AFL 2025 round two LIVE: Bulldogs take on Collingwood in milestone game for the red, white and blue
The Western Bulldogs have brought in four of the club’s six living Brownlow medallists, including recently distant 2008 medallist Adam Cooney, to participate in the club’s historic 100th year celebrations against Collingwood.
Bulldogs officials confirmed that four Brownlow medallists – Cooney, Gary Dempsey, Kelvin Templeton, and Tony Liberatore – were slated to be part of the celebrations and attend the game, as well as ex-coaches Terry Wheeler, Terry Wallace, Rodney Eade and Mick Malthouse, the latter who will commentate on ABC radio.
Adam Cooney won the 2008 Brownlow Medal.Credit: Sebastian Costanzo
Past playing greats are at the game in force, but while there are four living members of the 1954 premiership team, none are attending the game, according to club officials who spoke on condition of anonymity.
Cooney, who is a media commentator on SEN and Seven, has been remote from the Bulldogs since he departed the club and was traded to Essendon late in his career (he and former skipper Ryan Griffen were traded ahead of 2015 to the Bombers and Giants respectively), but has told the Dogs and SEN that he would be part of the function, in which the Bulldogs are reverting to their historic name of Footscray, which was changed after the 1996 season to enhance the club’s appeal to the western suburbs.
Neither Scott Wynd, the 1992 Brownlow winner, nor Brad Hardie, the 1985 Brownlow winner, are expected to attend, according to the club. Hardie is in his home state of Western Australia, while ex-champion Chris Grant – who would have won the 1997 Brownlow but for a suspension – is overseas and unable to be at the club, for which he also played 300 games.
Decorated ex-players such as 300-gamers Brad Johnson, Doug Hawkins, Rohan Smith and Scott West are in attendance and involved with the ceremonies along with Tom Boyd, Daniel Giansiracusa, ’60s and ’70s star Laurie Sandilands, Matthew Croft, Brian Royal, 2016 premiership captain Easton Wood and the man whom he replaced due to injury in that storied season, Age columnist Bob Murphy.
Ted Whitten jnr, the son of the player regarded as the club’s greatest up until the modern era, will also attend.
Key past president and benefactor Peter Gordon, who played a key role in saving the club in 1989, was also due to attend.
Bulldogs president Peter Gordon (right) thanks the fans after the club’s 2016 premiership.Credit: Getty Images
Coach Luke Beveridge, as a former Dogs player, is considered likely to reference the club’s history in his address to the players.
Collingwood recalled Mason Cox for his first game of the season to combat the Bulldogs’ imposing ruck duo Tim English and Sam Darcy in tonight’s blockbuster as star midfielder Jordan De Goey returns after an injury interrupted pre-season.
Key forward Brody Mihocek has been rested, due to general soreness, after opening the season with five goals in the first two matches, while Lachie Sullivan was dropped.
The Bulldogs replaced key defender James O’Donnell after he fractured his jaw against North Melbourne, and the concussed Luke Cleary, with defender Buku Khamis and wingman Oskar Baker.
The match looms as a real test for the Magpies after they rebounded from a poor performance in opening round to thrash Port Adelaide last week at the MCG.
Important Collingwood forward Brody Mihocek.Credit: Getty Images
They will start favourites against an undermanned Bulldogs, who remain without injured midfielders Marcus Bontempelli and Adam Treloar, forward Cody Weightman and intercept defender Liam Jones. Key forward Jamarra Ugle-Hagan remains sidelined indefinitely with personal issues
While Collingwood’s focus remains on the match, club CEO Craig Kelly reassured fans on SEN earlier in the week that the club would do “everything in their power” to ensure free agent Brayden Maynard remains a Magpie beyond this season.
The future of the premiership defender, who is a favourite among Magpie fans, created discussion this week after he said he understood that football was a business. Kelly said Maynard was entitled to explore other options when coming out of contract as a free agent.
“If someone desperately wants him and wants to pay him a heap more for a longer period of time, everyone should be going, ‘Good luck mate, if that opportunity is there, even though we’d love you to be here, [and] we want you to be here’,” Kelly told SEN.
