Reputations are often won and lost on the basis of performances in finals football.
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Liam Picken has certainly done his no harm in recent weeks.
The 30-year-old son of Collingwood legend Billy and younger brother of former Brisbane Lions player Marcus has proved vital in the Western Bulldogs’ charge to the AFL grand final.
So much so, the 30-year-old is sitting second on the standings of the AFL Coaches Association’s Gary Ayres Award, which recognises the best player across the finals series.
The tagger-turned-attacking midfielder has polled 12 votes from the Bulldogs’ three finals to be second behind Sydney Swans’ Isaac Heeney (15 votes) on the overall leaderboard.
Those two players will clash in Saturday’s premiership decider at the MCG.
Picken has a strong connection to Ballarat, a city his club has invested heavily in for the years ahead.
The Bulldogs have committed to playing AFL matches at a redeveloped Eureka Stadium, starting with at least one game in 2017.
It's going to really give the whole region a big boost."
- Western Bulldogs' Liam Picken on the club's venture into Ballarat
Picken spent a season with the North Ballarat Rebels in the under-18 TAC Cup competition before moving to VFL side Williamstown, where he was drafted to the Bulldogs as a mature-aged rookie.
He also married his wife – high-profile parenting blogger Annie Nolan – locally at St Patrick’s Cathedral earlier this year and is a regular visitor to the city.
“I always go back there to see my parents-in-law and I always go back there on holidays,” Picken told The Courier.
“It's a great city. I love going back to Ballarat. It seems like it has got everything and it feels like it's a world away from Melbourne and you get to relax there.”
Given his affinity with Ballarat, it’s no surprise Picken is looking forward to the club bringing the game here next year.
“It's fantastic. Especially for the whole western Victoria. There's going to be a lot of fans that can come down to Ballarat and watch an AFL game,” he said.
“It's going to really give the whole region a big boost. There's going to be so many young kids there that will be able to get into the car and watch AFL footy without coming to Melbourne.”
After debuting in the round two clash against North Melbourne in 2009, Picken, originally from Hamilton, has now played 175 games for the Western Bulldogs.
He has featured in all of the club’s games in season 2016, where he has averaged 22.8 disposals and kicked 14 goals, five of which have come during the finals.