Am I the only one that doesn't rate the dogs?

[skeptic]

I read these threads here and at BF about them going back to back and how they're scary good and I don't get it.

They're a decent team absolutely. Can beat anyone of their day but by the same token they're very beatable too.

IIRC they finished what? 6th in the home and away season? IMO that's more or less where they're at... among the better teams.

Come September and credit where credit is due they turned it on and played their best footy of the season though in my opinion they got a lot of help final 2 games.

How big are ppl on them?

[Wayne42]

I think the Bulldogs success next year will be governed by Travis and his old man, Travis will either have a good year and
the old man will stay in the background, or, Travis will be shite and the old man will always be at Whitten Oval telling
Beveridge what he's doing wrong.

[The Fireman]

I yearn to be rated after a flag

[thejiggingsaint]

How can ANYONE "not rate the Dogs" after what they did last season? REALLY? Got to be too much "christmas cheer" affecting their judgement because the last time I looked, they were PREMIERS, (winning it from 7th on the ladder) In my humble opinion, anyone who doesnt (ahem) "rate" ( ) THAT achievement, has a funny view on footy!

[Devilhead]

Like nearly all Premiership teams the Bullies had a lot things fall their way at the right time of the year

We can only hope to be so lucky

[White Winmar]

They're good, but not a long way ahead of us. It's just that the last 10% improvement is the hardest. That's the big test for us this year. They won from seventh, a fantastic achievement and they deserved it, but it was a very even field with North the only side in it with no hope. The spread amongst the top seven was tight and they still have a number of players they can slot in. The Giants are going to be tough to beat next year and strike me as the standout. The WB would definitely be on the next rung with the swines, Adelaide and Geelong. Hawks and WCE might stagnate, or struggle. Opens the door for us. Remember, we beat them last time out, with a very impressive tactical effort. I hope we can emulate their 2016 effort.

[SaintPav]

Yet to be proven but I said they wouldn't even make the 8 in 2016 so what would I know.

The 2016 GF was a completely different kettle of fish when you compare it to the GFs the poor Saints played in 2009 and 2010.

[Waltzing St Kilda]

Like nearly all Premiership teams the Bullies had a lot things fall their way at the right time of the year

You can say that again!

A stupid new finals system that had the top teams in the eight battling two momentum-killing byes.

And the men in green who followed up their season-long favouritism by giving them a chaffeur-driven ride in the last two games.

[markp]

Go and put your house on them not making the 8 and us winning the flag... the odds on that should be fairly good.

[skeptic]

Go and put your house on them not making the 8 and us winning the flag... the odds on that should be fairly good.

I never said anything about them not making the 8. Do you have them as premiership favourites?

[Impatient Sainter]

Brilliant coaching makes to the teams strengths makes a huge difference!

[markp]

Go and put your house on them not making the 8 and us winning the flag... the odds on that should be fairly good.

I never said anything about them not making the 8. Do you have them as premiership favourites?

You said you don't rate them!

Of course they may slip (flags are harder to win twice in a row than once!), but they're young and were very good.

They deserve to among the top few favourites, and much respect.

[prwilkinson]

The doggies are a pretty great team and won the flag by jumping over an incredible amount of hurdles. However, they had a pretty amazing 'rub of the green' in the Prelim and the Granny, not to mention Callan Ward getting knocked out and Buddy Franklin being injured in his very first contest of the day. They had a lot of bad luck during the season, but the wheel turned and turned hard when they needed lady luck the most.

[skeptic]

Go and put your house on them not making the 8 and us winning the flag... the odds on that should be fairly good.

I never said anything about them not making the 8. Do you have them as premiership favourites?

You said you don't rate them!

Of course they may slip (flags are harder to win twice in a row than once!), but they're young and were very good.

They deserve to among the top few favourites, and much respect.

I said I don't rate them in the context of them being talked up as unbeatable or "scary good".

You said it yourself... they deserve to be "among the top few favourites".

No arguments there.

Are you backing them in as premiership favourites?

[samoht]

The Bulldogs were still missing a few of their regular 22 from their lineup in the GF --- but they were not going to be denied.
Murphy, Wallis, Picken would have walked into the GF side had they been fit - and so 3 GOPs took their spots!

So, I don't believe they were lucky in any shape or form of the word (I hope we don't miss 3 of our regular 22 when we get into our next GF.
I wouldn't be considering that luck).

But just as we were not going to be denied in the match vs Collingwood this year when we had McCartin and Riewoldt sitting on the bench, injured - when the magpies started favourites and we were 2 key players short on the bench - we nevertheless still found plenty.
Cometh the hour, cometh the man!

GWS was the best team on paper and should have won by 6 goals (on talent). But they didn't have the Bulldog spirit. That I rate!

[BigMart]

Hunter, McRae, Libba, Wallis, Bont, Johannison, Daniel, Dalhuis

Yeah

I rate them

[markp]

Go and put your house on them not making the 8 and us winning the flag... the odds on that should be fairly good.

I never said anything about them not making the 8. Do you have them as premiership favourites?

You said you don't rate them!

Of course they may slip (flags are harder to win twice in a row than once!), but they're young and were very good.

They deserve to among the top few favourites, and much respect.

I said I don't rate them in the context of them being talked up as unbeatable or "scary good".

You said it yourself... they deserve to be "among the top few favourites".

No arguments there.

Are you backing them in as premiership favourites?

I understand you were trying to be a little provocative to get a thread going...

I'd say at this stage of the 2017 season that they deserve to be favourites.

Maybe the 'scary' thing about them is that they snatched one before many thought their window had opened... How much better can they get?

[saynta]

The doggies were lucky.

Johnson getting himself rubbed out cost GWS their first flag.

[samoht]

Luck is a 4 letter word and a double-edged sword!

Conversely, GWS were extremely fortunate in that 3 of the Bulldog regulars were out injured. The game was also played on their home ground - how much luck does GWS need?

GWS should have won by 6 goals - They didn't figure on the Bulldog spirit - the Bulldogs weren't going to accept injuries as an excuse.

[8856brother]

The Bulldogs were still missing a few of their regular 22 from their lineup in the GF --- but they were not going to be denied.
Murphy, Wallis, Picken would have walked into the GF side had they been fit - and so 3 GOPs took their spots!

So, I don't believe they were lucky in any shape or form of the word (I hope we don't miss 3 of our regular 22 when we get into our next GF.
I wouldn't be considering that luck).

But just as we were not going to be denied in the match vs Collingwood this year when we had McCartin and Riewoldt sitting on the bench, injured - when the magpies started favourites and we were 2 key players short on the bench - we nevertheless still found plenty.
Cometh the hour, cometh the man!

GWS was the best team on paper and should have won by 6 goals (on talent). But they didn't have the Bulldog spirit. That I rate!

Pretty sure Picken played the GF, and was nearly a Norm Smith Winner.

[8856brother]

An AFL rule change is the only reason they got past week one of the finals IMO. Take away the bye and they would be about 4th or 5th favorite.

On second thoughts, the umpires might have got them over the line week one.



Sent from my SM-T210 using Tapatalk

[skeptic]

Go and put your house on them not making the 8 and us winning the flag... the odds on that should be fairly good.

I never said anything about them not making the 8. Do you have them as premiership favourites?

You said you don't rate them!

Of course they may slip (flags are harder to win twice in a row than once!), but they're young and were very good.

They deserve to among the top few favourites, and much respect.

I said I don't rate them in the context of them being talked up as unbeatable or "scary good".

You said it yourself... they deserve to be "among the top few favourites".

No arguments there.

Are you backing them in as premiership favourites?

I understand you were trying to be a little provocative to get a thread going...

I'd say at this stage of the 2017 season that they deserve to be favourites.

Maybe the 'scary' thing about them is that they snatched one before many thought their window had opened... How much better can they get?

And that's fair enough.

I certainly think they're a good team and could win it... but I also think they're very beatable and have a couple of teams ahead of them.

Wouldn't surprise me if we knocked them off again head to head

[mad saint guy]

If you break it down line by line the Dogs don't seem too imposing. Their midfield is outstanding but their rucks and key defenders are ordinary and their tall forwards are inconsistent. They do have quality smalls in both defence and offence as well but the list they have assembled doesn't scream 'dynasty'. Beveridge is a huge factor; he's shown he can get a team playing a unified brand of footy and get the absolute best out of his players. I see the Dogs finishing between 2nd-6th next year. I think we match up on them fairly well and would back us in to beat them next year. I don't think their defence could handle our forward line when fully fit.

[Linton Lodger]

I rate them, but I think their Premiership was flukey and I don't rate their list as highly as ours.

I look forward to us playing them.

[samoht]

Pretty sure Picken played the GF, and was nearly a Norm Smith Winner.

I'm sure there was a third regular player, apart from the other 2 I mentioned - maybe Suckling?

Anyway, it doesn't alter what I was saying re: luck.

What I rate was their heart in the finals - but our list (on paper) may be at least as good - maybe we just need another line-breaking midfielder like Johannisen (to help out Steven) and we would leapfrog the Bulldogs and the other top contenders?

Hopefully DMAc will fill the breach?