The whole of Ballarat – nay the state – will be on the Western Bulldogs bandwagon this week in the lead-up to Saturday’s AFL grand final against Sydney.
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The city held its collective breath last Saturday night as the Doggies won a nail-biter against Greater Western Sydney at Spotless Stadium.
After seven preliminary final knock-outs in as many years, the Western Bulldogs are now into their first grand final in 55 years.
Apart from the fact most Australians love the underdog (pardon the pun), the Western Bulldogs have a strong connection to Ballarat and the city will be in full Doggies fever this week.
The Bulldogs, who proudly wear the name Ballarat badged onto their gear, will play one regular season match in Ballarat in 2017 and two matches each season for the remainder of their five-year deal with the city.
Their home while in Ballarat will be the Eureka Stadium, which is currently undergoing a multi-million dollar upgrade.
The $15 million project, which will result in the construction of a 5000-seat grandstand, is set to be completed by May 2017, two months after the beginning of the season. The overall capacity of the stadium once completed will be more-than 11,000.
And Bulldogs president Peter Gordon said he hoped the five-year agreement between the club, the AFL and the state government to play games in Ballarat would turn into a 100-year commitment.
Then there’s the other Ballarat connections to the Doggies…
The Bulldogs No. 23 Jordan Roughead is a proud Ballarat lad. The former Damascus College school captain was recruited from the North Ballarat Rebels and clocked up his 100-game milestone with the Doggies earlier this season.
The Bulldog’s head of development is Chris Maple, who lives in Ballarat.
Maple coached Buninyong to a premiership in 2002 and was heavily involved in the North Ballarat Rebels.
And then there is Liam Picken, whose partner, Uncanny Annie blogger, Annie Nolan, hails from Ballarat.
So, Ballarat people, don your red, white and blue. Get your game faces on. Warm up your cheering voices and get behind the Western Bulldogs for this Saturday’s 2016 AFL grand final.
No matter the outcome of Saturday’s premiership match, Ballarat is behind you. Go the Doggies.
