A day with the Premiership Cup

[1eyedog]

Well I have just returned from spending the most amazing day with the Premiership cup that I thought I would share with the board. What an opportunity! Our dear family friend Keith Kerry was approached by the Western Bulldogs membership department a few weeks ago about renewing his full membership. Keith told that club that he can no longer afford to pay the membership and so notified the Bulldogs that he would have to cancel his Bulldog for Life arrangement. The Bulldog for Life membership title is a very apt one for Keith as he has been a Footscray / Western Bulldogs member for 72 consecutive years.

Word obviously got around the club and they contacted Keith's local Council in Bannockburn and informed them that they would like to rent a venue to bring down the cup to show Keith in order to repay the fierce loyalty he has shown the club over the past 72 years. The Council then informed Keith what the club wanted to do for him and Keith started ringing his nearest and dearest, of which we were lucky enough to get the call.

So, I got into the Bannockburn Cultural Centre at 12 noon to sandwiches, coffee, biscuits, party pies and sausage rolls and the Grand Final playing on the Centre's projector. Also, I was in the building for 30 seconds and the club song starts blaring. We say G'day to Keith and notice all the red, white and blue streamers around etc. before club officials walk in the side door with the Premiership Cup! And it's real, dirty ribbons and all. There's announcements and official speeches etc. before the cup is placed down on a trestle table for un-fetted access!!! That's right, go and pick that baby up as often as you like! We get a SD card full of photos in a large room of about 20 people, most of whom are not overly interested in the cup. Seriously, I held it for like 10 minutes!

To finish of the Bulldogs officials thank Keith for his support and then issue him a framed letter written and signed by the Bont thanking him for his service. To finish it all off the club then award Keith a club membership for life!

We may be growing as an entity but we are still conscious of those who have helped us get there. Job well done Bulldogs.

Amazing day, amazing opportunity. It doesn't get much better than today.

IMAGE 1: Keith and The Bulldog's Official

http://imageshack.com/a/img922/7624/Hd6MV3.jpg

IMAGE 2: Keith's letter from Bont

http://imageshack.com/a/img922/1561/CNaZNK.jpg

IMAGE 3: Me with the Premiership Cup :o

http://imageshack.com/a/img923/2127/u1gECI.jpg

[I'm Not Bitter Anymore!]

I love our club

[bornadog]

Great story, and what a club - brilliant stuff.

[dadsgirl16]

Fantastic story..I was lucky a couple of weeks back and got to hold that gorgeous cup and get a photo (brought tears again!)

[always right]

Brilliant....thanks for posting.

[choconmientay]

IMAGE 3: Me with the Premiership Cup :o

http://imageshack.com/a/img923/2127/u1gECI.jpg

Nice story. Thanks for sharing. Was it intended not for us to see you with the Premiership cup? :confused: I only could see a black canvas :-)

Edit: all OK. I can see the picture now. Must be my flaky internet.

[bornadog]

Nice story. Thanks for sharing. Was it intended not for us to see you with the Premiership cup? :confused: I only could see a black canvas :-)


http://imagizer.imageshack.us/a/img923/2127/u1gECI.jpg

[Greystache]

An interesting note (well sort of), you might notice the cup still hasn't been engraved with Western Bulldogs on it yet. There's a reason for that, we were advised that the cup takes a bit of a battering on its victory tour, and when it comes time to put it behind glass they effectively send it to a panel beater to knock out all the dings, polish it up, then engrave it on the fresh surface. Apparently Hawthorn told us from experience (wankers :D) that's the best approach.

[KT31]

Bloody brilliant, what a great thing for the club to do and well done to Keith for his amazing support of the Doggies all these years.

[1eyedog]

An interesting note (well sort of), you might notice the cup still hasn't been engraved with Western Bulldogs on it yet. There's a reason for that, we were advised that the cup takes a bit of a battering on its victory tour, and when it comes time to put it behind glass they effectively send it to a panel beater to knock out all the dings, polish it up, then engrave it on the fresh surface. Apparently Hawthorn told us from experience (wankers :D) that's the best approach.

Was wondering about that. I just thought we hadn't had the time as it was constantly on tour. The streamers are looking a bit tatty.

[ReLoad]

Epic. Nothing short of epic.

That's why our club is exactly what it is.

Heart, guts, determination and fierce loyalty.

[Scraggers]

Great photo 1eye ... shame you weren't wearing the knitted jumper from Aunty ??

[bulldogtragic]

The new big club, with the soul an intimate club. Thanks for sharing.

[1eyedog]

Great photo 1eye ... shame you weren't wearing the knitted jumper from Aunty ??

I had to take it off at some stage Scraggers it was starting to smell like the carpet in the old Rising Sun.

[josie]

I shed yet another (joyful) tear after reading 1eyedog's wonderful story. Love our club. Can attest the ribbons are grubby. Got photos taken last weekend with the cup. It is heavier and bigger than I thought.

[AndrewP6]

Great story.

[Throughandthrough]

amazing. Even more amazing and genuine that the club didnt turn it into a media event (assuming they didnt) :)


Great stuff.

[1eyedog]

amazing. Even more amazing and genuine that the club didnt turn it into a media event (assuming they didnt) :)


Great stuff.

No they didn't. My wife said the same thing. The club wanted no PR out of it. Did it for the benefit of one supporter.

[craigsahibee]

I love that Matty Boyd's middle name is in honour of this true Bulldog Legend.

[jeemak]

More importantly, how were the sambo's and party pies? :)

The cup is a magical thing, a type of magic that I didn't realise existed until it was our club that raised it. My mother and I were reasonably close to the fence in the AFL members during the GF, and it was a surreal moment watching it approach from the Ponsford/AFL members flank to where we were sitting.

Having been to a number of GF's watching other supporters lap it up, I loved how it glowed from afar, I hope it was just as amazing close up mate.

[1eyedog]

More importantly, how were the sambo's and party pies? :)

The cup is a magical thing, a type of magic that I didn't realise existed until it was our club that raised it. My mother and I were reasonably close to the fence in the AFL members during the GF, and it was a surreal moment watching it approach from the Ponsford/AFL members flank to where we were sitting.

Having been to a number of GF's watching other supporters lap it up, I loved how it glowed from afar, I hope it was just as amazing close up mate.

Sangers were great, I'm on a diet so no PP ;)

Great summation re. the cup. It certainly changed the dynamic in the room when it came in. It's not an aesthetic item, large and blocky but it has aesthetic qualities. The first thing that struck me was the size. The handles are thick and square and quality of the metal very apparent. I guess it has taken on a holy grail mythology for us, and I certainly viewed it as such as soon as I laid eyes on it yesterday. You just can't take your eyes of it, more so when your club's streamers adorn it.

[BulldogBelle]

This is just a fantastic, what a great club we are part of.

[Eastdog]

This is just a fantastic, what a great club we are part of.

We surely take the mantle as the community club of the AFL.

[KT31]

We surely take the mantle as the community club of the AFL.

Nah I'm pretty happy using the mantle, Reigning Premiers.;)

[1eyedog]

Nah I'm pretty happy using the mantle, Reigning Premiers.;)

Yeah community club is a title for a team that hasn't won a premiership in two years.

[Eastdog]

Nah I'm pretty happy using the mantle, Reigning Premiers.;)

Me too :) :)

[Smads57]

great read - thanks for sharing.

[Eastdog]

What a great story 1eyedog. Love it! Was forunate at the Whitten Oval premiership party the next day to get a photo with the premiership cup.

[Webby]

No they didn't. My wife said the same thing. The club wanted no PR out of it. Did it for the benefit of one supporter.

That makes me happiest of all. It would seem the club's well and truly got it worked out, nowadays.

[S Coast Simon]

Brilliant story with no fanfare. I love this club