Bulldog's History Book

[Twodogs]

Unleashed was treleased ten years ago and so much has happened since. Is it time for a new updated club history?


What would be the topics covered/chapter headings?

For me it would be:



The Smorgon chairmanship
The Wallace years
Leaving the Whitten Oval
The Rose Administration
The Redevelopment
Success and failure on the field

[The Coon Dog]

Gee, you didn't lave anything for anyone else did you!

[Twodogs]

Gee, you didn't lave anything for anyone else did you!



Except imagination Baz.;)

[craigsahibee]

Maybe a "Where are they now" feature on the Hyde St School Band and the rotund gentleman who used to sell peanuts out of a big sack.

[Twodogs]

Maybe a "Where are they now" feature on the Hyde St School Band and the rotund gentleman who used to sell peanuts out of a big sack.



I know exactly where he is and what he's doing. He's feeding worms six foot under.

[craigsahibee]

Was it the cholestorol that got too him in the end?

[GetDimmaBack]

The Smorgon chairmanship
The Wallace years
Leaving the Whitten Oval
The Rose Administration
The Redevelopment
Success and failure on the field[/QUOTE]

Using my imagination, would have to add the Chris Grant Brownlow fiasco - monumental.

[The Coon Dog]

The Smorgon chairmanship
The Wallace years
Leaving the Whitten Oval
The Rose Administration
The Redevelopment
Success and failure on the field

Using my imagination, would have to add the Chris Grant Brownlow fiasco - monumental.[/QUOTE]


That was 12 years ago.

[bornadog]

Was it the cholestorol that got too him in the end?

Peanut allergy:D

Seriously, he was around a long long time ago, ie pre 1996, not sure what year he passed away.

[azabob]

For me no more History Book updates or dvd highlight packages until we win a Grand Final.

[mighty_west]

For me no more History Book updates or dvd highlight packages until we win a Grand Final.

So....the end of the 2009 season then? :cool:

[craigsahibee]

Peanut allergy:D

Seriously, he was around a long long time ago, ie pre 1996, not sure what year he passed away.

I used to watch the doggies on the Saturday and Port on a Sunday and he would frequently turn up at Port games also. I reckon it was the mid 70's when I first saw him. 20 cents for a bag of peanuts. No one in the crowd ever gave him any stick either. It was all about respect. Just a battler trying to earn a little extra cash. RIP Mr Peanut.

[ledge]

Remember the AFL tried to boot him out, but their was such an uproar they didnt in the end.

[ledge]

I used to watch the doggies on the Saturday and Port on a Sunday and he would frequently turn up at Port games also. I reckon it was the mid 70's when I first saw him. 20 cents for a bag of peanuts. No one in the crowd ever gave him any stick either. It was all about respect. Just a battler trying to earn a little extra cash. RIP Mr Peanut.

He was probably a millionaire!

[LostDoggy]

[QUOTE=Twodogs;68678]Unleashed was treleased ten years ago and so much has happened since. Is it time for a new updated club history?

Yeah, what a ripping book, I still haven't put it down. Let's hope there is an update.

[Dry Rot]

Unleashed was treleased ten years ago and so much has happened since. Is it time for a new updated club history?


What would be the topics covered/chapter headings?

For me it would be:



The Smorgon chairmanship
The Wallace years
Leaving the Whitten Oval
The Rose Administration
The Redevelopment
Success and failure on the field

Harbrow's goal and the 2009 Premiership

No-one predicted the terrible injuries which cut down the previous year's grand finalists and saw them bomb out in the first week of the finals, and no-one predicted Adelaide's incredible run of 12 straight wins to make the finals from nowhere and then fight their way to the Grand Final.

The Western Bulldogs finished minor premiers after a relatively good run with injuries and maintained their form from 2008, losing only 4 games. They were the obvious grand finalist, but nobody thought the Crows could get there from seventh place yet they won their 3 finals by an average of 6 goals.

The Crows specialised in excellent starts, the Bulldogs flying finishes from the best fitness in the AFL. And that was how the 2009 Grand Final was played out. But even Dogs coach Rodney Eade thought that an 8 goal deficit was simply too much ground to catch up in the last quarter.

But Eade and the Crows didn't reckon on newly crowned Brownlow winner Ryen Griffen who after keeping the Dogs in the game in the first half stepped up and made the last quarter his own. But Griffen could only get the Dogs within 5 points of the Crows in the dying seconds of the game when Jarrod Harbrow snapped an ugly spiralling kick goalwards.

All the Crows fans behind the goals swore it was a point and replays showed that they might be right, but the goal umpire signalled goal and the Bulldogs won their second premiership by a point with 2 seconds to spare.....

[The Coon Dog]

Harbrow's goal and the 2009 Premiership

No-one predicted the terrible injuries which cut down the previous year's grand finalists and saw them bomb out in the first week of the finals, and no-one predicted Adelaide's incredible run of 12 straight wins to make the finals from nowhere and then fight their way to the Grand Final.

The Western Bulldogs finished minor premiers after a relatively good run with injuries and maintained their form from 2008, losing only 4 games. They were the obvious grand finalist, but nobody thought the Crows could get there from seventh place yet they won their 3 finals by an average of 6 goals.

The Crows specialised in excellent starts, the Bulldogs flying finishes from the best fitness in the AFL. And that was how the 2009 Grand Final was played out. But even Dogs coach Rodney Eade thought that an 8 goal deficit was simply too much ground to catch up in the last quarter.

But Eade and the Crows didn't reckon on newly crowned Brownlow winner Ryen Griffen who after keeping the Dogs in the game in the first half stepped up and made the last quarter his own. But Griffen could only get the Dogs within 5 points of the Crows in the dying seconds of the game when Jarrod Harbrow snapped an ugly spiralling kick goalwards.

All the Crows fans behind the goals swore it was a point and replays showed that they might be right, but the goal umpire signalled goal and the Bulldogs won their second premiership by a point with 2 seconds to spare.....

Karma. Gave me a warm glow reading that.

[Twodogs]

I used to watch the doggies on the Saturday and Port on a Sunday and he would frequently turn up at Port games also. I reckon it was the mid 70's when I first saw him. 20 cents for a bag of peanuts. No one in the crowd ever gave him any stick either. It was all about respect. Just a battler trying to earn a little extra cash. RIP Mr Peanut.


He was probably a millionaire!


I remember a rumour that he was, of all things, a porn king.


He owned a bunch of those adult book shops back in the day.

[GetDimmaBack]

Using my imagination, would have to add the Chris Grant Brownlow fiasco - monumental.


That was 12 years ago.[/QUOTE]

Unleashed finishes at the end of 1996 (unless there's another edition I'm not aware of).
If we don't include 97, then it is lost from the Dogs' history...

[bornadog]

One of the oldest photos of the Footscray Team - taken around 1883

https://scontent-syd2-1.xx.fbcdn.net/v/t31.0-8/27907590_560016987710015_9199404595678383864_o.jpg?oh=3efe4f 31416e6bad65869c27b18cd9b9&oe=5B1AA885

[Axe Man]

Which one are you BAD? ;)

[bornadog]

Which one are you BAD? ;)

The one with the beard :D

[Twodogs]

One of the oldest photos of the Footscray Team - taken around 1883

https://scontent-syd2-1.xx.fbcdn.net/v/t31.0-8/27907590_560016987710015_9199404595678383864_o.jpg?oh=3efe4f 31416e6bad65869c27b18cd9b9&oe=5B1AA885



I can actually name some of those players. Ther is something wrong with me.

[ledge]

Which ones Kevin Bartlett?

[Jeanette54]

I used to watch the doggies on the Saturday and Port on a Sunday ... when I first saw him. 20 cents for a bag of peanuts. .
Rather sadly I have to admit that it was "Peanuts.... shilling a bag, Peanuts" when I first heard his call. That makes it at least pre decimal currency, ie.1966. I also remember the Footy Record doubling its price to one shilling, up from sixpence.

[Pickenitup]

Would be great if they updated a history book a lot has happened in the last 20 years

[Twodogs]

Unleashed was released ten years ago and so much has happened since. Is it time for a new updated club history?


What would be the topics covered/chapter headings?

For me it would be:



The Smorgon chairmanship
The Wallace years
Leaving the Whitten Oval
The Rose Administration
The Redevelopment
Success and failure on the field


It's now coming up to 21 years since Unleashed was real eased and it's well past time for an update I think. Just a few things have happened that we might want to commemorate.:cool::cool:

I wonder what a collaborative effort at writing a history would be like. There's lots of talented brains on WOOF imagine if we could combine it into one big coherent brain? Imagine the power! Think of what that brain could do. It's just the coherent part that had me worried.

[Eastdog]

135 years ago 1883.

I believe we might have been established a bit earlier than that 1877 - 141 years ago.

2025 100 years in the VFL/AFL.

[Eastdog]

Would be great if they updated a history book a lot has happened in the last 20 years

Would certainly get the book if there was an updated one.

[Twodogs]

135 years ago 1883.

I believe we might have been established a bit earlier than that 1877 - 141 years ago.

2025 100 years in the VFL/AFL.

Nailing down the exact year we were formed is problematic. There were a few iterations of the Footscray Football Club before they finally managed to get their shit together and get over the petty rivalries that existed (Footscray had its own suburbs back then (west Footscray, Belgravia, the flats, Seddon, and all of those had their own teams. There were also church teams and a couple of clubs that had existed for ages tgat were formed by enthusiasts early on in the 1860s, Excelsior and Star of Footscray.

All these clubs spread the playing talent thin and it wasn't until 1883 that Lovett convinced everyone to have a go at forming a good local club. They had tried to get a Footcray team going a couple of times in the 1870s but petty interests won the first couple of times. We needed a strong personality to bring all the strands together and Lovett commanded enough support. The other clubs gave up their aspirations to be a senior club and accepted remaining junior clubs and stop competing with the district team (for the pride of the club and the honour of the district was the adage) Ebentually after a lot of hard work on the ground and signing the requisite number of paying members we qualified for admission to the VFA in 1886 along with Port Melbourne, St Kilda and South Williamstown (Willy had been through almost exactly the opposite as us, their football culture fractured and South Williamstown was formed.

So the current club can date back to either 1983 (which is when we formed) or 1887 (when we first played as a senior VFA club) or when a couple of other clubs called Footscray (which had nothing to do with the current club) were formed.

Just as an aside I had always assumed that we were a fairly hopeless VFA club that finished in the bottom half of the ladder every year until the VFL was formed. But we had a couple of good seasons in the early 1890S and even finished Third out of fourteen clubs according to some ladders (there wasn't really a hard and fast rule as to what constituted a proper match so ladders could vary a bit in each newspaper and the VFA didn't really release a ladder.

Even the club that won the premiership were disputed because of the confusion as to what a match involved (any match played on a Saturday between VFA clubs were considered official. Even if they were organised after the fixture lists were released. Lots of clubs picked and chose what they though an official match was and wasn't, if they won they were very keen to have it counted, if they loss then they were less keen.nit was a pigs breakfast. It was normal to wait to celebrate a win because it could easily be overturned on appeal.

[The bulldog tragician]

One of the oldest photos of the Footscray Team - taken around 1883

https://scontent-syd2-1.xx.fbcdn.net/v/t31.0-8/27907590_560016987710015_9199404595678383864_o.jpg?oh=3efe4f 31416e6bad65869c27b18cd9b9&oe=5B1AA885

This is wonderful. They look like pirates. Does anyone know where this was taken?

[Twodogs]

This is wonderful. They look like pirates. Does anyone know where this was taken?

Footscray's first oval before Whitten oval was on a patch of ground where the girls school is now. IIRC tgat photo was taken next to the postmistresses office in Barkly st. Thay photo may have been taken there in 1883.

[Eastdog]

A very brief history of our club from the start.

https://www.onlymelbourne.com.au/western-bulldogs-football-club#.Wo9rOq6WaHs

Since joing the league in 1925, the doggies based at the Whitten Oval have won only one premiership in 1954 but enjoys a strong following from its passionate supporter base.

The Western Oval is located in West Footscray and was renamed Whitten Oval in honour of Footscray legend Ted Whitten.

In 1877 the Footscray Football Club began a link with the VFA with its junior side playing 15 games in the Association’s junior division.

1879 – After moving from ground to ground, local council grants permission to use the Western Reserve (now Whitten Oval) as their home ground.

In 1883 the club drops the name Prince Imperials and once again becomes the Footscray Football Club. After the name change, the Club attracts a lot of interest from local talent. Players wore blue and white hooped guernseys, socks and red caps.

1898 – Footscray win their first VFA Premiership.

1924 – After finishing on top of the ladder for the fifth straight year, Footscray put in a dominant performance in the Grand Final against Williamstown, bringing the Club nine Premierships in 39 seasons of VFA football.

1924 – After winning the 1924 Premiership, Footscray square off against VFL Premiers Essendon for charity in what was dubbed the 'Championship of Victoria'. In front of 46,100 people Footscray won by 28 points, further pressing their claims to join the VFL.

1925 – Clearly being the most dominant team in the VFA, Footscray joined the 'big guns' in the VFL along with Hawthorn and North Melbourne.

1954 – Footscray win their one and only VFL Premiership defeating Melbourne in the Grand Final by 51 points – 15.12.102 to 7.9.51.

Full forward Jack Collins was the star for the Bulldogs with seven goals, while rover John Kerr was regarded by many pundits as the best man on the ground. The captain-coach of the Footscray Premiership team was Charlie Sutton.

1997 – Before the start of the 1997 season, the Club changes its name from the Footscray Football Club to the Western Bulldogs Football Club.

2010 - Dogs win the 2010 NAB Cup with a 40-point win over St Kilda.

Western Bulldogs WIN 2016 AFL Flag

2016 AFL Grand Final

Sydney Swans -V- Western Bulldogs

The 2016 AFL Grand Final will be played on Saturday 1st October 2016.
Match Details

[bornadog]

Link (https://twitter.com/djwilliamsart/status/993420861238493184)

After 6 weeks of the 1904 season, Footscray & Richmond shared a place at the top of the ladder. The round 7 clash at Punt Rd would decide top spot. The large crowd was treated to an epic contest that ended in a draw and a continued share of top spot.

https://pbs.twimg.com/media/DclW-xJVAAEzWCU.jpg

[bornadog]

Link (https://twitter.com/djwilliamsart/status/993420861238493184)

After 6 weeks of the 1904 season, Footscray & Richmond shared a place at the top of the ladder. The round 7 clash at Punt Rd would decide top spot. The large crowd was treated to an epic contest that ended in a draw and a continued share of top spot.

https://pbs.twimg.com/media/DclW-xJVAAEzWCU.jpg

[Eastdog]

Great image BAD. 1900s Bulldogs the VFA years :)

[I'm Not Bitter Anymore!]

The museum has recently updated their VFA display case

[Twodogs]

Link (https://twitter.com/djwilliamsart/status/993420861238493184)

After 6 weeks of the 1904 season, Footscray & Richmond shared a place at the top of the ladder. The round 7 clash at Punt Rd would decide top spot. The large crowd was treated to an epic contest that ended in a draw and a continued share of top spot.

https://pbs.twimg.com/media/DclW-xJVAAEzWCU.jpg

The Footscray player with the impressive 'tach contesting the ball is Dave deCoite our first ever superstar recruit. He played for Geelong and was a big star and capatain there before he went of to WA in the 1890s searching for work during the depression in Victoria. Anyway he came back a couple of years later and we signed him. Halfway through his first season he replaces the injured captain of Footscray and leads us to the 1898 premiership. From memory that game against Richmond is his last game before he retired.

[LostDoggy]

The Footscray player with the impressive 'tach contesting the ball is Dave deCoite our first ever superstar recruit. He played for Geelong and was a big star and capatain there before he went of to WA in the 1890s searching for work during the depression in Victoria. Anyway he came back a couple of years later and we signed him. Halfway through his first season he replaces the injured captain of Footscray and leads us to the 1898 premiership. From memory that game against Richmond is his last game before he retired.
And the player spoiling was developing young (but surprisingly mature looking) defender Keran Collins.

[westdog54]

Link (https://twitter.com/djwilliamsart/status/993420861238493184)

After 6 weeks of the 1904 season, Footscray & Richmond shared a place at the top of the ladder. The round 7 clash at Punt Rd would decide top spot. The large crowd was treated to an epic contest that ended in a draw and a continued share of top spot.

https://pbs.twimg.com/media/DclW-xJVAAEzWCU.jpg

I love the added detail of the smoke coming from all the townhouse chimneys on what must have been a bloody cold day.

[Twodogs]

I love the added detail of the smoke coming from all the townhouse chimneys on what must have been a bloody cold day.

And the people watching the game from the balconys of the houses across Punt rd. You could justify paying a bit extra for the house if you could figure out how many sixpence it saved you. There were 12 pence in a shilling and 20 shillings in a pound. So at 9 games a year x six pence = 54 pence or four and a half shillings, so if you count you and the missus watching for free from the balcony that's nine shillings a year or a saving of about a pound every two years. When you consider houses cost 400-500 pounds back then it was almost worth paying a premium!