The Western Bulldogs are one win from a grand final berth, their first since 1961.
To reach the season’s finale they must beat a side that has never before played in a finals series.
Much has been written about the leap in performance this season by Greater Western Sydney, the most recent club to enter the AFL.
Having joined the league in 2012, GWS has a chance to play in a grand final in their fifth season.
Of the other modern-day expansion clubs only West Coast will have reached a grand final as quickly.
For the others it has proven a tougher assignment – Adelaide (7th season), Port Adelaide (8th), Brisbane (15th) and Fremantle (19th), while in their sixth season Gold Coast has yet to make a grand final.
It will be a meritorious achievement should GWS make the last game of the season.
In their first two years GWS suffered losses of 15 goals or more on 14 occasions
In their first season the club averaged 58 points per game while conceding 125. They fared only slightly better in its second with the ratio at 69-136.
Last season the ledger was pretty much square at 85-86 while this year it is comfortably in positive territory at 107-75.
Such a progression was always to be expected.
In 2012 the club was predominantly made up of first-year players. Being competitive was never going to come in the club’s formative years.
However, having had the ability to handpick the cream of the country’s young talent and with the addition of some shrewd trades the club was always going to come of age and threaten for a flag.
It is safe to say though the Giants have exceeded most people’s expectations with where they sit at present.
Contrast their position however, with their opponent this Saturday.
The Bulldogs – or Footscray as they were at the time – entered the then VFL in 1925.
Their first grand final in 1954 provided the club with their one and only flag. Their second grand final appearance in 1961 is their last.
When GWS entered the competition very little separated the clubs on the ladder.
The Giants, through their first three seasons, finished 18th, 18th and 16th. The Bulldogs finished 15th, 13th and 14th.
Last year the Giants placed 11th while the Bulldogs finished the home-and-away season in sixth but a loss to Adelaide in an elimination final saw them officially finish eighth at the conclusion of the season.
The majority of experts pre-season were divided on the Bulldogs. Very few had them finishing top-four this year, with the majority putting them in the bottom half of the eight or just missing out.
The Dogs have seldom been viewed as a genuine flag prospect.(Click to Tweet)
While GWS has had a plethora of first round draft picks with which to build its current squad, the Bulldogs have not been afforded a similar luxury.
Since 2010 the Bulldogs have utilised three draft picks inside the top-16 – in 2012 they recruited Jake Stringer and Jack McRae with picks five and six and snapped up Marcus Bontompelli with pick four in 2013.
One of the clubs most astute pick-ups in recent seasons has been the acquisition of coach Luke Beveridge.
A disciple of Alastair Clarkson, having been an assistant at Hawthorn from 2012 to 2014, he introduced a ‘fast footy’ game style at the Western Oval. The young team immediately bought into the plan.
In two seasons at the helm he has taken the club to successive finals campaigns.
This season has not been a kind one when it has come to injuries.
Only Brisbane, Gold Coast and Richmond used more players during the year.
Last season’s best-and-fairest and All-Australian Easton Wood missed five games while runner-up, captain Robert Murphy, who was also an All-Australian in 2015, suffered a season-ending knee injury in Round 3.
Marcus Adams, recruited last year to fill a key defensive role, played the first 11 rounds before injury ended his season.
High profile recruit Tom Boyd was sidelined for 13 weeks after Round 4 while Jason Johannisen missed rounds 5-14.
In the run in to the finals more trouble beset the club’s playing stocks. Mitch Wallis suffered a season ending broken leg in Round 18 while Jack Redpath’s season also ended that weekend when he injured a knee.
Compounding their loss, Tom Liberatore missed rounds 20-23 and Dale Morris Rounds 21-22.
Despite the mounting injury toll the club won three of its last four games with the loss coming at Subiaco Oval in Round 23 versus Fremantle.
The Bulldogs returned to Perth ten days later for an elimination showdown against West Coast.
On the back of three successive wins against GWS, Hawthorn and Adelaide to end the home-and-away season and a home ground record of 11-1 for the year, the Eagles were pretty much seen as certainties.
Beveridge’s men had other ideas. With a combination of pace and ferocity they blew West Coast of the paddock, winning by 47 points.
Similarly, the Bulldogs went into last weekend’s semi-final against triple-defending champion Hawthorn as the underdog. Again the club defied the odds coming from 23 points down in the second quarter to win by the same margin.
The run and gun style of the Bulldogs has proved irresistible.
Over the next two weekends the club has the chance to create history.
Since the introduction of the Page-McIntyre finals system in 1931, only one club has come from outside the top-four to win the flag – Adelaide from fifth position in 1998.
The Bulldogs entered September seventh on the ladder.
Having claimed the scalps of both of last year’s grand finalists in successive weeks the club is primed for a red hot tilt at its second flag.
Given its premiership drought, the current playing style and the adversity it has faced of late the Bulldogs have become a sentimental favourite for the flag.
It has been a mighty year for the club and right now I see them as the story of the season.
That story could be even larger in two weeks’ time.
Bill
Guest
Anyone who uses a hashtag is a flog.
Matthew H
Guest
Nice article. I listened to a few Doggies games last year and they played as exciting football as anyone, or at least were involved in some of the most exciting games. So to say they snuck up this year is not quite true. Looking at that injury report, if they do go on to win, the addition of Tom Boyd and Liberatore for finals can't be underestimated. It's an absolute pleasure to be able to add a key peg at that time of year, and they have added a focal point and a ball winner. I truly believe this Doggies team is the best I have personally seen. All this rubbish about not having stars is just that. No guarantees obviously but Go Doggies.
Mike Huber
Roar Pro
PD Wholeheartedly agree with you. As a Collingwood supporter , the Hawthorn teams of the 80's are the greatest of all time . All time great players on every line .
Birdman
Guest
Classy post Mike. #youmustbesoproud
Paul D
Roar Guru
Ok so let's say in 10 years time we have two perpetually bad Queensland teams still. Do you persist, do you send one to the chopping block? I think if the AFL are ruling out ever going back to one team - and long term I believe that's the right call - then at some point the AFL has to provide assistance to avoid precisely the situation I outlined above.
Pumping Dougie
Guest
The 1980's Hawthorn sides played in 8 or 9 grand finals over an 11 or 12 year period and won 5 flags. They were a significantly better side than the recent Hawks team and Brusbane 2000-03 team IMO. In fact, on paper I'd argue the recent Geelong team that won 2 flags was better than the current Hawks side (on an individual player basis - obviously not on a team success basis) but slightly under-achieved given the level of talent they had.
mattyb
Guest
No one had them in the top four. I did and most laughed. Some had them in the eight but most were rattling bizzar,non relevant stories about Port Adelaide around.
Swannies
Guest
The story ends this weekend. GWS will be too good for Doggies. All Sydney GF.
Dave
Guest
The minor premiers winning just 3 games was the worst story for me. But I'm sure it was a very popular story for many
Mike Huber
Roar Pro
Bill Absolutely ! Roughead is no different to the millions of others afflicted by the illness, life goes on..
Cam
Guest
Nice one Lroy! Would have thought the hottest team heading into the finals would have been able to delivery your reality check. The Eagles beat the GWS in Sydney, Hawthorn and Adelaide leading into the finals and the Bulldogs accounted for them whilst not getting out of second gear. Then your 'reality check was due to be delivered the next week against the 4peat Hawks, same result. No one has tipped the Bulldogs this week... again
shiftyxr
Guest
Well he can't use the old " but if it was played at domain stadium" chestnut can he?
anon
Guest
I think everyone had the Bulldogs in the 8 before the season, and many had them in the top 4. The Bulldogs have only become a great story in the last 2 games. GWS have been great all season and beating up on some really good teams.
Bill
Guest
What a surprise. A hawks fan getting upset when the attention isn't on them.
Pumping Dougie
Guest
Lol. Actually, I think we might have had a two week bye, because we put the queue in the rack against Freo and just went through the motions, knowing we couldn't change ladder positions.
TomC
Roar Guru
He can be both, Paul. It's understandable that there's some lingering jealousy about the Lions 2001-03 premierships. But it is just plain nuts to argue that because they were successful once, we shouldn't provide any assistance now. Clubs that are perpetually bad should be for the chopping block, as Fitzroy were. Assistance should be for the clubs that need it.
TomC
Roar Guru
I still think you're off the mark on Leppitsch's media performances being a serious failing. They went off the rails a bit at the end but over the three years he was generally very good. If anything I think the problem was he was a persuasive, charismatic figure who could communicate his plans and ideas better than he could actually execute them. As you say though, projecting an aura of confidence and likelihood of success will be a big deal for the new coach.
Paul D
Roar Guru
Show me where you see the Lions showing any signs of turning it around without assistance. If this is a club that isn’t perpetually bad I don’t know what is. Your argument that it be gauged solely by flags is a silly argument. Maybe instead look at the fact that this is a club that has played two finals in 2009 since that GF defeat in 12 years in the only year they finished inside the 8 since that time as well. Besides, the benchmark shouldn’t be waiting for the Dogs or Saints to win a flag. The benchmark was set when the AFL bailed out the Demons, and the Lions are easily in a worse predicament than that club ever was. And that’s before you even get into the fact the Lions are the only club in a key market etc. Anyone still saying the Lions should keep suffering alone and without assistance is either vindictive or ignorant. Which are you?
Birdman
Guest
off topic but as you raised it - the Dons were punished for 'governance breaches' (AFL messaging) but have not yet been punished for running a doping program of which the players were later found guilty of participation in. I reckon the club deserves a second whack and losing Pick 1 would be a fair start.
Brian
Guest
On one hand you claim the Brisbane side of 2001-2003 which is just 15 years ago was the greatest ever and on the other ask for assistance. Assistance should be for clubs that are perpetually bad. Lions played the GF in 2004 that a shorter wait than Adelaide, Carlton, Essendon, GWS, GC, Richmond, Melbourne, Dogs & North. In other words half the competition If I was to count premierships it would be a longer list. Surely there has to be a longer wait period for meaningful assistance.