Is this 2016 all over again?

[Mattie2016]

Lol I wish. But 2016 felt different to this season. Our first 4 wins in 2016 were big wins and we hit the scoreboard hard. Whilst this year I am liking how we are going about it (except one game) - we just don’t look as brutal in attack as we did in 2016. This week is the real test and that’s no offence to Richmond or Brisbane.

Both Richmond and Brisbane top 4. Geelong no different. We will take down three big scalps in a row and then let's see how minds switch.

 

[brmi]

OP may be onto something. I’ve had many mixed emotions during the course of this season but something felt right after that win on Saturday. The heights of 2016 maybe, maybe not, but could be the start of a great period for the club again.

 

[dergert]

Finals would be our likely goal.

 

[Yojimbo]

Is this 2016 all over again, maybe in there is a genuine opportunity to win it from well back like
we did in 2016. Teams have appeared dominant this season only to be unravelled a matter of
weeks later, I don't think I can remember injuries being as prevalent as they have been lately.
How can Richmond beat Fremantle and be the same side we decimated the week before, I can
smell what someone is cooking, but I have no idea who is cooking it week to week.

 

[RedWhite&Blue]

Just imagine for a second that we go down to Geelong and beat the Cats...

 

[yebiga]

Just imagine for a second that we go down to Geelong and beat the Cats...

If we do beat Geelong in Geelong then this post may have some legs. But otherwise forgetaboutit.

 

[bresker]

More like 2015

 

[Yojimbo]

Just imagine for a second that we go down to Geelong and beat the Cats...

North Melbourne made Geelong look stupid by shifting their defence until it cracked, North Melbourne did
not have the skills to maintain the system for four quarters, but it worked. In other words don't do what
they want, don't bomb it. Plan A: Share, Shift, Switch and Create. Also MUST control the guts and
limit the tongue.

 

[Bodicifer]

Let's revisit this thread after this weekends game. If we win, open up the discussions...if we lose, close the thread for good.

 

[AFDogs]

We've lost at home to Carlton and Gold Coast. The 2016 Bulldogs would not have let that happened.

We have a tough run from here on out and we haven't capitalised on beating some weaker teams. We won't play finals, but we are a lot better than last year which is already a positive.

 

[Tallsies]

Pretty difficult to win a premiership from 14th I would have thought.

 

[ExRoyboy]

We've lost at home to Carlton and Gold Coast. The 2016 Bulldogs would not have let that happened.

We have a tough run from here on out and we haven't capitalised on beating some weaker teams. We won't play finals, but we are a lot better than last year which is already a positive.

I agree with this. We are on the right path and hopefully this time it will be more sustained success than in 2016, but this does not have a similar ring to it in my view. We have a number of traditionally difficult away games for Bulldogs teams including Geelong this week, then West Coast in Perth and Port in Adelaide along with GWS at home towards the end. We also have difficult home games. We should never have dropped those two easy home games to Carlton and Gold Coast and if we hadn’t then I would say we would be on track for making the finals but still not top 4. We will be on the cusp but I think we will fall short, but over the next few years we should be right back up there, but we absolutely must rid ourselves of our goal kicking inaccuracies. It has definitely cost us games this season and you can see what it did to Brisbane on the weekend when they got our disease and we kicked relatively straight in the first half.

We create more than enough opportunities with our midfield and our pressure. We now have a good young key forward. He needs more support and that should remain a priority but please get someone in to show them how to kick set shot goals. If we don’t do this then we will suffer the same fate as in the past and blow our chance with this list.

 

[grassman75]

Just imagine for a second that we go down to Geelong and beat the Cats...

If we do that...
Then I will be very rich...(I'm taking me a large chunk of that $4.50 on offer)

 

[go you pups]

Lol

Now lock fred

 

[Mattdougie]

There is a familiar ring to this season. The ever-calm relaxed coach, waxing lyrical as his band of young stars rise to the challenge, while the footy world watches with curious scepticism.

In 2016, the stars aligned despite an horrendous injury record, that saw Murphy, Crameri, Wallis and Redpath unavailable for for the Premiership, while Johannisen, Boyd and Wood headlined a reveloving door of other stars who were missing in action for large stages of that campaign. Despite that, we managed to BE THERE, in the Top 8 for September, where unspeakable magic dust was sprinkled to deliver the ultimate glory.

Is it happening again? There is that Willy Wonka-like twinkle in Bevo's eye again and I have a composed confidence that things are unfolding mystically again. This time, the footy gods are not decimating our list with injuries, and we have a dearth or options, after 1/3 of the season has expired.

With Schache, Dickson and Boyd currently in the VFL, what might be possible if they all hit their straps at the same time? With Naughton, Gowers and Llyod currently the three preferred forwards, I can't help but think what might happen if all six are hulking opposition in the lead up to finals.

Our mids are currently ranked #1 or in the top #3 for all of the following main indicators: Total Possessions, Inside 50's, Clearances, Metres Gained, Contested Possessions. Bontempelli, Macrae, Liberatore, Dunkley, Wallis, McLean and Hunter are pure class, while Jong looms as the speed demon who may add the cherry on top to this fleet of champs.

Our defence is formidable, with Wood and Cordy being ably supported by Trengove and now Roberts down the spine, while Morris will be returning to continue his Terminator-like career, as the back end of the season kicks in. Our run out of defence is probably our greatest unhearalded weapon, with Daniel, Johannisen, Crozier, Suckling, Richards and Smith rebounding with pace and class, and frequency.

Add English, the ruckman who is on a a Scotty Wynd-like trajectory, and a host of youngsters (Williams, Lipinski, Smith, Lynch, Young, Hayes) who are either getting game time or barking at the door.

Bevo looks set to orchestrate another wink from the universe, just don't say I didn't warn you...

Could one post be anymore wrong ?

So far off it’s not even funny

 

[_Mike_]

In my comparison & opinion, 2019 is more comparable to 2013/2014

 

[lachy]

In my comparison & opinion, 2019 is more comparable to 2013/2014

I hope you are right Mike. In my opinion, which I hope I am entirely wrong, we are getting very close to 2003 levels with our list balance. A loss to Carlton this weekend puts us squarely in the mix to finish on the bottom or at best 16th

 

[gangsta deluxe]

All of these analogies are bullshit lol.

Are we the 1933 Bulldogs of yore? Or perhaps the 1971 Bulldogs?

The OP shot their bolt. It was obviously embarrassing to most of us then.

 

[Fossie 32]

A little over optimistic but good to see some people can be like that

 

[_Mike_]

I hope you are right Mike. In my opinion, which I hope I am entirely wrong, we are getting very close to 2003 levels with our list balance. A loss to Carlton this weekend puts us squarely in the mix to finish on the bottom or at best 16th

In comparison our list balance in 2013/2014 was pretty ordinary as well. We had some good young albeit inexperienced players that a few years later tasted what many never achieve in their footy careers. We had few plodders/list cloggers in that time that moved on post 2014.

 

[SupercededMan]

We're not half the team that 2016 was. Let's not kid ourselves. But ...they can do some real damage, and end some other clubs seasons.

Next year. Next year.

 

[mcgleereturns]

It’s gonna be 2005 all over again. One tragic moment like the Jeff White free kick will end our season and every team in the eight will follow with a great sigh of relief.

If we win this week and next and Collingwood and Port beat GWS we are in the eight.

We play Adelaide, Essendon and GWS, all sides we are competing for a spot with in last 3 games. One of them has a Jeff White 2005 moment and we are probably gone, unless we sneak a Gabba win or Adelaide get knocked off by Pies and Eagles. Ballarat Round 23 could be HUGE!

Of course beating Saints and Freo has to be done first and we are not a great streak team.

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[Mattie2016]

We're not half the team that 2016 was. Let's not kid ourselves. But ...they can do some real damage, and end some other clubs seasons.

Next year. Next year.

Our time is now.

 

[SupercededMan]

Our time is now.

Mattie, I like your optimism! I hope you're right. I'm a pessimist by nature, lol.

 

[Mattie2016]

Here we come!...