A brief history of our finals matches

[LostDoggy]

Re: A brief history of our finals matches

VFL/AFL FINAL #17 (CURRENTLY 6-10)

Gee the mid-70s were a wild ride for the club. We had a strong team and could've done anything, but a lot of weird stuff was also happening.

On field, we fell away only slightly in '75, being around the fringes of the final 5 all year but ultimately falling short with an 11-11 record.

Over 74 and 75 we had 2 highly promising careers tragically cut short with Robert Rose (son of Bob) killed in a car accident and boom SA recruit paralysed in a freak accident during his 2nd match. At the end of 75, Bob Rose retired and Billy Goggin became coach.

Despite having a strong team in 76, we lost a lot of close matches and struggled to string wins together, hovering around the fringes of the 5. By R21 we were 5th but precarious; Melbourne were 6th, would jump us with a win (if we lost) and playing bottom placed Collingwood. Amazingly, as has often happened we met (then top of the table) Carlton at Carlton in the last round needing a result to play finals - as always it was a belter.

We led by 5 pts at half time and 22 at 3QT, but Carlton had the wind in the last and needing a win to ensure top place. A frenetic last qtr saw Carlton pepper the goals, kicking 3 behinds in the final minutes to ultimately tie; 15-17-107 apiece. Apparently in the dying seconds a Carlton goal was sailing through but Bernie Quinlan, who ran 100 metres, threw himself over the pack and got fingertips to the ball right on the line - what a match that must have been!

A review of the stats show a terrific list, with Dempsey taking a stack of marks, leading possession getters of Stoneham, Featherby, Dunstan, Jennings and Huppatz and goals kicked by Templeton, Quinlan, Dunstan and Featherby (3 each).

We went into the Elimination Final at VFL Park against Geelong in front of 50,686.

Most pundits rated the teams evenly, many tipping a Dogs win. We were now a fairly experienced outfit (we had 1693 games experience, up on Geelongs 1403), with most in the 23-27 range and only Templeton (19) under 21.

I went to this game as a 7 year old, it is the earliest game I can ever remember watching, but can remember big chunks of it vividly.

We started nervously and were lucky not to be put away, with Geelong kicking 4.8.32 to 3.0.18 in the 1st quarter. Our 2nd quarter, however, was brilliant kicking 6 goals to 2 and leading at half time, 9.5.59 to 6.9.45.

Geelong had the scoring end in the 3rd, but we held firm, a 3 goal apiece 3rd term saw us turn into the last 13 point leaders; 12.8.80 to 9.13.67.

We had the scoring end in the last and really should've won. The last quarter was one of our true finals nightmares as we caved in. I remember momentum swinging when Geelong's Larry Donohue kicked his 100th goal of the season and a pitch invasion seemed to unsettle us.

Geelong got early goals and our cause wasn't helped by dominant Ruckman Dempsey being knocked out by teammate Ian Salmon. We pretty much choked though at the end of the day, and Geelong went on to win 14.18.102 to 14.11.95.

Multiple goalkickers were Templeton 4, Newland 3, Quinlan, Featherby and Morrison 2. Best players were listed as Featherby (25 disposals), Stoneham (26), Huppatz (25), Hampshire (14 touches, 13 hitouts, 7 marks), Jennings (24 disposals) and Templeton (11 disposals, 10 marks, 4.0).

The fallout from this match was quite brutal. With commentators, club legends like Whitten and key players like Dempsey calling into question the club's character and culture. In some ways, this result can be seen to contribute to the calamitous years that followed.

[Bornadog]

Re: A brief history of our finals matches

I went to this final with a car load of mates. My mate wrapped his whole car with RWB crepe paper. Literally rolls of the stuff as well as streamers hanging off the car aerial. It was embarrassing driving home after the game, all the way from Waverley to Yarraville where he lived.

I don't remember anything about the game except where we sat and walking across the ground after the match. The ground was horrible to walk on as it had been raining and the grass was cut very tall. Each time you took a step, your foot seemed to disappear, so you can imagine playing football on it.

We should have won more games in the 1970's and progressed further, but we just seemed to lack that one or two match winners.

We hardly lost a home game and as PP says, we squared the ledger in most seasons with 11/11 win loss. Due to bad administration and financial issues, we lost some champion players through transfers to other clubs or walking out on us.

[LostDoggy]

Re: A brief history of our finals matches

I went to this final with a car load of mates. My mate wrapped his whole car with RWB crepe paper. Literally rolls of the stuff as well as streamers hanging off the car aerial. It was embarrassing driving home after the game, all the way from Waverley to Yarraville where he lived.

I don't remember anything about the game except where we sat and walking across the ground after the match. The ground was horrible to walk on as it had been raining and the grass was cut very tall. Each time you took a step, your foot seemed to disappear, so you can imagine playing football on it.

We should have won more games in the 1970's and progressed further, but we just seemed to lack that one or two match winners.

We hardly lost a home game and as PP says, we squared the ledger in most seasons with 11/11 win loss. Due to bad administration and financial issues, we lost some champion players through transfers to other clubs or walking out on us.

That win loss thing in the 70s is quite startling BAD, I never realised it until I was writing these up. Our run in the 70s was:

1970; 11-11, 1971; 11-11, 1972; 11-11, 1973; 7-14-1, 1974; 13-8-1, 1975; 11-11, 1976; 11-10-1, 1977; 10-11-1.

As you say, for that playing group, they were constantly thereabouts, but just lacked something (maybe onfield, maybe culturally). Things only went backwards from 78 to 82 as a result of a criminal player exodus and an administration that ineptly managed the club through the code's move to professionalism/commercialism.

[Bornadog]

Re: A brief history of our finals matches

That win loss thing in the 70s is quite startling BAD, I never realised it until I was writing these up. Our run in the 70s was:

1970; 11-11, 1971; 11-11, 1972; 11-11, 1973; 7-14-1, 1974; 13-8-1, 1975; 11-11, 1976; 11-10-1, 1977; 10-11-1.

As you say, for that playing group, they were constantly thereabouts, but just lacked something (maybe onfield, maybe culturally). Things only went backwards from 78 to 82 as a result of a criminal player exodus and an administration that ineptly managed the club through the code's move to professionalism/commercialism.

Thanks for putting that up, that was an amazing run, but just that bit short.

I also went to the drawn game at Carlton in 1976 and it really was a thriller. That draw got us in the finals so it was exciting stuff.

[LostDoggy]

Re: A brief history of our finals matches

Thanks for putting that up, that was an amazing run, but just that bit short.

I also went to the drawn game at Carlton in 1976 and it really was a thriller. That draw got us in the finals so it was exciting stuff.

Do you remember the Quinlan touch on the siren, was it as amazing as the press report I read made it out to be?

[Bornadog]

Re: A brief history of our finals matches

Do you remember the Quinlan touch on the siren, was it as amazing as the press report I read made it out to be?

Truthfully, no I can't - it was 40 years ago.

[LostDoggy]

Re: A brief history of our finals matches

Truthfully, no I can't - it was 40 years ago.

Fair enough. Sadly, in those days we had an instant to capture our memories. These days, it would be replayed a thousand times.

[Bulldog4life]

Re: A brief history of our finals matches

As a supporter in those days I was happy with the then coaches Bobby Rose and Bill Goggin. It really knocked the stuffing out of the Club and players with the terrible accidents to Neil and Robert. Bob Rose of course was a real mess too. If not for those two accidents maybe the end result could have been different.

[Twodogs]

Re: A brief history of our finals matches

As a supporter in those days I was happy with the then coaches Bobby Rose and Bill Goggin. It really knocked the stuffing out of the Club and players with the terrible accidents to Neil and Robert. Bob Rose of course was a real mess too. If not for those two accidents maybe the end result could have been different.

The barney between the social club and the football club had a lot to do with our collapse too.

It's funny in the early to mid 70s after years of failure (with periods of success) North, Hawthorn and us were each dealt decent hands. Quality players started to stream into each of them. North went out and recruited them but for the Hawks and us it was remarkably fertile recruiting grounds sprinkled with interstaters and recruits from other clubs. We got guys like Quinlan, Dempsey, Templeton, Round, Stoneham, Sandilands, Power, Low, Duns tan, Coliins, Morrison and enough quality players to have sustained success. North had a period where they made 6 GFs in a row, the Hawks parlayed it into 8 premierships in 30 years or whatever it was and we lost two elimination finals before everyone shot through.

[Bornadog]

Re: A brief history of our finals matches

North were handed players on a platter by the then VFL. The VFL introduced the ten year rule and encouraged players to North so they can get their first premiership, whereas we were selling players to other clubs to pay off debt.

[Webby]

Re: A brief history of our finals matches

North were handed players on a platter by the then VFL. The VFL introduced the ten year rule and encouraged players to North so they can get their first premiership, whereas we were selling players to other clubs to pay off debt.

That's not quite how I remember it. I'll grant that Hawthorn were given the rub of the green via re-drawing of recruitment zoning maps. However to be fair to Norf, they were extremely well run by Ron Casey and Allen Aylett. They had a pretty modest recruiting zone, however they were the first club to spot the gaping loop hole that the Ten Year rule opened up.

In fact, they were the only club to vote against it. However, the night it was passed, they went out and nailed an unprecedented number of recruits. They did it like a military operation, armed with cash borrowed from SP bookies.

Norf were also the first club to wear a sponsors logo on their guernseys, play Friday night footy, develop a GF Breakfast etc etc. They also worked bloody hard to raise money to bring in interstate guns like Blight, Cable, Crosswell etc.

Meanwhile, down Dynon Road, our Social Club and Footy Club were having a war, infighting was all over the place, we had some rotten luck (two players breaking their necks) but also some pretty poor administration. All that resulted in financial difficulty, which spiralled into selling star players to survive. The 1970's were pretty ordinary for us, however Norf were brilliantly run by a vibrant, forward thinking administration. Simple as that. Credit where it's due - as much as their supporters annoy me with their ingrained persecution complex.

[LostDoggy]

Re: A brief history of our finals matches

VFL/AFL FINAL #18 (CURRENTLY 6-11)

So after 76, we had a 9 year gap between finals, the 2nd worst in our history. For those of us old enough to remember these were very bleak years with the club at times reduced to a laughing stock.

In 77-79 we had fallen away but were still a competitive team, winning 10 1/2, 7 and 7 games (including breaking the then all time VFL score one glorious Western Oval match against St Kilda in 1978, kicking 33.15.213, with Templeton kicking 15).

Even in these years, it was clear that things were going downhill fast, with champions leaving at a steady rate and being replaced by spuds.

In 1980, a desperate club went the messiah option, appointing Richmond's legendary Royce Hart (a massive name at the time who went on to be named CHF in the VFL/AFL Team Of The Century) Coach in 1980, to great hopes of a turnaround.

Things only got worse, with 5 wins in 1980, then the frightful years of 81 - 2 wins and our worst ever percentage; 65.8%, followed by 3 wins, a still pitiful percentage of 68%, and our 3rd ever wooden spoon.

To further humiliate us, no less than 3 ex-Bulldogs won Brownlows in 81-82; Bernie Quinlan and Barry Round became the first joint winners (other than retrospective winners) in 81, then Brian Wilson in 82.

By the end of 82, Royce Hart was gone and the decidedly lower profile bullocking Ruckman Ian 'Bluey' Hampshire took his place.

By this time, the club had given up on saviours, turning it's attention to scouring far and wide for the best young talent, building a competitive team from the ground up. Over 82 and 83, we had signed some of the hottest talent at the youth carnival, Michael MacLean from NT and the MacPhersons from Tas, whilst identifying a great crop of WA talent in Simon Beasley, Jim Sewell, Andrew Purser and Ian Williams, our traditional hunting ground of Gippsland was again kind, giving us great talent in Steven Wallis, Brian Royal and Brian Cordy, whilst we also moneyballed serviceable VFL journeymen such as Chris Smith, Mark Kellett, Bruce Duperouzel and Emmett Dunne.

This groundwork came to full fruition in 85, led by young coach Mick Malthouse (appointed in 1984). Long suffering supporters could see the worst was behind us in 83 and 84 (10 wins, then 11), but the 1985 season was something else.

We ultimately finished 2nd (equalling 54 as our best ever home and away finish, since only equalled by 92 and 98), with 16 wins and a 120.8%.

We met Hawthorn at the MCG in front of 58,367 in the Qualifying Final.

The less said about the game the better, the seasoned Hawthorn squad monstered us and we froze on the big stage.

They dominated every quarter, eventually winning 22-23-155 to 8-14-62.

Beasley and Bamblett kicked 2 each, whilst better players were Stephen Wallis (30 touches), Brian Royal (27) and Doug Hawkins (22 touches, 10 marks).

[The bulldog tragician]

Re: A brief history of our finals matches

On my blog I have collected a couple of memories of the 54 premiership including that of my mum who saw the premiership in only her 3rd ever game

http://www.bulldogtragician.com/the-tragician-blog/it-was-truly-footscray-then-my-mum-remembers-the-54-flag

http://www.bulldogtragician.com/the-tragician-blog/a-real-life-memory-of-the-54-premiership

Anyone who would like to contribute memories of this or our other finals matches or even just why we are Bulldogs is welcome to contact me as it would be good to build in a bit of an oral history archive as well.

[Bornadog]

Re: A brief history of our finals matches

Aaah 1985.

Back to the finals for the first time in 9 years. My 3rd Doggies final and 1st at the "G".

I remember being shat upon by a seagull before the game started and then being told "it was good luck"

Opening bounce, the ball is hurriedly kicked into our forward line and Jock Edmond pulls in a speckie. How good is this? Jock then kicks into the man on the mark, the Hawks stream out of defence and kick the first goal of the game. Game over.

Shattered.

Ha ha, the seagulls shat on me after the game as the siren blew. One of my worst days at the footy, after being so excited to being in the finals, and having beaten the Hawks a few weeks earlier.

[Twodogs]

Re: A brief history of our finals matches

I remember the excitement and the anticipation for the whole week leading up to the game. Our first final at the MCG since the 1961 GF. We lined up for tickets at 4am outside the Whitten Oval. The line wasn't exactly sure where to start because nobody could remember where you bought finals tickets at the ground so we just sort of formed a line and waited for someone who seemed to know what they were doing turned up.

The game itself was awful. Everything leading up to it was perfect but then that changed the moment the Jim Edmond kicked into the man on the market.