Is the Dogs Prelim the Greatest Moment in history?

[ScragCity]

Didn't go to any of the finals games which was good because I was able to diddle myself.

 

[BrisDog]

Didn't go to any of the finals games which was good because I was able to diddle myself.

Repeat efforts like Shiggsy?

 

[ScragCity]

Repeat efforts like Shiggsy?

Plenty of repeat pressure acts and hard ball gets

 

[lachy]

Certainly for a number of generations it would have to be.

The Raw emotion up in Sydney before, during and after the game was something to be experienced.

After 7 failed prelims including 3 where we could have won it certainly changed the club from the battling Bulldogs to those that could achieve what was previously thought to be impossible.

Interestingly it was the culmination of a 2 decade long turnaround of which Peter Gordon deserves enormous credit. Without him and those who supported him in his battle with the VFL in 1989 we would never have had 2016. From 1990 onwards our record is now that of a mid tier club not a battling club. Though I personally do not agree with all decisions, who does and only ever a small % are successful anyway, Peter Gordon, followed by David Smorgon, then back to Peter Gordon and their various teams over the years have provided the greatest stewardship in the history of the club since it entered into the VFL. The prelim win was a culmination of that stewardship.

 

[Dogs_r_barking]

I have to ask, cos I couldn’t go but my nephews did and were just as emotional about this as the greatest day, but IF WE LOST THE GRAND FINAL would the Prelim still be the greatest day in history? Or is it the greatest day BECAUSE WE WON THE GRAND FINAL? I went crazy in front of the TV when we beat GWS but that whole Grand Final week, including finding out at 8:30 Monday night I secured STANDING tickets for the GF and the emotion that welled up inside as I grabbed my kids when Picken kicked that last goal was incredible. It seems though I’m a second rate supporter because I’m not one of the special group at Spotless who shared that special bond. Wouldn’t swap it for the Grand Final WIN ever. But don’t begrudge the joy felt by the “Spotless Specials”


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I might be one of the “Spotless Specials”, but I would have given anything to be one of the Perth Pearlers in that first final. Only about a 1000 of those.

 

[BrisDog]

Before 2016, Preliminary finals were like a permanent road block for our club. A road block even St Kilda and Melbourne were able to travel through, not the doggies though. I went to Spotless with a sense of fatalism and dread, not optimism or hope. The life of a doggies supporter: thanks for the year boys, go down swinging whatever you do.

To assess that game objectively is impossible. I went with my best mate who is a Hawthorn member and had been to 5 of the Hawks Grand Final wins. He reckons our Prelim was the best Football experience he has had.

Gerard Whateley voiced a similar opinion. He said it was the best game he had witnessed in a decade or so.

The Grand Final was a completely different mindset. We were walk-up starts.

 

[GirlsoftheWest]

I might be one of the “Spotless Specials”, but I would have given anything to be one of the Perth Pearlers in that first final. Only about a 1000 of those.

I have 2 family members and a friend who were at all 4 finals. They will die happy.

 

[Dogs_R_Us]

I have 2 family members and a friend who were at all 4 finals. They will die happy.

That's awesome.

 

[_Mike_]

I'd been to every prelim since 1985 up to 2016, to which I didnt attend for personal reasons. It would have been a bitter-sweet pill had we lost the GF the following week, but honestly the GF is what counts the most, IMO.

 

[Sentinel]

For me personally, the prelim was and forever will be comfortably the best football experience of my life. I can't even imagine a future scenario where that will change, it was simply unbelievable.

 

[Optimistic Dog]

I agree with all these post that game for me was the biggest sporting high I have experienced but would have meant nothing if we had I lost the GF.

 

[TempletonTheRat]

I went with my best mate who is a Hawthorn member and had been to 5 of the Hawks Grand Final wins. He reckons our Prelim was the best Football experience he has had.

I took a magpie supporter - he still thanks me for taking him and talks about how good the game was ... and he was at the 2010 drawn GF.

 

[Sharpiesadog]

For me personally, the prelim was and forever will be comfortably the best football experience of my life. I can't even imagine a future scenario where that will change, it was simply unbelievable.

This.

When re-watching all 4 of the finals, the Prelim is the one I choke up most in.

 

[Dogs_R_Us]

For me personally, the prelim was and forever will be comfortably the best football experience of my life. I can't even imagine a future scenario where that will change, it was simply unbelievable.

I think because it was The First, an experience we'd never had before. We will win future PFs but as good as they will be, The First will always be the best.

 

[Kennel Master]

I was in a hotel room in Madrid, Spain.
My daughter was texting me score updates every few minutes.
My phone battery was low and I had lost the recharger.
We are in front, we are behind, Clay's kicked four.
On and on it went.
Down to the last couple of minutes "in front by 5 points".
Then nothing. Oh no, they kicked a goal on the siren and we lost by a point.
I'm thinking my daughter doesn't want to tell me the bad news.
The phone has run out of battery.
About 10 minutes later a text. "We are in the GF". Tears flowed.
Even on the other side of the world it was unbelievable.

When I got back and watched the replay, even more fantastic.
Somehow the Grand Final win seemed inevitable.

Love watching the prelim.

 

[QPRangers]

For me personally, the prelim was and forever will be comfortably the best football experience of my life. I can't even imagine a future scenario where that will change, it was simply unbelievable.

Couldn't agree more. The noise when the players came for their warm sent chills down my body, bloody brilliant. At games end people unknown were hugging and being soaked with beer and anything else that was being held, unforgettable the sheer joy that moment brought. The hoards at Yass Macca's next day was also special, a weekend never to be forgotten.

 

[bobs head soup]

I'd been to every prelim since 1985 up to 2016, to which I didnt attend for personal reasons. It would have been a bitter-sweet pill had we lost the GF the following week, but honestly the GF is what counts the most, IMO.

I agree with that. Not many defeated grand finalists talk glowingly about their Prelim wins, it's the big dance only that provides ultimate satisfaction.

 

[mcgleereturns]

No one is saying you are a 2nd rate supporter. I'm just saying if you weren't there you'll never know what it was like. I'm not saying that yours and anyone else's experience was not great, just that it was not at the place where it happened.

There are many reasons why I got more enjoyment and felt more emotional after the PF than I did the GF.

1. The lead up to the game at the pub. The bond between everyone that had travelled and the sense of excitement but pure fear.

2. After being at all 7 losing PF's and the pain that everyone of them caused, to finally win one and break the hoodoo was so special.

3. Sitting together with my 15 family and friends, something I wasn't able to do at the GF.

4. The after party at the Novotel with many former bulldog players and seeing the joy on their and all bulldog supporters faces.

GF day was special, but for me, GF day and the week leading up doesn't happen without PF. When we won the PF, I could finally look forward getting my hands on GF tickets, going to a GF week training session and the GF parade.

Let's hope we get to experience it all again one day soon.

All good with the different experience and with me I had all those same experiences on GF day - shared it with all the people I went to the footy with, including the 7 losing PFs ( I actually believe I’m the jinx as I was the missing link in Sydney when we finally won) and had those emotions you had at PF

Still want to know though if people would still feel the same about the PF if we lost the GF. I know we don’t get that GF experience without the PF win but is it the same unforgettable feeling if the END result is still no premiership?


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[mcgleereturns]

I might be one of the “Spotless Specials”, but I would have given anything to be one of the Perth Pearlers in that first final. Only about a 1000 of those.

All said and done just so stoked to be a member of the “Grateful ‘G’ers”!


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[fred cook]

All said and done just so stoked to be a member of the “Grateful ‘G’ers”!


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I saw every final in person that year and I have seen every losing prem final (excluding 1985 as I was in London ) that was the greatest football moment and the greatest Bulldog game I have ever seen All I remember is hugging many over 50 old men after the game and shouting we have finally won a Prem final

 

[Sentinel]

All good with the different experience and with me I had all those same experiences on GF day - shared it with all the people I went to the footy with, including the 7 losing PFs ( I actually believe I’m the jinx as I was the missing link in Sydney when we finally won) and had those emotions you had at PF

Still want to know though if people would still feel the same about the PF if we lost the GF. I know we don’t get that GF experience without the PF win but is it the same unforgettable feeling if the END result is still no premiership?


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A GF loss would have retrospectively tainted the PF to a degree. But to me the reason why the prelim was so special would remain, regardless - we were massive underdogs against the AFL's silver platter team, and had been there 7 times before and always fell just short.

All I wanted was to experience the Dogs in a grand final (the build up, the parade, watching them run out, actually going to a grand final after promising myself I wouldn't go to one until the Dogs were in it). I wasnt sure if I'd ever get to experience that, and the prelim made it happen. Not to mention how ridiculous the game itself was and the atmosphere at Spotless.

If we'd lost the next week I'd still look back on that prelim experience as the best thing I'd seen in football. But it would have left the door slightly ajar for a future grand final win to eclipse it.

Fortunately, that's only a hypothetical

 

[GirlsoftheWest]

All good with the different experience and with me I had all those same experiences on GF day - shared it with all the people I went to the footy with, including the 7 losing PFs ( I actually believe I’m the jinx as I was the missing link in Sydney when we finally won) and had those emotions you had at PF

Still want to know though if people would still feel the same about the PF if we lost the GF. I know we don’t get that GF experience without the PF win but is it the same unforgettable feeling if the END result is still no premiership?


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Luckily, that's something I'll never be able to answer.

 

[fred cook]

Who is the Bulldog guy smiling in that video (8 seconds in ) he must be a impostor nobody could be that relaxed at that point of time in the Bulldogs history

 

[fred cook]

I might be one of the “Spotless Specials”, but I would have given anything to be one of the Perth Pearlers in that first final. Only about a 1000 of those.

I was one of those Perth Pearlers ( I purchased flights for a birthday present for my son ) I think it was more like 500 then 1000
p,s I sat next to Libba Snr on the plane on the way and when we landed the pilot played the Bulldogs theme song

 

[Dazb86]

It's the only game I've been shaking with an adrenaline dump at the final siren. I kind of knew we'd win the grand final for some reason