The Western Bulldogs (formerly Footscray) have a rich 100-year history in the VFL/AFL filled with many ups and downs. Their supporters have been through a lot from fighting to keep their club from disappearing in 1989 to ultimate premiership glory in 2016.
The club from the western suburbs will be known as Footscray when they take on Collingwood at the MCG on Friday to commemorate their long-standing place in football's history.
The Bulldogs will don a specially designed guernsey to pay tribute to all those involved in the club's 100 years and will welcome club greats and legends to the ground to celebrate.
But with a history of only two premierships and many stories on either side of that ultimate glory, we thought we'd make a list.
Here is a compilation of the Bulldogs' most memorable, significant and defining games throughout their history...
1. Grand Final, 2016 – Western Bulldogs vs. Sydney Swans
While the Preliminary Final is almost undeniably the more entertaining of the final two contests in the Bulldogs' famous Cinderella story, if they had fallen short here, the memories wouldn't have been quite so fond. Starting from seventh place, there was an expectation that the Bulldogs would be easy beats in pretty much every match they played during this finals series. However, they were able to overcome that perception and in many ways, that resilience mirrored the struggles the club had endured for so many years.
The contest against the Swans was a hard-fought battle, with the Bulldogs holding a mere eight-point lead at three-quarter time. Dogs fans across the country had their hearts in their mouths, as the tension built towards what seemed like an uncertain conclusion. But what unfolded next was nothing short of pure jubilation for Bulldogs fans, players and staff alike. It was a moment of redemption for a club that had been so deprived of success for decades. As the final siren sounded and the many iconic moments that followed the sense of accomplishment was overwhelming. After years of heartbreak and close calls, the Bulldogs had finally reached the pinnacle of AFL success. No other victory in the club's history comes close to the sheer emotion and glory of that day in 2016. It wasn't just a win, it was the culmination of a journey that had felt like a lifetime in the making.
