Favourite Bulldogs Coach of All Time

[Missing Dog]

Re: Favourite Bulldogs Coach of All Time

Malthouse for me did love beating Carlton under bluey in 82 I think.singing the song in the rooms after the game is probably what turned me into the red,white and blue feral I am today.

[Greystache]

Re: Favourite Bulldogs Coach of All Time

Wallace for me. Took over a rabble of a team in a rabble of a club and turned them into a consistently good team. 97 and 98 were the only times in my life where I genuinely believed we could win the flag.

[ledge]

Re: Favourite Bulldogs Coach of All Time

Apparently bluey was absolutely loved by the club and players but just didn't want to coach.

[LostDoggy]

Re: Favourite Bulldogs Coach of All Time

Teddy for mine but not the best coach

[Bulldog4life]

Re: Favourite Bulldogs Coach of All Time

Teddy for mine but not the best coach

Had a lot of down years but one of only 2 coaches to get us into a Grand Final.

[GVGjr]

Re: Favourite Bulldogs Coach of All Time

I'm not going to try and judge who was the best bloke to have coached so I'll go with the best football I have seen us play and that was in 1985 under Mick Malthouse.

[The Doctor]

Re: Favourite Bulldogs Coach of All Time

Wallace - gave me the chance to dare to dream in 1997. The best coaching performance in my years of following the Dogs. We were exciting, we were underdogs, we were fierce, we were skilful, we had the wog squad, we had the brownlow medallist, we almost had it all. Sadly ego got the better of him after this season.

Wheeler - Loved Wheels. Brought us up when we were down. the 1990 season was so important to us after what we had been through and he had us knocking on the door of the finals, he gave birth to Chris Grant and Leon Cameron as 17yo's, and in them hope for a brighter future. After such a poor 1989 had we had a similar season a la Fitzroy 95/96 or Melbourne 2013 who knows what would have happened.

Rocket Eade - Made us the most attractive team in the comp to watch and nearly got us to the big dance 3 times. Excellent game day coach. Loved the way we ran teams off their legs and split defences with our run and precise kicking.

Malthouse - I still think the 1985 team he helped build is the best Footscray/Western Bulldogs team I have seen. That year we feared no one. The Dogs were compulsive viewing with players like Hardie, Hawkins, Foster, Royal & Kennedy we blended high level skill with hardness and again nearly made it to the big dance. Sadly again, he lost me after the Hardie affair.

Billy Goggin - I was only a little fella but I loved our 74 & 76 teams. I am still in awe of Dempsey, Quinlan, Templeton & Stoneham. Why did we let them all go????

[Bornadog]

Re: Favourite Bulldogs Coach of All Time

Wallace - gave me the chance to dare to dream in 1997. The best coaching performance in my years of following the Dogs. We were exciting, we were underdogs, we were fierce, we were skilful, we had the wog squad, we had the brownlow medallist, we almost had it all. Sadly ego got the better of him after this season.

Wheeler - Loved Wheels. Brought us up when we were down. the 1990 season was so important to us after what we had been through and he had us knocking on the door of the finals, he gave birth to Chris Grant and Leon Cameron as 17yo's, and in them hope for a brighter future. After such a poor 1989 had we had a similar season a la Fitzroy 95/96 or Melbourne 2013 who knows what would have happened.

Rocket Eade - Made us the most attractive team in the comp to watch and nearly got us to the big dance 3 times. Excellent game day coach. Loved the way we ran teams off their legs and split defences with our run and precise kicking.

Malthouse - I still think the 1985 team he helped build is the best Footscray/Western Bulldogs team I have seen. That year we feared no one. The Dogs were compulsive viewing with players like Hardie, Hawkins, Foster, Royal & Kennedy we blended high level skill with hardness and again nearly made it to the big dance. Sadly again, he lost me after the Hardie affair.

Billy Goggin - I was only a little fella but I loved our 74 & 76 teams. I am still in awe of Dempsey, Quinlan, Templeton & Stoneham. Why did we let them all go????

Excellent post The Doctor. Like

[Twodogs]

Re: Favourite Bulldogs Coach of All Time

Wheeler - Loved Wheels. Brought us up when we were down. the 1990 season was so important to us after what we had been through and he had us knocking on the door of the finals, he gave birth to Chris Grant and Leon Cameron as 17yo's, and in them hope for a brighter future. After such a poor 1989 had we had a similar season a la Fitzroy 95/96 or Melbourne 2013 who knows what would have happened.

Wheeler is still my favorite. Although he was originally from Waburton he was Footscray through and through and bled red, white and blue.

Rocket Eade - Made us the most attractive team in the comp to watch and nearly got us to the big dance 3 times. Excellent game day coach. Loved the way we ran teams off their legs and split defences with our run and precise kicking.

Loved the Rocketman. He took us from a basketcase with a gameplan that looked like a crab devised (sideways, sideways, sideways) it and turned us into a terrific team to watch and almost pulled off the impossible

Billy Goggin - I was only a little fella but I loved our 74 & 76 teams. I am still in awe of Dempsey, Quinlan, Templeton & Stoneham. Why did we let them all go????

It was Bob Rose in 1974. But you're right-for raw talent alone that was an awesome team. Add Brian Wilson, Garry Baker and Barry Round to that list too.

[LostDoggy]

Re: Favourite Bulldogs Coach of All Time

I'd have to say Rocket purely because it was nice, for a change, going to games knowing we were going to hand out a hiding.

I'm hoping it'll be Macca before too long.

[Sedat]

Re: Favourite Bulldogs Coach of All Time

In my lifetime:

1. Rocket - Took over when we were a basket case and got us to 3 PF's in a row and almost winning 2 of them against far superior opposition. The rate of improvement he got out of a large group of (at the time) borderline players was massively underrated both externally and internally, and he moulded and shaped a defensive unit that was as good as anybody's at the time. Alas, his (and our) timing sucked - if we peaked 3-4 years earlier (say 2004-2006), he probably becomes a 2-time premiership coach at the Dogs. Pioneered the fast ball movement by foot game plan that was the precursor to Geelong. Just a gun match day coach.

2. Wallace - Took over when we were in even worse shape and proceeded to get us to 4 consecutive finals series, something no other Dogs coach has ever achieved. Pioneered the deep midfield rotations (before Plough it was a starting 4 midfield and nothing else really), and also perfected the small forward mis-match (through necessity), as well as the famous super-flood. Whilst there were no stand-out teams in 1997-1998 (unlike the Rocket era), his achievements at our club from 1997-2000 should not be underestimated. He also made us a fashionable and sexy team with his media savvy, no mean feet considering just how unfashionable we've been throughout our history. Plough just falls behind Rocket because he became too smart by half later in his time at the Dogs (probably following the super-flood) and tried to pull a rabbit out of the hat instead of working on a settled structure and game plan each week.

3. Malthouse - Gave us something we didn't have for over 20 years, hope and expectation. Moulded a fiercely determined (and in 1985, very talented) group who were very difficult to play against every week. Apart from 1985 (which was a sensational season and had us in it up to our eyeballs at 3/4 time of the PF), what he achieved in 1987 with an average list, and after losing the first 3 matches by a combined 300 points, was phenomenal and we were extremely unfortunate to miss out on the finals that season. He fizzled out in 1989 when the writing was on the wall at the club.

4. Wheeler - Took over when we actually didn't exist and gave us our pride and our club back. To get 12 wins in 1990 after the horrendous off-season we had was a sensational achievement, then to go on and win 16 matches in H&A in 1992 was a wild and exciting ride - 1992 still remains my favourite season of all time. Struggled to cope with opposition defensive strategies in 1993 but we still won 11 and lost 9 that season...I thought we pulled the trigger far too quickly on him in Round 2 the following season. As others have noted, his heart was completely immersed in the Bulldogs.

We've actually had 4 very good coaches (with differing skills and attributes) over the last 30 years, all of whom unfortunately ended their association at the club on a poor note. I hope BMac can be added to this list in 4-5 years' time.

[Ghost Dog]

Re: Favourite Bulldogs Coach of All Time

We have a history of treating coaches poorly on the exit.

[Nuggety Back Pocket]

Re: Favourite Bulldogs Coach of All Time

In my lifetime:

1. Rocket - Took over when we were a basket case and got us to 3 PF's in a row and almost winning 2 of them against far superior opposition. The rate of improvement he got out of a large group of (at the time) borderline players was massively underrated both externally and internally, and he moulded and shaped a defensive unit that was as good as anybody's at the time. Alas, his (and our) timing sucked - if we peaked 3-4 years earlier (say 2004-2006), he probably becomes a 2-time premiership coach at the Dogs. Pioneered the fast ball movement by foot game plan that was the precursor to Geelong. Just a gun match day coach.

2. Wallace - Took over when we were in even worse shape and proceeded to get us to 4 consecutive finals series, something no other Dogs coach has ever achieved. Pioneered the deep midfield rotations (before Plough it was a starting 4 midfield and nothing else really), and also perfected the small forward mis-match (through necessity), as well as the famous super-flood. Whilst there were no stand-out teams in 1997-1998 (unlike the Rocket era), his achievements at our club from 1997-2000 should not be underestimated. He also made us a fashionable and sexy team with his media savvy, no mean feet considering just how unfashionable we've been throughout our history. Plough just falls behind Rocket because he became too smart by half later in his time at the Dogs (probably following the super-flood) and tried to pull a rabbit out of the hat instead of working on a settled structure and game plan each week.

3. Malthouse - Gave us something we didn't have for over 20 years, hope and expectation. Moulded a fiercely determined (and in 1985, very talented) group who were very difficult to play against every week. Apart from 1985 (which was a sensational season and had us in it up to our eyeballs at 3/4 time of the PF), what he achieved in 1987 with an average list, and after losing the first 3 matches by a combined 300 points, was phenomenal and we were extremely unfortunate to miss out on the finals that season. He fizzled out in 1989 when the writing was on the wall at the club.

4. Wheeler - Took over when we actually didn't exist and gave us our pride and our club back. To get 12 wins in 1990 after the horrendous off-season we had was a sensational achievement, then to go on and win 16 matches in H&A in 1992 was a wild and exciting ride - 1992 still remains my favourite season of all time. Struggled to cope with opposition defensive strategies in 1993 but we still won 11 and lost 9 that season...I thought we pulled the trigger far too quickly on him in Round 2 the following season. As others have noted, his heart was completely immersed in the Bulldogs.

We've actually had 4 very good coaches (with differing skills and attributes) over the last 30 years, all of whom unfortunately ended their association at the club on a poor note. I hope BMac can be added to this list in 4-5 years' time.

I enjoyed reading your thoughts on Malthouse who brought a competitive edge to the Bulldogs and IMO rates as our best coach. Malthouse had the ability to get the best out of average players such as Epplestun, Darren Baxter, Brian Cordy and Hannebery plus Mark Hunter who all were fierce competitors. Mick didn't fizz in 1989 he simply ran out of players. I see some of Malthouse's qualities in BMcC and wait with interest to see how we develop under McCartney.

[always right]

Re: Favourite Bulldogs Coach of All Time

4. Wheeler - Took over when we actually didn't exist and gave us our pride and our club back. To get 12 wins in 1990 after the horrendous off-season we had was a sensational achievement, then to go on and win 16 matches in H&A in 1992 was a wild and exciting ride - 1992 still remains my favourite season of all time. Struggled to cope with opposition defensive strategies in 1993 but we still won 11 and lost 9 that season...I thought we pulled the trigger far too quickly on him in Round 2 the following season. As others have noted, his heart was completely immersed in the Bulldogs.

Great summary Sedat and agree wholeheartedly. My only comment relates to Wheeler who suffered from the view (real or perceived) that he had favourites. That's fine when the going is good but when we started getting hammered it became a real negative for him. I recall one Simon Atkins being one of the favoured sons when he was going through a particularly putrid patch of form. Many considered Atkins to be a classic downhill skier.

[The Pie Man]

Re: Favourite Bulldogs Coach of All Time

The only thing that splits Eade & Wallace for mine is the way Plough left (which I moved on from long ago) Their achievments (at Footscray) are almost identical, and both were vitally important in promoting the club...both in the media and with the style played.

97 would've been out of the box....09 really is the one that got away...especially with the GF being played in the wet....(I've got to let this go)

I think history views Wheeler very kindly - the early 90's results were absolute miracles given where we'd come from in 89.