THIS is greater than we had imagined, Ballarat. We are part of something bigger, something really special. Western Bulldogs will bring their AFL premiership cup and full team to Ballarat’s town hall on Monday evening in continued celebrations. To share what the Bulldogs have earned.
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Now it is our turn to prove we can ‘Be More Bulldog’ and show up in force to welcome them.
The Bulldogs have made clear their commitment to this city. This is more than community camps and wearing our name on their shorts. They have rented a ‘kennel’ and moved in on Mair Street, expanding their social programs into our community: men’s health initiative Sons of the West; the Whitten Project for youth leadership; and, improving literacy in primary schools with Bulldogs Read, which featured Skype reading sessions with players.
The Bulldogs promised AFL in Ballarat, declaring Eureka Stadium as an alternate base and they are determined to create a home ground advantage. Only now, the Bulldogs will host Ballarat’s first AFL in-season game as reigning premier.
This is one of the greatest sporting tales in Australian history. A club denied a premiership for 62 years. Whole generations of Bulldogs fans have never experienced the ultimate glory.
A dashing, incredibly young team, the Bulldogs finished seventh and overcame more than Giants to reach the ‘big dance’ where they took on an experienced and hotly favoured interstate rival Sydney with one of the game’s biggest names in the Swans forward line.
This is a team that has kept pushing forward – believing – in the face of major injuries through their campaign.
Resilience is too much a buzz word used nowadays to ‘teach’ children. You want resilience? This was it.
The fairy tale included one of the game’s most incredible humble show of sportsmanship. Bulldogs coach Luke Beveridge give his premiership medallion to injured spiritual leader Bob Murphy, then allowing Murphy to lift the cup aloft with stand-in skipper Easton Wood.
This is the stuff of which legendary sporting moments are made. True role models.
We now have a chance to be a part of this history. A chance to show we believe in the club and its faith in us. Be part of something bigger, Ballarat. Turn up to the town hall tomorrow, 4.30pm, and be more Bulldog.
