9-0 and two games clear (three years ago today)

If we had Richmond's injury run, we would have been the team that arsed a flag that year, not the Dogs.

It all went to s**t when the club sent out an email encouraging us to buy grand final ticket memberships or some such.

The Footy Gods saw that and smote us down with terrible vengeance from which we have not recovered.
 
Mar 14, 2002
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If we had Richmond's injury run, we would have been the team that arsed a flag that year, not the Dogs.

It all went to **** when the club sent out an email encouraging us to buy grand final ticket memberships or some such.

The Footy Gods saw that and smote us down with terrible vengeance from which we have not recovered.

Wonder how many paid up for those GF access tickets
 
Jun 9, 2001
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We weren't playing well, the drop off was coming regardless of injuries. The * and Carlton wins were a lot more hollow than it appeared on the surface.

That said, a better coach could've galvanised the group (the way the eventual premiership coach did in spite of injuries) and steered home a better result.
 
As for the thread, who got injured mid-2016? I remember there were a few key injuries, can't remember who exactly, and cbf looking it up.

Waite, Jacobs, even Brown comes to mind. But I honestly can't remember.

What a horrible, horrible downward spiral it has been ever since then.

We were cruising towards a GF at 9-0.

hqdefault.jpg

Jacobs, Waite, Higgins and Wright then at various crucial times McDonald (was playing very well at the time), Cunnington, Brown, Wood (who was in great form and has never really looked the same,) Turner and Garner for the season iirc. Wells missed a few but not while we were losing.

Many of our injuries occurred early in games and cost us players and rotations.

There was a stat that came out and while other teams had similar injury concerns we were the ones who copped injuries during games and had significantly worst results in terms of players lost during games and lost game time due to injury. Without injuries to Higgins and Jacobs (Higgo tore his knee meniscus, Jacobs had his foot trouble, probably stemming from when a WC player swept his leg in front of the umpire and got away with it in the PF the year before,) we would have done well that year possibly made the GF. If Waite wasn't injury prone even more so.
 
If we had Richmond's injury run, we would have been the team that arsed a flag that year, not the Dogs.

It all went to **** when the club sent out an email encouraging us to buy grand final ticket memberships or some such.

The Footy Gods saw that and smote us down with terrible vengeance from which we have not recovered.

Wouldn't have been arse tho.
 
We weren't playing well, the drop off was coming regardless of injuries. The * and Carlton wins were a lot more hollow than it appeared on the surface.

That said, a better coach could've galvanised the group (the way the eventual premiership coach did in spite of injuries) and steered home a better result.

I don't buy that. We constantly suffered because of injuries during games. Think back to the Geelong game. We lost our midfield by half time and Dangerfield ran amok afterward. Something like 5 injuries in that game. This s**t happened constantly. It was like we were cursed. Because of that we lost Cunnington and Swallow before the Hawks game and were already without Higgins and Jacobs. Our midfield against the Hawks was Farren Ray and Sam Gibson on the wings, Wellsy in the middle and Goldy, Froggy (who had barely played a game by then) and JZ. NDS was on the bench playing injured.

So even if we hadn't held Geelong and lost that game would have been way closer and the next week we'd have had a full midfield against the Hawks.
 
I don't buy that. We constantly suffered because of injuries during games. Think back to the Geelong game. We lost our midfield by half time and Dangerfield ran amok afterward. Something like 5 injuries in that game. This **** happened constantly. It was like we were cursed. Because of that we lost Cunnington and Swallow before the Hawks game and were already without Higgins and Jacobs. Our midfield against the Hawks was Farren Ray and Sam Gibson on the wings, Wellsy in the middle and Goldy, Froggy (who had barely played a game by then) and JZ. NDS was on the bench playing injured.

So even if we hadn't held Geelong and lost that game would have been way closer and the next week we'd have had a full midfield against the Hawks.

It was like we were cursed, because we were - by The Footy Gods, after we antagonised them with that friggin' GET YOUR GRAND FINAL TICKETS email in May.
 
Jun 9, 2001
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I don't buy that. We constantly suffered because of injuries during games. Think back to the Geelong game. We lost our midfield by half time and Dangerfield ran amok afterward. Something like 5 injuries in that game. This **** happened constantly. It was like we were cursed. Because of that we lost Cunnington and Swallow before the Hawks game and were already without Higgins and Jacobs. Our midfield against the Hawks was Farren Ray and Sam Gibson on the wings, Wellsy in the middle and Goldy, Froggy (who had barely played a game by then) and JZ. NDS was on the bench playing injured.

So even if we hadn't held Geelong and lost that game would have been way closer and the next week we'd have had a full midfield against the Hawks.

The forward line was dysfunctional for weeks leading into the collapse. There was a reason no one within or without the club took our prospects very seriously.

We played an equally if not more depleted bulldogs later in the year who accounted for us from sheer determination.

We showed far more genuine credentials during our patch of decent form in 2018.
 
Apr 27, 2008
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It was like we were cursed, because we were - by The Footy Gods, after we antagonised them with that friggin' GET YOUR GRAND FINAL TICKETS email in May.
Well I don’t know. In my lifetime, Hawthorn supporters have planned for GF’s constantly. And won a lot of them.
Are the footy gods campaigners
 
The forward line was dysfunctional for weeks leading into the collapse. There was a reason no one within or without the club took our prospects very seriously.

We played an equally if not more depleted bulldogs later in the year who accounted for us from sheer determination.

We showed far more genuine credentials during our patch of decent form in 2018.

That was the game where Ben Brown, who was averaging at least 3 goals a game at the time (for over a month previously) went off the ground after about a quarter with only one goal. His missing average goals was what we lost by. That second quarter, when we'd just lost Brown, was what cost us. They kept us goalless. And our forward entries were reminiscent of last quarter of the Swans game on the weekend. They lost an unknown flanker in that game. We lost Brown and Scott Thompson during the game to injuries.

I disagree with the negative take too.

We averaged 120 points per game for the first five games, and over 100 up until the Geelong game when the wheels started to fall off. The so called "dysfunctional forward line" was a response to our lack of defense. Scott spent a few games from the first Bulldogs game with the side focusing on defense (and if you recall there was alot of criticism of his sides defensive quality despite our winning ways up until that game on here and in RL.) But after about four games or so we reverted to high scoring footy again averaging nearly 120 points against teams either side of our first loss of the year to Sydney. So our average score dropped over those more defensive games but we kept winning. We kept that years Premiers to under 18 goals for the year and we played them twice.

The collapse didn't start till the third quarter of r12 against Geelong when our midfield lacked four of its best players while Dangerfield ran amok. (Cunners was hobbled by a cork that put him out for a week and had him at less than full mobility for longer while Swallow was concussed and missed games as a result as well. Higgins and Jacobs were both injured already.) We had five injuries in that game.
 

amaz199

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Apr 5, 2015
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Ultimately 2016 was a season that seriously tested our depth and as a result, showed the true colours of the coaching development at the time. Without the best list, we struggled to cover our deficiencies and play good footy. Inconsistent performances and inconsistent games from players that should've been stepping up instead, weren't, and it all went downhill. Mostly our experienced players were letting us down which was incredibly disappointing.

2016 exposed how topping up can have a disastrous effect if there aren't good-developed players to come in if said players brought in got injured i.e Waite. Or even a good enough foundation to support them.

In 2017 and 18, we addressed this somewhat...

Also, we have done the same this year (Polec and Hall especially) but the difference is we have a lot of depth. Which is why Brad is in serious trouble, he cannot play the blame game anymore.

The 9-0 was a result of having the same team able to perform just well enough without injuries. Once they started to appear, 'well enough' wasn't gonna cut it. We had to play seriously good football in order to hide the crucial areas we were quite vulnerable. E.g Harvey 427th and Collingwood game.

There is always issues with Brad's side which frustrates everyone on here. Our allergy is having a good season even when injuries occur.

Throwing money at players to come here helps, but it is a temporary solution. At some stage, there has to be a period of which we have to look at who will be in the A-grade core of players to take us to the next decade of competing for the flag. We should not expect players from other clubs to fill that hole, they are the cherry on top. Not the cake. Players that come over usually are mature-age recruits with only 5-6 years left of B/A grade footy, not our future unfortunately. Higgins is a prime example, he cannot lead the way and do most of the grunt work with Cunners. Higgins is damaging from spreading away from the contest with room to deliver inside 50, not have to chase contested ball after ball to rack up useless possessions. It kills his classy elements of his game... it also wears him out quicker than we want him to.

We don't risk thousands of dollars on youngsters with only a few good seasons. We play it safe which is fine but it can result in less than desired ladder finishes if those players don't peak high enough. Sometimes young raw talent can be a lot more beneficial if the player is motivated to adjust to a new environment. It can also save us $$$ until they prove they can be A graders.

We need a drastic analysis of our list so there isn't another capitulation. I am ok with watching North be exciting and finishing last. Just as long as the young guns get a decent go. You can be s**t, play the oldest list, and finish last or play some seriously good footy and finish near the bottom with some decent exposure of where we are at, and an idea of where the inexperienced players need help by playing them.

Sometimes structures/game styles can get better by giving some younger players a string of games to see if some much needed chemistry can be found.

This ensures that the coaches don't have to 'coach' them into the game style, they know what to do since they played together already.
 

R00StaR

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Apr 3, 2003
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As for the thread, who got injured mid-2016? I remember there were a few key injuries, can't remember who exactly, and cbf looking it up.

Waite, Jacobs, even Brown comes to mind. But I honestly can't remember.

What a horrible, horrible downward spiral it has been ever since then.

We were cruising towards a GF at 9-0.

hqdefault.jpg

Sam Wright, he was having a cracker of a year up until that injury.
 
Mar 19, 2001
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Our better years under Scott correlate with the availability of Waite and Jacobs. Our winning percentage with those 2 in the team together would be interesting.

George Orwell - All player's influence are created equal. But some player's influence is more equal than others.
 
I remember thinking at 9-0 we still weren’t playing that well. I wasn’t convinced.
We played better football last year.
The football we played against Hawthorn and Richmond was elite, even though we lost to Richmond by 10 points.
The second half against Brisbane when Beams kicked 5 was the beginning of the end.
Jacobs got hurt, Jed did his hammy and Waite did his calf and that was all she wrote.
Our pressure fell away, Brown got double teamed and injured and we limped into 9th.
 

koshari

Brownlow Medallist
Mar 24, 2011
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The football we played against Hawthorn and Richmond was elite, even though we lost to Richmond by 10 points.
The second half against Brisbane when Beams kicked 5 was the beginning of the end.
Jacobs got hurt, Jed did his hammy and Waite did his calf and that was all she wrote.
Our pressure fell away, Brown got double teamed and injured and we limped into 9th.
this would be equivalent to tigers losing cotch, martin and riewoldt in their premiership year,
 
this would be equivalent to tigers losing cotch, martin and riewoldt in their premiership year,


So in 2016 when we lost Higgins, Jacobs, Waite, Wright, McDonald and Turner (plus others for short periods,) who is that the equivalent to?
 
I was never wholly convinced by that 9-0 start.

Our first 9 weeks was Adelaide, Brisbane, Melbourne, Freo, Gold Coast, Bulldogs, Saints, Essendon* and Carlton. Only 2 of those teams played finals. 5 of them represented the bottom 5 teams on the ladder at the end of the year.

We comfortably accounted for Brisbane, Freo, Gold Coast and Carlton. 4 of the 5 bottom teams. We fell over the line against Melbourne (11th) and the Saints (9th). The wins against Adelaide and especially the Dogs - a ripping match and a Jarrad Waite special - were great wins.

I'd argue the wheels actually came off at half time against Essendon* in round 8. With most of their team on the sidelines working the drugs out of their systems, we led 54 to 4 at halftime and thereafter did everything in our power to lose. That was the week after we undeservedly beat the Saints. Something really smelled, and it was us.

Yes injuries cruelled us - during the run we regularly lost a play to injury mid-game, and then the injury rot really set in after the loss to Sydney in round 10 - but frankly for most of the run, we were playing s**t footy and were only winning cos our opponents were worse.

The win against Richmond in round 11 was a ripper, but that was the last hurrah of a season already in its death throes.

At least, unlike this year, we got past the second quarter of round 1 before getting the gas. RIP 2019.
 
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