Western Bulldogs coach Rodney Eade makes a point to Shaun Higgins in the first game of 2008. Photo: SEBASTIAN COSTANZO

FIRST PUBLISHED IN “THE AGE” IN 2008

Western Bullldogs coach Rodney Eade says he likes a bit of noise going on in his coaching box. It’s just as well. Because there was plenty of it going on yesterday.

A steady stream of suggestions from his assistant coaches Leon Cameron, Wayne Campbell and Peter Dean. Eade’s messages to his runners on the interchange bench.

Another wave of communication between Tim Smith and the medical team at ground level. Updates from stats man Stephen Patterson about which Adelaide players were racking up the possessions, and the inside-50 count. And the raw angst of the best-laid plans being brought asunder by simple human error.

Though Brad Johnson’s 300th game would have a fairytale ending, the predominant emotion yesterday as The Age spent the afternoon in the box with the Dogs’ coaching team was sheer frustration.

‘‘Let the games begin,’’ Cameron remarks at the first bounce. But they aren’t much fun, from as early as 10 seconds in, when Daniel Cross handballs over a teammate’s head, and Eade lets fly. It becomes a recurring pattern, nothing wrong at all with the Bulldogs’ effort, but plenty with their execution.

It’s aggravation no coach needs with so much to deal with already. ‘‘Who’s taking (Andrew) McLeod?’’ Eade asks, the match-up of Mitch Hahn on the Crows’ champion a key focus of planning during the week.

‘‘Bassett’s taking who?’’ he checks, while keeping one hand on the phone yelling a constant call of positional and personnel switches down the line.

The condition of new ruck man Ben Hudson was a critical focus. ‘‘Is he stuffed, or is that just the way he runs,’’ the coach asks, as Will Minson is taken from a key forward post to the centre bounce to offer Hudson some relief.

There is a roll call of mid field changes, plenty by the Dogs’ midfielders themselves, remembering Eade’s instruction at the pre-game team meeting to ‘‘control it yourself’’.

‘‘It’s a warm day. Don’t think you’ve got to stay on to be some sort of he-man.’’ When the Dogs kick the last three goals of the quarter, out goes the signal to play some tempo football. ‘‘Push them back now, push them back,’’ bellows the coach down the line.

At 5.4 to 2.1, things are looking good. But the errors continue to come. Of decision and disposal. A Dale Morris blunder lets Tyson Edwards in for an Adelaide goal. ‘‘How can you win with shit like that?’’ Eade asks, rhetorically.

The pressure is on in the Western Bulldogs’ coaching box, Rohan Connolly (standing at rear) on hand to observe. Photo: JOHN DONEGAN

Even super centreman Scott West has the odd clanger.

‘‘Is there any danger of hitting a bloody target?’’ pleads the coach. ‘‘How many times are we going to turn the bloody thing over? All our mistakes are not due to their pressure.’’

There is trouble looming in defence, where Crow Brett Burton gives Ryan Hargrave a hard time. The poor decisions, skill errors and sloppy disposal continue.

The Bulldogs look tired, too, with Cameron and Campbell tossing up more and more potential switches and inter changes. Temperatures rise in the box and, as Adelaide slam on the last four goals of the quarter, so does the frequency of the coach’s cursing.

With a handy lead turned to a half-time deficit, the Crows are looking super-fit and half-a-dozen key Bulldogs underdone, the writing could be on the wall.

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But Eade is about to pull his best move of the day, a quietly spoken half-time address in the rooms to the flat-looking troops, which is full of encouragement.

‘‘Hang in there ‘Shaggy’ (Hargrave),’’ he says. Now to the whole group: ‘‘The effort’s really good, there’s just too many errors. It’s just a thought process, it’s not about talent. We’ve just got to lift our concentration because when fatigue sets in, it can make cowards of us all. Every contest is vital.’’

When Adelaide kicks the first two goals of the third term and the deficit becomes three goals-plus, the words seem empty. But the Dogs start to rally. So does the coach.

‘‘No chance whatsoever,’’ Eade declares with Cameron Wight pursuing a ball in the goal square. Then, in surprise: ‘‘Shit, he kicked it!’’ Hahn adds another. Then Scott Welsh. Then Johnson. When Daniel Giansiracusa soccers one out of mid-air, perhaps a lucky break, there are rueful smiles exchanged between Dean and football director Simon Garlick.

Second-gamer Josh Hill marks and kicks truly to put the Dogs back in front. ‘‘He’s been bloody good, Hilly,’’ says Eade. Johnson kicks his second to grab a three-quarter time lead.

Thus begins an epic goal for-goal final term, the advice, information and volume levels in the box now higher than ever. But now there is also plenty of old-fashioned footy values to go with the intricate strategies of the modern coaching game.

‘‘Just punch the air out of the ball,’’ Eade yells at his defenders. To Nathan Eagleton: ‘Christ, ‘Eags’, just kick the f—— thing! Then Eagleton is hurt, so, too, Dylan Addison, and Matthew Boyd and Hill begin to cramp. Another clutch of moves.

Crow Simon Goodwin goals and the lead changes again, with not much time left. ‘‘Oh dear . . . we’re bloody stiff,’’ offers the coach. But that’s before the final instalment of what becomes a genuine fairytale.

Johnson goals. And again. The Dogs are up by four points. There is two minutes 50 seconds left on the clock, and even the Bulldog forwards begin to retreat to their back half.

Eade screams down the phone: ‘‘Not too far back, I don’t want them all back!’’ Still they charge. ‘‘NO, NO, NO!!!’’ It is impassioned — and ear-splitting. But a few Dogs heed the call and remain forward of centre.

Johnson’s third straight goal should spell ‘‘The End’’ on a “Boys’ Own Annual” story. But still there is time for heart attacks, a dropped mark by Cross letting Scott Stevens in for the Crows.

Then Welsh has three teammates free, but somehow picks up the lone Crow. ‘‘If we f—— lose this from here . . .’’ Eade’s voice trails off, the consequences already obvious.

But the gods smile. Nathan Bock’s shot to win the game for Adelaide misses, the siren sounds and the reaction in the Bulldogs’ box is just like one huge collective sigh of relief.

The post-game team meeting is buoyant. Eade states the positives to his men. Nineteen goals against the AFL’s best defence. Heroic efforts from the underdone key defender Brian Lake when it counted. ‘‘A real credit to you, Brian.’’ And, of course, the fitting result in the skipper’s milestone game.

But already, the coach is looking ahead. ‘‘Last year, we beat Geelong in round one, and the next week went in comfortable and got smashed by Adelaide. That’s not going to happen again. It was a terrific win, a great win, but it’s gone.’’

And so, after a thrilling and nerve-racking afternoon at AFL coaching’s coalface, is my hearing.

*Rohan Connolly went inside the Western Bulldogs prior to the 2008 season. HERE’S HOW THE WEEK UNFOLDED.