POPULAR puppy Sunny is about to set her paw on Mars Stadium for her first Ballarat match day outing in what is touted to be a packed kennel.
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The little mascot in training has fast proven to love the game-day attention, having only started official club duties with the Bulldogs' AFL men's intra-club match in Ballarat in late February.
A showdown against fellow in-form team Adelaide is almost now standing room only for those hoping to land a ticket on Saturday afternoon. The match is also the second time Ballarat has been home to the 'Dogs for Sir Doug Nicholls Round, a celebration of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples in the game.
Western Bulldogs' mascots owner Tanya Templeton was confident Sunny would handle the pumping crowd well - Sunny loved performing for 'Doggies fans alongside her stablemate Caesar, who is six years into the trade.
"She's so popular and I think especially because she is a girl like [character mascot] Roxy. We have one of each now," Ms Templeton said.
"Sunny takes a bit of pressure off Caesar. He actually looks for her when they're out on the ground."
The Bulldogs players have quickly adopted Sunny into the pack, too. Cody Weightman and Buku Khamis are her favourites. Ms Templeton said Khamis was particularly smitten with Sunny and liked to give her a hug before the games.
Sunny also likes to talk - a cute bark without the deep tones of Caesar yet - and she is the first of the two to officially have marked her territory on the turf at the Docklands stadium on game day.
The doggy duo, who live on the outskirts of Ballarat, have their own team badges like the players that are becoming a fun collectors' item.
The Bulldogs are also preparing to launch a pet range, likely to be available later this season, that Sunny and Caesar are keen to test out.
IN OTHER NEWS
This weekend is the first of two Western Bulldogs AFL games at Mars Stadium this season. Greater Western Sydney Giants will return to Mars in round 20.
To help the town be 'Dog-ready, City of Ballarat is hosting a special Bulldgos Heroes at the Hop on Friday night. Western Bulldogs premiership captain Easton Wood, premiership player Clay Smith and retired Indigenous player Josh Carter (formerly Hill) will take part in a question and answer panel discussion at Hop Temple and while the event is free, bookings are essential at hoptemple.com.au.
Hop Lane has also turned itself Bulldog for the build up to the game with red, white and blue umbrellas and historic Bulldogs photos, featuring the likes of EJ Whitten, John Schultz, Tony Liberatore and the club's first Victorian Football League team.
GETTING TO THE GAME - as directed by City of Ballarat
For those heading to the match, a free shuttle bus service will return, with hundreds of parking spaces also available at C.E Brown Reserve and surrounding ovals.
These parking spaces can be accessed from Dowling Street, giving patrons access to the Mars Stadium gates via a short walk.
Additional on-street parking will be available for drivers in Howitt and Norman streets, as well as Creswick Road (north of Norman Street).
Drivers are reminded there is accessible parking at the North Ballarat Sports Club, however all other traffic will be directed to park at one of the other designated parking areas.
A drop-off and pick-up zone will also be set up directly outside gate two on Creswick Road.
A shuttle bus will depart Ballarat Railway Station Bus Terminal and travel to Mars Stadium from 11.30am.
From 3.30pm, a return shuttle will depart Mars Stadium and drop passengers off in Lydiard St North (train station).
This shuttle service is expected to continue until all patrons have left Mars Stadium.
The Park and Ride Shuttle service that has previously operated during some AFL matches in Ballarat will not be in operation this weekend.
A fan zone will be located inside gate three on the netball courts with a range of children's activities including inflatable, handball target and kids activities to keep young Bulldogs fans entertained before the first bounce.
Gates open at 12.40pm. Tickets are still available for the match and can be purchased online at Ticketmaster.
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