Dog kennel

standing there today and I was looking around thinking ‘I used to sit over there with the kids 25 years ago’. They’re just happy memories.

“There was so many people there. It was totally overwhelming. I don’t know how many people there were, but I’ve been to games that had less people than that.”

It’s been 62 years since the Dogs last won a premiership.

They’ve endured the agony of seven preliminary final defeats and were flat on the canvas several times, the latest being in 1989 when they almost merged with Fitzroy.

But there was no pain at Dogland yesterday, just pure joy. Cats fans can relate to this. Geelong felt the pain of five losing grand finals in the wake of 1963 before achieving the ultimate success in ’07. Fans packed Simonds Stadium in the buildup as the Cats embarked on the beginning of one of football’s finest dynasties. The atmosphere was fever pitch and the hype seemingly unrivalled.

But the Dogs grabbed a slice of it yesterday.

Corey said the crowd was bigger than anything he had experienced in his football journey.

“The supporters come out and they feel part of the football club,” he said.

“It’s a credit to the Bulldogs staff and the Bulldogs players that they’ve continued their work in the community so they actually feel a part of it and they are a real part.”

The club has a sniff of victory. The coaches sense it and the players believe.

“They have a fantastic spirit these guys,” Corey said.

“The players talk about how much they enjoy each other’s company, which is really important when you go out onto the field and you really trust each other.”

Corey has been caught up in the excitement, admitting he had been emotional since the Dogs’ stunning preliminary final win over Greater Western Sydney.

“It’s good to see them succeed and enjoy a moment like the prelim final,” Corey said.

“It’s exciting to see them go through this process.”