ST PATRICK'S College and North Ballarat football export Josh Chatfield will captain Footscray in the 2024 Victorian Football League season.
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In an added Ballarat twist, Redan's Cooper Craig-Peters has been named in the Bulldogs' five-player leadership group.
This will be Chatfield's third season with Western Bulldogs' VFL arm. He had been named one of the Dogs' top-up AFL players under COVID-19 rules in 2022 and he has been close to a call-up since.
It's very humbling to be recognised by my teammates and coaches as someone who can lead this great group of blokes," Chatfield told westernbulldogs.com.au.
"It obviously means a lot to me, but more importantly it means a lot to my friends and family too. It's a credit to them for the support and love they have given to help me get to this point."
The 23-year-old is a proud Gunditjmara man who grew up in Warrnambool playing for Hapden league powerhouse club Koroit, including in the Saints' 2018 senior premiership.
Chatfield moved to Ballarat in 2017 to finish his schooling as a boarder at St Patrick's College and play in the AFL under-18 talent league with Greater Western Victoria Rebels before he followed friends to North Ballarat Football Club, where is still aligned as a player.
A civil construction worker by trade, Chatfield has been a VicHealth ambassador and an official advocate for Cancer Council Victoria's Food Fight campaign, encouraging young people to east healthy and be active.
He has maintained that sporting clubs were a great place to build social connections and a great start to improving your lifestyle. He also wanted to be a healthy role model for his younger siblings in Warrnambool.
Chatfield new role as skipper continues a strong Ballarat tradition in the Bulldogs' re-formed VFL body with former North Ballarat Rebels coach Chris Maple leading Footscray Bulldogs to the 2014 VFL premiership in their foundation year.
Maple, now in his second season as Ballarat Swans head coach, had moved into football development and football operations roles alongside head coach Luke Beveridge in his time with Western Bulldogs.
There is a strong Ballarat flavour to the Bulldogs' VFL list.
Along with Craig Peters is Ballarat Swans trio Rhett Montgomerie, Tristan Maple, Angus Bade and Darley export Bailey Young.
Footscray will kick off its 2024 campaign against Greater Western Sydney Giants at Whitten Oval on Sunday March 24.
Western Bulldogs will be playing on Ballarat's Mars Stadium the same day, hosting Gold Coast Suns. Opening bounce is 1pm.
