11 replies to this topic

[Elsternwick Pierre]

At the moment I don't care what we're called.  Of course, in a week or so I'll wish that it was Footscray who were premiers.

 

[Rodc]

Well Caveman, the day has finally come!  I am so rapt for people like you. You are the heart and soul that makes up the Doggies.  I can imagine how you must have felt when that siren went.  Also our mutual friend in South Australia will be bouncing on his tractor for a few weeks I would say.  

 

Enjoy it my friend!! 

[Mr Canterbury]

Congratulations to Western Bulldogs on winning the 2016 AFL Premiership despite missing key players through injury and finishing only 7th in the minor premiership. The long suffering supporters should make the most of this moment and enjoy themselves! Looks weird though when one looks at the premiership winners list and sees 1954 = Footscray and 2016 = Western Bulldogs for what is supposedly the same club (although I guess it is not as weird as say 1933 = South Melbourne and 2005 = Sydney for what is supposedly the same club)! While I am sure that all Footscray / Western Bulldogs supporters would have enjoyed the Grand Final win, for a fair percentage (especially FNWB members and readers) I suspect that the win was “not as enjoyable as it could have been” due to the identity change from Footscray to Western Bulldogs.  

2016 must be the “year of long suffering supporters”, as in the NRL Cronulla won their first ever premiership (their fans have been waiting since 1967).

[Lisbon]

It was a remarkable achievement. In hindsight I guess that if any club was to win it from seventh, it would have to be us.
This team has overcome so many setbacks, so many injuries, with such resilience and fighting spirit... cede nullis!
I was also glad to hear the "F-word" quite a few times, including in an article where the author called for the reinstatement of the club's true name.
All in all, what a finals series it was!

[Elsternwick Pierre]

Now we need to win three or four on end, so we'll stop being everyone's second favorite team.  I've always found that rather patronizing.

[Caveman]

Spot on Elsternwick Pierre- everyone's 2nd team it is like the saying -

 

"With all due respect to...."

 

 Well no need for that anymore, personally I would like the 2017 Grand Final to be - Melbourne v St Kilda and who ever loses that Grand Final, to bounce back in 2018 and win it. 

 

Then again 4 in a row would be alright to, but i am not greedy. Once Melbourne and St Kilda have both won it, then its back to "every man for himself"

[Caveman]

It was a remarkable achievement. In hindsight I guess that if any club was to win it from seventh, it would have to be us.
This team has overcome so many setbacks, so many injuries, with such resilience and fighting spirit... cede nullis!
I was also glad to hear the "F-word" quite a few times, including in an article where the author called for the reinstatement of the club's true name.
All in all, what a finals series it was!

 

That's right Lisbon- the F Word and that is where the party was on the Sunday. People aren't too concerned about travelling to "The F Word" to celebrate a Premiership - well 30,000 on them weren't.

[Caveman]

Congratulations to Western Bulldogs on winning the 2016 AFL Premiership despite missing key players through injury and finishing only 7th in the minor premiership. The long suffering supporters should make the most of this moment and enjoy themselves! Looks weird though when one looks at the premiership winners list and sees 1954 = Footscray and 2016 = Western Bulldogs for what is supposedly the same club (although I guess it is not as weird as say 1933 = South Melbourne and 2005 = Sydney for what is supposedly the same club)! While I am sure that all Footscray / Western Bulldogs supporters would have enjoyed the Grand Final win, for a fair percentage (especially FNWB members and readers) I suspect that the win was “not as enjoyable as it could have been” due to the identity change from Footscray to Western Bulldogs.  

2016 must be the “year of long suffering supporters”, as in the NRL Cronulla won their first ever premiership (their fans have been waiting since 1967).

 

It was a good weekend Mr Canterbury- I definitely wanted Cronulla to win- the Melbourne Storm have won a few (both those that stand and those that don't !) but it was good to see Cronulla's drought broken.

 

There need to be no more quotes about leaving the porch light on for Harold Holt from both drought breakers.

[Caveman]

Well Caveman, the day has finally come!  I am so rapt for people like you. You are the heart and soul that makes up the Doggies.  I can imagine how you must have felt when that siren went.  Also our mutual friend in South Australia will be bouncing on his tractor for a few weeks I would say.  

 

Enjoy it my friend!! 

 

 

Good on you Rodc- the final siren in the Great Danny Southern Stand was actually rather weird, there was an audible countdown 10,9,8,7..... as the last shot for goal (which was not scored- a la 1954 with Brian Gilmore who threw the ball away when the siren sounded) from those who could see the Foxtel clock and everyone had their mobile phone cameras up in the air- just like that MEME about the end of the World and everyone is holding their phones up to film it. 

[Rodc]

Just out of interest, Caveman there was a lot of debate about the countdown clock when it was introduced years ago.  Some people felt that it took away some of the drama and joy of a close win.  For example, would St.Kilda's premiership been more or less dramatic and emotional if everyone knew how long was left after Barry Breen kicked that point?  I imagine it would have been just as emotional but does the clock take something away?

You've now experienced the joy of a fairly close win in a Grand Final.  Would you have preferred to have not known how long to go or did the countdown in the crowd add an extra dimension?  

[Caveman]

Yes the countdown clock made the noise at the end not as loud as it might have been. People knew what was going on although the result was pretty much decided as McLean was walking in for his shot. 

 

Also seemingly everyone were taking photos so there was no spontaneous eruption as there would have been in 1966 and 1964 and a few others. 

 

That is today though - I did the same. 

[Rodc]

But at the end of the day nothing would take away the joy of seeing your team win a premiership live after 62 years.  Can you imagine if someone had have said after the siren went in 1954, "You know we won't win another one for sixty two years and to get there we'll have to travel to Perth to beat a team from there, then we'll have to stop Hawthorn from winning it's fourth premiership in a row, (in 1954 they hadn't even made a final), then we'll have to travel to the Western suburbs of Sydney to beat the red hot favourite.  Luckily we won some of our games in that stadium that's got the roof over the top."

 

It would have all sounded like Science Fiction.