Thursday was like 'Groundhog Day' for the Western Bulldogs, coach Luke Beveridge confirming the loss of another injured key player, ruck Tim English, likely for the rest of the season.
Injuries have been the byword at Whitten Oval in 2026, and this week's debutant, Lachie Carmichael, the 39th player used at senior level this season.
Of course, they can't be dismissed as a significant factor in the Dogs' struggles this season. But the fact remains there's a broader interpretation of 'Groundhog Day' applied to the Bulldogs' year as a whole.
And that's the likelihood of another mediocre mid-table finish and perceived underachievement for a club which has finished between seventh and ninth every year since playing in the 2021 Grand Final.
It's a far cry from where the Dogs' season looked headed at 4-0 and with two terrific away wins against Brisbane and Adelaide. The ledger since is 8-9.
The loss of key big man Sam Darcy for the season in Round 6 had many pundits dismissing the Dogs' serious prospects there and then. They're probably going to be proved right. But the reasons will be not only about the loss of Darcy's star quality, but perhaps more so about the lack of sufficient quality further down the playing list. And that also sounds achingly familiar.
Since 2021, the Bulldogs have repeatedly lived in this strange territory where they're good enough that nobody wants to call them mediocre, yet rarely good enough when it matters to establish themselves among the competition's genuine powers.
And because Marcus Bontempelli, Ed Richards, Sam Darcy, Aaron Naughton, Bailey Dale, Cody Weightman, Tim English etc. look so imposing as a collection of names, every season that ends around the middle feels like an underachievement rather than simply an accurate reflection of where they sit.
But the numbers don't lie. Again. Right now, the Bulldogs sit bottom-six for 20 of the 32 stats on Champion Data's premiership standards report, more than any team except the hapless Essendon and Richmond.
The Bulldogs have had just nine different players finish as a top-three rated player across a game this season - the equal second fewest of any side.
You won't win many prizes for guessing which players. Bontempelli has figured in the top three in 11 games, and Richards eight. The next highest are Dale and Matt Kennedy with just three.
The season totals are just as revealing. Champion Data rates Bontempelli No. 1 so far this season and Richards eighth. Dale and English scrape into the top 50. The Dogs have just one more player (Tom Liberatore equal 81st) in the top 100.
It's not like there haven't been plusses. Ryley Sanders has had a breakout year and ranks highly in all midfield categories. Connor Budarick has been a useful pick-up and Cooper Hynes has played 17 games and earned a Rising Star nomination.
Buku Khamis is looking better as a long-term key defender, and Michael Sellwood has certainly added some grunt and physical presence, too.
This year, the Dogs have actually managed to beat five sides above them on the current ladder. Last year, it was just two. But it feels like every time a gain is made somewhere, there's a step back elsewhere.
Last year, they ranked eighth for scores conceded. Now ninth, in 2026 at least the Dogs have held their ground defensively. But the big weapon in 2025 was attack, Beveridge's team scoring more than any rival. That area has seen a hideous drop-off this season, the Dogs now ranked 14th. Efficiency once in the scoring zone has been as bad, rankings sliding from second to 14th.
Darcy's near-50 goal haul last year is the obvious explanation, but not the only one. Only Naughton (44) and Bontempelli (28) have kicked any more than 17 goals in 21 games. Rhylee West's drop-off has been stark. Last year, he kicked 39 goals in 23 games. In 2026, that's become just 16 in 20 games.
West has become something of a whipping boy, as have the likes of Laitham Vandermeer and Nick Coffield. But focusing on individual scapegoats almost misses the point. There's a sizeable contingent beneath the elite tier who have shown bits and pieces over several seasons, but never consistently enough to suggest they're going to drive a Bulldog surge.
Enough cause for concern given Bontempelli, Liberatore and Dale are all over 30 now, and English 29 and reportedly potentially considering his future at the club.
You wouldn't say 2026 has gone completely pear-shaped for the Bulldogs. But it's worth remembering that after four rounds they were on top of the ladder, while Sunday's opponent Carlton sat 15th.
Now the Blues, who won just one of their first nine games, have surged under Josh Fraser, have already beaten the Dogs once this season, and will leapfrog them with another win.
The Bulldogs will at least play finals this time. But progressing much further? Hard to see. Which probably means another finish around ninth or 10th. Sound familiar?
You can read more of Rohan Connolly's work at FOOTYOLOGY.