I applaud Cameron Rose’s article on the Western Bulldogs this morning and without looking like I am doubling up, I had planned to write about the Dogs after last Saturday’s shocker against the Gold Coast.
The was one of the lowest lows – almost as dark as those dreadful days of 1980 until 1982 when they won a total of ten games.
The Dogs have won just one victory from their past 19 matches. That none of these losses were in single figure margins shows the club is not heading in the right direction.
Coach Brendan McCartney, with his endless spin and optimism, keeps telling the media and the footy public that they are improving each match. Is he watching the same team?
How he could think there were improvements in the Gold Coast game from the North effort is ridiculous.
The Dogs started well against the Suns, who looked flat early, but after the first two goals were inaccurate and didn’t take their chances late in the first term to set up a substantial lead.
There were encouraging signs that their experienced players, of which they had the third most number of 150 plus gamers playing of any club, were leading from the front and were going to be too experienced for the young Suns.
However, as has been the case with the Dogs since McCartney took over, the forward line doesn’t function for long and teams can too easily close them down.
They seem to tire badly in the second half of quarters and that could have a lot to do with this simple yet complicated game plan of total football. This system demands Western Bulldogs players swarm around every contest and win the contested footy, but once they do that they can’t execute the basic skills to finish the hard work off.
The last ten minutes of the third quarter was embarassing when Gold Coast, in only their third season in the league, piled on six unanswered goals to blow the Bulldogs away.
Brendan McCartney has gained a reputation at Geelong over a ten year period, which included two flags in 2007 and 2009 of being a fine development coach and some of that club’s finest players in this golden era like Matthew Scarlett and Corey Enright love him, but to me that seems to be his level.
In my dealings with him, he is a lovely, friendly and sincere person, but that doesn’t mean you will become a successful senior coach in such a brutal environment like the AFL.
He has been steadfast in how he wants to develop the game plan and what he wants to teach them – putting steps in place as you would at junior level in how he would like his charges to play.
McCartney has come in and from the outside, it appears he felt he needed to completely overhaul the playing style.
Why? Rodney Eade for mine did a great job with what he had to get the team to three consecutive preliminary finals.
There were two better sides to defeat the Dogs on each occasion, so I’m not sure massive changes were required to the game plan. They were still pretty competitive in Eade’s last year on the back of some bad injuries to key players at the time in Brian Lake, Adam Cooney and Ryan Hargrave.
The players seem to be struggling to adapt to McCartney’s game style, which clearly isn’t producing enough goals. The coach is saying that if the team win the contested footy, the scoring will take care of itself.
How? The Bulldogs don’t have a method to do this, and don’t know how.
That was especially evident in the second half of last year and except for the round one win over Brisbane, where the Lions were clearly not switched on, that hasn’t improved after eight rounds in 2013.
McCartney hasn’t been helped by the poor recruiting and that’s been covered in good detail by the many comments to Cameron’s piece.
By now, if you have your recruiting right, at least a couple of players from each of the drafts between 2005 and 2009 should be regular fixtures and stars in their team, especially the first round selections. Geelong is a prime example of that.
Yet the Dogs have had too many misses, with Christian Howard at 15. Bulldogs’ Recruiting Manager Simon Dalrymple’s first ever draft looks like one of the biggest howlers in recent times.
They have too many unskilled inside, slow moving midfielders, and keep playing unattractively to shut down football.
McCartney is almost halfway through his three year deal and he has said like Mark Neeld at Melbourne that this rebuild will take him five to six years.
Unfortunately despite his best intentions this is a footy club that has the lowest membership of the Melbourne based sides and struggles financially and for relevance.
It can’t afford to keep losing in the manner it is at the moment where there is no light at the end of the tunnel.
No matter what happens for the rest of the season, there won’t be many wins.
McCartney should see this season out, but 2014 would be the right timing for a seasoned coach to get the Dogs back on track.
Daniel
Guest
This is how you write a researched and informed opinion on the dogs: http://www.news.com.au/sport/afl/brendan-mccartneys-old-school-approach-as-western-bulldogs-destined-for-success/story-fndv7pj3-1226703420211 Take not mate
Danny
Guest
Hi Dan, Boy you couldn't be more wrong about this whole article. Support your club when we're doing well and support it when we're struggling. Writing an article like this is not constructive. We've been doing very well off the field for the last 5 years now. Everything has been stepping up. Expect the on-field performance to rise and rise and fall and rise and rise. GO DOGS!
Danieo
Guest
Don't expect a reply Blake, I wrote a comment to him on June 4th disagreeing strongly to his view and now I and many other real dogs fans feel vindicated. Even our president Peter Gordon called him a bandwagon supporter
Blake
Guest
So Dan, I along with many other Bulldogs supporters will be eagerly awaiting a full and thorough response from you in regards to the recent change of fortune of the Western Bulldogs, It's fair to say Brendon McCartney's "Endless spin and optimism" was warranted after all, don't get me wrong I know we have a long way to go that much is clear, But I along with many other bulldogs fans have formed the view that you clearly jumped the gun and we will be waiting for your response. Cheers
Daniel
Guest
Good to know there is someone else around here with some common sense and not so reactionary after one bad loss. McCartney knows what he is doing and has runs on he board at his previous jobs, all we need is a little patience.
Jimbob
Guest
Summed it up perfectly. McCartney is coaching for the future, he's brought in good young kids who will thrive in the coming years. His game plan is built for the finals, when they're good enough and experienced enough, they will be dangerous in the finals, unlike Eade's attacking game plan that was built for success in home and away rounds and fell apart in September.
Daniel
Guest
I'm sorry we "wont be winning those games"?? Looks like you are 0-1 on that and the way the dogs dismantled the Lions last time I'd say they are a fair chance to beat them again. Also probably "only two or three wins"?? Well we are 3 wins at the moment so you dont think we can beat the Dees twice and GWS??? Big Big Overreaction Dont shy away from your predictions now, would love to hear a reply back
Daniel
Guest
What a piece of trash this is, Macartney is exactly what the dogs need and is coaching them in the right direction. His recruiting so far has been almost flawless Talia, Smith, Dickson, Stringer, Macrae, Hrovat have all made impacts in a very sort period of time. Rocket Eade left this list in an absolute mess and had lost touch with the modern game. Macca is building a gameplan and structure from ground up and also trying to build a successful culture. Eade coached the dogs to win home and away games and finish top 4, Macca is coaching and building this team to win FINALS! Anyone who can't see this is unbelievably short sighted and has no grasp on what a re-build is and what it takes to create a premiership team and culture Like Macca said last year "I will remember all of you when we are a top team again", because no doubt you will be on the bandwagon again telling everyone how much of a Bulldog tragic you are. Stop with this self-loathing crap and just get realistic
Jimbob
Guest
Chairman Kaga, if we threw out every Melbourne-based AFL club who goes through a rough patch, we'd have none left.... - Collingwood were close to death in late 90s, early 2000s before Eddie came in. - Carlton cheated. Yep, that's right, they cheated the salary cap. Should they have been thrown out? - Essendon cheated. Remember the salary cap issues there? Now the drugs issues? - Richmond haven't played in finals since 1995 from memory. - St Kilda's had their well publicised off-field dramas and have only won one flag like the Dogs. - Melbourne Hawks anyone? - How good would it be to have Fitzroy back now??? The Bulldogs, for a club that has NOT won a premiership since 54, NOT played in a grand final since 1961, they are based in a not so well off western suburbs area, for it to have attracted over 30,000 members in recent years is a great effort and should be applauded. Not, let throw them out! Why would you want to throw out a club like that??? More on the Bulldogs: - They pay 95% of their salary cap (other clubs go over or have cost of living allowances), yet they've played in three preliminary finals in five years. - They have LOST quality players like Jarrod Harbrow and Callan Ward to expansion clubs. - They DON'T get prime time TV slots. - Their stadium deal, negotiated by the AFL, stinks. With all of this, the club still attracts decent crowds against Melbourne clubs, a steady membership, it services the western suburbs of Melbourne, it gets out into the community like no other with charities, schools etc. You take this club away from the west and it would lead to more problems than you expect in the local communities. Please assess the situation on the whole. And, one more thing, why the feeling of wanting to get rid of a Melbourne club?
Jimmy
Guest
The thing is with bad recruiting, many people were "who?" when players like Christian Howard and Andrejs Everitt (both 1st round picks were taken). Both were speculative picks - Howard was a schoolboy player in Adelaide, and Everitt was taken as an undersized Key Position Player (the next two key position players taken in that draft were Jack Riewoldt and James Frawley, Melbourne's Full-Back and one of their better players). Higgins, another first round pick, is all potential and injuries and no substance, whilst Jarrad Grant (pick 5, 2007) is a bit similar to Watts in that he was highly touted at the time, but hasn't come on. But players like Howard and Everitt cannot be considered the same as Watts because both were taken earlier than expected.
Jax
Guest
absolutely agree
graeme oakley
Guest
A great realistic article.If the doggies were 1 and 19 in the one season heads would have to roll.No improvement what so ever.No future at all with the current list.This is going to take many years to turn around.Have we all the PATIENCE,to go through all this again.
Paul
Guest
The AFL won't sign off on a deal to play at Skilled while the Dogs are helping to pay off the "mortgage" at Etihad. We made 3 preliminary finals in the last 5 years and were just short of a grand final because of some of the most atrocious umpiring seen (Riewoldt diving, deliberate out of bounds against Aker, Hargraves being penalised for dropping the ball when he was over the boundary line, etc). Does this sound like a team that needs to wound up or shipped off somewhere. It's a cycle and it will all turn around.
greginbrissy
Guest
Chairman Kaga, Just so you are aware, Rubgy league, which btw thrives in the north, regularly pulls crowds betwen 5k to 15k, big games (other than state of origin) may be lucky to get 40k. They all get loads of money from TV rights, but, the clubs also have very good business programs on the side to keep funds coming in - leagues clubs, pubs, motels etc. The more successful AFL clubs are similar - smart investments that keep the money rolling in. A club does not require a huge supporter base. It requires to be ran correctly in several areas - non-football business department needs to make some great investements to increase revenue. board/chairman/president all need to leak enthusiasm & encouragement. Facilities need to be productive (comes from $$ from investments). Coaching staff all need to be productive and on the same page, and have great development plans. Recruitment needs to be thinking 3-4 years ahead, in relation to retirements/contracts, so that plans are in place should players be lost. And the players have to have an immense hunger to be successful, which I'd have to add I'd expect all AFL players to already have. The struggling clubs - I don't know the details, but i'd suspect that they don't tick many of those boxes at all, if any. They need overhauls, or they need relocations, simple as that. If your foot is gangrene, it gets chopped off. You don't wrap it in bandages, apply some salve, and hope for the best. Struggling clubs should get given a timeframe - say 5 years. In that timeframe they must show improvement in the key areas (and by that, I don't necessarily mean just on field) or they have to look at mergers/relocation. 5 years is long enough for any clubs to start turning in the right direction.
greginbrissy
Guest
the 'environment' however, is someting worked on, it didn't just happe. None of the above teams naturally have better environments. Look at the pies in the late 90's - toxic environment, not performing, in steps Eddie (yes, I know people hate him) and brings enthusiam, goals, and visions of gettng back to greatness. Any team can do it, a team just needs the right bunch of people at the top to make it happen.
Jax
Guest
The players hunger to achieve is just as important as his development. A great environment like the Cats, WC, Swans or Pies will then get the very best out of them while some other teams can't, shame
Chairman Kaga
Guest
Well, if the deal is so bad at Etihad, why don't they move their games down to Skilled Stadium? Or move to another ground in the suburbs. The problem is actually not the stadium, it is because they only get 20k turning up. To make a buck in pro sports you need more supporters. Any club that changes it's name knows it is in trouble. You won't see Carlton, Geelong or Essendon altering it's name just in a desperate ploy. If the name "Footscray" is so negative, then why did Lonely Planet publishing move there? In fact why doesn't the place rename itself to something sexier? Collingwood has a major crime and drug problem also, but I have not heard them talk about renaming to "Northern". Really it probably says a lot more about their supporters to allow something like this to happen than some marketing guru coming up with it. The supporters of the Bulldogs are just not passionate enough. They should have turned their backs on the club for even thinking up a stunt like that. They have blown their history down to the Werribee Treatment Farm. Footscray's support base won't grow simply because people follow who their families follow and successful teams. The 'Scrays have neither. What needs to happen is they need to ditch the victim complex they always use. Same with North Melbourne. They need to start looking at a long term solution and that might be a better stadium deal or moving to a lower rent location. A start would be a move to Geelong any rational person would think. Play most games down there until the stadium problem in Melbourne gets sorted out. If that still does not work out, I am sure the AFL will find a new home. End of the day, why should the AFL keep subsidising another Melbourne based club when there are places all over Australia without their own team. I am sure Ballarat would love it's own side.
bp2
Guest
Just heard them discuss the Dogs On the Couch. They went thru the top 12starters and like they said its not too bad. I still can't fathom that with that 12 on the field that we can be so bad. There have been enough quality mature age rookies come thru in recent years to make the shallow pool argument seem a bit shallow itself. It is how you mould that talent that is the difference between success and abject failure. Chris Scott seems to be doing it right, as do the Swans, as did Big Poppa.
Ian Whitchurch
Guest
Pretty much this. The Wanderers built the team brilliantly out of second- and third-tier free agents, taking advantage of their clear salary cap and the number of international players they were allowed, and then Ono became available and he provided the class, On the other hand, the free agent pool in the AFL is both thin and shallow - and the vast majority of potentially available players have their rights retained by their existing club, requiring paying draft picks to acquire, which affects your abilioty to recruit talented kids. That said, I cant think of an AFL side that has had the amount of player turnover - especially with "key" players - that association football teams regularly cope with.
Stevo
Guest
LOL, as a one time member of Footscary and at least 40 years supporting them, these do look like the dark days of the past. The problem is that there are too many teams in Melbourne for what is claimed to be a national competition. Not enough fans to go around and especially in the west of Melbourne which to me is not too different from Western Sydney with it diverse multicultural population where soccer/football is probably just as popular as AFL. But I've kind of resigned myslef to never seeing Footscary win a flag in my lifetime. What I'm more interested in is seeing Melbourne HeartFC win the HAL and keep giving MV grief :)