It was going to be a poor year as soon as our benchmark prop decided to jump ship to the roosters. We were then hit with injury after injury before any of our young players had time to build up the kind of form that would have helped in their debuts. Add to this the continuing speculation by the media that half the side was ready to join Mason in escaping the club. Our Halfback left pre-season too which left us trying to groom two 5/8's for the role and throwing both into poor form in the process. More injuries then the defection of what many believed was going to be the pillar of our club for at least 4 more seasons. Pretty demoralizing for everyone involved with the club. Finally the Bulldogs have got the sympathy of some of the opposition fans after the horror movie Bulldogs fans know as 2008.
After all the crap we've gone through from the quiet respectable departure of Sherwin, the massive internal dramas and it's dominance in the media that happened with board elections, the six ring circus of Masons then Williams departures, a record number of injuries many of which were season ending to key players. As Bulldogs fans we have had it good for many many years, as long as i've been alive to be honest (it's my 29th year as a dogs supporter next year). I honestly don't feel bad at all to get the spoon. The amount of injury we've had would have justified the spoon and it would have hurt more if the departure of two guys i once would have taken a bullet for (Now i'd rather give them one) hadn't happened maybe i'd be feeling worse. As it is i'll claim the spoon as a badge of honor for the crap we've been through this year. Better luck next year boys. I'm no less a Bulldog fan now than at any stage of the last 28 years. If anything it makes me feel more thankful to be supporting a club that have never made a habit of being anywhere near spoon contention. Bring on 2009.