Bulldogs By the Numbers

[merantau]

Between '01 and '05 Ben Harrison from Richmond via Carlton played 85 games and kicked 32 goals wearing #22. He only missed a couple of games in his time with us and he played both foward and back. He gave us good service before injury raised its ugly head.

[merantau]

From '06 to '13 Dylan Addison played 88 games in the #22. He was a handy player who fulfilled a number of roles in his time with us.

[Nuggety Back Pocket]

Ted Whitten Jnr. wore #22 from '74 to '82, played 144 games and kicked 133 goals. He was a beautiful kick and delivered many pin point pass to Kelvin Templeton.

This tribute to Ted was published on the Bulldogs Club website to celebrate his 60th Birthday. He would have played 250 plus games had injury not intervened.
**********************

"As the son of one of the greatest players to pull on a pair of footy boots, Ted Whitten Junior's life as a footballer was always going to be heavily scrutinised.

But the younger Whitten, who today celebrates his 60th birthday, was made to feel at ease about forging his own career by the great man himself. Speaking in a radio interview on SEN late last year, Whitten Junior said his father's advice to ignore external expectations stayed with him throughout his playing days.

"The old man was fantastic,” said Whitten Junior. “He always said don’t worry about what anyone else says, just make sure you do what your coach says and if he’s happy and the club is happy - as long as you’re giving 100 per cent - that’s fine."

Notwithstanding the at times unrealistic expectations placed on him when he joined the Bulldogs as a 17-year-old in 1974, young Ted carved out a fine career in his own right before it was ended by injury early in 1983, when he was still only 25 years old.

Whitten Junior had a solid debut against South Melbourne in round 4 of the 1974 season, picking up 16 touches in a win at the ground that now bears his father's name, but he found himself in and out of the side until late in the 1975 season when he had a breakout match - also against the Swans - kicking five goals and collecting 25 possessions.

From that point on, Whitten Junior was to become one of the first picked at the Footscray selection table each week, and his talent and consistency were rewarded in later seasons with selection in Victoria's State of Origin side, an achievement of which his famous father - who viewed interstate representation as the pinnacle of Australian football - was rightly very proud.

Whitten Junior had played 144 games and kicked 133 goals across nine impressive seasons at the Bulldogs when his career came to an abrupt and unfortunate end. Playing against Collingwood in a curtain-raiser to an Ash Wednesday bushfire charity match in early 1983, Whitten had a seemingly innocuous collision with a Magpie that was to end his playing days.

“I just went head-to-head with a Collingwood player, which is something you do every game, but came off second best – as it turned out it was a posterior cruciate ligament I did. Didn’t know it for a while, but that was basically the end of my footy career."

Whitten Junior underwent three reconstructive operations to no avail.

“After the third one I’d just had enough and wanted to play golf, do the fitness stuff and just try to live a general life playing a bit of sport.”

While his playing days were over, the game and the Bulldogs remained in the hearts of Ted Whitten Junior and Senior until the famous "E.J." passed away aged 62 as the result of prostate cancer in 1995. After his father's passing, Ted Junior established the E.J. Whitten Foundation to help raise awareness of prostate cancer and fund research into the disease.

Whitten Junior remains the Executive Director of the Foundation to this day."

Ted junior has continued to be a fine Club man becoming a Selector after his playing days and has continued to have a close connection. Given his Father’s close association with Wally Donald you would have to wonder what influence he had on his son being given his same number 22. Ted jnr was a very skilled player and should have eventually played 200 games like Donald before the knee injury robbed him of retiring in his mid 20’s.

[bornadog]

Ted junior has continued to be a fine Club man becoming a Selector after his playing days and has continued to have a close connection. Given his Father’s close association with Wally Donald you would have to wonder what influence he had on his son being given his same number 22. Ted jnr was a very skilled player and should have eventually played 200 games like Donald before the knee injury robbed him of retiring in his mid 20’s.

I will never forget going to the Grand Final and trying to make my way through the crowd to get to the gate and pushing through the middle and passing me was Tedjr. I for some reason at that moment yelled Teddy, and he high fived me. Doesn't sound like much, but it added to the great feeling of being at the Granny.

[Grantysghost]

This is the greatest thread ever. Loving it thanks Merantau.

[Twodogs]

Wish I'd seen that. Does anyone remember the first game at Western Oval after the 50mt line was introduced? The groundsman marked out a 50m line alright. But it went straight across the ground. The groundsman was inspired by Sheedy and the windsock maybe!

That was my dad! He worked as a painter at Footscray council and the 50 metre line was a last minute decision made by the league in the week leading up to the game. The groundsman who normally did the linemarking was sick or wasn't available for some reason so dad got tapped on he shoulder and was told to go the ground and mark a line 50 metres out from the goalposts.

I can remember standing with him before the game looking at the lines and saying "ummm. Can you see the problem here dad?"

[EasternWest]

From '06 to '13 Dylan Addison played 88 games in the #22. He was a handy player who fulfilled a number of roles in his time with us.

Hmm. Never heard of him.

Maybe you should talk about him in greater detail.

[merantau]

This is the greatest thread ever. Loving it thanks Merantau.

No, IMO the greatest thread ever is down to Rocco Jones: "The Official Sam Reid/Daniel Currie Memorial Eker Thread." Every page is a delight and it has stood the test of time.

[merantau]

Hmm. Never heard of him.

Maybe you should talk about him in greater detail.

If there's a back story here I don't know it! Other than he went to the Plastics when we dropped him off the list.

[EasternWest]

If there's a back story here I don't know it! Other than he went to the Plastics when we dropped him off the list.

I feel personally attacked.

[merantau]

I feel personally attacked.

You've lost me. I'm clueless!

[Doc26]

You've lost me. I'm clueless!

EasternWest ran the Dylan Addison Appreciation Society for many years.

[merantau]

Aha! See I'm a relative late comer to WOOF so that explains my ignorance. Thanks for the heads up.

[chef]

DFAforPM ring a bell?

[merantau]

I feel personally attacked.

Now I get it! I can see I have some homework to do to get up to speed with everything Dylan Addison.