Opinion Is this version of the Bulldogs the best team we've ever had?

Jax1

Draftee
May 24, 2021
15
12
AFL Club
Geelong
This is just as much a question as it is a statement. Being in my 20's I havent witnessed many of our best iterations, however this version right now just feels different to all the others. Throughout all the threads we are all waiting for us to cough up an easy game, to let teams back in and at least at this stage we haven't done it. Best midfield in the comp, a very dangerous forward line and incredible ball use. A defence stacked fall of brilliant ball use but which is a bit suspect to one on ones and is probably one kpd away from being where we want it. Is Bont the best Bulldog to ever wear the guernsey, and is this side the best of all previous?

This is coming off the back of a big win vs the saints, making it the first time in our history to have multiple 100 point+ victories in our history
Don’t get ahead of yourself.. plenty of teams (st KOODA, north Melbourne, Port have won their first 11 games and looked like a million dollars..only for it to not count for much at the end of the year. Having said that, you’ve only won 2 flags. One was so long ago its not relevant to the conversation, and the other was an amazing month of football to come from the bottom of the eight. So if you win this grand final you will clearly be the greatest Bulldogs team ever. But if you don’t win the grand final.. you’re no better than the 97 Bulldogs.
i’m a Geelong supporter None of those teams in the 90s (that had massive winning streaks and multiple grand final appearances) deserve to even be in the same conversation as that 2007-2011 version. Even last years team last year’s team was better than any team Gary Ablett senior was in.. why? Because unless you win the big one... you’re not in the same stratosphere as a team that did. We performed a lot better in that losing grand final then we did in any of the ones in the 90s. Been five years since your last premiership, so it’s not the same era. This team doesn’t deserve ANY recognition until they do it on grand final day.. and even then can’t claim to be one of the greats until they Atleast win more than one flag in a three year period.. like Bris,Geel,Haw n Rich did.
For what it’s worth.. I think this WILL be the greatest Bulldogs team of all time. That they havent achieved anything significant yet.. and I’m not old enough to know that I’ve heard the 1985 Bulldogs were pretty good too.
 
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Mantis Toboggan

Premiership Player
Mar 24, 2018
3,816
8,523
AFL Club
Western Bulldogs
Don’t get ahead of yourself.. plenty of teams (st KOODA, north Melbourne, Port have won their first 11 games and looked like a million dollars..only for it to not count for much at the end of the year. Having said that, you’ve only won 2 flags. One was so long ago its not relevant to the conversation, and the other was an amazing month of football to come from the bottom of the eight. So if you win this grand final you will clearly be the greatest Bulldogs team ever. But if you don’t win the grand final.. you’re no better than the 97 Bulldogs.
i’m a Geelong supporter None of those teams in the 90s (that had massive winning streaks and multiple grand final appearances) deserve to even be in the same conversation as that 2007-2011 version. Even last years team last year’s team was better than any team Gary Ablett senior was in.. why? Because unless you win the big one... you’re not in the same stratosphere as a team that did. We performed a lot better in that losing grand final then we did in any of the ones in the 90s. Been five years since your last premiership, so it’s not the same era. This team doesn’t deserve ANY recognition until they do it on grand final day.. and even then can’t claim to be one of the greats until they Atleast win more than one flag in a three year period.. like Bris,Geel,Haw n Rich did.
For what it’s worth.. I think this WILL be the greatest Bulldogs team of all time. That they havent achieved anything significant yet.. and I’m not old enough to know that I’ve heard the 1985 Bulldogs were pretty good too.
Interesting first post from a Cats fan.
 
Don’t get ahead of yourself.. plenty of teams (st KOODA, north Melbourne, Port have won their first 11 games and looked like a million dollars..only for it to not count for much at the end of the year. Having said that, you’ve only won 2 flags. One was so long ago its not relevant to the conversation, and the other was an amazing month of football to come from the bottom of the eight. So if you win this grand final you will clearly be the greatest Bulldogs team ever. But if you don’t win the grand final.. you’re no better than the 97 Bulldogs.
i’m a Geelong supporter None of those teams in the 90s (that had massive winning streaks and multiple grand final appearances) deserve to even be in the same conversation as that 2007-2011 version. Even last years team last year’s team was better than any team Gary Ablett senior was in.. why? Because unless you win the big one... you’re not in the same stratosphere as a team that did. We performed a lot better in that losing grand final then we did in any of the ones in the 90s. Been five years since your last premiership, so it’s not the same era. This team doesn’t deserve ANY recognition until they do it on grand final day.. and even then can’t claim to be one of the greats until they Atleast win more than one flag in a three year period.. like Bris,Geel,Haw n Rich did.
For what it’s worth.. I think this WILL be the greatest Bulldogs team of all time. That they havent achieved anything significant yet.. and I’m not old enough to know that I’ve heard the 1985 Bulldogs were pretty good too.

Not a very well constructed straw man for your first post.

Create a new alt and try again.
 
Oct 30, 2003
1,377
2,069
Kennel
AFL Club
Western Bulldogs
On talent this team and the depth of the squad is by far the best list we have had since I started going to the footy late 70’s.

85 was very good but no CHF and a lack of depth was the reason they made just 1 finals appearance. We also did not have a top 5 player in the comp but Doug was very close as 85 was his best year and even though Hardie won the Brownlow he was not a Bont.

90-2010 teams lacked match winners. Grant was not a match winner like Carey or Co and his final performances were average for a player with so much ability. Carey was so arrogant while Chris was a really nice guy. That’s why one had multiple flags. Teams lacked depth with players like Martin and Callan getting games

2016 - they had self belief, crazy intensity and a team first etho but was not the most skilled team.

2021 - the depth is crazy as well as the skill level. List management has been amazing over the past 10 years. We have arguably the best player in the AFL or second best depending on where Dusty is if Tigers make finals. Bont is a super nice guy but is arrogant in his self belief that he can be a game changer. We have the best midfield I have seen and great medium defenders and an under Rated key defender in Keath. Naughton could be anything and has Carey Like swagger. Liba best clearance player and Macrae best accumulator in AFL. If we do not capitulise on this it would be a tragedy. We should be a contender for the next 5 years
 
Too battle scarred to believe we are good yet

Hard to beat the 85 team for sheer belief and quality

This team is building nicely and would be scary if 100% fit

One week at a time

Lid firmly on


Sent from my iPhone using BigFooty.com
Its the eternal pessimism in Dogs supporters...particularly those of us old enough to have seen the losing Prelim run from '85 to '10

I've seen a flag recently so the pressure isn't as high as it was, but i'm already gearing up for the Richmond flogs at work to hang s**t if we don't win the flag
 
A lot of people said we jagged a flag early like the Hawks did in 08... hopefully he can repeat what they did over the next decade...

I'm not really concerned about back to backs and three peats etc, id almost prefer the Geelong route and with 2 or 3 over alternating years, however the stats say you win one on average every 18 years. We have some averages to make up
 
Not a very well constructed straw man for your first post.

Create a new alt and try again.

Interestingly that one of our flags was apparently so long ago that it doesnt warrant the conversation, but yet Essendon, Carlton, Richmond etc always remind us how many flags they've won. As far as Ess and Carl go...21 years and 26 years are the most recent, i guess we can take them out of the conversation too
 

Footscrazy

Team Captain
Jun 18, 2011
527
844
AFL Club
Western Bulldogs
Other Teams
Footscray
I'm not sure about the historical rankings as to whether this is the "best" team we've ever had but this is for sure the funnest to watch.

The majesty of King Bont walking on water, Nator breaking records, Libba the Dada mongrel. Other flag legends like Caleb, JJ and Hunter playing great footy. Astro taking off. BD's AA half back transformation. Imports Juicy kicking 10 and Keithy being full back general. Twins Scotty and Mcsteal sticking it up em.

2 100 points wins in 10 weeks. 9-1. 160%. This has been a great ride so far. Long may it continue.
 

bobs head soup

Peanuts Peanuts
Sep 14, 2015
5,016
14,527
AFL Club
Western Bulldogs
For sheer talent, I'd still say our 2010 list was the most stacked we've had;

Backs; Dale Morris, Brian Lake, Jarrad Harbrow, Bob Murphy, Tom Williams, Lindsay Gilbee, Liam Picken, Ryan Hargraves, Jordan Roughead, Easton Wood.

Mids; Ben Hudson, Will Minson. Adam Cooney, Matthew Boyd, Ryan Griffen, Daniel Cross, Nathan Eagleton, Callan Ward, Dylan Addison.

Forwards; Barry Hall, Brad Johnson, Jason Akermanis, Daniel Giansiracusa, Mitch Hahn, Liam Jones, Shaun Higgins, Josh Hill, Jarrad Grant

That is choc a block with talent, but big personalities and egos also. As a well led collective, this edition has every chance to prove a better team.
 
Definitely up there with some of the best teams we've had on paper, but a game style and coaching staff plays an imperative part in team success.

I am confident if you combine our current coaching staff with our 2010 team list, then both the 2010 and 2021 lists would be stronger chances of winning the flag than our current list (if that makes sense). I.e. If our current list played our 2021 list with the same coaching staff, I'd back in our 2010 list.

Imagine how good Lindsay Gilbee would be in our current team, for example. You think Bailey Dale is thriving in his role off half back. Gilbee would be even better!

We had so many injuries in 2010, it was such a shame what could have been.
 
Yes, but we didn't have the coaching staff to seriously challenge.

Rocket was a great coach and still a favourite of the older players like Dale and Boyd. It was a shame he was never a premiership coach. He assembled the Sydney team that won a premiership, but unfortunately Roos gets all of the credit for that.
 
It'd be quite the strange first post if it isnt a troll, cant really put my finger on that one...

He/she has a point though, we were thrilled to break through and win a flag, but now need to back it up. We have assembled an incredible team that deserve more success.
 

John Smith92

Team Captain
Nov 20, 2013
596
936
AFL Club
Western Bulldogs
Don’t get ahead of yourself.. plenty of teams (st KOODA, north Melbourne, Port have won their first 11 games and looked like a million dollars..only for it to not count for much at the end of the year. Having said that, you’ve only won 2 flags. One was so long ago its not relevant to the conversation, and the other was an amazing month of football to come from the bottom of the eight. So if you win this grand final you will clearly be the greatest Bulldogs team ever. But if you don’t win the grand final.. you’re no better than the 97 Bulldogs.
i’m a Geelong supporter None of those teams in the 90s (that had massive winning streaks and multiple grand final appearances) deserve to even be in the same conversation as that 2007-2011 version. Even last years team last year’s team was better than any team Gary Ablett senior was in.. why? Because unless you win the big one... you’re not in the same stratosphere as a team that did. We performed a lot better in that losing grand final then we did in any of the ones in the 90s. Been five years since your last premiership, so it’s not the same era. This team doesn’t deserve ANY recognition until they do it on grand final day.. and even then can’t claim to be one of the greats until they Atleast win more than one flag in a three year period.. like Bris,Geel,Haw n Rich did.
For what it’s worth.. I think this WILL be the greatest Bulldogs team of all time. That they havent achieved anything significant yet.. and I’m not old enough to know that I’ve heard the 1985 Bulldogs were pretty good too.
It might be a troll but he/she is not wrong.
 

SharkMeister4

Senior List
May 18, 2016
216
352
AFL Club
Western Bulldogs
He/she has a point though, we were thrilled to break through and win a flag, but now need to back it up. We have assembled an incredible team that deserve more success.
yeah absolutely. history only looks at grand finals, that isnt lost on me..... however, I do feel that this team currently is stronger than the 2016 team. However, without any grand finals to this iteration then yeah 2016 will take the bickies
 
Sep 7, 2015
15,619
35,942
AFL Club
Tasmania
For sheer talent, I'd still say our 2010 list was the most stacked we've had;

Backs; Dale Morris, Brian Lake, Jarrad Harbrow, Bob Murphy, Tom Williams, Lindsay Gilbee, Liam Picken, Ryan Hargraves, Jordan Roughead, Easton Wood.

Mids; Ben Hudson, Will Minson. Adam Cooney, Matthew Boyd, Ryan Griffen, Daniel Cross, Nathan Eagleton, Callan Ward, Dylan Addison.

Forwards; Barry Hall, Brad Johnson, Jason Akermanis, Daniel Giansiracusa, Mitch Hahn, Liam Jones, Shaun Higgins, Josh Hill, Jarrad Grant

That is choc a block with talent, but big personalities and egos also. As a well led collective, this edition has every chance to prove a better team.

The old three-headed monster of Hall, Grant and Jones
 
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