2014 season launch & hall of fame event

[bornadog]

http://www.westernbulldogs.com.au/staticfile/AFL%20Tenant/WesternBulldogs/Images/Website%20artwork/MC2014-Club-SL-Hero.jpg?timestamp=13934505270112014 SEASON LAUNCH & HALL OF FAME EVENT
For the first time the Season Launch and Hall of Fame event will merge as one bumper event to celebrate the past present and future of the Western Bulldogs Football Club.

Featuring the official presentation of the 2014 Western Bulldogs playing group as well as speeches from key Club personnel the event is one not to be missed.

The night will also feature with the induction of the next group of football club greats into the Footscray-Western Bulldogs Hall of Fame.
Date: Wednesday 12 March 2014
Time: 6.30pm
Location: Crown Palladium
Dress: Lounge suit for men and ladies accordingly

Secure your seat at the Western Bulldogs 2014 Season Launch and Hall of Fame event here.

(https://www.westernbulldogs.net/bdforms/eventorder/142-2014+Season+Launch+%26+Hall+of+Fame.html)For more information contact events@westernbulldogs.com.au.

[bornadog]

I will be there again. If you can afford it, its a great night and really sets up the season.

[G-Mo77]

Is food included in that price Bornadog?

[bornadog]

Is food included in that price Bornadog?

yes food and drinks all paid for.

[bulldogsfight]

just booked , went to the two previous hall of fame events and theye were sensational.
been to a few season launches, the first was at the social club at WO , steve hoffman sat with us.


GO DOGS

[Nuggety Back Pocket]

Doc26 and I will be attending. Adding the HOF to the preseason launch will create extra interest with a new Club Legend to be announced along with 3 Hall of Fame inductees.

[Pickenitup]

Does anyone have any idea who may be The Legend tonight?Would have to be Hawk or Granty.

[GVGjr]

Some names have been announced.

[bornadog]

Does anyone have any idea who may be The Legend tonight?Would have to be Hawk or Granty.
The hawk is the latest legend

[firstdogonthemoon]

It was a lovely evening. I took twodogs as my date. He was resplendent in a full length taupe chiffon ball gown reminiscent of Brynn Edelsten.

No seriously it was a great evening - Smithy, Johnno and Mr Hawkins made great speeches and everyone got a bit teary. The food was good too - if you are someone who likes fine dining try Maha because Shane Delia is a sponsor. He was banging on about Iranian smoked rice with chicken and I was all yeah whatever and then it was the main course and seriously delicious. Had a lovely chat with Murph and President Gordon - twodogs can tell you his own far more detailed accurate adventures.

[Remi Moses]

Glad to hear it was a great night.
I'm going it have a moan
Once again our club is disrespected with Fox footy's AFL 360 not bothering to do any sort of cross or anything.
I was annoyed last year when they didn't bother, but with the hall of fame part of the night I would have thought they'd do something .

[bulldogsfight]

Can't believe they showed on screen the reaction after the siren in 97 prelim
Trying to show how passionate Smith was
hawk stole show great speech
Johnson said Monty's game v collingwood in final best he has seen from a bulldog player
Sat with Tom liberators
J grant said back in a month
Hall of fame to Jillard smith johno
Forgot where I parked

go dogs

[Nuggety Back Pocket]

Can't believe they showed on screen the reaction after the siren in 97 prelim
Trying to show how passionate Smith was
hawk stole show great speech
Johnson said Monty's game v collingwood in final best he has seen from a bulldog player
Sat with Tom liberators
J grant said back in a month
Hall of fame to Millard smith johno
Forgot where I parked

go dogs

Doug Hawkins speech was a highlight. John Jillard was a star from the 1960's. This was a great night and terrific to see Johnno and Rohan Smith given HOF recognition.

[Twodogs]

It was a lovely evening. I took twodogs as my date. He was resplendent in a full length taupe chiffon ball gown reminiscent of Brynn Edelsten.

No seriously it was a great evening - Smithy, Johnno and Mr Hawkins made great speeches and everyone got a bit teary. The food was good too - if you are someone who likes fine dining try Maha because Shane Delia is a sponsor. He was banging on about Iranian smoked rice with chicken and I was all yeah whatever and then it was the main course and seriously delicious. Had a lovely chat with Murph and President Gordon - twodogs can tell you his own far more detailed accurate adventures.

I will detail my evening tomorrow. But it was a seriously good night. All the speeches were great but the Hawk stole the show..

[bornadog]

Went along last night and really enjoyed the combining of the HOF with the season launch. Disappointed the coach was given time to make a speech. He was interviewed on stage, but I felt would have been good to hear directly from him.

Peter Gordon's opening remarks were measured as he tried not to show his optimism for the new season, but clearly his passion for the club, really shows out. He was busting to say we will give the finals a shake (but he didn't). We are lucky to have so many people that are Bulldogs through and through, these guys really make the club. Even from the Chef Shane Delia, who loves the club and often hosts the players for a meal for a discounted rate, right through to the dedicated staff behind the scenes who work tirelessly to make the club what it is.

Nathan Hrovat sat at out table, still only 19 but like all these young men, very impressive when talking to him. He will play in today's intraclub, for WB, but he thinks he won't be going to Perth as he lacks match practise. Also told us Clay Smith will play for Footscray today, which is another bonus for the season.

Caught up with Twodogs and FDOTM for a quick chat, and we stopped Murph as he walked past for a chat as well. Murph also said he is playing today, so that is great news.

As mentioned above, the Hawks speech was very good, very funny, down to earth. Good to see John Jillard named as a member. I don't remember a lot about him as I was a kid when he played, but do remember he was a very reliable consistent backman. The three new inductees are all local boys from around the Footscary area.

Lots of Bulldogs greats in attendance along with all players and coaches. Do yourself a favour, try and get to next years one, it really is a good night and sets up the season. A little expensive, but well worth it.

[Nuggety Back Pocket]

Went along last night and really enjoyed the combining of the HOF with the season launch. Disappointed the coach was given time to make a speech. He was interviewed on stage, but I felt would have been good to hear directly from him.

Peter Gordon's opening remarks were measured as he tried not to show his optimism for the new season, but clearly his passion for the club, really shows out. He was busting to say we will give the finals a shake (but he didn't). We are lucky to have so many people that are Bulldogs through and through, these guys really make the club. Even from the Chef Shane Delia, who loves the club and often hosts the players for a meal for a discounted rate, right through to the dedicated staff behind the scenes who work tirelessly to make the club what it is.

Nathan Hrovat sat at out table, still only 19 but like all these young men, very impressive when talking to him. He will play in today's intraclub, for WB, but he thinks he won't be going to Perth as he lacks match practise. Also told us Clay Smith will play for Footscray today, which is another bonus for the season.

Caught up with Twodogs and FDOTM for a quick chat, and we stopped Murph as he walked past for a chat as well. Murph also said he is playing today, so that is great news.

As mentioned above, the Hawks speech was very good, very funny, down to earth. Good to see John Jillard named as a member. I don't remember a lot about him as I was a kid when he played, but do remember he was a very reliable consistent backman. The three new inductees are all local boys from around the Footscary area.

Lots of Bulldogs greats in attendance along with all players and coaches. Do yourself a favour, try and get to next years one, it really is a good night and sets up the season. A little expensive, but well worth it.

BAD this is a good summation in what was an outstanding evening. John Jillard was an outstanding defender winning a club best and fairest during the era of Whitten and Schultz. He sadly passed away 15 years ago at age 57, but it was great to see his son and daughter and wife fly down from Canberra for the award.
Hawkins was the highlight and a great achievement to become the Club's 4th club legend alongside Sutton, Whitten and Schultz. Hawkins, Johnson and Smith all gave outstanding speeches and it was great to see four local boys from the Western Suburbs honoured on the night.The Braybrook Football Club now has two of the WB's legends in Whitten and Hawkins plus two other Hall of Fame inductees in Donald and Bisset.

[Twodogs]

I thought the 'local' flavour of our club really shone through last night. Rohan Smith in particular really articulated the passion those of us lucky enough to grow up in the shadows of the ground feel for the bulldogs. I must admit that I got a little teary when he mentioned his dad and how proud he would have been to see Bubba being inducted into the Hall of Fame. Rohan talked about the first time his dad took him to a game at Whitten Oval and how he spent most of his time that day sliding down the slopes at the Geelong rd end on a flattened out cardboard box (Rohan that is, not his dad). That must be a rite of passage because that's exactly what I did the first time my dad took me to a game there too.

Brad Johnson spoke well. He said he was thrilled to play all his football with the club he grew up barracking for. He talked about how disappointing playing in all those Prelims was without ever winning one. He said that the only contact he had from the club before being drafted was a phone call from Mark Kleiman (recruiting manager at the time) who said "how would you like to play for Footscray?" Johnno said he would and Kleiman said "OK then" and that was it! A couple of days later Johnno was drafted.

Both Rohan and Brad alo talked about their close friendship. I think it was Rohan who said that if Brad rang him at home and Rohan's wife answered the phone she'd yell "Rohan, your boyfriend is on the phone"

But like I said earlier it was Doug Hawkins who stole the show. His speech was funny, poignant and displayed the passion he clearly has for his clubs (Footscray and Braybrook) and the game. He spoke with great admiration about the players he played with and how good it was to have forwards of the calibre of Kelvin Templeton, Simon Beasley and Chris Grant to kick to and how he felt lucky to pay alongside guys like Libba, Brian Royal, Steve Wallis, Mark Hunter, Ron James and many others I've forgotten. Hawk also said that he saw Chris Grant play for Daylesford in 1989 and spoke to Footscray's recruiter Garry Merrington ASAP to tell him about this kid called Chris Grant playing for Daylesford. Merrington said "for Christ's sake Doug, don't tell anyone about him. We are trying to keep it quiet"

All the boys talked about their coaches too. Doug said that although he and Malthouse didn't always see eye to eye he was the best coach he played under. Johnno made particular mention of Terry Wallace and Rodney Eade. Brad said that although he had been playing for almost a decade and thought he knew everything about playing the game when Rocket took over he really learned a lot from him.

I'd never seen John Jillard play but the highlights they showed on the big screen clearly displayed the guys talent. His son made a terrific acceptance speech and it was clear how his children were of him. Jillard must have loved the club because his son said that as soon as the 1961 GF was released on video he got a copy and they sat down and watched it together.



That's all I can remember for now, but it was a huge night and I'm sure more will come back to me during he day.

[Go_Dogs]

Thanks for the reports all, great read.