We have all heard of Halley’s Comet before yeah? You know that big bright ball of ice and rock spewing out gases as it warms near our sun moving about 70 kilometres per second?
Halley’s moves into visibility in our solar system roughly every 75 years. Most people will only see Halley twice in a lifetime, unless you are like the Queen or Sir Mick Jagger who will both clearly live past 100.
Well, the Western Bulldogs won their two flags in 1954 and 2016, a gap of 62 years. Not quite in Halley’s Comet range but for the purpose of this analogy, close enough. I mean twice in a lifetime fits, yeah?
Let’s imagine a young Doggies kid in 1954 at the peak of his footy fanaticism, reads every stat, calls his own pretend games in the backyard, speccies on the washing line clothes, dreaming of running out in the Footscray jumper – unabashed footy excitement leading up to that 1954 flag.
Let’s call him Frank and make him 12. So in 2016, Frank just saw his second Dogs flag at the age of 74. Two flags in Frank’s lifetime might have to be it I fear.
The Dogs back in the late 80’s were about to totally lose their orbit altogether and be sent off to a galaxy far, far away. This moment in history had them facing a potential forced merger with Fitzroy to become the Fitzroy Bulldogs.
They rose up from that sliding doors moment in history thanks to a funding drive much like an oversized version of a sausage sizzle…and survived, so we will never know what might have been of the Fitzroy Bulldogs.
When you think about it, all they would have had to do is add the “Western” later on and they could have ended up the Fitzroy Western Bulldogs perhaps with not much difference to the Doggies of today except for multiple premierships to their name.
Who is to say a merger isn’t a viable option, Saints fans?
What happened next? Well, the 1954 comet disappeared again to the outer reaches of space, wooden spoon in 1959, flirted with a close orbit in the 61 grand final and then disappeared pretty much for the rest of the 60s, 70s and 80s apart from a close call with a ten point preliminary final loss to Hawthorn in 85 under a new young coach called Mick Malthouse.
(AAP Image/Tracey Nearmy)
The 90’s the Doggies flirted with success coming within two points of eventual premier Adelaide in 1997 in another cruel preliminary final loss yet still no grand finals since 1961 and no flag since 1954.
So many players and coaches came and went, some great players too along the way: Gary Dempsey, Ted Whitten, Chris Grant, Doug Hawkins, Tony Liberatore, Steve Wallis, Brad Hardie and Brad Johnson.
Coaches came and went pretty regularly too: Royce Hart, Terry Wheeler, Rodney Eade, Terry Wallace, Mick Malthouse, Brendan McCartney and many more.
The 2000s started with a final then more of the same for the Doggies, with just one short-lived final series between 2001 – 2007. After coming back into low orbit and genuinely contending between 2008-2010, the Dogs once more settled back to deep orbit down the bottom half of the ladder from 2011 to 2014.
While this was happening an eager young assistant coach was honing his craft at the Hawks, called not Luke Skywalker but Luke Beveridge.
In November 2014 another huge sliding door moment happened at the Doggies with the signing of Bevo as we now affectionately called him, as senior coach of the Western Bulldogs for 2015 and beyond. Before the season commenced, of course, the Dogs had to deal with the highly publicised defection of Captain Ryan Griffen and the high profile multi-million dollar recruitment of former number one pick Tom Boyd from GWS as part of the Griffen deal.
Despite securing Boyd, the Doggies were clear favourites for the wooden spoon in 2015. Bevo was tested during the year with key injuries and yet they scrambled their way to the finals appearance and earning Beveridge coach of the year for just a seventh placing, almost unheard of that.
(AAP Image/Julian Smith)
Then along came 2016. Four wins out of their first five games turned into nine wins out of their first twelve. The remarkable thing was the young Dogs were absolutely poleaxed by injuries yet somehow kept winning.
In a particularly top-heavy season, however, they still found themselves up against it as their hard earned 15 wins only granted then seventh place and a knock-out final against West Coast in Perth. Most expected this would see the end of the Dogs for 2016.
We all know what happened next. The Doggies under Beveridge got over West Coast easily by 47 points, fronted up against one of the mightiest teams in history to knock over the Hawks by 23 and found themselves once more in a Preliminary final. Riding an unprecedented wave of emotion and as just about every other fans second team, they got over the young powerful GWS away in one of the greatest preliminary finals of all time.
There was no stopping this side any more it seemed, a side who all played for each other, for their coach, for history itself and even the hard, seasoned bodies of Sydney was not powerful enough to stop the emotional juggernaut as they stormed to the 2016 flag.
Fairy tales do happen, the media exclaimed. Most of us could scarcely believe it but the Doggies were premiers again, Halley’s Comet had returned a little early.
Huge contenders for back to back some thought in 2017. Triple flag premiers others wondered? I mean Beveridge had scored another coach of the year award, his second in his two-year tenure at the Dogs.
High priced recruit Tom Boyd had just played the game of his short career in a grand final for goodness sake. Who does that? He had come of age. The side was young, played for their coach and would surely stay in orbit long enough to contend again this time.
Not to be. Like Halley’s Comet, the Dogs came through in 2016 like a bright 70 kilometres per second ball of emotion, swung into place and stormed to a truly remarkable cup yet, in true Halley’s style, have gone straight out of our solar system again not even making the finals in 2017.
Now, halfway through 2018, they are already just a tiny point of light in the distance as they move farther and farther away from contending again.
Sorry Frank, but you’ve had your two flags in your lifetime following the Dogs, and that is all you are going to get.
Johnroy
Guest
I was shocked when I read this comment, having lived in the western suburbs myself and not had this feeling. I was amused and relieved when I saw it was written by 'Cat', who surely is the personification of Geelong Football Club.
Johnroy
Guest
As a Bulldogs fan all my life, I can attest that even in 2019 I'm shocked by the amount of Bulldogs paraphernalia out on the street all year round. To spot a fellow Bulldogs supporter five years ago was an event, now Doggies colours are second to probably only Hawks and Pies in public spaces.
Doctor Rotcod
Guest
Cheers Brayden, Not a dig in any way,to mention an earlier post. Maybe there's an astronomical chance that the Dogs will win another flag soon. Tigers fans would like to think that their team is a short-period comet, shining at frequent intervals,but sadly,their player method leads to big fragments being boiled off as we watch Melbourne fans see their team as a meteor, striking the ground in fury and eliminating the dinosaurs The Eagles on the other hand are like the ISS,cruising around the Earth, with no 'passengers' and above the dirty air of Melbourne
User
Roar Rookie
Why is it vitriolic? I have dealt simply with the fact the bulldogs are a unviable business that exists on afl handouts more so than a good supporter base, and when considering that this will continue well into the future I can't help but believe like Fitzroy they will fold and morph Into a different entity entirely. The bullies and saints are both the same and have both had extended time frames to solidify and build off field support and still struggle.
Paul D
Roar Guru
Yeah I'd agree with all of that. How's Tom Boyd going? They're also still a very young side and yeah, Stringer was undoubtedly a bit of a talisman I think if the Dogs had any sense they'd cut Tory D1ckson pronto, 31 years old, mature recruit, only played 92 games - clearly past it and going to seed. Who's Tom Campbell? Doesn't seem to be doing much either. I hear Picken may have to retire a la Justin Clarke as his concussion symptoms are that bad. I think the Dogs have quite a few players who they could easily be deceived into thinking are going to get their 2016 form back - and they just won't, they really won't.
Paul D
Roar Guru
I don't believe a word of that Gene. You're just talking about your own experience
Slane
Guest
I live in the Western suburbs and I think that Cat is just plain wrong. There were streets lined in Bulldogs colours after their flag. Nothing when the Cats won their flags.
Liam Salter
Roar Guru
How much reach does Geelong have out of Geelong? Cause I can't imagine they'd have more reach than the Bulldogs in the actual western suburbs of Melbourne? Werribee, maybe, but not the Altona/Sunshine areas??
Cat
Roar Guru
Living in the western suburbs, this area is better service by Geelong than the Bulldogs. That's one of thee reasons why the Dogs remain a small club few care about, they do nothing for themselves.
Cam
Guest
You obviously have a Bulldogs sized bee in your bonnet. Your vitriolic rant about the Bulldogs says a lot more about you and your bias's than any sort of reality regarding the Bulldogs.
Pope Paul VII
Guest
The second coming of St Kilda's comet is surely getting closer - 70 seasons from 1897 - 1966 and now 52 years have passed.
Brayden Rise
Roar Pro
Doctor, I genuinely never saw your comment on the Tiger flag being like a comet. What got me thinking about the Dogs was how they pinched the flag from 7th and then how quickly they have really fallen away this year. I know they have injuries but it really appears their 2016 flag was indeed a big flash in the pan. I thought the Dogs were the best side in the 2016 finals after being fairly worthy of contending considering they won 15 games that year. The Crows topped the ladder last year with 15 wins so the Dogs were perhaps the most likely to contend from 7th place However, how quickly have they disappeared again and I don't see then coming back for some time. A Melbourne flag would definitely be the third fairy tale in a row that's for sure.
Col from Brissie
Roar Guru
Berrlins, where do you get the idea that the Bulldogs don't rely on Pokies? North Melbourne is the only Melbourne AFL club that have no Poker Machines. Of all the Victorian clubs the Bulldogs received the second highest allocation of funds from the AFL behind St Kilda.
Doctor Rotcod
Guest
Brayden, I posted a while back that I thought the Tigers were like a comet,just a dirty snowball shining briefly as it approached the Sun only to drift off into the far reaches of the solar system. Thanks for expanding the concept. And using the Dogs as your example. It's been said that the Dogs won with the worst side in the finals,but they were the best for intensity,they rode the frantic ball movement wave past all the others,who couldn't innovate fast enough and won a Premiership after less time in the AFL than Richmond,for instance. Will Melbourne be the next narrative for the Vic-centric AFL?
User
Roar Rookie
For how long? Its not a anti dogs sentiment it's completely based in the reality that for extended periods even when having on field success they were with st kilda the biggest liability when taking the Vic based sides into account. Great they turned a profit, but history shows it is highly unlikely they will have any growth in fanbase and will most likely find their financial position perilous especially with a team that is getting pumped and turning in second halves like last Friday or a match committee who selects a extremely tall team for a wet weather game leading to 2 goals for entire match, I also happily stand by my opinion that in 20 years time gws will be a more financially profitable club and within next 50 years western bulldogs will only excist as footsgray in vfl much like Fitzroy and have no afl presence as they will no longer be viable.
berrlins
Roar Pro
I don't know what your beef with the dogs is but saying that they're a money pit is just wrong. they all but eradicated their debt last year, their profits are growing each year and they don't rely on Pokies like some of the bigger Victorian clubs (Collingwood, Richmond, Essendon, Hawthorn). all of the clubs recieve a contribution from the AFL including west coast. that amount for the Bulldogs continues to decrease not increase like some other clubs ( Saint kilda for example) onfield the dogs might be a rabble (also the youngest and least experienced team currently being fielded in the comp) but off field the club is stable.
The Brazilian
Roar Rookie
WOW!
I ate pies
Guest
The Dogs are struggling for 3 important reasons: - some their senior players who led them to the premiership aren't playing (M Boyd, Morris, Murphy, Liberatore, Picken) - some of their other senior players have dropped off (Roughead, Wood, Wallis) - their game plan has been figured out That's not to underestimate the loss of Stringer - he had the x-factor that was worth a couple of extra goals a game. Your point about servicing the western suburbs is very pertinent.
I ate pies
Guest
What about when you factor in TV revenue from all of their games and merchandise? Remember, that revenue is driven by the clubs, not the AFL. Think of the AFL as a government and the clubs as taxpayers; all the AFL does is tax the clubs of the revenue they earned and then redistribute some of back out to them, whilst taking on pet projects to line their own pockets and make themselves look good.
Peter the Scribe
Roar Guru
A good read thanks Brayden. As much as it would hurt Dogs fans, it's almost adding to the mystique and legacy of the 2016 flag now the Dogs have fallen back to the pack so quickly. It still seems incredible they went from 7th place and won four knockout finals in a row. If ever a side was ready to pounce in the GF, it should have been the Swans in 2016. Remarkable that the Dogs went all the way but footy moves on so quickly. Was watching the 2009 GF the other day and thinking how the Saints were level on 67 apiece with the Cats with only minutes left and then the Scarlett toe poke, then a year later were a dodgy bounce away from Milne kicking the sealer against the Pies. The Saints could easily be back to back premiers but denied by two moments in history from two flags.