Certified Legendary Thread Premiers 2016 - BULLIES DEF SWANS.. WE ARE THE CHAMPS!!!!!!!!!

[the conch]

Game was won and lost by the ruck combinations. Particularly in the key moments under the high balls.

Our ruck combination had 9 contested marks compared to Sydney's 2. That eased so much pressure of our team and those marks happened in a lot of key moments. Most where in that 2nd half. Very little difference in hitouts and thanks to Bonts third man up strategy it minimises the impact of stoppage hitouts squarely to give our midfield more opportunity.

Boyd, Bont and Roughead take a bow.

In the first five minutes when the massive heat was really on it was Roughie who really stood up in the centre there. Think he took three big marks in just the first ten mins. Bont got a lot too.

 

[giblj]

In the first five minutes when the massive heat was really on it was Roughie who really stood up in the centre there. Think he took three big marks in just the first ten mins. Bont got a lot too.

Also when JJ's goal got overturned doubts really could've started creeping in but then Roughy took that huge contested mark from the kick in to settle any nerves.

 

[Leon]

Hi everyone,

So, it's now Tuesday - 3 days after the game and this is my first post since the match. I've been trying to think of what I'd say once I'd log in and make a post.

First off, thank you to all the well wishers in this thread from other clubs, it is very gracious of you all and means a lot.

Secondly, to any Swans fans reading this thread, sincere commiserations and bad luck to you. Your club was absolutely magnificent on Saturday, a brilliant and mighty performance. You should be bloody proud of them. There are a million reasons why this win is so amazing, and so special, to me and other Bulldogs, and beating a side as good as the Swans are is certainly one of them.

I have absolutely no doubt you'll be up there again next year. Keep your chins up, and be proud.

But finally, to all the dogs fans on this thread, this forum....we did it. We bloody did it. Can you believe it?

Actually reliving the images in my mind, both from what I saw at the ground and on TV since - it's hard to actually put it into words. To actually know that what has defined this club since I've been supporting it - the quest for the 2nd premiership - to know that that quest is now complete, it quite literally seems surreal.

I arrived early to the ground - I wanted to take it all in. The city was absolutely flooded with red white and blue. I'm usually quite indifferent to the Grand Final pre-match entertainment - I think it's usually very mediocre - but I wanted to make sure I was there just to take it all in. We hadn't been there since 1961 - I had to experience it. And I have to say, although I'm not sure people will agree with me, I actually enjoyed it this year.

The nerves and excitement I had before the match were so intense that I found myself both dreading and unable to wait for the first bounce at the same time. I would literally go from thinking "Come on, get on with it, I can't wait for this" to "Oh good, still another 40 minutes, it's not here yet" .

The roar (and there were several roars throughout the day - more on this later) when we entered the field was something I'll never forget. It hit me like a wave.

The national anthem - usually not a very patriotic sort, but I thought it was a great rendition, just the singers and the crowd with no music, and although as I said I'm not a very patriotic sort, I sung along - again, just wanted to take it all in. I also love the roar at the end of the national anthem from all the finals I've attended - and this one was simply amazing.

The tension I experienced throughout the game - I'm usually pretty bad with stress during the games, but I almost felt literally like the stress of every single close game we had played since I had been a supporter - I felt like I had that right throughout the game. Just the knowledge of how big a chance this was - the knowledge that if we lost, we may never get it again, the knowledge of how devastating a loss would be - it literally is impossible to describe how stressful the game was.

I'd almost waste the length of Bigfooty's bandwidth dissecting the match and players performances - and this is already a long post - but I will summarise as follows: Every single player that was out there was a hero, and every single one of them contributed to the win.

For years, I'd heard and read all about the heroes of 54 - not just Sutton and Whitten, but John Kerr, Jack Collins, Jim Gallagher - the whole lot and how they'd contributed in 1954. Now all the boys who were out there on Saturday are legends, just like the boys of 54 - and we'll all be telling our grandkids about them. So, so special.

The players I will single out though, are our best players on the day (like I said they were all heroes, but these were our best) - Tom Boyd, JJ and Picken.

I have been asked several times since the match what I thought the best moment was. I answer unequivocally straight away each time - Tom Boyd's goal in the last quarter. the build-up - Morris with a brilliant tackle on Buddy, Tom grabs it, bombs it, it bounces, it holds up...and it's through. The crowd goes bananas. Dennis Commetti says "And the Western Suburbs erupts...", and it does. I'll just never forget the moment after that, jumping up and down and hugging everyone and anyone.

Tom Boyd was the biggest hero of the game for mine. Putting up with all the crap he has all year, and then producing that performance – those marks, those goals, THAT moment...

Liam Picken. What a finals series. What a match, and what a last quarter. Probably the greatest last quarter I’ve ever seen. And to have him, of all people, bomb the goal from the goal square to finally ice the victory – I couldn’t think of anyone better from this team to do it. He’ll never have to reach for his wallet to buy a beer again. Ever.

JJ was extraordinary. Personally, I would have given the Norm to Tom Boyd, but JJ was every bit a deserving winner. Just a magnificent performance. I remember when he debuted thinking he had some potential, and to see him on Saturday, with the Norm around his neck, wearing the number 39.

I cried like a baby at the final siren. Tears of joy, and tears for everyone – for all my family and friends who support them, tears for the players and coaches and staff and board out on the field, and tears for all the players, and all the supporters, who had missed out on the moment. The win, and that moment – it was for all of us.

I had stopped the tears by the time Bevo had given his medal to Bob, and if you’d told me that this was going to happen, I would have told you I would probably cry. Instead, I just went wild. It was just magical. And then seeing Easton and Bobby, after 62 years, holding the cup aloft – simply the greatest moment I’ve ever experienced in my life.

And just seeing the scenes in the stands, outside the ground and on the way home – people with the biggest smiles, hugging complete strangers, singing the song – it was every bit as wonderful as I’d always imagined a premiership would be.

We had the biggest party that night, and I still feel like partying. I don’t know when the feeling of elation will die. Probably never, and I don’t care.

I’ve been posting on this site since 2004, and have come to know many of the regulars from this board, young and old. To everyone – Ant, SonOfScray, Dry Rot, immortalmike, Ozil, Matt Dougie, Mike, Norm De Guerre, Draft Pick, Testekill, - wherever you were, and whatever you did, I hope you all had the greatest day of your lives. (Sorry if I missed anyone – I literally hope you all had the greatest day).

This has been an exhausting couple of days and weeks, and it is time for me to now recover, get some sleep and watch the replay a zillion times.

Enjoy it everyone. Savour it all forever.

We did it.

We are the premiers.

 

[the conch]

Joel Hamling's return to this team was a critical part to the flag.
He only scored 40 fantasy points and had 97% ground time ... but he was playing on Buddy, most of the time, ffs.

There is one massive stat that demonstrates what a great team orientated performer he is: the one percenters:
Joel Hamling : 14 !!!
Next best are Moz and Easton with 6 each.

Joel seemed to be out of form and favour mid season, so he should get mega plaudits for what he has achieved especially.

 

[worbod]

At the risk of making a reference few people may know about, Luke Beveridge's gesture to Bob Murphy reminds me very much of Don Lane handing his Gold Logie to Bert Newton in 1976. "Six months in your house and six months in mine."

 

[the conch]

Hi everyone,

So, it's now Tuesday - 3 days after the game .......
...... I hope you all had the greatest day of your lives.

Enjoy it everyone. Savour it all forever.
We did it.
We are the premiers.

It was awesome. Sublime. Yes, sublime I tell you.

 

[lateniter]

For me the moment of this grand final was the manic minute leading up to Pickens 2nd goal. It must have involved the swans smothering 4 shots at goal from:toyd, Biggs, Daniel - Biggs had 3-4 efforts. One pressure act after another the ball went from the pocket to near the goal square and back again. In a manic game it was the manic moment - 17 minute mark - 7 minutes to go.
1 point the difference - somehow the ball comes back out to near the 50 meter line - Macrae twists, back tracks and centers the ball. McLean goes for the mark - it's over his head. Picken picks up the loose ball. Lines up and slots it thru.

That effort by both sides had the hair on the back of my neck standing up. There was still time for the swans to come back but I felt their spirit had just been broken.

It was an epic contest and that moment epitomized the entire game.

Only Franklin could summon another serious effort and when Morris tackled him to the ground and Boyd kicked the sealer he gave it away too.

As I've posted in another thread, I thought that was the play of the year, if not the century.. and last century, too!

 

[yebiga]

As I've posted in another thread, I thought that was the play of the year, if not the century.. and last century, too!

It deserves its own thread with the edited footage

 

[SayerTheCreator]

Still can't believe it! We are the reigning premiers!!!

Just bought the DVD and the Premiers scarf, was looking at upgrading to EJWSC membership next year but I'll have to just stick to the ballot again.

 

[Big Wal]

7 minutes before kick off

 

[Pugz89]

I was there and whether it was the pregame bevvies or not, i wasn't that stressed early on. Felt we were matching it across the ground and if we could get some deeper entries into our forward 50, we'd get better results. Got asked by Dogs_r_barking how i was feeling, she can attest i was fine. Had full faith in that side. Only question mark was would they be overawed and would Sydney get off to a quick start. Both were answered in the first five minutes and i just sat back and soaked it all in.

 

[VogonProsthetnic]

Watched the ch 7 replay with Cometti and Bruce- fantastic call, going to miss him. Listen to Cometti describing Boyds kick 'the stadium holds its breath' so accurate.

Then listened to ABC radio call Gerard and Maclure- great as well, then I came across Roy and HG Nelson on News Radio. How lucky are we in Melbourne with the quality of media coverage?

 

[Dizzy Stuff]

It's funny to read how racked with nerves everyone was throughout the game. I'm generally as bad as anyone in that regard - there were home and away games this year where I felt close to physically ill. During the GF, I was nervous, but I wasn't as bad as I can be. I think there are two possible explanations. First, perhaps I was so nervous that I had entered something like a state of calm. Or second, I may have just been confident we'd get the win. I prefer the second explanation. This team believes in themselves and so do I. We did it. Go dogs.

 

[DexterTan]

Hi everyone,

So, it's now Tuesday - 3 days after the game and this is my first post since the match. I've been trying to think of what I'd say once I'd log in and make a post.

First off, thank you to all the well wishers in this thread from other clubs, it is very gracious of you all and means a lot.

Secondly, to any Swans fans reading this thread, sincere commiserations and bad luck to you. Your club was absolutely magnificent on Saturday, a brilliant and mighty performance. You should be bloody proud of them. There are a million reasons why this win is so amazing, and so special, to me and other Bulldogs, and beating a side as good as the Swans are is certainly one of them.

I have absolutely no doubt you'll be up there again next year. Keep your chins up, and be proud.

But finally, to all the dogs fans on this thread, this forum....we did it. We bloody did it. Can you believe it?

Actually reliving the images in my mind, both from what I saw at the ground and on TV since - it's hard to actually put it into words. To actually know that what has defined this club since I've been supporting it - the quest for the 2nd premiership - to know that that quest is now complete, it quite literally seems surreal.

I arrived early to the ground - I wanted to take it all in. The city was absolutely flooded with red white and blue. I'm usually quite indifferent to the Grand Final pre-match entertainment - I think it's usually very mediocre - but I wanted to make sure I was there just to take it all in. We hadn't been there since 1961 - I had to experience it. And I have to say, although I'm not sure people will agree with me, I actually enjoyed it this year.

The nerves and excitement I had before the match were so intense that I found myself both dreading and unable to wait for the first bounce at the same time. I would literally go from thinking "Come on, get on with it, I can't wait for this" to "Oh good, still another 40 minutes, it's not here yet" .

The roar (and there were several roars throughout the day - more on this later) when we entered the field was something I'll never forget. It hit me like a wave.

The national anthem - usually not a very patriotic sort, but I thought it was a great rendition, just the singers and the crowd with no music, and although as I said I'm not a very patriotic sort, I sung along - again, just wanted to take it all in. I also love the roar at the end of the national anthem from all the finals I've attended - and this one was simply amazing.

The tension I experienced throughout the game - I'm usually pretty bad with stress during the games, but I almost felt literally like the stress of every single close game we had played since I had been a supporter - I felt like I had that right throughout the game. Just the knowledge of how big a chance this was - the knowledge that if we lost, we may never get it again, the knowledge of how devastating a loss would be - it literally is impossible to describe how stressful the game was.

I'd almost waste the length of Bigfooty's bandwidth dissecting the match and players performances - and this is already a long post - but I will summarise as follows: Every single player that was out there was a hero, and every single one of them contributed to the win.

For years, I'd heard and read all about the heroes of 54 - not just Sutton and Whitten, but John Kerr, Jack Collins, Jim Gallagher - the whole lot and how they'd contributed in 1954. Now all the boys who were out there on Saturday are legends, just like the boys of 54 - and we'll all be telling our grandkids about them. So, so special.

The players I will single out though, are our best players on the day (like I said they were all heroes, but these were our best) - Tom Boyd, JJ and Picken.

I have been asked several times since the match what I thought the best moment was. I answer unequivocally straight away each time - Tom Boyd's goal in the last quarter. the build-up - Morris with a brilliant tackle on Buddy, Tom grabs it, bombs it, it bounces, it holds up...and it's through. The crowd goes bananas. Dennis Commetti says "And the Western Suburbs erupts...", and it does. I'll just never forget the moment after that, jumping up and down and hugging everyone and anyone.

Tom Boyd was the biggest hero of the game for mine. Putting up with all the crap he has all year, and then producing that performance – those marks, those goals, THAT moment...

Liam Picken. What a finals series. What a match, and what a last quarter. Probably the greatest last quarter I’ve ever seen. And to have him, of all people, bomb the goal from the goal square to finally ice the victory – I couldn’t think of anyone better from this team to do it. He’ll never have to reach for his wallet to buy a beer again. Ever.

JJ was extraordinary. Personally, I would have given the Norm to Tom Boyd, but JJ was every bit a deserving winner. Just a magnificent performance. I remember when he debuted thinking he had some potential, and to see him on Saturday, with the Norm around his neck, wearing the number 39.

I cried like a baby at the final siren. Tears of joy, and tears for everyone – for all my family and friends who support them, tears for the players and coaches and staff and board out on the field, and tears for all the players, and all the supporters, who had missed out on the moment. The win, and that moment – it was for all of us.

I had stopped the tears by the time Bevo had given his medal to Bob, and if you’d told me that this was going to happen, I would have told you I would probably cry. Instead, I just went wild. It was just magical. And then seeing Easton and Bobby, after 62 years, holding the cup aloft – simply the greatest moment I’ve ever experienced in my life.

And just seeing the scenes in the stands, outside the ground and on the way home – people with the biggest smiles, hugging complete strangers, singing the song – it was every bit as wonderful as I’d always imagined a premiership would be.

We had the biggest party that night, and I still feel like partying. I don’t know when the feeling of elation will die. Probably never, and I don’t care.

I’ve been posting on this site since 2004, and have come to know many of the regulars from this board, young and old. To everyone – Ant, SonOfScray, Dry Rot, immortalmike, Ozil, Matt Dougie, Mike, Norm De Guerre, Draft Pick, Testekill, - wherever you were, and whatever you did, I hope you all had the greatest day of your lives. (Sorry if I missed anyone – I literally hope you all had the greatest day).

This has been an exhausting couple of days and weeks, and it is time for me to now recover, get some sleep and watch the replay a zillion times.

Enjoy it everyone. Savour it all forever.

We did it.

We are the premiers.

Ah! Just remembered. She finally did the right thing by you!


Originally Posted by Leon:

"The Bulldogs are like the girl you just can't get over.

You love them so much, you give them your heart and soul, everything, do the right thing by them, each time they swear its different, that they'll treat you right, but time and again you just end up heartbroken.

But you love them still and each time a new footy season comes around you're back buying flowers and telling them you love them, or dropping down on your knees begging for a root, depending on what sort of guy you are."

Amen Brother.

 

[yebiga]

Watched the ch 7 replay with Cometti and Bruce- fantastic call, going to miss him. Listen to Cometti describing Boyds kick 'the stadium holds its breath' so accurate.

Then listened to ABC radio call Gerard and Maclure- great as well, then I came across Roy and HG Nelson on News Radio. How lucky are we in Melbourne with the quality of media coverage?

Did Roy and hg really cover the game and where can I hear it?

 

[yebiga]

It's funny to read how racked with nerves everyone was throughout the game. I'm generally as bad as anyone in that regard - there were home and away games this year where I felt close to physically ill. During the GF, I was nervous, but I wasn't as bad as I can be. I think there are two possible explanations. First, perhaps I was so nervous that I had entered something like a state of calm. Or second, I may have just been confident we'd get the win. I prefer the second explanation. This team believes in themselves and so do I. We did it. Go dogs.

I also felt unusually calm during the GF. It was the preliminary where I was a wreck thru out the entire game.

 

[Bulldogs Legend]

Even though I was confident we could beat Swans you never know what the day will bring. What a team we have. Still look at photos and can't believe it's the Doggies holding the cup. Have to stop reading comments in HS articles though because their are a lot of Dogs haters on there it pisses me off, but then I think their just jealous and grumpy that all their perceptions of our club were wrong. We stuck it right up em, that's what we did.

ignore all the trolls they just need something to complain about. Cant wait to next years promos as we will be everywhere being the reigning champs

 

[Zgope1]

it's been a friggin brilliant month to be a dogs fan. I reckon it's just been capped off. Happens to be old Zgope1's birthday and i get a random number calling me this afternoon. Pick up the horn and a bloke goes "hey is this Zak?" "yeh mate, this is Zak" "oh g'day mate it's Mitch Wallis how ya going!?"

Old man's got a mate with a mate and got him to give us a call. Good fella, those 1%ers from players are just awesome. What a star.

 

[Bulldogs Legend]

I hope you guys get the opportunity for a blu-ray set of the finals, not like the standard definition crap ch7 has pumped out lately.

I am pretty sure someone was making an insiders Doco of our year, that will be a big seller. Wont quite scale the heights of the Year of The Dog with Plough threatening to spew up but should be great viewing!

 

[VogonProsthetnic]

Did Roy and hg really cover the game and where can I hear it?

Came across the replay on News Radio on the ABC app. As well as being funny was impressed by their AFL knowledge. Not sure how you could get the replay though

 

[Mutt]

I'm afraid to say the grand final was a bitter sweet victory for me – my Swans supporting father was at home watching the game, and had a fatal heart attack. I was at a BBQ watching the game and found out after full time.

A very strange, sad day.

My condolences Dry Rot. Thinking of you mate.

 

[Jhye Clark 13]

I'm still not sober.

 

[Mr. Walker]

I'm afraid to say the grand final was a bitter sweet victory for me – my Swans supporting father was at home watching the game, and had a fatal heart attack. I was at a BBQ watching the game and found out after full time.

A very strange, sad day.

Sad news Dry Rot. My thoughts are with you and your family and i hope you are all coping as best as can be expected.

 

[Leon]

Ah! Just remembered. She finally did the right thing by you!


Originally Posted by Leon:

"The Bulldogs are like the girl you just can't get over.

You love them so much, you give them your heart and soul, everything, do the right thing by them, each time they swear its different, that they'll treat you right, but time and again you just end up heartbroken.

But you love them still and each time a new footy season comes around you're back buying flowers and telling them you love them, or dropping down on your knees begging for a root, depending on what sort of guy you are."

Amen Brother.

Hahaha.

She finally realised the error of her ways!

 

[Connoisseur]

Obviously Geelong (or anybody else for that matter)wasnt even good enough to beat the great pretenders (as you call them) Freo in 2013 , Sydney in 2014 and West Coast in 2015
Are you saying that the rest were even less than great pretenders

This isn't the thread to get into it. All I'd say is that the Geelong side from 2012 onwards was a make-shift team that included a lot of unproved youngster to replace players of the ilk of Scarlo, Ling, etc.. Our 'era' pretty much ended in 2012 when we had no choice but to enter a rebuilding phase due to the retirements of those champions. So it comes as no surprise to me and other Geelong fans that we weren't good enough beat the swans, dockers,etc... because the Geelong team from 2012 onwards was a mere shadow of the 2007-2011 version that beat Hawthorn in 11 consecutive games. The fact that that team almost beat you in a 2013 Preliminary final is an indictment on the Hawks and their claim to greatness.