The Dogs travelled to Sydney on Wednesday and will stay in Manly until Friday, when they will move into the city to begin preparation for Saturday night’s clash with the Swans.
The Bulldogs had a similar late-season trip to Queensland last year after losing to West Coast in round 19.
Defender Dale Morris hopes the opportunity to get away, which was arranged well before their heavy loss to Geelong on Saturday night, will reproduce last year’s results that saw them win the next three games.
“It’s come at a really good time because we can really move on from the Geelong game and focus on setting ourselves up for the finals,” he told afl.com.au from Sydney on Thursday.
“It was good for the guys to get away last year and have some male bonding after we had another disappointing loss.”
The players were given Thursday off, and after a morning beach visit went their separate ways to either take in a movie, go shopping or simply relax at the hotel.
“It was more getting away from everything and being able to fully relax and just hang out with your teammates,” Morris said.
“The only time we really see each other is when we’re training at the club and it’s fairly serious and not as relaxing as when you can get away together.
“We can really enjoy each other’s company.”
The 27-year-old said this week’s review of the Dogs’ 101-point loss to the Cats had been comprehensive but educational with finals just around the corner.
He also said the side would relish the opportunity to face the Cats again as soon as next month and would not feel disadvantaged going into the game.
“There was a lot we had to address coming out of the game because we did not play the way we wanted to play at all,” he said.
“We addressed some issues and from then on it was all about rectifying that and making sure it doesn’t happen again.
“If we didn’t learn anything out of that game, it would have been a total loss and a total smashing.”
Morris said the virus that recently spread through the club had left him “pretty crook” during the round 19 clash with Adelaide.
However, he said it was not the reason so many Bulldogs were out of form against the Cats.
“When you declare yourself fit and tell the coaches you’re good to go, then you have to be 100 per cent,” he said.
“It’s no excuse. Yes, maybe it did take a little bit out of us but not that much the game turned out the way it did.”
