What They're Saying - The Bulldogs Media Thread - Part 4

[_Cerberus_]

Does anyone else find this weird? The fact that they've had an end of year get together already? I can understand after what they copped on the weekend, but I still think it's odd.

Not really.

Sometimes the best thing to do, is to just forget about footy for a few days, and have bonding sessions, especially when the team has clearly struggled mentally the last few weeks. They still have another proper training session ahead before the game. Be amazed how many times I have been involved in things like that at teams, and how they had much more benefit than a typical training session did. The teams normally came out better and more relaxed and focused the week after. Think of it as a mini mental reset. Especially that no doubt many flog fans would have flooded the players social media inboxes with abuse. Some of them escaped back out to their folks farm or something like that, for a couple of days post game to get away for a bit, so clearly the post game emotions have taken a toll on the players.

I think we are reading a little to much into it. Maybe its because of things behind the scenes, or maybe the playing group just decided to take a day off regardless and relax as a team.

 

[Optimistic Dog]

It’s not the first such meal the team has had this year. A players only pub dinner after round 2 was probably the record for the earliest shits hit the fan players only meeting ever.

Writing was on the wall then.

If Bevo went to this it would be called the last supper.

 

[Dogs_R_Us]

We've just been talking about Caro guessing and this thread is full of assumptions (guesses) as to what is happening

Colour me shocked that BF would be full of assumptions

 

[redmania]

To be honest the media criticism is warranted. I know people are enamoured with the club.....but what is being said is pretty much accurate.

 

[NBates]

It’s not the first such meal the team has had this year. A players only pub dinner after round 2 was probably the record for the earliest shits hit the fan players only meeting ever.

Writing was on the wall then.

Given Bont's relaxed demeanour at his presser, I'd say he'd already gone to the board and a resolution had been sought. Today was about filling everyone in and prepping them for the media sh1tstorm that will surely ensue.

Bont comes out of this with a lot of credit I think. He saw what to be done and did it. And it wouldn't have been easy. A bit like taking a much loved pet, that's gone off its tucker and started p1ssing, sh1tting and vomiting on the carpet, to the vet for the very last time.

Hang on - are we saying players havent been happy all year and now Bont finally went higher to tell the club?

 

[dogwatch]

We've just been talking about Caro guessing and this thread is full of assumptions (guesses) as to what is happening

The small difference is we are here because we are emotionally invested, passionate about the club and wanting success for it.

We aren't earning a living on the pretence of being a trustworthy football journalist delivering hard hitting exposés to a mass TV audience.

 

[Next Waiting]

Hang on - are we saying players havent been happy all year and now Bont finally went higher to tell the club?

I'm not saying that but it's possible, even likely. To a degree, he and the playing group were hamstrung by the administrative decision to extend Bevo's contract early in the year. What we don't know is whether Bains and Grant knew he was going to the board given the decision to extend Bevo in the first place came on their recommendation.

What I'm saying is that Bont would have observed Bevo and the group over the year, and especially over the weekend with the pre-match and post match interviews and addresses, and decided, in consultation, that this just isn't good for anyone, including Bevo. It's time. It was both a hard and an easy decision to approach the board directly but an approach that had to be made and he was man enough to make it.

I expect that he'll be supportive of Bevo in every respect other than job retention....if Bevo allows it.

 

[Libba39]

Not sure but let's go over a history.

2016 - Hamling, Stevens & Hrovat
2017 - Stringer
2018 - Adams, Roughead & Dahlhaus
2021 - Lipinski & Young
2022 - Dunkley, Hunter & Cordy

It doesn't seem like it's too much of a pattern or anything out of the ordinary. 5 fringe players, 1 kicked out of the club (Stringer), 1 family related matter (Hamling), 3 fresh starts (Hunter, Adams, Rough), 1 cooked player (Dahl) and 1 genuine gun (Dunkley).

Agreed!

Of course Cawwo doesn't mention Freo losing Lobb, Acres, and Logue last year, or the fact that one of them came to us!

 

[lateniter]

Given Bont's relaxed demeanour at his presser, I'd say he'd already gone to the board and a resolution had been sought. Today was about filling everyone in and prepping them for the media sh1tstorm that will surely ensue.

Bont comes out of this with a lot of credit I think. He saw what to be done and did it. And it wouldn't have been easy. A bit like taking a much loved pet, that's gone off its tucker and started p1ssing, sh1tting and vomiting on the carpet, to the vet for the very last time.

Got any sauces for this?

 

[Next Waiting]

Got any sauces for this?

 

[Dogs 13]

The small difference is we are here because we are emotionally invested, passionate about the club and wanting success for it.

We aren't earning a living on the pretence of being a trustworthy football journalist delivering hard hitting exposés to a mass TV audience.

What I find amusing is people speculating on what’s happening then the following posters start taking it all as gospel and start to build on that speculation as though it’s a fait accompli

 

[dogwatch]

What I find amusing is people speculating on what’s happening then the following posters start taking it all as gospel and start to build on that speculation as though it’s a fait accompli

I guess they're just copying the way the footy media works.

 

[Bazza Bulldog]

Got any sauces for this?

A personal favourite

 

[NBates]

I've woken up with this lunch still bothering me. I'm not fussed really (I am only in so much as what I'll outline here, but as with the game on the weekend, I am immune to any angst about it). However, what other club would see their players on every TV news out to lunch instead of training when there is 1 game to go, they've just put in a putrid performance, there is finals on the line (pfsst) and the peasants are revolting. The Bruce thing seems to be an excuse - they could wait until seasons end, which will probably be 1 week away.

To me, this is not something the club would have okayed. It's not a good look from a PR perspective. The usual response would see TV reporting on doubly hard training drill. It seems like it's players middle finger to everyone.

 

[MYOB]

I've woken up with this lunch still bothering me. I'm not fussed really (I am only in so much as what I'll outline here, but as with the game on the weekend, I am immune to any angst about it). However, what other club would see their players on every TV news out to lunch instead of training when there is 1 game to go, they've just put in a putrid performance, there is finals on the line (pfsst) and the peasants are revolting. The Bruce thing seems to be an excuse - they could wait until seasons end, which will probably be 1 week away.

To me, this is not something the club would have okayed. It's not a good look from a PR perspective. The usual response would see TV reporting on doubly hard training drill. It seems like it's players middle finger to everyone.

You do realise Bevo and the other coaches were there

 

[bresker]

Everyone is entitled to a lunch break , and one to farewell a colleague is hardly uncommon .

What did they have for dessert , like what were the options ?

 

[Bulldogs85]

Sen Article

The Western Bulldogs continue to struggle across key aspects of the game, according to Champion Data.

Over the last seven seasons, since the Bulldogs won the 2016 premiership, they have been below the top echelon of club in three specific areas.
Champion Data analyst Daniel Hoyne believes that under Luke Beveridge the Dogs have been below the best with their ability to deny opposition ball movement, denying inside 50 entries and scores, then winning the ball back off the opposition in defence.

“There’s been a really consistent theme in three critical aspects of the game,” Hoyne said on SEN’s Sportsday.

“Their inability to deny ball movement of the opposition from one end of the ground to the other. Only once in seven years have they ranked in the top seven teams in the competition. This year they’re eighth.

“It’s not disastrous but they’re just not in the top echelon.
“In seven of seven seasons since winning the flag, they have not ranked top six at conceding scores per entry (denying entries, then denying scores after the entry). Again this year they are outside that bracket, only marginally but again they’re outside that bracket.

“In terms of winning the ball back off the opposition close to goal, they have not been top six in any of their seasons since 2015. This year they’re 11th.”

The Dogs remain in the finals hunt in that they must beat Geelong this weekend and hope Carlton defeats GWS.

But if they do want to go deep in September they’ll have to fix these woes quickly and that starts with the side’s lesser name players stepping up and chopping out for the stars, says Hoyne.

“Everyone talks about the list, everyone talks about ‘Bont’ (Marcus Bontempelli

4

Marcus Bontempelli

Age

28

Ht

194cm

Wt

96kg

Pos.

Mid

Career

Season

Last 5

D

22.5

5star

K

12.3

5star

HB

10.3

5star

M

3.6

4star

T

4.8

5star

CL

4.4

5star

D

18.4

4star

K

9.7

4star

HB

8.8

4star

M

2.6

3star

T

4.1

5star

CL

4.0

5star

D

12.0

3star

K

5.8

3star

HB

6.2

4star

M

2.0

3star

T

3.8

5star

CL

1.8

4star

), ‘Libba’ (Tom Liberatore), (Tim) English, the list can go on,” he added.

“I think it’s those role players on the periphery (that are important).

“The wingers play such a vital role to facilitate the absolute stars to let them do what they need to do and then these guys come in and do the dirty work.”

The Dogs have been criticised for underperforming under Beveridge in recent times.

Kane Cornes believes they own the best list in the AFL yet find themselves in the middle of the ladder and battling for a spot in the top eight.

There have been some murmurings of potential culture issues at The Kennel and in a bid to fix those, Cornes has the perfect person in mind.

Enter former Dogs captain Bob Murphy who is currently the head of footy at Fremantle.

“With the Bulldogs adamant they will stick with their coach Luke Beveridge, there is obviously going to be significant changes around him,” Cornes said.

“One person they should consider trying to poach back is the former captain Bob Murphy.

“If the culture, if the relationship between players and the coach - which is starting to come out publicly - is an issue, Bob Murphy is the perfect person to solve that.

“He is the ideal culture guy, leadership facilitator, assistant coach, all round good club person and they love him. Get him back in.

“I’ll be interested to ask Brad Johnson

Brad Johnson

Age

48

Ht

182cm

Wt

87kg

Pos.

Fwd

Career

Season

Last 5

D

19.7

5star

K

14.1

5star

HB

5.6

4star

M

5.9

5star

T

1.6

4star

G

1.5

5star

No current season stats available

D

12.8

4star

K

10.2

4star

HB

2.6

3star

M

2.2

3star

T

1.2

3star

G

0.6

3star

about that, if the Dogs could get Bob Murphy back from Fremantle and whether that would be a good addition to the football department staff.”

Murphy has been with the Dockers since late 2021 following a stint on SEN alongside Andy Maher.

The Doggies, on the back of their disappointing loss to West Coast, take on the Cats at GMHBA Stadium on Saturday night and anything less than a victory will end their season prematurely.

A win and then they’ll be closely watching the Blues v Giants clash on Sunday night.

 

[Next Waiting]

"Kane Cornes believes they own the best list in the AFL"

If you start with this premise then you can come to a lot of conclusions.

But if the premise is absolute bullsh1t, so too will the conclusions likely be.

Hint: The premise is bullsh1t

 

[Struggle]

"Kane Cornes believes they own the best list in the AFL"

If you start with this premise then you can come to a lot of conclusions.

But if the premise is absolute bullsh1t, so too will the conclusions likely be.

Hint: The premise is bullsh1t

They got halfway through a decent thought

"wingers play such a vital role to facilitate the absolute stars to let them do what they need to do and then these guys come in and do the dirty work'

But make no mention that the quality we have run through the wing this year has been bottom 4

 

[Next Waiting]

I've woken up with this lunch still bothering me. I'm not fussed really (I am only in so much as what I'll outline here, but as with the game on the weekend, I am immune to any angst about it). However, what other club would see their players on every TV news out to lunch instead of training when there is 1 game to go, they've just put in a putrid performance, there is finals on the line (pfsst) and the peasants are revolting. The Bruce thing seems to be an excuse - they could wait until seasons end, which will probably be 1 week away.

To me, this is not something the club would have okayed. It's not a good look from a PR perspective. The usual response would see TV reporting on doubly hard training drill. It seems like it's players middle finger to everyone.

You do realise Bevo and the other coaches were there

If events have unfolded as has been suggested, and Bont had already been to the board, and Bevo and all the coaches were included in the lunch, then it is a surprising but very mature way to handle it.

The playing group is essentially saying to Bevo that we still love ya and will support you it's just that the end has come. You know it, we know it, but there are no hard feelings. Come and have a beer with us and we'll send Brucey off together.

It's possible, and I hope it happens really, that they resolved to treat the Cats game as his last game as coach and they'll win it for him and Libba.

 

[Dogs_R_Us]

I've woken up with this lunch still bothering me. I'm not fussed really (I am only in so much as what I'll outline here, but as with the game on the weekend, I am immune to any angst about it). However, what other club would see their players on every TV news out to lunch instead of training when there is 1 game to go, they've just put in a putrid performance, there is finals on the line (pfsst) and the peasants are revolting. The Bruce thing seems to be an excuse - they could wait until seasons end, which will probably be 1 week away.

To me, this is not something the club would have okayed. It's not a good look from a PR perspective. The usual response would see TV reporting on doubly hard training drill. It seems like it's players middle finger to everyone.

Sorry, have to disagree. Doubly hard training would be/look like more punishment and blaming. I don't think the boys need any more of that. Losing the unlosable game, facing the wrath of fans both at the ground and on social media, bagging from all forms of media. They're just young blokes, they didn't set out to lose. Whatever you say about Bevo, he's not into punishing his boys. They all need to relax and reset. The lunch was a good idea. They can't help the tv reporting it.

 

[Dogs_R_Us]

I also don't think Bob would come back. Not just yet anyway. He's only been in the west for 2 years, his kids are settled in schools, they would be his priority, not the Bulldogs. Maybe years down the track it might be a possibility.

 

[Fossie 32]

"Kane Cornes believes they own the best list in the AFL"

If you start with this premise then you can come to a lot of conclusions.

But if the premise is absolute bullsh1t, so too will the conclusions likely be.

Hint: The premise is bullsh1t

Aha! Faulty logic spotted!

 

[BulldogMuscle]

I also don't think Bob would come back. Not just yet anyway. He's only been in the west for 2 years, his kids are settled in schools, they would be his priority, not the Bulldogs. Maybe years down the track it might be a possibility.

Would not want Bob back at the club under any circumstances.

 

[MYOB]

Would not want Bob back at the club under any circumstances.

And why is that?