Are you still invested?

[Del165892]

I've tried to be patient since we dropped off in 2017. I was happy to accept the Premiership hangover. In 2018 I gave the coaching group a pass due to all of the injuries, and the fact that we were forced to field the youngest side in the comp for most of the year. But this year I'm struggling to find excuses.

It's not just the losses to lowly opposition that are so disappointing. It's the way we play and the obvious coaching incompetence. I don't pretend to know more about the strategy side of things than the average viewer, but it's glaringly obvious that our system (or lack of) doesn't hold up. We don't have the talent on our list that a lot of teams do but I think we all agree that as a side we are underperforming.

Overall I just feel like I'm getting more and more pessimistic, frustrated and detached every time I watch our games. I think this particular game is just the final straw for me and I'm feeling emotionally checked out. How bad do you guys think things will get before they get better? How far away from another 2014 are we? I know they say that things are never as bad as they seem in footy but if they are even half as bad as they seem we are ****ed.

 

[GreatSouthWest]

We're supposedly debt free, yes?
Can we spend more in the coaching dept than when we were rattling tins?
That'd be a start. We have to have (outside of Beverage) the smallest payroll of coaches out of most if not all teams.

 

[GetDimmaBack]

“It's never as good as it looks and it's never as bad as it seems.”

Tom Pollack & me

 

[Triple Baileys]

I'm getting the 2012-2014 vibe again but there is still time left to turn it around. How? I can't see how at the moment but I think the selectors have to be harsh and regularly drop players for bad performances and promote those playing well in the VFL. No more surprise promotions, please.

The first two wins were great at the time but now it seems that the two teams we beat are in the also-rans too this season.

I'm not there yet but a few more matches like today and my level of investment for the season could decline to listening to the radio coverage with half an ear while I do something else.

 

[Anja_Nees]

That was one of the worst losses of the Bevo era, though I think people forget just how bad the McCartney days were.

I honestly think it’s a bit rich for people to become less than invested after how much we went through to finally win a flag.

That doesn’t mean we shouldn’t complain and criticise because we are frankly playing terrible footy. I do believe though that Bont, Macrae, Smith, Naughton, Richards, English, Boyd, Hunter, Daniel, McLean etc is a very good base of players who are not yet halfway through their careers.

I don’t think we’ll have to wait long to be a decent side again. I’d be far more despondent if I were a Melbourne supporter right now.

 

[footyfan000001]

I’ve gone pretty negative on us today but I’m always invested. But in saying that - I do want to see some changes. We really need to beef up our coaching department. Look what has happened at the saints. Corey, King, Gia, Hansen and Grace yes helped us get to a flag but we need some new ideas from some more mature heads.

 

[WallyStringhaus]

Always...I bleed Red, White and Blue

 

[Kermit]

I’ve gone pretty negative on us today but I’m always invested. But in saying that - I do want to see some changes. We really need to beef up our coaching department. Look what has happened at the saints. Corey, King, Gia, Hansen and Grace yes helped us get to a flag but we need some new ideas from some more mature heads.

It's because we are invested that we can go so negative.

And I back up what you have said. But I think the changes on the field need to be made pretty quickly.

 

[DognBones]

Of course I am heavily invested in the club but it's days like this when you think such diminishing returns are not providing enough bang for the invested buck. I'm a bit like a punch drunk fighter who doesn't know when to give up and that's why I've been turning up year after year like so many of us. At the moment I can't see much light at the end of the tunnel in the short term at least but it's important to hang in there and do what we've always done - keep the faith.

 

[redmania]

I’ve gone pretty negative on us today but I’m always invested. But in saying that - I do want to see some changes. We really need to beef up our coaching department. Look what has happened at the saints. Corey, King, Gia, Hansen and Grace yes helped us get to a flag but we need some new ideas from some more mature heads.

I agree with this. I said on another thread that a circuit breaker needs to be flicked and this could be one way to do it. The boys looked lost, undercoached yet overcoached and I think a good kicking coach and some specialists could really help what is a very very talented core.

I have a young family and I choose to spend time at the footy and for the first time I questioned being there. If we continue to play like that I'll probably give a few games a miss this year most likely avo games. I'd sooner spend time with the kids.

 

[Yojimbo]

I am not as invested as I once was, I don't hurt as much after a loss as I used to. There are multiple
teams not just the Bulldogs that if I coached would be going a lot better than they are under a so
called professional coach which is sad. Some of the flaws are so blatant, but they keep doing it week
after week. A five year old kid could coach a well drilled football team, a blind five year old. The
constant flow of information has killed the game, it's very oversaturated.

 

[footyfan000001]

I agree with this. I said on another thread that a circuit breaker needs to be flicked and this could be one way to do it. The boys looked lost, undercoached yet overcoached and I think a good kicking coach and some specialists could really help what is a very very talented core.

It also doesn’t help when Bevo says there will be changes from the reserves based on form, yet we pick two debutants who haven’t even been setting the world on fire. Not good for the fans or the players playing well.

 

[maddog37]

It’s just boring at the moment. Listening to Derrrwayne commentate was an added dagger in my soul.

 

[footyfan000001]

It’s just boring at the moment. Listening to Derrrwayne commentate was an added dagger in my soul.

He wanted the blues to win badly

 

[LondonBulldog]

Let’s be honest a lot of the keys to our flag are either gone or not playing.

Top 10 2016 finals
Picken gone
Bont still there
Clay Smith gone
M Boyd gone
T Boyd injure/other
Morris injured
Dickson still there
JJ still there
Macrae still there
Hamlin gone
Roughie gone

The players weren’t the only ones with the premiership hangover. The list management has been poor since. Our Key Position stocks may be the worst in the AFL. A 19 year old is the only quality.
After a premiership did we attract anyone? A washed up Cloke!

 

[footyfan000001]

What is up with the mentality of our players? Pies game we looked hungry and worked our backsides off. Suns and blues game we looked disinterested. It’s very odd.

 

[toadman]

I’m probably too invested to be honest!!

All this talk of the Dogs being so young, the main group (Bont 23, Dunkley 22, Hunter 24, Macrae 24, Cordy 22, McLean 23, Daniel 22) have all climbed the mountain. Throw in JJ (26), Suckling (30), Wood (29), Libba (26), Wallis (26), Dureya (28), Dickson (31) with the sprinkle of Richards, Naughton, Smith, Schache and English.
I don’t get the age excuse.

We were terribly out coached today. Can someone tell me why you wouldn’t send Naughton back for ten minutes in the second or third to just patch the bleeding? Or let Cripps and P-Seton get 20 odd to half time...
I fear the Dogs have been found out as one trick ponies... no defensive structure and a poor forward set-up...

I’d press for change and surely the Wolves will start circling if 2019 ends up another rabble just 3 years after climbing the mountain!!

 

[Anja_Nees]

Let’s be honest a lot of the keys to our flag are either gone or not playing.

Top 10 2016 finals
Picken gone
Bont still there
Clay Smith gone
M Boyd gone
T Boyd injure/other
Morris injured
Dickson still there
JJ still there
Macrae still there
Hamlin gone
Roughie gone

The players weren’t the only ones with the premiership hangover. The list management has been poor since. Our Key Position stocks may be the worst in the AFL. A 19 year old is the only quality.
After a premiership did we attract anyone? A washed up Cloke!

This is probably the worst part. You win a flag and you should become a destination club. Suspect we committed to Cloke well before the GF and felt obligated to go through with it.

It was a golden opportunity to draw in some A Grade talent but Crozier is the only player from another club that’s been worth it so far.

 

[footyfan000001]

I know we haven’t really seen them yet - but I am still bloody excited to see Cavarra, Sweet, Vandermeer and Kamis

 

[Northernsoul74]

It's because we are invested that we can go so negative.

And I back up what you have said. But I think the changes on the field need to be made pretty quickly.

Agreed, I’ve earned the right to be negative. Love the club but calling out poor decisions isn’t a bad thing. If anything we have a history of just accepting mediocrity.

 

[bresker]

I’ll always be invested , I love going to the footy. I was really hoping this year was going to be like 2015 but it’s sadly looking more like 2014.

The sport itself is fantastic, the greatest game in the world.

Things are never as good as they seem, or as bad as they seem. Live in the moment and enjoy each game, or try to get something from it. September will come around before you know it.

 

[The Inbetweener]

Still invested but I think I’ve now officially lost faith in Beveridge and have real concerns with the footy dept.

 

[TheBont]

Invested but like Im officially burnt out.

Won't get worked up anymore (hopefully)

#firebev

 

[Walsh Bay]

It's all about your expectations.

I'm as invested as I ever was, and care a great deal.

But the structural weaknesses in our list & our inability to build a threatening forward line meant that six or seven wins felt about right for this year.

Expect little and everything's a pleasant surprise. Years of Dogs following should teach us this.

It's not about accepting mediocrity, it's about having a clear eye on our list and coaching team. When you're recruiting polyfilla like Duryea and Lloyd, and bringing in solid VFL-types in their mid-twenties like Cavarra and Hayes, its clear we're applying band-aids not challenging.

 

[BallaratBulldog]

We were always going to be 2 wins at this point of the season

It's just instead of GC and Blues we beat Sydney and Hawthorn unexpectedly.