double figures by halftime this season.It shows great mental

Fifty-five years is a heck of a long time.Things were a lot different back in 1961 -- the last time the Western Bulldogs, or Footscray as they were known, played in a grand final.Australias population was just a tick over 10 million, while the average weekly wage was a measly ￡15. Yeah, thats right; Australias legal currency was the British Pound.Rodney Eade was the only AFL coach alive and the Hawks had just one premiership to their name. Oh, how things change.But on Saturday, the 20,097-day drought will be broken and for some Bulldogs faithful, its a dream they never expected would turn into reality.Its truly surreal and quite honestly one of the most exciting and unexpected weeks of my life, lifelong member and jubilant Footscray fanatic Margaret Graham told ESPN.Every year, you watch on with envy during grand final week and think why cant that be my side?. Finally, its our time, and after 47 years my dream has come true and I can see my boys playing in the big one.Of course wed love to win it, but just to make [the grand final], thats something I never thought Id see in my lifetime.For the fourth time in as many finals, the Bulldogs will start as outsiders, but it wont bother them. Neither will the fact that they will become the first side in two decades to field 22 first-time grand finalists.Why should it? After all, they have thrived on the underdog status in 2016 and repeatedly excelled when written off.The enviable hunger and tenacity Luke Beveridge has instilled into his side has been a major driver behind reaching footballs grandest stage, and surely this will go some distance in making up for their lack of big-game experience.But Beveridges impact doesnt stop there.Hes managed to rejuvenate the likes of Liam Picken -- whos been just about the player of the finals series, and Matthew Boyd -- a 2016 All-Australian in his own right. Beveridge also didnt hesitate in sending a message to his side earlier in the year by dropping an out-of-form Jake Stringer to the reserves, only for him to return a match-winner.Its no wonder he has been voted the AFLs best coach two years in succession.You can see that they want to win and win for Luke, Graham said. Its clear how much respect they have for him, but most importantly the amount of respect he has for each and every player.He has inspired a young group to perform at a level very few, if any, ever would have thought possible. Its a credit to his coaching ability, but it also speaks volumes for him as a person.The rise of the Bulldogs should give hope to fans of other struggling clubs. Many seem to forget that two years ago, the Dogs were languishing near the bottom of the ladder, but some aggressive trading and success at the draft has catapulted them into premiership contention.For the red, white and blue faithful like Graham, a grand final berth is a reward for the decades of pain and hardship.At the end of the day, its only football and life does go on, but [Bulldogs members] have been starved of success for decades. We have stuck by this club through the toughest of times and to now see grown men in tears after [last weeks preliminary final win over GWS] shows just how important this all is,?she said.Its been a remarkable ride and we all have our fingers and toes crossed that it can continue one more week.Whatever the outcome on Saturday, these spirited Dogs will forever be remembered and lauded for bringing joy to Melbournes west, once more.After all, 55 years is a heck of a long time between drinks. Sekou Doumbouya Jersey . 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The Brooklyn Nets will carry a modicum of momentum and a modest one-game winning streak with them to San Antonio to play the Spurs on Saturday at the AT&T Center in San Antonio, Texas. But dont expect the Spurs to be cordial hosts, even with the holidays looming.San Antonio has struggled at home this season, going just 5-4. But Brooklyn hasnt won in Alamo City since George W. Bushs first year in office (and its never won in the AT&T Center, which opened in October 2002), so the Nets understand the task at hand is a tall order.The Spurs lost on the road for first time this season on Thursday, falling 95-91 at Chicago to snap a four-game overall winning streak in the process. San Antonio won its first 13 road games and could have tied Golden States record of 14 straight (set last year) with a win over the Bulls. Not only did the Spurs not win in Chicago on Thursday, they never even led.Kawhi Leonard paced San Antonio in the loss to the Bulls with 24 points, Patty Mills added 16 points and Pau Gasol had a double-double (13 points, 10 rebounds) in his return to Chicago after leaving via free agency in the offseason.Most of our games, we havent been starting with the same edge and energy as we have in the second half, but because of our talent and quality of play, we are able to make up ground, Gasol said. Weve been able to end up winning most of them. Tonight, we were down (18) and were able to make up some ground, but in the end it wasnt enough.San Antonio (18-5) scored just 32 points in the first half, its lowest output in any half this season.We played 24 minutes again, just like we have the last 10 games, Spurs coach Gregg Popovich. We go through the motions and thats it. We had one free throw in the first half. We played harder in the second haalf, but our opponents have outplayed us most of the season in the first half.ddddddddddddBrooklyn (6-15) heads to the Alamo City off a 116-111 home win against Denver in which it led tip to horn and held off a torrid Nuggets comeback attempt. The Nets are 1-8 on the road this season.All five Brooklyn starters scored in double figures in the victory Wednesday, with each of them netting 10-plus points in the first half. The Nets became just the second team in the NBA to have all five starters score in double figures by halftime this season.It shows great mental strength and persistence the way we held on, said Brooklyn center Brook Lopez, who led the Nets with 24 points. I just kept telling them, Same way, same way. Every time I was just trying to just repeat it: Just get in. Get out there. Trust each other. Share the ball. Move. Attack the basket. Be aggressive.Nets coach Kenny Atkinson lauded his team after the win for its effort and its balanced contributions.We took a punch, two punches, maybe five punches, and we got off the floor and finished it out, Atkinson said. Thats how we have to do it. We have to do it by committee. We have to share the ball. We have to get everybody involved. Thats our goal, our end goal offensively, really sharing it and making sure everybodys got a piece and it hopefully carries over to the defensive end.The Spurs won the past 13 games the two teams have played in San Antonio, dating back to a 92-86 loss on Jan. 22, 2002. The Spurs were 2-0 against Brooklyn last season, winning 102-75 in their home opener on Oct. 30, 2015 and adding a 106-79 victory at Barclays Center on Jan. 11, 2016. ' ' '