Year of the Ox - The Bulldogs curse

[X_box_X]

In 1925, the Footscray Football Club joined the VFL. This was the Year of the Ox.

In 1961, the Footscray Football Club lost the VFL Grand Final. This was the Year of the Ox.

In 1985, the Footscray Football Club lost the Preliminary Final by 10 points. This was the Year of the Ox.

In 1997, the Western Bulldogs lost the Preliminary Final by 2 points. This was the Year of the Ox.

In 2009, the Western Bulldogs lost the Preliminary Final by 7 points. This was the Year of the Ox.

In 2021, the Western Bulldogs lost the AFL Grand Final. This was the Year of the Ox.

 

[Werewolf]

The Bulldogs also had poor years in 1937, 1949 and 1973.

I wonder what 2033 will have in store for us?

 

[dogwatch]

Sounds like we do pretty well in the bovine years. We've had 8 of them and made the PF or GF in 5 of those 8.
I'll take those percentages any day.

No flag for the Ox, that's true, but only 2 of the 12 animals have delivered us a flag so the Ox is hardly standing on its own chewing its cud. (1954 was the Horse and 2016 was the Monkey, which we finally got off our back).

 

[BulldogMuscle]

Was it also the Year of the Ox for 22, 23, 24 and 25? Because we've been pretty shithouse since 21....

 

[X_box_X]

Sounds like we do pretty well in the bovine years. We've had 8 of them and made the PF or GF in 5 of those 8.
I'll take those percentages any day.

No flag for the Ox, that's true, but only 2 of the 12 animals have delivered us a flag so the Ox is hardly standing on its own chewing its cud. (1954 was the Horse and 2016 was the Monkey, which we finally got off our back).

The only two GF losses we've played in, and the only three Prelim Finals we've lost by ten pts or less, were all Year of the Ox. Statistically that's not just unlikely. That's unlikely of supermassive proportions.

 

[dogwatch]

The only two GF losses we've played in, and the only three Prelim Finals we've lost by ten pts or less, were all Year of the Ox. Statistically that's not just unlikely. That's unlikely of supermassive proportions.

I think you’re oxtrapolating too much from a small sample.

 

[X_box_X]

I think you’re oxtrapolating too much from a small sample.

If it were three or four examples, maybe. But there are five examples plus the sixth being our induction into the VFL. There's something in that.

Besides, curses are a thing and they do get broken.

• Curse of the Billy Goat
• Curse of the Bambino
• Socceroos curse of the Witch Doctor
• Kennett Curse
• Andretti Curse
• Terry Griffiths Crucible Curse
• New York Rangers WW2 Curse
• Peter Muldoon Curse

Many more, but they eventually get broken. As such, pencil 2033 in for a premiership.

 

[Sentinel]

If it were three or four examples, maybe. But there are five examples plus the sixth being our induction into the VFL. There's something in that.

Besides, curses are a thing and they do get broken.

• Curse of the Billy Goat
• Curse of the Bambino
• Socceroos curse of the Witch Doctor
• Kennett Curse
• Andretti Curse
• Terry Griffiths Crucible Curse
• New York Rangers WW2 Curse
• Peter Muldoon Curse

Many more, but they eventually get broken. As such, pencil 2033 in for a premiership.

Don't forget the Curse of the Western Bulldogs Leading Goalkicker Award which effects all who don't go by the name 'Aaron Naughton'. Hopefully it is now broken:

• 2017: Liam Picken (concussed in the 2028 preseason and never played again) and Jake Stringer (traded at the end of the 2017)
• 2018: Billy Gowers (spend half of the next season in the VFL before being delisted in 2020 for just 13 games/13 goals post-2018)
• 2019: Sam Lloyd (spent most of 2020 injured and out of the side before retiring with a year to run on his contract, for a return of 9 games/7 goals post-2019)
• 2020: Mitch Wallis (fell out of favour spending the next 2 seasons in and out of the side and as sub, delisted end of 2022. A return of 11 games/8 goals post-2020)
• 2021: Josh Bruce (ACL towards the end of 2021, came back as a defender before being delisted at the end of 2021. A return of 13 games/1 goal post-2021)
• 2022: Aaron Naughton
• 2023: Aaron Naughton
• 2024: Jamarra Ugle-Hagan (never played for the Bulldogs again, traded to Gold Coast end of 2025)
• 2025: Aaron Naughton

That's 7 of the past 8 award winners who are no longer at the club and a combined total of just 46 games and 29 goals after winning it.

 

[Chicago1]

Besides, curses are a thing and they do get broken.

• Curse of the Billy Goat

Oh, Happy Day - 3rd Nov. 2016(2nd Nov. 2016 Chicago time.)! I went to the Billy Goat Tavern once.

 

[Mofra]

For the love of God let's not talk about the 'dud brother' curse.
We're incredible statistical anomalies.

 

[worbod]

In what year did our ex-coach Mick Malthouse say "the earth is slow but the ox is patient"?

Was it spoken during an ox year? The only reference I can find on the web is that he said it after Collingwood had defeated West Coast. If that is true, the only ox year correlating with this is 2009, when Collingwood did indeed defeat West Coast, but I don't reckon Mick made the quote that late in his career.

 

[geoffjennings79]

In what year did our ex-coach Mick Malthouse say "the earth is slow but the ox is patient"?

Was it spoken during an ox year? The only reference I can find on the web is that he said it after Collingwood had defeated West Coast. If that is true, the only ox year correlating with this is 2009, when Collingwood did indeed defeat West Coast, but I don't reckon Mick made the quote that late in his career.

I thought he said it as Eagles coach in reference to a Jakovich/Carey duel, but not 100% sure.

 

[GetDimmaBack]

In 1925, the Footscray Football Club joined the VFL. This was the Year of the Ox.

In 1961, the Footscray Football Club lost the VFL Grand Final. This was the Year of the Ox.

In 1985, the Footscray Football Club lost the Preliminary Final by 10 points. This was the Year of the Ox.

In 1997, the Western Bulldogs lost the Preliminary Final by 2 points. This was the Year of the Ox.

In 2009, the Western Bulldogs lost the Preliminary Final by 7 points. This was the Year of the Ox.

In 2021, the Western Bulldogs lost the AFL Grand Final. This was the Year of the Ox.

The ox is slow, but the earth is patient.

As are we Dogs supporters, Grasshopper…

 

[Inside The Kennel]

It's actually the Year of the Horse! It was also Year of the Horse in 1954. Craig Ellis

Craig Ellis

Age

51

Ht

190cm

Wt

90kg

Pos.

Def

Career

Season

Last 5

D

10.9

3star

K

7.0

3star

HB

3.9

3star

M

3.6

4star

T

1.2

3star

No current season stats available

D

4.8

1star

K

4.2

2star

HB

0.6

1star

M

2.0

3star

T

0.6

3star

is excited. So is Mr Ed Richards

20

Ed Richards

Age

26

Ht

188cm

Wt

89kg

Pos.

Mid

Career

Season

Last 5

D

12.4

3star

K

7.2

3star

HB

5.2

4star

M

2.5

3star

T

2.4

4star

CL

0.7

3star

D

11.3

3star

K

6.0

2star

HB

5.3

3star

M

1.5

2star

T

2.5

3star

CL

1.1

3star

D

14.6

4star

K

9.8

4star

HB

4.8

4star

M

4.8

5star

T

2.6

4star

CL

0.2

2star

.

 

[X_box_X]

It's actually the Year of the Horse! It was also Year of the Horse in 1954. Craig Ellis is excited. So is Mr Ed Richards.

Giddey up!

Josh Giddey was born in 2002 when it was Year of the Horse.

 

[GetDimmaBack]

It's actually the Year of the Horse! It was also Year of the Horse in 1954. Craig Ellis is excited. So is Mr Ed Richards.

Well, no wonder the Ox is patient...