The Bulldogs looked the team to beat for much of the 2024 season but failed to reach the premiership decider after falling at home in the preliminary final against Southport.

By The Numbers

Position: 3rd
W-L-D (%): 15-4-1 (123.2%)
Players used: 52
Played every match: 3 – Cooper Craig-Peters, Arthur Jones, Dan Orgill
AFL players used: 26 (247 matches)
Ex-AFL players: 4 (40 matches)
Debutants: 12 – Jordan Croft, Cooper Dahms, Joel Freijah, Chan Hargraves, Cameron Kizan, Lachlan McArthur, Diesel Moloney, Kelsey Rypstra, Ryley Sanders, Lachlan Smith, Josh Sparkman, Connor Watson

Star Performers

Best and Fairest: 1st: Cooper Craig-Peters (163 votes), 2nd: Riley Garcia (130), 3rd: Jedd Busslinger (112), 4th: Oskar Baker (102), 5th: Jarrod Gilbee (93)
J.J. Liston Trophy: Riley Garcia (16 votes), Ryley Sanders (10), Cooper Craig-Peters (7), Trent Bianco (6), Jack Macrae (6)
Coaches MVP Award: Cooper Craig-Peters (52 votes), Riley Garcia (45), Ryley Sanders (31), Caleb Daniel (27), Trent Bianco (23)
Leading Goalkickers: Dom Bedendo (24), Charlie Clarke (23), Arthur Jones (21), Trent Bianco (19), Rory Lobb (17)
Smithy’s VFL Team of the Year: Nil

STAT LEADERS

(Averages – minimum 6 matches)
Disposals: Ryley Sanders 32.0, Riley Garcia 29.8, James Harmes 28.0, Caleb Daniel 25.4, Cooper Craig-Peters 22.1
Contested possessions: Ryley Sanders 14.0, James Harmes 13.9, Cooper Craig-Peters 13.8, Riley Garcia 12.5, Caleb Daniel 10.2
Kicks: Oskar Baker 15.3, Jedd Busslinger 14.9, Joel Freijah 13.9, Ryley Sanders 13.7, Caleb Daniel 13.0
Handballs: Ryley Sanders 18.3, Riley Garcia 16.9, James Harmes 16.7, Caleb Daniel 12.4, Cooper Craig-Peters 11.0
Marks: Jedd Busslinger 7.8, Joel Freijah 7.0, Alex Keath 6.9, Buku Khamis 6.3, Rory Lobb 6.3
Tackles: Riley Garcia 7.5, Dan Orgill 7.3, Ryley Sanders 6.9, Caleb Daniel 6.6, James Harmes 6.0, Cooper Craig-Peters 6.0
Hitouts: Lachlan Smith 25.6, Rory Lobb 18.0, Cam Owen 13.5, Ryan Gardner 6.1, Jordan Croft 0.2
Clearances: Ryley Sanders 7.9, Cooper Craig-Peters 7.2, Riley Garcia 6.5, James Harmes 6.3, Caleb Daniel 4.5
Inside-50s: Riley Garcia 4.5, James Harmes 4.1, Oskar Baker 4.1, Cooper Craig-Peters 4.1, Ryley Sanders 3.6
Rebound-50s: Jedd Busslinger 5.0, Alex Keath 3.2, Ethan Hunt 3.1, Josh Kellett 3.0, Oskar Baker 2.7, Joel Freijah 2.7

What went right: Despite losing four of the top five players from their 2023 best and fairest count, the Bulldogs started 2024 like a house on fire. They won their first nine games and looking almost unbeatable at times. Teams were able to challenge them but couldn’t sustain it for four quarters. Cooper Craig-Peters had a breakout season and was considered a draft smokey at times on his way to the best and fairest. Jedd Busslinger is a VFL star and surely must graduate to the AFL soon and Dan Orgill stepped up as acting captain and put in another outstanding season, showing an ability to go forward and score.

What went wrong: A couple of early blows when star recruit Rhett Montgomerie went home to South Australia after Round 1 and captain Josh Chatfield was ruled out for the season after Round 2 with a knee injury. They had a little lull mid-season, losing consecutive home games to travelling opposition in the Brisbane Lions and Sydney Swans, an issue which came back to hurt them when they went down in a home preliminary final against the Southport Sharks despite being strong favourites. Three players kicked more than 20 goals but none got to 25, which jumps off the page as a surprise from such a powerful team.

Summary: It’s hard to believe a team could win 20 out of 21 matches, most of them convincingly, and not have a premiership to show for it. But that is the Bulldogs’ lot. They won 11 in a row in the second half of 2023 before falling short in a semi-final against Box Hill and then went 9-0 at the start of this year, looking like the clear premiership favourites before falling in a home preliminary final to interstate opposition in Southport. Still, they had a terrific season, finishing the home and away season in the top two despite losing star skipper Lachie Sullivan among others. They lost only one game away from home (8-1-1) and that was to the eventual premiers. Not having a player named in the VFL Team of the Year may have rankled fans, but it speaks to how even the Bulldogs were as a team. There’s nothing to suggest they are dropping off any time soon.