In years gone by, I’ve made Western Bulldogs teams from the 2000s, the 2010s, and I’ve even done an All-Time team - a team consisting of the greatest Bulldog players since they entered the VFL/AFL in 1925.
But as I sat on my desk the other day and see people name teams of the greatest players that they’ve ever bared to witness in their lives, I realized that I haven’t done one myself and I couldn’t help but feel inspired to do a team of my own.
I have mentioned this in past articles, but I’m happy to reiterate for the sake of this article. I’ve been a Western Bulldog supporter for well over 20 years - 1997 was the first year I can think of from the top of my head that I started barracking for the Western Bulldogs - I wasn’t even four years old. First game I remember going to was the 1999 Qualifying Final between the Dogs and West Coast - yes we lost that one.
Before I get to my team of 22 (plus the four I have listed as emergencies), there are some names I must mention as those unlucky to even be named emergencies. Apologies to those who thought they may see Scott Wynd or Tony Liberatore in this team. I might have started following the club in ’97, but I didn’t truly begin to become a diehard until the 2000s when I understood how the game played and how each player could impact on a contest.
Wynd retired in 2000 and Liberatore retired two years later and even though they won Brownlow Medals in the 1990s. My recollections of them playing in their later years are sparse at best. I remember liking them, but in comparison to who I’ve seen in later years, I’ve got to go on that. If I was born perhaps five years earlier, then they may have got in - you can thank my parents for that.
Out of the players from the later years. Tom Liberatore was unlucky not to make the squad of 26 - He’s had maybe three or four good years - injury or form have played their role in other seasons. I love Josh Dunkley, and maybe he’ll be in when I revisit the team in five years, but he’s not there yet. Lachie Hunter could be argued for a spot on the wing, but there are others I’d personally put ahead of him, however he’s got a good part of his career to go - so I wouldn't discount him in later years.
I’d also watch out for Aaron Naughton, Bailey Smith and possibly someone like Hayden Crozier in the next few years - I think all three have big claims to be in this team in the future, although it will be hard. Special mentions as well to Matthew Croft - who was a pretty decent key defender during what was a pretty dismal Peter Rohde era and Will Minson, who transformed from a ‘hit-and-miss’ key forward in the late 2000s to a solid ruckman that would eventually claim an All-Australian in 2013.
Named as emergencies include Norm Smith medallist Jason Johannisen - which almost speaks for itself, but since the 2016 flag, his form has been sporadic, thus why he misses out. I was big fan of Mitch Hahn’s grunt work in the forward line in the 2000s and was often good for a goal or two. Steven Kretiuk I always liked as a defender - always made his direct opponents earn their touches of the football. And lastly, Callan Ward - I know he was yet to reach his peak, but I really loved watching him play his first four seasons at the Dogs - he was tough and never shied away from a contest.
I’ll start with the guy that I would pick first in this team. A big reason why I became a Bulldogs supporter was actually watching Chris Grant dominate games in the late 90s. I don’t remember much of it, but I do remember having posters of him on my bedroom wall when I was a little tacker. It was during this time that Grant was an All-Australian and - if we’re being brutally honest - should’ve been a Brownlow Medallist during this period. The way he did command games as a centre-half forward was what hooked me.
I wasn’t exactly spoiled for choice in the key forward department. During the Rodney Eade era, the club lacked a key forward, so they went with a 182cm Brad Johnson at full forward and it reaped rewards in the late 2000s, but it did rob the side of another quality mid - Johnno in the forward pocket. It wasn’t until Barry Hall came to the club at the end of 2009 that the Bulldogs had a recognizable key forward. Yes, he did come with baggage, but boy did he come through - 135 goals in just 39 games - lock him in at full forward - maybe Naughton overtakes him one day, but right now, I’ll take Barry thanks.
So that’s three forwards - who are the rest? I’ve named Nathan Brown - who was a player that I grew up with - debuting in ’97, before elevating his game to All-Australian status in 2001 and ’02 and kicked 56.51 for a last-placed Bulldogs team in 2003 before heading to Richmond at the end of that year. Daniel Giansiracusa gets a spot for being a consistent goal-scorer for the most part of his career - 10 out of his 14 seasons saw him kick 20 goals or more, on four occasions he kicked over 30 and once over 40. Last but not least - Jason Akermanis. Unceremoniously sacked mid-2010, but put in three really good seasons, including a 49 goal season in 2008 and a 43 goal season in 2009, with a Premiership Dog in Liam Picken coming off the bench as a forward rotation.
The midfielders almost pick themselves. Scott West is a seven-time club best and fairest and Marcus Bontempelli rapidly chasing him down, claiming three of the last four best and fairests and the young man is only 24. I’ve gone a little left field with Adam Cooney joining both Bont and West in the middle - simply because his best was purely electrifying. People are quick to say his 2008 Brownlow Medal was undeserving, but I watched his games, his burst outside of the stoppages was unbelievable and he was a good finisher in front of goal too before his knees were completely shot.
Luke Darcy in the ruck almost selects himself - you can argue that he can go forward too and he has had games where that has yielded good results, but it was his work as the ruckman in the early 2000s that saw him play out of his skin, winning the club best and fairest in 2001, and named All-Australian and AFLPA MVP a year later. On the wings, Rohan Smith is another among the first picked - 300 games of experience, he loved taking the game on and was often a good user by hand or foot. I might get a bit of a bitter reaction for the announcement for the other winger - Ryan Griffen.
Before you write your response, I too was pretty upset about his departure for the Giants in 2014. But before his exit, he was this silky-skilled outside midfielder that transformed into a two-way midfielder that won him a club best and fairest and an All-Australian before he ventured off to those pests in Orange. On the bench I’ve named Daniel Cross and Jack Macrae as midfield rotations - Cross has been tough and consistent midfielder all throughout his time at the Dogs, whilst Macrae has already been a consistent ball-winner, both on the inside and out and he’s only 25 years of age.
I haven’t mentioned any defenders yet, so I’ll start by naming the obvious ones: All Australian captain in 2015 Robert Murphy on one half-back flank - his ability to set up plays off half back was superb. On the other is a premiership Dog in Matthew Boyd - All Australian three times, once as a defender in 2016. Like Murphy, he was a brilliant reader of the play and generated some good drive off the flank.
Elite intercept marking players are perhaps the theme of this back six. Dale Morris is a prime example of not only flying in from whichever way when called upon, but his ability to consistently shut out both small and tall forwards is what made him amongst not just the discussion for first picked, but amongst the discussion for the first picked. Easton Wood’s form since his breakout 2015 season has been terrific and as a premiership captain - why would I want to leave him out?
Another player that I considered an elite intercept defender I have named at full-back. Not only was Brian Lake a very good stopper, but he was able to read the play better than most of his opponents and cut off the forward 50 entries. As for the last bloke in the back six - Ryan Hargrave, well he was an underrated two-way player, one that could stop opposition big or small, but also get his hands on the footy and create out of the backline. Coming off the bench I’ve named a chap by the name of Lindsay Gilbee, who thrived in the mid-to-late 2000s as a rebounding half-back/winger who always had a long and often accurate kick.
And if you're wondering who's coaching this team - who else but Luke Beverdige? After all, that man took a team that nobody expected to a premiership. Forget about everything else that's happened since - just doing that is still something that as a fan, I am somewhat trying to process, over three years on.
The Team
B: Dale Morris, Brian Lake, Ryan Hargrave HB: Matthew Boyd, Easton Wood, Robert Murphy C: Rohan Smith, Scott West, Ryan Griffen HF: Jason Akermanis, Chris Grant, Daniel Giansiracusa F: Brad Johnson, Barry Hall, Nathan Brown FOL: Luke Darcy, Adam Cooney, Marcus Bontempelli INT: Daniel Cross, Liam Picken, Jack Macrae, Lindsay Gilbee EMG: Callan Ward, Jason Johannisen, Steven Kretiuk, Mitch Hahn