VFL Team Name

[Twodogs]

Footscray easily.


Western Bulldogs is great for our team in the national based comp but Footscray is the name we should be known by in the Victorian based comp. Western Bulldogs is too vanilla a name for a competition that prides itself on being a community based local competition.


My biggest dilemma is do I ditch Port Melbourne and throw my support behind the local club or stick with the Borough?

[Go_Dogs]

I voted Western Bulldogs. I think we need to be consistent. I agree there's a lot of history in the Footscray name, I just feel you can't go back. That said, I think the VFL side will take on the Footscray name.

I also voted Western Bulldogs and agree with your sentiments. We need to continue to grow our brand which is the Western Bulldogs and whilst I know there is significant emotional attachment with the Footscray name, for mine, we've moved on. A lot of younger supporters would probably not relate to the Footscray name and I guess those such as myself who originate from interstate perhaps don't hold the name as dearly as others.

I also tend to agree we'll ultimately end up using the Footscray name.

[Remi Moses]

Pure romance I voted for Footscray

[LostDoggy]

Those who're arguing the 'growing the brand' sentiment. Who exactly are we growing the brand too, that we aren't with a national televised/marketed competition?

[Maddog37]

Same for me Remi. Footscray just feels right to me. Western is not an identity.

[bornadog]

My biggest dilemma is do I ditch Port Melbourne and throw my support behind the local club or stick with the Borough?

Do we have to answer that one

[Eastdog]

Those who're arguing the 'growing the brand' sentiment. Who exactly are we growing the brand too, that we aren't with a national televised/marketed competition?

Even with our AFL brand not just to our traditional heartland to gain support but to people outside of the heartland too as I'm sure other clubs have.

[bulldogtragic]

Footscray. The WBFC is not going to lose members by having a VFL team not names the same. By that logic being called Werribee or Williamstown as our VFL side has been called is diluting the brand. And that's not true. There needs to be some room for romance, so if it gives 50% of our members a kick than that's a good thing for retaining members and perhaps getting some old FFC die hards back. I can only see positives.

[Eastdog]

How long is voting open?

[lemmon]

My biggest dilemma is do I ditch Port Melbourne and throw my support behind the local club or stick with the Borough?

You will see the light I'm sure

[Go_Dogs]

Those who're arguing the 'growing the brand' sentiment. Who exactly are we growing the brand too, that we aren't with a national televised/marketed competition?

Good question. My best answer (without giving it too much thought) would be that it's more readily identifiable that it's our reserves side, utilising our trading name. Media reports, telecasts and the like would refer to the Western Bulldogs reserves side, rather than Footscray etc. I'm willing to concede it isn't an overly strong argument but I think it's better than having two entities with different names which in reality are the same side. Would love to hear from others who may have some points on this too.

I'm also one of those people who holds onto the hope (perhaps foolishly and unrealistically) an AFL reserves competition will eventuate at some stage in the next 5 years - if that happened would we still want to have our reserves side called Footscray?

How long is voting open?

My understanding is the survey on the Club website is open for the week, so if you want your opinion included I suggest everyone jump on and fill out the survey. It only takes a minute to do and states the Board will consider it when it meets to discuss the name in the coming months.

[FrediKanoute]

I voted Footscray, but really, I wouldn't be upset if it was Western Bulldogs.....as Shakespere said, a rose is still a rose even if you call it by some other name.

[G-Mo77]

I voted Footscray. VFL is a suburban league so it makes sense to name them after a suburban town and not a region.

[ledge]

Footscray for me that's what our museum is full of, never forget your roots

[bulldogtragic]

I noticed when Brisbane embraced their roots by playing 11 games in the Fitzroy jumper all footy lovers supported it, especially the old die hards.