Bulldogs By the Numbers

[EasternWest]

Re: Bulldogs By the Numbers

And so on to #3. For me Ted Whitten is the standout. He didn't just dominate games - he dominated the competition. It didn't seem to matter where we were on the ladder Ted and the Bulldogs were always in the news. He was one of a kind.

Not far behind him in skill, courage and commitment to the Bulldogs would be Chris Grant - certainly compares with the greats of any era for his complete mastery of all aspects of the game. Others may have kicked more goals but many of them were one dimensional mark and kick players. Chris could do it all and at either end of the ground - super player.

Chris Grant. The best Bulldog player I've seen with my own eyes (I still love you, Bont).

[Bornadog]

Re: Bulldogs By the Numbers

Chris Grant. The best Bulldog player I've seen with my own eyes (I still love you, Bont).

Ditto

[merantau]

Re: Bulldogs By the Numbers

And now on to #4. For me it's Marcus Bontempelli by the length of the straight. He is a marvellous player who can do things that the large majority of players can't. He is destined to be our next Premiership captain. Still very young but has always been mature for his age. Captaincy suits him well. He is the real deal.

[Bornadog]

Re: Bulldogs By the Numbers

And now on to #4. For me it's Marcus Bontempelli by the length of the straight. He is a marvellous player who can do things that the large majority of players can't. He is destined to be our next Premiership captain. Still very young but has always been mature for his age. Captaincy suits him well. He is the real deal.

Can't argue with that

[merantau]

Re: Bulldogs By the Numbers

And so on to #5. We've had some very fine players wear the #5. The standouts are Mathew Boyd and Rohan Smith. Both gave fantastic service to the club - "Bubba" played 300 games, kicked 254 goals, filled a number of roles and never left anything in the change room. Twice All-Australian born in Yarraville, played for the Club he loved - and it showed.

Ditto Mathew Boyd. Came out of the rookie draft and never looked back - 292 games, the most of any player playing AFL via that route. Re-purposed as a half back late in his career and became a more effective player: won his 3rd All Australian in our Premiership year.

Three times B&F and Club Captain. Mathew Boyd is our best ever #5.

[Nuggety Back Pocket]

Re: Bulldogs By the Numbers

Best #2? We've had some grand players in the #2. But for mine three stand out - Jack Collins, Bernie Quinlan and Bob Murphy. Best player overall was Quinlan but his best was not with us so I'm going to go with Bob.

Very hard to make comparisons as all three were Club champions. Collins won two Club B &F’s at CHB before a master stroke by coach Charlie Sutton saw him become an outstanding key forward with 7 goals in our ‘54 Premiership and on one occasion booting 10 goals in a State game for Victoria. Bernie Quinlan was probably the most gifted player you would ever have the pleasure of watching. Former 1930’s Captain and Champion player Roy Evans and then Assistant senior Coach for many years said he would attend Footscray games just to see Quinlan play.
Robert Murphy’s mental toughness and eventual leadership to play 300 hundred plus games was an excellent servant in more recent years and rarely played a poor game.

[merantau]

Re: Bulldogs By the Numbers

Thanks for that info. I did not realise Jack played at CHB. I only saw him from '56 onwards. He was a terrific in the air and when the ball hit the ground he was very hard to move off it and very hard to tackle. I guess he had a lot of core strength and great balance to go with it.

[merantau]

Re: Bulldogs By the Numbers

Our two standout #6s IMO have been George Bisset and Brad Johnson. George played most of his football in pretty mediocre teams up until his last 3 seasons where we won more games than we lost but still didn't make the finals. I mentioned earlier that I hoped supporters didn't disrespect him when he went to Collingwood.

Nuggety BP has set out the reasons why he left. I was overseas for those two seasons he spent at Collingwood so have no idea how his move was received. He was a great player for us and was robbed of a Brownlow medal by a ludicrous voting system another version of which is still in play today.

For example a player who is rubbed out in Round 1 is ineligible to win but he can still be awarded votes for the rest of the season thus denying the opportunity to players who are still eligible to be awarded votes. It's possible someone could already have been denied a Brownlow due to that anomaly. Anyway, enough of that. George was a champion player without a doubt.


The only #6 better than him is Brad Johnson - definitely one of the finest all-round footballers we've seen don the RWB. I don't think I've ever seen a more consistent one grab contested mark from a medium sized player. Had all the skills, super fit, great leader, loved the Club and played with the same passion as George.

[Bornadog]

Re: Bulldogs By the Numbers

I will go Brad to be best number 6

[HOSE B ROMERO]

Re: Bulldogs By the Numbers

And now on to #4. For me it's Marcus Bontempelli by the length of the straight. He is a marvellous player who can do things that the large majority of players can't. He is destined to be our next Premiership captain. Still very young but has always been mature for his age. Captaincy suits him well. He is the real deal.

As Bruce said in that final against Hawthorn: 'It's him; of course it's him'.

Honourable mention to Crossy.

[HOSE B ROMERO]

Re: Bulldogs By the Numbers

And so on to #5. We've had some very fine players wear the #5. The standouts are Mathew Boyd and Rohan Smith. Both gave fantastic service to the club - "Bubba" played 300 games, kicked 254 goals, filled a number of roles and never left anything in the change room. Twice All-Australian born in Yarraville, played for the Club he loved - and it showed.

Ditto Mathew Boyd. Came out of the rookie draft and never looked back - 292 games, the most of any player playing AFL via that route. Re-purposed as a half back late in his career and became a more effective player: won his 3rd All Australian in our Premiership year.

Three times B&F and Club Captain. Mathew Boyd is our best ever #5.

Talk about cream of the crop with these 2. Double cream even.
Bubba was eye catching and played with passion. Versatile.

Boydy was just a steely eyed tasmanian devil. Powerful. And a leader.
Boydy by a whisker.

[HOSE B ROMERO]

Re: Bulldogs By the Numbers

Our two standout #6s IMO have been George Bisset and Brad Johnson. George played most of his football in pretty mediocre teams up until his last 3 seasons where we won more games than we lost but still didn't make the finals. I mentioned earlier that I hoped supporters didn't disrespect him when he went to Collingwood.

Nuggety BP has set out the reasons why he left. I was overseas for those two seasons he spent at Collingwood so have no idea how his move was received. He was a great player for us and was robbed of a Brownlow medal by a ludicrous voting system another version of which is still in play today.

For example a player who is rubbed out in Round 1 is ineligible to win but he can still be awarded votes for the rest of the season thus denying the opportunity to players who are still eligible to be awarded votes. It's possible someone could already have been denied a Brownlow due to that anomaly. Anyway, enough of that. George was a champion player without a doubt.


The only #6 better than him is Brad Johnson - definitely one of the finest all-round footballers we've seen don the RWB. I don't think I've ever seen a more consistent one grab contested mark from a medium sized player. Had all the skills, super fit, great leader, loved the Club and played with the same passion as George.

Thanks for the insights. Georgie left as i came on board.

Johnno was a beauty and i agree re his marking capability. No other club would even attempt to prise him away from his beloved dogs.

[merantau]

Re: Bulldogs By the Numbers

We have had two outstanding #7s in Doug Hawkins and Scott West. Both 300+ games players, All -Austraĺians, B&F winners and outstanding footballers.
Who was the better player? That's a very difficult question to answer. Scott's seven B&F and regular high finishes in the Brownlow would indicate that he was thought of by most as being the better player. But then again, being in the action more gave him more opportunity to win the ball compared to Doug who played on the wing for most of his career. Doug was certainly a more skilled player on both sides of his body and a more spectacular player. Scott was the ultimate work horse grinding away providing opportunities for others. Doug kicked more goals and had more score involvements I think.

Very hard to split these two. Scott's overall record points to him being considered the better player but I think Doug remains the sentimental favourite of the supporters. It's a tough one.

[The Bulldogs Bite]

Re: Bulldogs By the Numbers

Westys consistency was unmatched. Saw the tail end of Doug who was clearly more talented but West was in the best few players on the ground every single week.

[Bornadog]

Re: Bulldogs By the Numbers

Doug was exciting to watch and had brilliant skills and was a match winner when he was needed. His 1985 finals series was brilliant.

But - I do love Westy as well. I will stick to Doug as the best number 7