The GWS did not exist.  Imagine how many teams would have more depth with quality players.  Imagine how closer some teams would be to winning premierships.

I could go on and on, however the AFL have done it and now many clubs will just have to watch this mob fly past them and win flags while supporter bases of foundation clubs are left behind frustrated.

it is controversial but real!  A few thousand supporters in Western Sydney will get to see their manufactured team with compromised drafts win flags while hundreds of thousands in the heartland of AFL put up with results of many Compromised drafts.

screw the AFL and GWS!

1 minute ago, Soidee said:

The GWS did not exist.  Imagine how many teams would have more depth with quality players.  Imagine how closer some teams would be to winning premierships.

I could go on and on, however the AFL have done it and now many clubs will just have to watch this mob fly past them and win flags while supporter bases of foundation clubs are left behind frustrated.

it is controversial but real!  A few thousand supporters in Western Sydney will get to see their manufactured team with compromised drafts win flags while hundreds of thousands in the heartland of AFL put up with results of many Compromised drafts.

screw the AFL and GWS!

True. We are improving but the talent and improvement of GWS is seriously scary.  Although, so are the dogs. At the moment, all other clubs seem a long way off the type of footy that these teams are playing. Finals is one thing but flag contenders is another. 

GSW have done nothing yet. The true test for them is finals on the MCG. Plenty of talent, that's about it. A pox on the integrity and fairness of the competition. The AFL don't care because it's all about TV ratings now.

 

 

Bulldogs have made their own success with little talent and sheer hard work.  Given the questions and doubts over our hight draft development a few extra players may have not done us much good. 

14 minutes ago, hemingway said:

True. We are improving but the talent and improvement of GWS is seriously scary.  Although, so are the dogs. At the moment, all other clubs seem a long way off the type of footy that these teams are playing. Finals is one thing but flag contenders is another. 

No they are not. Adelaide look a class above both GWS and the Western Bulldogs. At present Adelaide sit as the team to beat. I wouldn't have GWS and the Bullies ahead of Adelaide, but it is a long year. GWS should improve as the year goes on. I don't buy into this GWS dynasty. They will be good, but they will be more than beatable. Still a few quality players to leave that group as well.

I recall a topic and rant like this back in 2012-13.

Terrible isn't it. Yet the Bulldogs were a kick away and probably should have beaten them if not for poor kicking.

 

Imagine that..

22 minutes ago, KingDingAling said:

No they are not. Adelaide look a class above both GWS and the Western Bulldogs. At present Adelaide sit as the team to beat. I wouldn't have GWS and the Bullies ahead of Adelaide, but it is a long year. GWS should improve as the year goes on. I don't buy into this GWS dynasty. They will be good, but they will be more than beatable. Still a few quality players to leave that group as well.

How could I forget the Crows.  Having been in Adelaide recently the attitude of Crows supporters is sickening. They already have it won.

1 minute ago, hemingway said:

How could I forget the Crows.  Having been in Adelaide recently the attitude of Crows supporters is sickening. They already have it won.

Don't remind me ........please

Imagine if South Melbourne didn't go to Sydney!

Imagine if Barassi didn't go to Carlton.

GW$ haven't done it yet. 

No one saw the Dogs coming last year. 

Hard work can still win through. 

The Bulldogs were stiff like us last monday. They dominated but didn't put the final nail in, as did the Demons. 

We will match these sides next year

We wouldn't have best 22 players in Hogan, Tyson, Frost and Salem plus solid fringe players in Bugg, OMac* and ANB*. Pick trades with them and GC were instrumental in netting Oliver and Weideman.

(* steak-knife picks)

We would have Josh Kelly and probably Ollie Wines (on the assumption would would've got him and Toumpas if we had picks 3&4 in 2012) and Lewis Taylor instead of Salem. Instead of Oliver and Weid we'd likely have Francis.

Hogan > Wines

Tyson << Kelly

Salem > Taylor

Oliver >>>>>>>> Francis

The Frost pick got them McKenna!!

+ Weideman, Bugg, ANB, OMac.

The reality is we've been one of the greatest beneficiaries of trades with GWS. 

1 hour ago, KingDingAling said:

No they are not. Adelaide look a class above both GWS and the Western Bulldogs. At present Adelaide sit as the team to beat. I wouldn't have GWS and the Bullies ahead of Adelaide, but it is a long year. GWS should improve as the year goes on. I don't buy into this GWS dynasty. They will be good, but they will be more than beatable. Still a few quality players to leave that group as well.

I agree the Crows are looking good but there isn't much midfield depth on the big stage.

GWS still have Deledio, Whitfield, Griffen and Coniglio to come in soon. Plus the combo of Lobb/Patton/Cameron gets better each game they play together.

I worry how beatable they will be later this year and for the next couple

 

edit: forgot Whitfield

Can't say I care 2 hoots for GWS - plenty of talent though and the only way they won't remain strong is if they are mismanaged. 

They'll continue to be aided in recruiting prized youth even when factoring in a 50% strike rate (which is how it generally works)  Their academy and trading out overvalued draft picks will do the trick.

And imagine if the AFL had decided that the $20m a year could have been better invested in grass-roots and second-tier football, women's football, outback football, and so on.

The quality of the game would lift dramatically and AFL would be part of the pulse of every community!

Hell, that much investment in development, they could probably field an extra team with the improved playing stocks. Just say'n.

It's sad to think about, i will always say there should not have brought in another team in QLD and NSW one team in each state is enough.

Little Goffy i agree with you 100% the AFL have left grass roots footy in Victoria a mess and are for $$$.

4 hours ago, Thrice said:

We wouldn't have best 22 players in Hogan, Tyson, Frost and Salem plus solid fringe players in Bugg, OMac* and ANB*. Pick trades with them and GC were instrumental in netting Oliver and Weideman.

(* steak-knife picks)

We would have Josh Kelly and probably Ollie Wines (on the assumption would would've got him and Toumpas if we had picks 3&4 in 2012) and Lewis Taylor instead of Salem. Instead of Oliver and Weid we'd likely have Francis.

Hogan > Wines

Tyson << Kelly

Salem > Taylor

Oliver >>>>>>>> Francis

The Frost pick got them McKenna!!

+ Weideman, Bugg, ANB, OMac.

The reality is we've been one of the greatest beneficiaries of trades with GWS. 

Don't say the name Ollie Wines, please. 

Of all those we have messed up, Ollie is the big one.

Can you imagine him in our midfield.

I like GWS.

 

54 minutes ago, hemingway said:

Don't say the name Ollie Wines, please. 

Of all those we have messed up, Ollie is the big one.

Can you imagine him in our midfield.

Always amazed/envious of people's memories around trading - who did we pick up instead of wines?

15 minutes ago, hemingway said:

Don't say the name Ollie Wines, please. 

Of all those we have messed up, Ollie is the big one.

Can you imagine him in our midfield.

We made a decision to draft Toumpas based on his absolutely outstanding junior form ... and his form was outstanding.  The excitement levels were through the roof when we drafted him. 

O'Rourke & Plowman went at picks 2 & 3 in that same draft and both aren't much chop as it's turned out.  And the no.1 pick from that draft has issues that could curtail his career.

Drafting is fraught with danger and no club is more aware of that than GWS ... they got a crash-course in how it all works and are none the poorer because of it.  Because they had so many high end picks they had the sample size to figure out what the results can be. 

Most other clubs often only get one go at it per year (a first round draft pick)  GWS had numerous first round draft picks over 3 - 4 year stretch (if we include the mini-drafts and academy picks)  They then quickly off-load those who probably won't make it and then re-load again.  Rinse & repeat

 

 

 

 

7 hours ago, hemingway said:

True. We are improving but the talent and improvement of GWS is seriously scary.  Although, so are the dogs. At the moment, all other clubs seem a long way off the type of footy that these teams are playing. Finals is one thing but flag contenders is another. 

Look at the Crows though. Lost players to expansion as well as Gunston to the Hawks and Tippett to Swans. Kicked out of the first two rounds of the draft due to the Tippett salary cap issue. Premiership favourites.

3 minutes ago, Dr. Gonzo said:

Look at the Crows though. Lost players to expansion as well as Gunston to the Hawks and Tippett to Swans. Kicked out of the first two rounds of the draft due to the Tippett salary cap issue. Premiership favourites.

In sport, there are outliers and then there are clubs that just always seem to find a way.

The Crows have rarely been a poor team so they fall into the 2nd category.  The dogs on the other hand have landed themselves a great coach.  Their list was reasonable before he got there but Beveridge gets the best out of his best players and the most out of the rest. 

Both clubs bring high motivation and that can be attributed to Pyke & Beveridge. 

The Bulldogs do actually have authentic ruckmen too - just not very good ones.  They'd be super hard to beat if they had a ruckman like Gawn.

The Crows go about their business quietly but they continually make excellent decisions.   GWS are just chock full of talent and will, by default, win many games.

As to where we sit,  Goodwin needs a clean run at it ... he needs his best players available and ready to go.  For various reasons, we haven't seen that this season (availability of our best players)  But in a number of other areas, we're starting to tick the boxes.

39 minutes ago, Macca said:

We made a decision to draft Toumpas based on his absolutely outstanding junior form ... and his form was outstanding.  The excitement levels were through the roof when we drafted him. 

O'Rourke & Plowman went at picks 2 & 3 in that same draft and both aren't much chop as it's turned out.  And the no.1 pick from that draft has issues that could curtail his career.

Drafting is fraught with danger and no club is more aware of that than GWS ... they got a crash-course in how it all works and are none the poorer because of it.  Because they had so many high end picks they had the sample size to figure out what the results can be. 

Most other clubs often only get one go at it per year (a first round draft pick)  GWS had numerous first round draft picks over 3 - 4 year stretch (if we include the mini-drafts and academy picks)  They then quickly off-load those who probably won't make it and then re-load again.  Rinse & repeat

 

 

 

 

Too rational and analytical by far!!!

4 minutes ago, hemingway said:

Too rational and analytical by far!!!

But not the 'popular' view H ... it would be far easier to just have a moan sometimes.

How about -  "We haven't got a ruckman, we are doomed .. doomed I tell ya"

16 hours ago, Ron Burgundy said:

I like GWS.

 

Their last 2 games against the dogs have been rippers to watch.

Damn their talent though and that smug toby. (although id be smug if i could play like that}

I don't care if GWS wins a flag. I don't know any GWS fans, I write off their success as an AFL construct, I haven't any 45 years of GWS hate. 

Much rather them win instead of the loathsome Tigers.