Is the Dogs Prelim the Greatest Moment in history?

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Yes, yes it is.

This is my post on the greatest day in the history on the game day thread:


Leon said:
My memories of this game:


- We flew up on the Friday, we booked literally as soon as the Hawthorn Final was over.

- Tried everything the night before to get my mind off the game - hotel pool, walk, gym, nothing worked.

- The morning of the game I was so nervous I couldn’t even eat. A few of my traveling party went to a pub beforehand but I was already in the midst of a nervous breakdown. Another prelim, against those ****ing assholes, the knowledge of what was on the line...I just couldn’t take it

- Arrived to the ground well early and chatting to other supporters and hearing their stories, driving up from Melbourne, flying in on the day

- The tension during this game was worse than any other game I’ve ever seen. I was on edge the whole time, roaring our goals with every ounce of energy and panicking like crazy at every one of there’s

- Strangely enough at 3 quarter time I saw Mitch Hahn in the crowd. I was tense and on edge and exchanged glances with him, we both kind of nodded at each other, as in, “Yes, this is tense, unbearable, I can’t stand it either, please may we win”

- When they got their second goal in the last quarter and were 14 up, I was so distraught and felt so sick I went to the bathroom, so I actually missed Dickson’s goal. Came back and had my parents and GF tell me we’re right back in it and not to worry, bless them

- The 3 or 4 minutes from when Bont’s goal to Cordy’s goal were insane. The bay I was in - all Bulldogs fans - going absolutely ape s**t when JJ burst free. Screaming their lungs out “BONT! BONT!!!” when we saw him marauding forward. Going bananas again when Bonti slotted it, and the Bulldogs chant that went up after Bonti’s goal was the loudest Bulldogs/Footscray chant I’ve ever heard.

After Cordy’s goal, I remember thinking clearly a very dangerous thought “One more, and I think we’re home”. Of course as soon as I think that they went up and Patton scored a goal and then thought to myself “Yeah, right”

- After Cordy’s goal I was messaging about 3-4 people back home watching for time updates, and bless them, they provided one for me which I checked at every available bounce or throw in

- When Macrae marked, i went through so many emotions. Much though I love him, I wasn’t sure he’d nailed it, so at first I reassured myself that surely he’d at least put us in front. I almost had to turn away when he was running in - but the GF had my hand in hers and squeezed it tight and made me watch, and then us all jumping up and down when it sailed through.

- How I actually managed to watch the best passages of play I’ll never know but I did. When they kicked that point to bring it to 5 points I had that fatalistic Bulldogs thought of that’s it, they’ll get a goal and we’ll lose by a point. There was a tackle by McLean on one of their players near the interchange where I yelled Ball so hard my throat was in pure agony. Then when they launched that final inside 50 - again, no idea how I watched - but this was the one time in our history where our defence simply had to stand firm, and they did.

- When McLean got the free for too high it was the first time I thought we probably were going to win, then when we kicked backwards I nearly had yet another heart attack. When Stringer began running towards goal, the whole bay and crowd yelling themselves hoarse, and then Dickson marked we all began jumping up and down like crazy. Then a quick check of my phone “You’ve got it!” “You’ve won - 30 seconds!” I then told my family who all asked for reassurances, as did the fans in the row behind me and behind. When that siren went, I let out out the fiercest, most primal roar of my life - and the four of us were jumping up and down in the most chaotic and wonderful group hug ever, then we were hugging the strangers in the row behind and in front. Parents both in tears, me just jumping up and down hugging everyone and anything

- We raced around to the players race - I basically sprinted, I was on that much of an adrenaline high - and saw the players off and were still hugging every single Bulldogs fan we saw. The scene was the same when we left the ground - everyone still on a high and just wanting to release some emotion by embracing

- We also went over to the other side of the ground where our extended extended family were all watching and celebrated, plenty of old timers in that bunch all who’d waited a long time to see it happen

- We then caught an Uber from the ground - my choice, stupidly - which was ridiculously expensive, but we didn’t care, we were all on our phones messaging and watching highlights.

- As mentioned earlier, I was too nervous to eat during and before the game, so when we arrived at the airport and had checked in, I found a Hungry Jacks and burst in almost like Homer Simpson demanding 700 Krusty Burgers.

- We arrived home close to midnight, girlfriend is too tired emotionally and retires to bed, I decide to flick on the TV and you little ripper, the replay is starting in 10 minutes. Re-watched again, and have re-watched nearly 1000 times (at least) since then.


A magic night.
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Nothing tops the final few minutes of the best game of footy ever played. When dickson marked it was instant tears.

But as awesome as the month was, a part of me didn't like it. It just happened to quickly to savour it. We go 62 years without a flag and 55 years without a grand final, and come the bounce of the wce game, we feel it will be another year at least, but we are young and building. Then it all just happens and we made it look too easy. It was hard to feel excited when I realised we were going to win the grand final. I was like what...that's it? We did it? It felt like a dream. And not in a good way. Like it didn't feel real, I had to keep checking this was reality. Anyway that's my little thought bubble on this...was amazing time to be a doggies fan, but at the same time we did it too fast. But hey at least we did it at all. Could have dominated an entire h&a season and walked away with nothing like a certain rival did in 09.
 
Leon said:
Yes, yes it is.

This is my post on the greatest day in the history on the game day thread:
Click to expand...

I remember my thought process when they jumped out to a 14 point lead. It was oh no, here we go again, 14 points is too much, they had a week off, while our boys have played every week, our boys will be too tired.

Then I looked at them and I thought no, not these boys, they are different, they won’t lose this, we are going to win this. I just felt a sense of certainty. However, it didn’t stop the intense feelings, that only stopped when the siren blew.
 

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LondonBulldog said:
hey I was sitting just in front of you. Great atmosphere, great memories.
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Unfortunately I cannot claim that clip - I found it on YouTube. It’s a ripper. It must have been taken by a neutral with some composure. I was a blubbering mess on the far wing having alcohol withdrawals
 
Dogs_r_barking said:
I remember my thought process when they jumped out to a 14 point lead. It was oh no, here we go again, 14 points is too much, they had a week off, while our boys have played every week, our boys will be too tired.

Then I looked at them and I thought no, not these boys, they are different, they won’t lose this, we are going to win this. I just felt a sense of certainty. However, it didn’t stop the intense feelings, that only stopped when the siren blew.
Click to expand...


I said to my son another goal by GWS and we are done when we were 14 points down. He still has a go at me for giving up. Well I never quite gave up but should have never doubted their spirit but like so many all us being at all those losing preliminary finals puts doubt in the mine.
 
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For me its almost impossible to seperate any of our games from our storied 2016 finals campaign and distill it into a single moment that I would proclaim as our single greatest. Even though I only got to witness two of the games in the flesh, something that I will regret until the rapture gratefully arrives, each is special to me.

EF2: 8 Sep: Domain: From a football perspective this was as good a game of football as we played all year and reinforced in my mind what a tactical and man management genius Luke Beveridge truly is. Watching a dumfounded Adam Simpson flounder about trying to counter our run out of half back and straight through the middle of the ground was a sight to behold. However the abiding memory I'll take out of that game is Libba in the most Libba of ways excitingly proclaiming that "we can win the whole ******* lot" immediately post game when asked how good was that? By Luke Dahlhaus(?). I was all in from that point.

SF2: 16 Sep. MCG: There was a special satisfaction to be had being surrounded by their smug supporters as we of all clubs banged the final nail into their dynasty. One of the purest and most joyous football following experiences that Ive ever had. With Perth being so remote this was the first time that our fans got a glimps of what was possible and the outpouring of emotions from the what for us is a huge crowd was palpable and something that would only be topped in a couple of weeks later.

PF1: 24 Sep: Spotless: Watched the game on TV with my dad. Historically there was so much riding on the game and in my view wasn't as pure a game as the previous two, but was as grinding and tough a roller coaster ride as you would ever want to see. When it was all over as dad and I sat there dumbfounded by what we had just witnessed, I held out my hand and said "we're going to the grand final mate" and as he grabbed mine and shook it he said "yes we are, yes we are." I will be forever envious of those that made the journey up to Sydney, I really wish I had.

GF: 1 Oct: MCG. Its hard to top this moment and other than some Kennedy heroics, I never really felt that this game was beyond our grasp. However this never lessoned the pent up tension that I felt sitting in my seat, something only released when the game was truly in our keeping as Liam Picken sent the ball 100 rows deep and Bulldogs fans into a blubbering frenzy of celebrations. After the game Dad and I did something we've never done and hugged it out, we then went our seperate ways as I went off to catch up with friends seated elsewhere and get into a long planned night of debauched celebrations. That we soon agreed that we were all too drained to do so and that we would convene at a later time speaks volumes for what a ride that series was and why its impossible for me to find a single greatest moment.

Take me now lord. I've had my moment and Im ready!
 
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Norm De Guerre said:
For me its almost impossible to seperate any of our games from our storied 2016 finals campaign and distill it into a single moment that I would proclaim as our single greatest. Even though I only got to witness two of the games in the flesh, something that I will regret until the rapture gratefully arrives, each is special to me.

EF2: 8 Sep: Domain: From a football perspective this was as good a game of football as we played all year and reinforced in my mind what a tactical and man management genius Luke Beveridge truly is. Watching a dumfounded Adam Simpson flounder about trying to counter our run out of half back and straight through the middle of the ground was a sight to behold. However the abiding memory I'll take out of that game is Libba in the most Libba of ways excitingly proclaiming that "we can win the whole ******* lot" immediately post game when asked how good was that? By Luke Dahlhaus(?). I was all in from that point.

SF2: 16 Sep. MCG: There was a special satisfaction to be had being surrounded by their smug supporters as we of all clubs banged the final nail into their dynasty. One of the purest and most joyous football following experiences that Ive ever had. With Perth being so remote this was the first time that our fans got a glimps of what was possible and the outpouring of emotions from the what for us is a huge crowd was palpable and something that would only be topped a couple of weeks later.

PF1: 24 Sep: Spotless: Watched the game on TV with my dad. Historically there was so much riding on the game and in my view wasn't as pure a game as the previous two, but was as grinding and tough a roller coaster ride as you would ever want to see. When it was all over as dad and I sat there dumbfounded by what we had just witnessed, I held out my hand and said "we're going to the grand final mate" and as he grabbed mine and shook it he said "yes we are, yes we are." I will be forever envious of those that made the journey up to Sydney, I really wish I had.

GF: 1 Oct: MCG. Its hard to top this moment and other than some Kennedy heroics, I never really felt that this game was beyond our grasp. However this never lessoned the pent up tension that I felt sitting in my seat, something only released when the game was truly in our keeping as Liam Picken sent the ball 100 rows deep and Bulldogs fans into a blubbering frenzy of celebrations. After the game Dad and I did something we've never done and hugged it out, we then went our seperate ways as I went off to catch up with friends seated elsewhere and get into a long planned night of debauched celebrations. That we soon agreed that we were all too drained to do so and that we would convene at a later time speaks volumes for what a ride that series was and why its impossible for me to find a single greatest moment.

Take me now lord. I've had my moment and Im ready!
Click to expand...
I think it might have been Matt Suckling.
 
Did Jeremy Cameron play this game.
 

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I remember the Hawks game well, they came out with these satin flags, looks like one each for their premierships. Son and I joked it looked like a Hitler youth rally. Anyway glanced over to our cheer squad and our flags, and of course there was a hole on one of our big flags which made me smile wryly.

Hawks supporters a little tense in the beginning, and then when they jumped to an early lead, the smugness resumed normal programming.

Easton’s goal, Bont’s Mark over Hodge, Libra trapping them in our forward line, it was wonderful. Afterwards I became a bit of a bogan with Pugz89 chanting “ straight sets,”up on the dais. I have at that time never seen such a jubilant Bulldogs crowd.
We stuck it right up ‘em.
 
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I’m watching it now. Biggs very good.
 
Phil Davis very good I hate to admit.
 
BrisDog said:
What happened to that Campaigner? Is he one of those blokes, like myself, who had nothing more to give at 24?
Click to expand...

Yep but wow what an effort in 16
 
BrisDog said:
Indeed - a statue next to Clay and possibly a bar named after him in the members, or next to Kittens (South Melbourne)
Click to expand...

If I ever meet Clay I’m gonna hug him hard. Legend
 
Dogs_r_barking said:
I remember the Hawks game well, they came out with these satin flags, looks like one each for their premierships. Son and I joked it looked like a Hitler youth rally. Anyway glanced over to our cheer squad and our flags, and of course there was a hole on one of our big flags which made me smile wryly.

Hawks supporters a little tense in the beginning, and then when they jumped to an early lead, the smugness resumed normal programming.

Easton’s goal, Bont’s Mark over Hodge, Libra trapping them in our forward line, it was wonderful. Afterwards I became a bit of a bogan with Pugz89 chanting “ straight sets,”up on the dais. I have at that time never seen such a jubilant Bulldogs crowd.
We stuck it right up ‘em.
Click to expand...
Then I rocked up to work the next day with no voice just for good measure. Haha
 
mcgleereturns said:
Got a kick in the last quarter and inspired us to beat them by being a smart Arse the whole game.
Click to expand...
A few of the GWS guys went the knuckle early and it cost them. Cameron broke Fletch's nose or was damn near close to it. They were mentally off for periods in the first half. I actually think Bevo's strict on-field discipline mantra all year had more effect on the prelim than it did in every other game that year combined.
 
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