Old dog inspiring pups to new era of success

Dale Morris is an inspirational human being.

The 36-year-old Western Bulldogs veteran is like the bionic man.

He played in the 2016 grand final with a fractured bone in his back and made his way back into the side the following season without surgery.

He suffered an ACL injury during the 2018 pre-season and returned.

He suffered an ACL injury during the 2019 pre-season and returned.

Morris, who is best known for his physical and mental strength, trained his way back to full fitness and back into the senior line-up against Fremantle last Sunday.

But unfortunately for Morris, the fairytale return didn’t play out like he would’ve hoped.

Yes, his beloved Bulldogs recorded an enormous 47-point victory against Fremantle, but his afternoon ended early, as he limped from the ground during the third quarter.

Scans confirmed the worst on Monday afternoon – that Morris had again ruptured his ACL and would require surgery on his left knee.

His third in 18 months.

It’s a huge blow for Morris and the Bulldogs, who have already lost premiership hero Tom Boyd and cult figure Liam Picken to retirement in 2019.

But Morris and his Doggies have one thing in common.

They both refuse to give in.

And their commitment to the club and its search for success overrides logic or reason.

It’s all heart.

As Morris left the ground that Sunday afternoon, just about everyone thought this was the end.

Almost everyone except for him.

Old dog Dale Morris (right) with young pup Bailey Smith. (Photo by Michael Willson/AFL Photos via Getty Images)

Following his scans on Monday he said, “I’ll rehab anything. I love footy, footy’s the best job in the world… We’ll see what the results are and make decisions off the back of that… there’s so much that needs to be spoken about.”

That has been the tale of the Doggies’ rollercoaster season, which has seen them push through the highest highs as well as the lowest lows to remain in contention for a spot in the top eight with three rounds remaining.

It’s a far cry from the force that was the 2016 premiership side.

But they still refuse to give in.

There have been some impressive victories this season.

A 16-point win against ladder-leaders Geelong came just eight weeks after the two clubs’ first encounter for the year, a 44-point loss at the Cattery.

The signs were good that day, with the young Dogs remaining within reasonable distance of the Cats for the first three quarters before being blown away in the last.

That was rectified with a five-goal-to-one final quarter securing the Round 16 victory.

There was a come-from-behind victory against Hawthorn in Round 2, a big 47-point victory against Richmond in Round 7 and big wins against Brisbane and Port Adelaide in Adelaide.

It’s an impressive portfolio and it’s the kids leading the charge.

There have been few youngsters talked about more than Aaron Naughton.

The 19-year-old, who was taken with pick nine in the 2017 draft, is starting to bear fruit.

He’s kicked 25 goals for the season and hasn’t even played up forward the entire time.

(Photo by Michael Willson/AFL Photos/Getty Images)

He’s the Dogs’ danger man inside forward 50 for the majority of a game but is also a makeshift defender when they need to stop the bleeding.

Naughton is also ranked first in the league for contested marks. With a set of hands like those, it’s no wonder he is shuffled from end to end.

And he just goes about his business at both ends of the ground.

That’s the Bulldogs’ resilience shining through.

Speaking of resilience, there’s few battling braver than ruckman Tim English.

He’s had an interesting season as top Dog in the ruck. On paper, his numbers have been ordinary, but fans couldn’t be happier with the improvement from week to week.

After all, English is taking lessons from the game’s best. He’s been monstered by the likes of Brodie Grundy, Max Gawn and Todd Goldstein.

It’s not ideal, but it is fast-tracking his learning with plenty of Dogs fans impressed with what they’ve seen so far.

There is no better development or education for him than to go up against the best big men in the comp.

And English has the added bonus of having the likes of Jack Macrae, Marcus Bontempelli and Josh Dunkley in the midfield to read the hit-outs and win the ball off their own back.

But with any young side, you have to take the bad with the good.

A shock loss to the Suns on home turf in Round 3 and a big loss at the hands of Brendon Bolton’s Blues were a couple of low points in the season.

Falling short by three goals against the Brisbane Lions yesterday, while frustrating for fans, was no poor effort against a side tied with two others on top of the ladder.

There’s still a lot to learn and a long way to go, but the Dogs appear to be heading in the right direction.

It’s strange to say that a team who won the premiership just three years ago is still learning what works for them and what doesn’t. Each week is an opportunity to blood new talent and expose young guns to the game plan.

But for a club that has been hampered with unfortunate injury, key departures and inconsistency, there is no better time to take the opportunity than now.

The resilience and determination of Dale Morris to get back on the park and contribute to his club’s success is emulated by his team-mates, coaches and the club as an entirety.

And that suggests the best is ahead for the Sons of the West.