Down, then up.
Brisbane won the spoon in '98.
If the Bulldogs can tank next year, and I believe they will actually have to tank, then Boyd, Bontempelli, Dalhaus, Libba, Johannisen, Hrovat, Hunter, add one or two more guns...they're going to be formidable.
Their middle of the range players let them down, but in 2016 they'll be picking up free agents and role players with the best of them (in fact, with Biggs, they've already started).
Top four in 2017, if they have any sort of long term planning.
Edit: Back in the day, I said if Hawthorn didn't make finals that year I'd run a lap of Windy Hill nude. They didn't and no-one called me on it, so I'm calling statute of limitations, but...pretty sure they validated my opinion of them.
Bulldogs feel like Hawthorn back then.
Macrae, Bont, Stringer, and Libba are 4 great kids, but "the others" are patchier than a pirate putting together a quilt.
When you're blue-skying their future, it's easy to think about the good bits. The reality is guys like Hunter and Jong and Stevens and Boyd and even Dalhaus have real, exposed faults & failings; are beaten head-to-head as often as they win, and kids like that make up the bulk of their side.
Johannisen has played about 6 good games in toto... I guess that's 6 more than Jesus Courtney Boyd.
In my opinion, and not exaggerating, there's not one key tall on their list who'd be in our best 22. Not one.
Roughead is a solid player, Minson is a competitor for the next 3-4, Boyd might well fill one spot, that still leaves them looking for 3-4 others.
Oh well, lucky they've got an early pick, and all that money to spend on FAs....
A worse club would've traded their pick and tied all their money up... :lol: :lol: