]

We have played on a number of different grounds although Ballarat is a bit of an own goal.
Is there a fairer system or is it just the price you pay for being a smaller club?

A bit has been made of the 7 grounds in 9 games, but we are not alone in that. GWS have had the same.

The issue for us is that we have been subject to extreme conditions. The heat in Perth with the follow up heat in Adelaide probably cost the win against Brisbane.

We can complain, but it won't do anything for the W/L..

We know the AFL aren't interested in our welfare or an even go for everyone.

We need to cope by winning.

[Happy Days]

Sick of pretending that there’s an even playing field when there’s teams in the competition that won’t play at the grounds in 20 years that we have to play at within 3 weeks.

[SquirrelGrip]

Its unforgiveable that Pox Footy has sole rights of every Saturday game, but to then cock it up so badly and aim it only at fans who would buy Sherrin shaped Nutri Grain if they could is criminal.
I have already circled my calendar with a smile for our non Saturday games.

You can get Sherrin shaped Nutri Grain!?

[kruder]

Mine is the player under tackling pressure deliberately taking the ball OOB and it continually not being payed deliberate or holding the ball. It is far more obvious a free kick than a a kick that has gone 50 metres out of a stoppage/shank that has gone over the boundary.

[Angak]

Really happy to hear the news about Marra today. For weeks, all the talk around him has been about disrespect, disrespecting the club, his teammates, or the game itself. But I’ve always felt there was something deeper going on. This was a young man who clearly needed help and support, and to hear that he’s now seeking that out feels like a really positive step forward. There’s no guarantee when or if he’ll play footy again, but if he can get his mind and body right, at least he gives himself a real shot.

What really stuck with me was what Bevo said on Footy Classified a few weeks back about Marra’s upbringing at the Framlingham Mission and how some of the issues he is facing now could be tied to his upbringing. Marra even shared that he was the first male in his family to finish high school. That’s huge. Sometimes we forget that players like Marra haven’t come through the same path as someone like Darcy or Weightman. Different upbringings bring different challenges, especially when you're finding your feet as a young adult.

It’s taught me to give a bit more grace. I hope he finds his way for his own sake first, and selfishly, for us too. Because if he gets himself right, there’s still so much footy left in him.

[Pleather Sole]

We have played on a number of different grounds although Ballarat is a bit of an own goal.
Is there a fairer system or is it just the price you pay for being a smaller club?

I really like our games at the rat. As a family we make an effort to make a weekend of it. We live in regional Vic and we aren't young, its a refreshing change from the chaos of Melbourne games where we generally want to get in and out asap (especially Marvel).

It's a lovely experience at Ballarat. Like what footy used to be before the AFL behemoth came in and took the soul out of everything. I love the genuine local fields and the atmos and people honking horns from their utes. The grounds could be better but I think that will come from partnerships like we have with them. Prioritising communities outside of capital cities is important, we're often looked over. Kids going to games at the Rat are so excited. Its often the most affordable experience for some families.

Obviously I'd prefer a fairer draw for the Dogs but just bussing up the highway, no flights, no calf concerns is a bonus. Getting fair revenue is an issue, but building Dogs loyalty in the capital of Western Victoria and surrounds is a wise and hearty endeavour.

Its a shame that capacity is reduced at the moment due to the works and upgrade at Mars but its temporary.The stadium will be more fit for purpose and more attractive. I'm not sure what could be done without taking the game from them entirely and letting down the people who barely get a look in. A game at WO where capacity is a tad more would've sufficed and has most of the old school qualities. Roughly the capacity of Traegar Park in Alice Springs which hosts a game yearly yes?

So, for me its one of the more delightful perks of being a Dog. Its actually an incentive.

I know Bailey Smith says he's outgrown the Dogs and Ballarat but thats just his head thats gotten bigger yes?

[Bulldog Joe]

Mine is the player under tackling pressure deliberately taking the ball OOB and it continually not being payed deliberate or holding the ball. It is far more obvious a free kick than a a kick that has gone 50 metres out of a stoppage/shank that has gone over the boundary.

You are spot on with this.

Absolutely needs to be penalised.

[hujsh]

Really happy to hear the news about Marra today. For weeks, all the talk around him has been about disrespect, disrespecting the club, his teammates, or the game itself. But I’ve always felt there was something deeper going on. This was a young man who clearly needed help and support, and to hear that he’s now seeking that out feels like a really positive step forward. There’s no guarantee when or if he’ll play footy again, but if he can get his mind and body right, at least he gives himself a real shot.

What really stuck with me was what Bevo said on Footy Classified a few weeks back about Marra’s upbringing at the Framlingham Mission and how some of the issues he is facing now could be tied to his upbringing. Marra even shared that he was the first male in his family to finish high school. That’s huge. Sometimes we forget that players like Marra haven’t come through the same path as someone like Darcy or Weightman. Different upbringings bring different challenges, especially when you're finding your feet as a young adult.

It’s taught me to give a bit more grace. I hope he finds his way for his own sake first, and selfishly, for us too. Because if he gets himself right, there’s still so much footy left in him.

Referring to this I think. GVGjr not sure if worth opening up the other thread to discuss or if it's not quite worthy of that.

https://www.foxsports.com.au/afl/afl-2025-jamarra-uglehagan-checks-into-interstate-health-facility-leave-of-absence-from-western-bulldogs-where-is-the-retreat-latest-news/news-story/42d4197c896d66c862c1e11f0539a5e4

[Bornadog]

Referring to this I think. GVGjr not sure if worth opening up the other thread to discuss or if it's not quite worthy of that.
https://www.foxsports.com.au/afl/afl...c1e11f0539a5e4

What gets on my nerves is people like Jay Clark assuming it is a Club issue and saying he is an ideal player to go to Sydney. Trying to create a story and not thinking about the mental state of players. Media has a lot to answer for and frankly I am really sick and tired of their bullshit.

[Angak]

What gets on my nerves is people like Jay Clark assuming it is a Club issue and saying he is an ideal player to go to Sydney. Trying to create a story and not thinking about the mental state of players. Media has a lot to answer for and frankly I am really sick and tired of their bullshit.

And it’s not like Jay Clark got that Sydney stuff from an agent or someone actually in the game he just completely made it up. It’s not even a real discussion. He’s just gone, “Maybe they don’t have a forward… maybe Marra would be good for them.” And with everything that’s come out about Marra’s health and what he and the Bulldogs have shared, it just felt really distasteful.

[Dogs 24/7]

And it’s not like Jay Clark got that Sydney stuff from an agent or someone actually in the game he just completely made it up. It’s not even a real discussion. He’s just gone, “Maybe they don’t have a forward… maybe Marra would be good for them.” And with everything that’s come out about Marra’s health and what he and the Bulldogs have shared, it just felt really distasteful.

I thought Jay Clark was potentially an upgrade on Robbo but it's a lot closer than I thought I might give a slight edge to Robbo