Well at least he didn't go round kicking people in the fekking head

There are a lot of special players from a lot of different teams, from different eras and from both sides of the border. There are players that I don't aspire to like, even though they were in themselves great players but when it comes to Billy Slater, I have no time at all for him. He is a grub of the highest order and some of the crap he tried to say was in his normal game was nothing but a stain on the integrity of the game.

It doesn't but I do believe winning the Shield is quite an impressive achievement and one I certainly value.

Watching your team do a lap of honour with it sends me back to my childhood. The look of the JJ Giltenan shield is far better than actual Norman-Summons trophy.

Its another reason I dislike Des. In 2012 he wanted the players to just win the shield, do the presentation and go into the sheds. And didnt that do wonders for us on GF day.....tosser.

My favourites are all Dogs players.

But there are plenty of players who played for other clubs who I respect and admire.

Mal Meninga, Steve Renouf, Alan Langer, Wally Lewis, Steve Rodgers, Matt Bowen, Hoss Cartwright, Benji Marshall, Arthur Beetson

Thurston isn't on that list as he is a Bulldog (originally)

But you will notice, no Roosters players, (except the great man Artie) no Dragons players, and definitely no Parra players.

A cheat a grub and a sook. Don’t care how much ability he has

Notice the respect Thurston gets from opposition teams. None for the grub

Both Morris bros saving their worst for last...



Cmon Dogs

Take Frawley off NOW.....

The amount of decisions that needlessly get sent upstairs, and they ignore that!? Oh well, glad we weren't playing for a spot in the 8.

Edit: Only saw the replays as was in and out of the room - thought the foot into touch was in the scoring play. My mistake.

Lots of effort, but it just wasn't our day.

Defense needs a bit of work, 30 was too many to chase.

Anyway bring on 2019.

I'll be cheering the Sharks for next week only.

Well, the kids know when to show up for the Father's Day thingy and leave just as the game's finishing......... I can't complain.... at least they turn up. If anyone that saw the game wants to comment I'd be interested to find out how they went against the Sharks.

hd were they good, bad or indifferent?

ODF More that the Shark played well and got a few lucky 50/50 calls.

We had a few critical passes which didn't stick.

Val Holmes created nightmares for Holland/Smith.

Holland and Smith have improved in recent weeks, they still have a few things to learn, but Holmes is very good. 

Some examples, Smith left Dutchy 1-on-1 and Holmes burned him, next time Smith came in a bit to help and Holmes  got a great ball to the winger,  who just got around Smith. Those 2 tries and a 50/50 catch on a kick by Dugan where the difference.


In terms of the balance of the game, we mostly matched them, the Sharks probably edged us in the kicking game and a bit slicker execution at times.

It would have been nice to end the season with a win, but we played close to our full potential.

Thanks hd. They tried hard, that's the main thing. Next season is going to be a cracker and the Dogs are going to be in the thick of it. I predict a fun year but, we are still going to have to apply a little patience to allow the new acquisitions to adjust during those initial rounds.

https://www.sportingnews.com/au/league/news/andrew-fifita-lachlan-lewis-sosaia-feki-luke-lewis-touch/slau7m5eri4n1dlqh9fj3viuo

Well that's it , all over ……. a horror season for sure but some swift rebuilding already .
 Lachlan Lewis has warmed the cockles of my heart the last six weeks . I have so enjoyed watching him unfurl great kicks 
long passes committed defence lots of heads up stuff . He is my favourite player heading into next year . 

Made quite a difference the way the game panned out . The try should have been quashed twice . We would have massacred them otherwise 

I agree Balso, Lewis has added a lot to our side and threw some great passes today.

The Sharks pressured him and his kicking was not quite as effective as normal.

Pay & Jacko mentioned in the presser the Sharks are the masters of winning the wrestle in the ruck and on the back of that have good line speed, they have some good solid defenders.

In spite of that we made some great plays to post points, but the Holmes carved us up and we leaked too many points.

We just need to improve the side where we can, I would be happy to just make the 8 next season.

To win the comp we would need to sign an X-factor player like Drinkwater, Renouf T would need to step up and become one of the best forwards in a team and we would need to find good replacements for the Morris Bros.  We would need some luck, and our young players would need to perform for most of the season which is all tall order. 

Special mention to Lichaa today who scored a great try, and is playing much better. He is off contract, I would extend him.

We are already a young side, we need more experienced players. Apart from the players already departing, I would extend most of our players.

balso, it was more of a horror start, than a horror season. I thought we finished very well, as a matter of fact, I thought we were coming home stronger than a few of the bottom 8 sides. That in itself is a very promising sign.

Yes. He is the shining light no doubt.
Along with Rhys Martin and Reimis Smith (poor game today but good over the 6 or so weeks).
We also have the mainstayers in Hoppa, Jacko, Klem and Elliott who perform every week. 

Probably 1 or 2 x-factors away from being a challenger, but I guess we will have to wait till 2020 to get a look at those. Our hope for next year is for all above players to continue to play well and the new guys we have coming in as well as some injured players, come back better than ever.

I don't say this often (certainly not in a Des coached era other than 2012) but I just didn't want this season to end. In fact, if it went for another 10 rounds, I reckon we would make the finals.

What no mention of Lichaa's solo penalty tap try??

The back half of the year is something we really needed to build on at the club....

Next year, it’s Pays team!

Hopefully we can jag another good signing or two to complete our 2019 roster


Not so sure that Meaney will get the No1 spot after the way Hoppa has played there since Mbye left. Hoppa has been terrific! Holland surprised the hell out of me! Elliott was great, Tolmans defence huge.... again plenty of positives to build on with the current group


The Sharks aggression reminded me of the way we used to play many years ago.... they are a good team & will go deep into the finals

Very sad 2 see josh morris bow out of the blue & white
Along with his brother brett un replaceable booth of them good To see the end of frawly , eastwood, as are
No value 2 this team all i hope we sign 1 centre for 2019
A year 2 forget period , will be sad watching the finals with no bulldogs there but hope the isp cup side beat the
Wyon roos

https://www.illawarramercury.com.au/story/5621592/pay-sees-finals-return-for-bulldogs-in-19/?cs=4783

Soon we will be filled with hyphenated players...
JMK
RFM
CHN
If we can jag an RTS or DWZ we will become a commentators nightmare....or perhaps their preferred call team....

The season of the momentum killer...the Isaaka blatant knock on vs Brisbane, Fat pr*ck Joey Leilua getting bundled into touch when the tackle had not been completed, a couple of things vs the Rorters that escape me and now this..which I just watched for first time...they didn't highlight it on the highlights...Lachlan Lewis does not move an inch...a centimetre even.

steve, it's like this.... there was an opportunity to create history by having the first four teams on the same points. This was a fascinating selling point for an extremely successful and lucrative final series. The Bulldogs had absolutely nothing but pride to gain by beating the Sharks. Greenturd and his henchmen (and henchwomen) just couldn't help themselves and it only took three questionable decisions to achieve the "dream finish". Even if this scenario is not true it certainly looked suspect. Doggies to kick ar$e in 2019.

Ahh the good old smell of September Finals Football.
Haven't had a good wiff since 201something.

A year where we just didn't fall in the top 8 and fall out again the same week. 
Damn You Des! 

ODF I think we lost perhaps 3-4 games by skinny margins with a few calls going against us, that sapped some confidence/momentum, but IMO the absolute best we could have hoped for this season was to sneak into 7-8.

But the Sharks game was a reality check, we don't really have the cattle to mix it with the top 4 at the business end. 

While we did well to almost match it with the Sharks, they were the better side.

I'll be happy to get the calls and a few lucky wins next season, when we might be able to do something with them.

I'm optimistic, but if we are adding one more player to our squad, I'm keen to see who that player is, if it is Scott Drinkwater, I'll be very happy.

For now I'm simply hoping the Warriors or the Panthers can win it.

I think we can make the 8 next season, gain something from the experience and keep improving.

We are now back to being the kind of club I always supported.  

I didn't enjoy anything in the Des era after 2012, but that is ancient history now.

My memories of the period involve watching games that we won and still finding myself disappointed. For me Desball sucked all of the joy out of our game.