Opinion Are we setting up for a tilt at the VFL flag

Toastman

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Apr 14, 2013
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http://www.westernbulldogs.com.au/news/2014-07-25/vfl-winning-culture-aiding-dogs-development
"Apart from the obvious development opportunities of fielding a standalone side, VFL coach Chris Maple says exposing young players to a winning culture will provide significant benefits down the track."
Good times, Hopefully we can bring the flag home and set up for the real deal in a few years time. This could be the difference when we're up against the stacked Gold Coast and GWS teams going for the AFL flag in a few years time.
 

cammo78

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Oct 10, 2006
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Worth keeping in mind that a young Geelong side won the VFL flag in 2002.

Names playing that day included Gary Ablett Jr, Jimmy Bartel, James Kelly, Paul Chapman, Josh Hunt and Steve Johnson.

We all know how they ended up...
 

ThirdLegUp

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Apr 29, 2013
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For me the answer is very obvious...i will explain.

When i played (god so long ago now :cry:) it was for a club that had a 'winning culture' I played soccer as some may know. When at 3/4 of the season it was very clear the senior team, the flagship of the club, would not win the flag, in soccer their is no final series as you know, top team gets the cookies, top three get a chance of promotion. If none of that is possible, there is no difference with finishing 4th or 12th, so long as you are not bottom 2-3 to get relegated, its an invisible season. So the reserve team will get looked at. Could they win?
if yes, then you start using elegable seniors in the reserve side. the reserve players who lose their position get a run in the seniors for experience, since they will hopefully be seniors in the future. The club motto was, every presentation night at seasons end MUST have a winner, regardless of age or importance, the club MUST present someone as CHAMPIONS for that year.

I remember the senior and reserve grade players being there when as a 16 year old we finished on top, they all celebrated with us as if they had won. It was an amazing feeling seeing a 28 year old man i looked up to hugging me and cheering. I remember as a reserve player hoisting the under 10's in the air and celebrating as if we ourselves had won when the kids did. Same when i was a senior and the under 14's and 16's won. They watched and idolised you as children hopeing to be where you are. You teach them that victory is great for everyone, regardless of the importance, we all wear the same jumper and play for the same club. Winning is winning. THAT is how you build a winning culture.

After 24 years of existance the club had 0, nadda, Zilch cups,trophies, pennants...when the new management brought that policy in. within the next 15 years, the club had 4 under 16 flags, 3 under 10's, 2 reserve grade flags, i don't even know how many pre and post season cup titles at all age groups (i have 5 that i played in) and 4 promotions(two first place cups) from the seniors which put the club into the 1st state league from the 4th division. I was 8 when that policy came in and thanks to that board was able to earn a nice sum by the time i got to the senior grade when they were high enough and rich enough to pay players a weekly wage for LOSES! Many players from that club went pro, including myself, and played either top flight here or overseas in lesser leagues for good money. It is a wonderful thing to walk into a club room decorated in your colours and see a row of cups and flags, all together, not divided by 'importance'.

Now consider that unlike in soccer finishing lower at AFL is actually BENEFICIAL to your seniors when it comes to a future...you would have to be 8 shades of stupid to not go for the VFL cup. You win a better pick and you win silverwere for your new 'winning culture' It isn't tanking, it is playing for a title and bringing a 'winning culture' to your club. The seniors will do everything they can to win still, winning makes a winning culture, but the priority for the club becomes the reserve grade. ANother trophy to add to our club rooms, another symbol that to play here is to know victory.

my 2 cents, from a 'winner' who loves the 'losing' bulldogs.

Whoever said, 'It's not whether you win or lose that counts,' probably lost.
Martina Navratilova
 
Will any finals be played at WO?
Or will it depend on which teams get home finals?
We will likely to be playing at Whitten Oval, since we are a top 3 team the vfl would be wise to allow us to play there for the profit and overall attendance ranking.
 

ThirdLegUp

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Apr 29, 2013
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We will likely to be playing at Whitten Oval, since we are a top 3 team the vfl would be wise to allow us to play there for the profit and overall attendance ranking.

That would be brilliant! i reckon i'd fly down to be there.
 

TheHoneyBadger

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Barracking for the Tiges today to keep that top two nice and open. It'd be amazing to see the crowds pack out Whitten Oval, if we're allowed to play a final there.
 
I recall during the Boxhill Hawks match that ABC mentioned we are one of the few teams that can use our suburban grounds at a final. So don't worry about that one.
 

Clay

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Sep 9, 2012
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I recall during the Boxhill Hawks match that ABC mentioned we are one of the few teams that can use our suburban grounds at a final. So don't worry about that one.
Outstanding (if they are correct).
 

TempleKelvington

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I did hear that a couple of the games in the first week of finals are played at Port.....but I am not sure which games...... You would hope that a top 2 finish would get you a home final in week 1 at the very least. Prelims at Port make sense I guess except it gives Port a massive advantage.

We have the job ahead of us to finish top 2 so we have to get there first.
 

_M_16_

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Our remaining VFL Fixture for the season

Sunday, 3 August 17 Bendigo Gold (H) Victoria University Whitten Oval 12:00pm
Sunday, 10 August 18 Werribee Tigers (A) Avalon Airport Oval 1:00pm
Sunday, 17 August 19 Casey Scorpions (H) Highgate Recreation Reserve 11:00am
Sunday, 24 August 20 Richmond (A) ME Bank Centre 1:00pm

We should be able to win against Bendigo and Richmond comfortably, as they were two of our largest wins of the season. Yet to play Werribee or Casey. Werribee are fifth on the ladder, and will be our toughest remaining opponent. Casey sit 14th on the ladder, so you would think we should be favorites for that game as well. No reason we cannot close out the season with four straight wins. We will not finish first, as Port Melbourne are already two wins ahead of us, and I cannot see them dropping two games. We are two points adrift of Box Hill who sit in second place, so we should be aiming for, and are in with a chance of claiming second spot and the all important finals advantage.

Mind you Box Hill also have an easy run home as well. With Bendigo, Richmond and Frankston amongst its opponents.

Also next weekends game is the last one at home, so lets get a huge crowd going seeing our main team is interstate this weekend.
 
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black pup

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Jul 22, 2008
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Our remaining VFL Fixture for the season

Sunday, 3 August 17 Bendigo Gold (H) Victoria University Whitten Oval 12:00pm
Sunday, 10 August 18 Werribee Tigers (A) Avalon Airport Oval 1:00pm
Sunday, 17 August 19 Casey Scorpions (H) Highgate Recreation Reserve 11:00am
Sunday, 24 August 20 Richmond (A) ME Bank Centre 1:00pm

We should be able to win against Bendigo and Richmond comfortably, as they were two of our largest wins of the season. Yet to play Werribee or Casey. Werribee are fifth on the ladder, and will be our toughest remaining opponent. Casey sit 14th on the ladder, so you would think we should be favorites for that game as well. No reason we cannot close out the season with four straight wins. We will not finish first, as Port Melbourne are already two wins ahead of us, and I cannot see them dropping two games. We are two points adrift of Box Hill who sit in second place, so we should be aiming for, and are in with a chance of claiming second spot and the all important finals advantage.

Mind you Box Hill also have an easy run home as well. With Bendigo, Richmond and Frankston amongst its opponents.

Also next weekends game is the last one at home, so lets get a huge crowd going seeing our main team is interstate this weekend.
 

_M_16_

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Box Hill lost to Collingwood today, Williamstown won, if Footscray win tomorrow, which they should, we will go to second place on ladder ahead of Williamstown on percentage, Box Hill will drop to fourth.

Great news, thought Collingwood would be Box Hills most dangerous opponent. Not that it makes to much difference, top four is top four. Winner gets the week off and hosts the Preliminary. Though second does look to much better on paper and in the history books
 

HiReception

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Great news, thought Collingwood would be Box Hills most dangerous opponent. Not that it makes to much difference, top four is top four. Winner gets the week off and hosts the Preliminary. Though second does look to much better on paper and in the history books

Well, second gets to host that QF against 3rd. Which means one more opportunity for a Whitten/Etihad double-header (with the GWS game in Round 23), and all the advantages of playing on your home turf.
 

_M_16_

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Well, second gets to host that QF against 3rd. Which means one more opportunity for a Whitten/Etihad double-header (with the GWS game in Round 23), and all the advantages of playing on your home turf.

Of course, no idea how the obvious slipped my mind, that the top two host the final in the first week, my bad
 
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