Which club is Western Bulldogs biggest rival?

Western Bulldogs biggest rival?

  • Essendon

    Votes: 40 13.0%
  • Geelong

    Votes: 8 2.6%
  • St Kilda

    Votes: 77 25.1%
  • Carlton

    Votes: 6 2.0%
  • Richmond

    Votes: 6 2.0%
  • Collingwood

    Votes: 0 0.0%
  • North Melbourne

    Votes: 39 12.7%
  • Hawthorn

    Votes: 0 0.0%
  • Adelaide

    Votes: 11 3.6%
  • West Coast

    Votes: 2 0.7%
  • GWS

    Votes: 118 38.4%

  • Total voters
    307

King Size

Debutant
Suspended
Oct 11, 2011
100
1
AFL Club
North Melbourne
Please just Western Bulldogs supporters voting!

I've included a handful of candidates, since the Bulldogs have had many small rivalries over the years, but never an obvious standout.

So which club would you identify as the Bulldogs main rival, regardless of ladder positions?
 

Leon

Norm Smith Medallist
Jan 13, 2004
8,320
13,569
Bound for Germany 2006!
AFL Club
Western Bulldogs
Other Teams
Harry's Heroes
1. Carlton
2. Essendon
3. St Kilda
4. Norf


Essendon - mainly just their supporters. Truly obnoxious. No club supporters deliberately set out to be ****s to opposition fans as much as this lot. They were shocking back in the days at Windy Hill and they're still just as bad. Plus, they're bandwagoners. I know all clubs have them but they're one of the worst ones.

Geelong - like them. No issues.

St Kilda - hate, hate, hate, hate, hate, hate them. Awful supporters, awful players, awful culture, awful playing style. I really, really hate that smug twat Ross Lyon also, although my level of respect for him didn't even move when he did the dirty on them a few weeks ago, mainly because I already hated him so much that it couldn't drop any lower, him being an underhanded dodgy prick was hardly a surprise and anyway, he only walked out on St Kilda.

I have tried down the years to move away from blaming others for our underachieving and whilst we still should have won by simply kicking straight, their antics and arm chair ride they got from the umpires in the 2009 was an absolute disgrace.

Carlton - they're just plain not likeable Carlton. Elitist, arrogant, cheats and tankers. Plus, they're supporters are totally in denial and/or clueless about it. You never heard a peep out of them about Elliott when they were in their hey day, as soon as the s**t hit the fan with his dodgy dealings and getting them draft concessions they all turned on him. Will barrack for anyone over Carlton.

Richmond - used to hate them, now not especially bothered by them.

Collingwood - I know everyone hates them but I don't really (Alan Didak aside). I know they are a powerhouse and there's a touch of arrogance in them about it but their culture and history is much more working class and cleaner than Carlton. Plus, their cheer squad showed up at the Western Oval rally in 1989, and Eddie helped us out in the early 00's with getting sponsorship. Respect.

North Melbourne - I hate North Melbourne, but it's mainly a BigFooty thing and due to their supporters on here (not the OP btw). On this site they are comfortably the worst in my book. What an obnoxious bunch of whiny, whinging, horrible, one eyed, victim complex, chip on shoulder losers. They all think the world is against them and owes them a favour. Is there an organisation those losers feel have not victimized them in some way over the years? I used to genuinely like Norf and hoped for the best for them, now I could not care less if they fold.

Hawthorn - no issue, quite like them. Love Buddy Franklin.

Adelaide - I went through a childish grudge against them after 97/98 but now just accept that we ****ed it up. Neither like or dislike them, just another team.

West Coast - like them.
 
Jul 5, 2005
2,759
139
Doglands
AFL Club
Western Bulldogs
Other Teams
Melbourne Victory
Hate St. Kilda and North, and every time we play both teams, there's a bit of heat in the kitchen. From both mine and a club perspective, I'd say our rivalry is with these two.

Everybody hates Carlton/Essendon, so that's a given.
 

Dazb86

Brownlow Medallist
Mar 31, 2008
15,901
13,400
melbourne
AFL Club
Western Bulldogs
We don't really have one.

It would probably be St Kilda this era though. Lost 2 prelims to them that we were in a position to win. Lost ALL of our close games with them after blowing a lead in the regular season. The whole race to the 2nd premiership thing. Etc etc.

We did manage to get a who cares cup from them though. :eek:
 

Walsh Bay

Club Legend
Feb 5, 2004
2,068
1,362
Sydney's West
AFL Club
Western Bulldogs
I loathe Essendon with a passion.

Only have to see red and black next to each other and I want to kick the cat. A few years ago the camera cut to Andrew Peacock and Peter Costello sitting smugly in the stands in their vile Bomber scarves and I spewed for about three hours.

However they're not our rivals.

We unfortunately don't have the history to justify true rivalries.
 
Aug 15, 2006
13,328
3,953
.
AFL Club
Western Bulldogs
Geographically it's Essendon. But in saying that there really isn't any feeling in the games so that's a cop out.

Last 25 years it would have to be Geelong. Knocking us out of the finals since the 90's. Those there that day Brownless snagged that goal after the siren will never forget. (granted it wasn't an elimination)

I actually think over the last 20 years it's Richmond that have caused us the most grief with their pinching of players and unjustified strutting around. **** it's been good smashing them for my entire life time.
 
Would've said Richmond until recently. Now that Brown and Wallace aren't there the rivalry isn't the same.

Might become GWS with Ward being there...

Going for Norf currently, for all the BF reasons mentioned above. Got kicked off their board once for calling for calm.

"Run along little Doggie", said one of their mods.
 

JJHunter

Club Legend
Jan 15, 2008
2,390
2,119
Toorak
AFL Club
Western Bulldogs
Geographically it's Essendon. But in saying that there really isn't any feeling in the games so that's a cop out.

There is certainly feeling in the stands in bomber games and pretty sure Johno has never showed more emotion than the time he thought he was king hit by Barnes off play. Then there was 2000 where we ended their winning streak and also a couple of close games i.e Lloyds kick after the siren, and I think maybe even Johno had a kick after the siren.
Moorcrofts mark was taken against us to that night too.

For me its the bombers as you say geographically most people I grew up with were bombers, then probably bulldogs fans. I reckon I could hate my own mother if she barracked for the bombers !

I on the other hand converted my wife from bomber to bulldog !
 

cammo78

Norm Smith Medallist
Oct 10, 2006
9,671
6,667
AFL Club
Western Bulldogs
Other Teams
Mooroolbark FC, Arizona Cardinals
Think some are confusing THEIR most hated with our club's biggest rivalry.

Not sure we have ever had any sort of rivalry with Carlton.

Unfortunately we have never been a threat to anyone bar ourselves, and a result is that we don't really have a rivalry at all.

Rivalries generally stem from Grand Final battles more than anything (e.g. Sydney/West Coast, Hawthorn/Geelong, Hawthorn/Essendon, Collingwood/Carlton) and given our inability to make one - again, we can't drum up a rivalry with anyone!
 
Aug 15, 2006
13,328
3,953
.
AFL Club
Western Bulldogs
For me its the bombers as you say geographically most people I grew up with were bombers, then probably bulldogs fans. I reckon I could hate my own mother if she barracked for the bombers !

I on the other hand converted my wife from bomber to bulldog !

Growing up in Geelong, I despise the Cats. It's actually closer to a blood feud than just football rivalry for me. It's been a tough couple of years :mad:

I'm still confused by the StKilda rivalry. Besides Riewoldt rolling around the ground in one of the prelims I can hardly remember being emotional playing the Aints in the past 25 years.
 

gangsta deluxe

Norm Smith Medallist
Nov 14, 2005
8,824
11,372
Melbourne
AFL Club
Western Bulldogs
Other Teams
Rajasthan Royals!!!
There is a distinction between rivalry and hatred.

I hate, HATE, Adelaide. However, I do not consider them our biggest rival. A rival should have geographic, historical, and financial nearness to our club. St Kilda scores the highest out of these three. I give it to them.

FFS many of us refused to support them in the GF last year, given that we didn't want them to win, and couldn't bear them winning, another premiership before us.
 

SonOfScray

Norm Smith Medallist
Apr 7, 2002
5,949
4,584
Bay 18 L3
AFL Club
Western Bulldogs
Other Teams
Bruins, Ice, Aces
1. Carlton



Essendon - mainly just their supporters. Truly obnoxious. No club supporters deliberately set out to be ****s to opposition fans as much as this lot. They were shocking back in the days at Windy Hill and they're still just as bad. Plus, they're bandwagoners. I know all clubs have them but they're one of the worst ones.


St Kilda - hate, hate, hate, hate, hate, hate them. Awful supporters, awful players, awful culture, awful playing style. I really, really hate that smug twat Ross Lyon also, although my level of respect for him didn't even move when he did the dirty on them a few weeks ago, mainly because I already hated him so much that it couldn't drop any lower, him being an underhanded dodgy prick was hardly a surprise and anyway, he only walked out on St Kilda.

I have tried down the years to move away from blaming others for our underachieving and whilst we still should have won by simply kicking straight, their antics and arm chair ride they got from the umpires in the 2009 was an absolute disgrace.


Richmond - used to hate them, now not especially bothered by them.

Collingwood - I know everyone hates them but I don't really (Alan Didak aside). I know they are a powerhouse and there's a touch of arrogance in them about it but their culture and history is much more working class and cleaner than Carlton. Plus, their cheer squad showed up at the Western Oval rally in 1989, and Eddie helped us out in the early 00's with getting sponsorship. Respect.

North Melbourne - I hate North Melbourne, but it's mainly a BigFooty thing and due to their supporters on here (not the OP btw). On this site they are comfortably the worst in my book. What an obnoxious bunch of whiny, whinging, horrible, one eyed, victim complex, chip on shoulder losers. They all think the world is against them and owes them a favour. Is there an organisation those losers feel have not victimized them in some way over the years? I used to genuinely like Norf and hoped for the best for them, now I could not care less if they fold.

This. Practically word for word what I was intending to write. I genuinely hate Essendon, but acknowledge that in rivalry terms they probably don't rate us in the slightest.

Nth would be next in line. Horrid people.
 
Essendon, don't know how many don fans I have scratched the surface of and found an ex bulldog supporter:mad:

St Kilda - there supporters prance around like they have actually achieved something, take a look at your premiership cupboard, same as ours, except they have been in the competition a lot longer so even more pathetic.

Norf, what is it with their supporters - they took 50 years to win their first premiership and carry on like they are a super team since. Like many on here, carded from their board, because they can dish it out but can't take it.
 
Oct 22, 2011
3,211
5,064
Melbourne
AFL Club
Western Bulldogs
Other Teams
PMFC
I still hate the Crows, they were the first to break my footy heart.

Also dislike West Coast, Carlton, Hawthorn, Essendon, St. Kilda, Port Adelaide, and the Roos.

Some of my family, including most of my Mum's side, are Bombers which both elevates my hate for them and moderates it. Certainly I reckon they're our closest thing to a long-term rival, except that they don't feel it at all.

In terms of the feeling going both way, it's probably the Saints.
 

Ridley This

Team Captain
Oct 28, 2008
424
484
Melbourne
AFL Club
Western Bulldogs
Has to be Essendon for mine.
Not only historically but because of my own bitter bitter hatred of the entitled sh#ts. Players, staff, supporters, the lot! Even BMac might have to shower a few times before I go near him.

I'm still confused by the StKilda rivalry. Besides Riewoldt rolling around the ground in one of the prelims I can hardly remember being emotional playing the Aints in the past 25 years.

I'm with you man. I don't like St Kilda much at all, but don't give that must of a toss about them either. Sure they beat us in two prelims, 2009 was a bit dubious, but they've been a 'successful' team over that period and are ready to go back to being rubbish soon enough. Bunch of cellar dwelling toe-rags. Some might say the same about us. Perhaps this 'rivalry' is the 'Narcissism of small differences' http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Narcissism_of_small_differences. Other than Milne 'the pest' and Cheatwhodt, good luck to them.

We've got a nice little thing brewing with Norf these days, which I encourage. Their coaching staff and supporters appear to have embraced a sort of 'douchery' in order to make themselves relivant. I look forward to watching them fall on their ass, because they richly deserve it.
 

SonOfScray

Norm Smith Medallist
Apr 7, 2002
5,949
4,584
Bay 18 L3
AFL Club
Western Bulldogs
Other Teams
Bruins, Ice, Aces
St Kilda v Us in rivalry terms is like watching two one legged men in an arse kicking contest. Neither wants to be the bloke who gets done.The only addition to the analogy is that we lost our leg in the war, saving puppies and little children. They lost their leg in a meth lab explosion, exploiting child labour while the hierarchy raped and pillaged those around them.

The north one is a bit like two homeless men, starving men fighting over a hamburger. We were prepared to share it for breakfast to which Norf agreed, smiled and shook hands on. Then in the middle of the night they tried to throttle us and eat the burger all for themselves! Pricks.
 
Back