Iconic NRL Teams | The Story of the 2012-14 Bulldogs

[Ribo Flavin]

 

[Apex Cedar]

Good morning Ribo, I applaud your discovery

 

[Bulldog Joe]

Worth the watch !

 

[Nexus]

Still cant believe we lost that 2012 grand final. Had absolutely no luck on GF day

 

[wendog33]

We were on a Kimberley cruise and could not get much radio reception. Found out the score and was so utterly disappointed that I have never watched the game.

Just can't bring myself to watch. We were gonna be Premiers after revolutionising the game with ball playing forwards like Jimmy and Barba a generational player (at that time)....never got over the disappointment of not fullfilling that much deserved kudos for the players and club.

Great that things are back on track for the club again now.

 

[gbrussell]

Still cant believe we lost that 2012 grand final. Had absolutely no luck on GF day

Hasler not changing his tactics was a factor too. Dane Nielsen was virtually parked in our backline right where JMOZ and Barba wanted to attack. The short kick was ON all day, and a Plan B (chip kick over the top), was the obvious play and not Utilised. It was a problem because Tony Archer (the worst number 1 referee of my lifetime), turned a blind eye To the Storm‘s 10 metres.

 

[Doggone1975]

Still cant believe we lost that 2012 grand final. Had absolutely no luck on GF day

Still hurts losing 12/14 Grand finals... Been a long wait but will make it sweeter when we climb to the top and there is some light at the end of the tunnel now

 

[The DoggFather]

I went to both 2012 and 2014 GFs but I still have NEVER watched a replay, not even highlights.

 

[bulldogsmyte]

We were on a Kimberley cruise and could not get much radio reception. Found out the score and was so utterly disappointed that I have never watch the game.

Just can't bring myself to watch. We were gonna be Premiers after revolutionising the game with ball playing forwards like Jimmy ppand Barba a generational player (at that time)....never got over the disappointment of not fullfilling that much deserved kudos for the players and club.

Great that things are back on track for the club again now.

2012 was one that got away for sure. The Dogs were the best team that year by far

 

[w00t]

2012 we also just did not get the bounce of the ball. Any other day Morris gets that bounce and the score is back to 14-10 with us having all the momentum. I am convinced after that play we just weren't going to have any luck

2014, we were courageous for the first 60 or so minutes, but losing Ennis in the preliminaries really blew our chances out of the water, coupled that with half our squad being beaten dead after 3 rough finals. Had a very 1998 feel to it

 

[bulldogsmyte]

2012 we also just did not get the bounce of the ball. Any other day Morris gets that bounce and the score is back to 14-10 with us having all the momentum. I am convinced after that play we just weren't going to have any luck

2014, we were courageous for the first 60 or so minutes, but losing Ennis in the preliminaries really blew our chances out of the water, coupled that with half our squad being beaten dead after 3 rough finals. Had a very 1998 feel to it

Agree. 2012 we were the best in the comp withe Barba on fire our attack was near unstoppable. 2014 without Barba our attack was clunky and we were reliant on defense, fighting spirit and field goals to get by a number of games. I felt we underachieved in 2012 and way overachieved in 2014.

 

[CroydonDog]

2012 definitely gutted me the most. As others have said we were the best team all season. Was at the game, after going down to Belmore earlier in the day to soak it all up.

2014, i more just enjoyed the ride. Never forget watching the Manly semi from a shitty girlie bar in Bangkok on a small TV in the corner of the bar. i've never yelled at a TV so much when Hodko nailed that 2nd field goal.

 

[CroydonDog]

Agree. 2012 we were the best in the comp withe Barba on fire our attack was near unstoppable. 2014 without Barba our attack was clunky and we were reliant on defense, fighting spirit and field goals to get by a number of games. I felt we underachieved in 2012 and way overachieved in 2014.

How good was 2012 Barba?

 

[bulldogsmyte]

How good was 2012 Barba?

Barba was amazing that year. The top 4 individual years I've seen for the Dogs over 40 years was 1979 Mortimer, 1991 McGrady and Jonathan Davies and 2012 Barba. A shame that Melbourne contained him in the GF.

 

[thedoctor81]

We were absolutely flying in 2012, then as the semi's neared pundits affiliated with other teams started going on and on in the media about how our block plays were borderline illegal - Greg Alexander wouldn't shut up about it. All of a sudden we had ref scrutiny on us in crucial games and I remember us adjusting as a result and not being as fluent in the GF. I haven't watched that GF back since being there, but it felt like the refs were more worried about us playing a potential obstruction than Melbourne's centres jamming in from offside positions.

I'm probably remembering it with far more bias than the reality of it - but it definitely felt at the time there was a media campaign to derail us in the back end of that season... Then Ben Barba derailed us all on his own in 2013.

 

[The DoggFather]

Don't forget the nrLOL changed the rules because of us.

 

[bulldogsmyte]

Then Ben Barba derailed us all on his own in 2013.

Sadly it seems that over the last 2 decades a number of our best and most high profile charismatic players left on bad terms - Big Willie, SBW, Barba.
Our current assistant coach was writing new articles back in 2012 that our blocks were illegal as well.

 

[bulldogsmyte]

Don't forget the nrLOL changed the rules because or us.

yes just like in 86 to stop us winning a three-peat.

 

[Grunthos]

How good was 2012 Barba?

A million-dollar talent and a five-cent brain!
He could have easily been an immortal...

 

[EXPLORER]

I went to both 2012 and 2014 GFs but I still have NEVER watched a replay, not even highlights.

I went to both also.
Decided I'll never go to another one.
More than happy to watch at home.