Fixture Round 1 Dees V dogs 16 March 2022 MCG

[RandB]

I hear this every year about various teams and it actually grows into a genuine rivalry about 0.5% of the time.

Which is why I used the word "opportunity".
Anyway, hopefully R1 is a great game and gets a decent crowd. All the best.

 

[House_of_Dahl]

I like this a lot and although you can never get redemption for what happened in the Grand final it would a great start to the season with a win in this one and spoil the Dees unfurling of the flag. This will be a big game and I have read the AFL/Gill is expecting a 100,000 crowd. To quote Michael Caton from The Castle "Tell him he's Dreamin". I reckon around 85,000 to 90,000 would be a great crowd on a school Wednesday night.

No ******* chance...they are grand final numbers

 

[CarnTheScray]

Dees & Dogs played 3 times this year and will likely play each other more than twice next year.

As much as we both want to belt each other, for the neutral fan these two teams offer entertaining footy and will likely have some close games.

Both lists are in good shape so the next couple of seasons is a massive opportunity to get good time slots for our games and build exposure and get bums on seats.

Dees v Dogs could possibly become a household matchup like Hawks v Cats was and if so will hopefully mean a commercial bonus for both teams. $$$

Don’t know if the season opener will be a sellout since it’s at the G but the later game at Marvel will definitely be a sellout.

 

[CarnTheScray]

I hear this every year about various teams and it actually grows into a genuine rivalry about 0.5% of the time. We already have our rivalry with GWS which has a lot more history and genuine feeling.

Have you watched any grand final involving two vic clubs in the last 20 years. Nearly every single one of them developed into a rivalry/hatred. Even just finals in general create rivalries.

What’s the harm in having more than one rival, and one that is actually in the same state as us?

 

[Leon]

Dees & Dogs played 3 times this year and will likely play each other more than twice next year.

As much as we both want to belt each other, for the neutral fan these two teams offer entertaining footy and will likely have some close games.

Both lists are in good shape so the next couple of seasons is a massive opportunity to get good time slots for our games and build exposure and get bums on seats.

Dees v Dogs could possibly become a household matchup like Hawks v Cats was and if so will hopefully mean a commercial bonus for both teams. $$$

It‘s funny (i.e disappointing, ironic etc) how for years both the Dogs and the Demons were perennial strugglers, then in the one year we are easily the two best sides, the two home and away matches were played in empty stadiums and the GF interstate because of goddamn COVID.


All 3 matches this year in normal circumstances would’ve been bigger than Ben Hur.

 

[ScragCity]

It‘s funny (i.e disappointing, ironic etc) how for years both the Dogs and the Demons were perennial strugglers, then in the one year we are easily the two best sides, the two home and away matches were played in empty stadiums and the GF interstate because of goddamn COVID.


All 3 matches this year in normal circumstances would’ve been bigger than Ben Hur.

All three matches were s**t. The first match was over at quarter time. The second was a slog in wet conditions that Melbourne probably should have won. The third was an 80-point flogging. I can't imagine three more boring games for neutrals. Also, Melbourne were clearly the best side of the season but I don't think its clear at all that we were the second best. We didn't even finish in the top four. We had a very good finals campaign but we weren't even in the conversation as serious contenders after finishing the home and away season so poorly.

 

[RandB]

It‘s funny (i.e disappointing, ironic etc) how for years both the Dogs and the Demons were perennial strugglers, then in the one year we are easily the two best sides, the two home and away matches were played in empty stadiums and the GF interstate because of goddamn COVID.


All 3 matches this year in normal circumstances would’ve been bigger than Ben Hur.

True.

That 2008 GF started a genuine dislike between Hawks and Cats but that alone doesn't get the spectators. You also need great footy and our clubs are in a nice window list wise and game style wise to deliver that. Hopefully we can harness that.

Whilst we're 2 of the smaller Vic clubs, it would be great to shove it up some of the other Vic clubs who reckon we need them to draw a crowd.

 

[ScragCity]

Have you watched any grand final involving two vic clubs in the last 20 years. Nearly every single one of them developed into a rivalry/hatred. Even just finals in general create rivalries.

What’s the harm in having more than one rival, and one that is actually in the same state as us?

Its not a real rivalry if its forced/manufactured. The GWS rivalry developed organically over years and resulted in one of the most epic matches in AFL history. It's genuine. What's our history with Melbourne? Getting flogged in a GF after two very forgettable home and away games with zero fans in attendance? Melbourne just want this to be a rivalry because they've been irrelevant for so long and they think that having a rivalry is part of being a relevant side. Most likely one or both sides will drop off next season and that will be that.

 

[BallaratBulldog]

The media have been already pushing for this to be a rivalry.

 

[RandB]

Yes, the AFL and the media will try to manufacture a rivalry but it is a small part of the puzzle. For them it's a business.

For footy fans however it's about the contest. If our teams can back up 2021 with the same calibre of footy then watch out.

 

[Dazb86]

Yes, the AFL and the media will try to manufacture a rivalry but it is a small part of the puzzle. For them it's a business.

For footy fans however it's about the contest. If our teams can back up 2021 with the same calibre of footy then watch out.

A melee or something could start it maybe. Depends if the players really do have bad blood or that was a media beat up. I don't really have any ill will towards Melbourne for winning the grand final though. You guys put the godmode cheats on halfway through the third and it became a non contest. Hard to really get upset about

 

[CarnTheScray]

Its not a real rivalry if its forced/manufactured. The GWS rivalry developed organically over years and resulted in one of the most epic matches in AFL history. It's genuine. What's our history with Melbourne? Getting flogged in a GF after two very forgettable home and away games with zero fans in attendance? Melbourne just want this to be a rivalry because they've been irrelevant for so long and they think that having a rivalry is part of being a relevant side. Most likely one or both sides will drop off next season and that will be that.

I agree with you point on manufactured rivalries. I was more so talking about you comment that only 0.5% of GF matches go on to become rivalries/dislike for one another/whatever.

 

[Dogs_r_barking]

You've taken the post completely out of context. I'm not penciling in dynasties for either team but I expect both teams to be contenders and hopefully be a fixture everyone is looking forward to. The rivalry is there, it just needs to grow.

Yeah well hopefully it won’t take us 77 years to get revenge and win one over your lot.

 

[Draft Pick]

Its not a real rivalry if its forced/manufactured. The GWS rivalry developed organically over years and resulted in one of the most epic matches in AFL history. It's genuine. What's our history with Melbourne? Getting flogged in a GF after two very forgettable home and away games with zero fans in attendance? Melbourne just want this to be a rivalry because they've been irrelevant for so long and they think that having a rivalry is part of being a relevant side. Most likely one or both sides will drop off next season and that will be that.

This high and mighty attitude some Dogs supporters towards Melbourne being "irrelevant" and "s**t" for so long I find interesting.

Sure we avoided an extended period down the bottom like they had during the Bailey and Neeld era, however other than that there really has been very little difference in the performance of each club since the 80's.

 

[ScragCity]

This high and mighty attitude some Dogs supporters towards Melbourne being "irrelevant" and "sh*t" for so long I find interesting.

Sure we avoided an extended period down the bottom like they did during the Bailey and Neeld era, however other than that there really has been very little difference in the performance of each club since the 80's.

It's not a high and mighty attitude. You can acknowledge that Melbourne have been s**t and irrelevant for a long time while also recognising that our club has been s**t and irrelevant for most of its existence too.

 

[Draft Pick]

It's not a high and mighty attitude. You can acknowledge that Melbourne have been sh*t and irrelevant for a long time while also recognising that our club has been sh*t and irrelevant for most of its existence too.

Well maybe you acknowledge that but many Dogs supporters seem to think we have something major over Melbourne which is ridiculous in many ways not the least what happened in the GF.

Anyway onto the topic I don't see why both teams can't be contending for quite some time and build a rivalry.

 

[ScragCity]

Well maybe you acknowledge that but many Dogs supporters seem to think we have something major over Melbourne which is ridiculous in many ways not the least what happened in the GF.

Anyway onto the topic I don't see why both teams can't be contending for quite some time and build a rivalry.

Yeah I felt the same about us after 2016. I reckon most of us felt the same way. To be fair I'm much more confident that Melbourne will still be contending for a while. They were dominant all year which is a big difference to our 2016 side who scraped into finals and played above themselves for a month. But I'm not taking it for granted that we will be any good next year. One or two key injuries can derail a season. A few of our players had quite outstanding years that, given their age, they're unlikely to reproduce (Libba, Bruce, Duryea etc.). We had a very good season but 2017/2018 taught me not to assume that you'll be up the top for long. Talk of a rivalry between the teams is just counting your chickens before they hatch imo.

 

[Draft Pick]

Yeah I felt the same about us after 2016. I reckon most of us felt the same way. To be fair I'm much more confident that Melbourne will still be contending for a while. They were dominant all year which is a big difference to our 2016 side who scraped into finals and played above themselves for a month. But I'm not taking it for granted that we will be any good next year. One or two key injuries can derail a season. A few of our players had quite outstanding years that, given their age, they're unlikely to reproduce (Libba, Bruce, Duryea etc.). We had a very good season but 2017/2018 taught me not to assume that you'll be up the top for long. Talk of a rivalry between the teams is just counting your chickens before they hatch imo.

Sure, big test for the club this year.

We have missed the finals in each of the other three years we have made the GF.

I feel that list is more balanced in terms of key position players than '16 (surely we can find a KPD with all of the forwards we have) and has more players in that 22-28 age group than '16 did.

 

[The Slitherin' Snake]

Yeah I felt the same about us after 2016. I reckon most of us felt the same way. To be fair I'm much more confident that Melbourne will still be contending for a while. They were dominant all year which is a big difference to our 2016 side who scraped into finals and played above themselves for a month. But I'm not taking it for granted that we will be any good next year. One or two key injuries can derail a season. A few of our players had quite outstanding years that, given their age, they're unlikely to reproduce (Libba, Bruce, Duryea etc.). We had a very good season but 2017/2018 taught me not to assume that you'll be up the top for long. Talk of a rivalry between the teams is just counting your chickens before they hatch imo.

The bolded is simply not true. We were 2 games off the top of the ladder, but 3 games clear of 8th

 

[RedWhite&Blue]

It‘s funny (i.e disappointing, ironic etc) how for years both the Dogs and the Demons were perennial strugglers, then in the one year we are easily the two best sides, the two home and away matches were played in empty stadiums and the GF interstate because of goddamn COVID.


All 3 matches this year in normal circumstances would’ve been bigger than Ben Hur.

The Bulldogs haven't been strugglers for a long, long time now... and when they have dipped they have bounced back very quickly.What you wrote is a theme peddled out by lazy journalist's trying to pigeon hole the Bulldogs as that 70's-80's basket case club. We are so far from that now it is not even remotely valid.

 

[ossie_21]

The bolded is simply not true. We were 2 games off the top of the ladder, but 3 games clear of 8th

That year was odd, our win-loss record would otherwise have put us top 4. All the top teams were dominant and the rest were just beating each other randomly

 

[maddog37]

Well maybe you acknowledge that but many Dogs supporters seem to think we have something major over Melbourne which is ridiculous in many ways not the least what happened in the GF.

Anyway onto the topic I don't see why both teams can't be contending for quite some time and build a rivalry.

We do have something over Melbourne. We aren’t Melbourne.

 

[Libbaaaa]

Just read an article "Which midfield is better, '06 Eagles or '21 Dees". I am so sick of them.

 

[NBates]

I hear this every year about various teams and it actually grows into a genuine rivalry about 0.5% of the time. We already have our rivalry with GWS which has a lot more history and genuine feeling.

And Essendon. Apparently they are from the West, which is bulldust - they are from the north

 

[Optimistic Dog]

There must be a fair chance that the G will be the same as the tennis and the crowd will be capped at 50% for the opener the same as the AO unless there is a big drop in case numbers and hospital admissions soon.