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...
3. Grand Final, 1954 – Footscray Bulldogs vs. Melbourne Demons
In a 12-team VFL competition, the Bulldogs faced Melbourne in the 1954 Grand Final, a momentous occasion that would go down in history as the club's first-ever premiership win. With the help of all-time legends like E.J. Whitten and Charlie Sutton, the Bulldogs were able to cruise past the Demons to secure a 51-point victory. Though it marked the first VFL premiership in the club's history, it was also the beginning of a long drought, unable to secure another flag for decades to come. The 1954 Grand Final remains a significant milestone in the club's history, symbolising the resilience of a team that would go on to become an important part of both the VFL and AFL landscape.
