Bulldogs By the Numbers

[Bulldog4life]

I think that's fair enough. I'm not sure why he was overlooked because we can't whitewash history.

Gun player for us and really led us in finals when other big name players didn't.

I was very disappointed when he left too, but we all know how it turned out.

Are you talking about Griffan EW? I was talking about David Thorpe.

[bornadog]

Are you talking about Griffan EW? I was talking about David Thorpe.

Nah he was thinking of Suckling

[merantau]

From '05 to '14 Ryan Griffen played 202 games and kicked 130 goals as a hard at it, explosive midfielder who could run all day and do it all. He was my favourite player and it was tragic that he did not finish his career with us. He was B&F in '10 and '13.

I really think it was a poorly thought through decision to appoint him captain. But as things transpired we won the Premiership two years after he left and Tom Boyd etched his name in the pantheon of Premiership Heroes. Strange how things turn out sometimes isn't it?

[EasternWest]

Nah he was thinking of Suckling

I never, ever do that. Except here, where it's cruelly smooshed into my face .

[Twodogs]

Wait, are we just bypassing Ryan Griffen?

I vaguely remember the name.

Chris Burton played from '80 to '84 and wore #16 for 4 seasons. 67 games in total. A good wingman with plenty of pace he went to Richmond and had 4 years with them. Was their leading possession winner in 1987 playing in the back pocket. Played in Williamstown's 1990 Premiership. Played 117 AFL games in total. Was our runner for a few years.

Interesting guy. He occasionally used to wear Richmond socks to training.

[BulldogBelle]

Terry Wallace was great to watch, great courage, skill and a ball magnet.
Crofty did a great job.

[merantau]

Toby McLean debuted in '15 and has now played 91 games and kicked 60 goals in the #16. He seized his opportunity in 2016 when Lin Jong did his shoulder; he performed admirably in our finals campaign.

With increased competition for spots in the First 22 Toby will need to continue to develop his game to cement his place in the team.

[merantau]

Ruckman/defender Dave Bryden played 147 games and kicked 56 goals between '47 and '55. He wore #18.

The following notes are courtesy of Wikipedia.

Bryden was an old school ruckman-cum-back pocket recruited from Wonthaggi, Victoria who, at his prime was considered one of the best ruckmen in the Victorian Football League.[2] Bryden played for the Victorian interstate team in 1951 and was second best on ground in the 1954 VFL Grand Final. He played for the Bulldogs between 1947 and 1955, kicking 56 goals in 147 games.[2] After leaving Footscray he coached and played for Nhill in country Victoria for three years. He coached to finals in 2 of the 3 years. He then returned to Melbourne and played for Kensington in the Sunday league at the age of 31 for 3 seasons. He won the best and fairest in each of the 3 years at that club.

Obviously a very fine footballer.

[merantau]

Ray Baxter debuted against Fitzroy in the #18 in Round 16, 1958 at the Western Oval. I was at the game. Ray was named as 19th man and came on at 3/4 time.

Fitzroy had a good side that year. They finished the season in 3rd position with 12 wins. We finished 2nd last with six. The game began reasonably for us and at quarter time Fitzroy, kicking with a gale, lead 3.4 22 to zero. We had a good second quarter and at half time led 8.6
to 3.4

We had a brilliant 3rd quarter into the breeze and led 11.6 to 5.9 at 3/4 time. We were headed for a win but what a win! In the last quarter we piled on 9 goals to win 20.11.131 to 5.11.41 - a 15 goal win.

Ray Baxter kicked 3 goals in the last quarter. EJ booted 5. It was a huge upset and most enjoyable. Fitzroy lost the Semi-Final to Carlton by 4 pts. Collingwood went on the win the flag in a huge upset over Melbourne who were going for 4 in a row.

Ray Baxter went on to play 80 games mainly at CHF and he kicked 80 goals. A very good player and a great servant of the club post retirement

These notes courtesy of Wikipedia.

Recruited locally, from Kingsville, Baxter was a follower and key position player. He topped Footscray's goal-kicking in the 1959 VFL season, with 35 goals, six of which came in a loss to Essendon at Windy Hill.[1] His efforts were rewarded with selection in that year's Victorian team which played Tasmania.[2] He was the club's leading goal-kicker again in 1960, managing 37 goals, the seventh biggest tally in the league that season.[1] Playing as a centre half-back, Baxter was a member of the Footscray team which won the 1963 Night Premiership.

Ray continued in footy, by being both Captain and Coach of Mordialloc from 1965 to 1967. He was awarded Best & Fairest in both 1965 & 1966.

Ray was successful in his career after football, being employed by Mazda in 1963, and becoming general manager by 1979. In 1987, he brought Lease Plan to Australia as the Managing Director. Ray was appointed Lease Plan Chairman for Australia & New Zealand in 1997, he held this position until his retirement in 2002.

Ray always continued working with the Footscray Football Club (eventually the Western Bulldogs). He was Vice President Of WBFC (Western Bulldogs Football Club) Board from 1996 to 2001. Ray Baxter is currently a Director of the Forever Foundation (est. 1999) and is also Chairman and Trustee of the Western Bulldogs Society (Bequests).

[Nuggety Back Pocket]

Ray Baxter debuted against Fitzroy in the #18 in Round 16, 1958 at the Western Oval. I was at the game. Ray was named as 19th man and came on at 3/4 time.

Fitzroy had a good side that year. They finished the season in 3rd position with 12 wins. We finished 2nd last with six. The game began reasonably for us and at quarter time Fitzroy, kicking with a gale, lead 3.4 22 to zero. We had a good second quarter and at half time led 8.6
to 3.4

We had a brilliant 3rd quarter into the breeze and led 11.6 to 5.9 at 3/4 time. We were headed for a win but what a win! In the last quarter we piled on 9 goals to win 20.11.131 to 5.11.41 - a 15 goal win.

Ray Baxter kicked 3 goals in the last quarter. EJ booted 5. It was a huge upset and most enjoyable. Fitzroy lost the Semi-Final to Carlton by 4 pts. Collingwood went on the win the flag in a huge upset over Melbourne who were going for 4 in a row.

Ray Baxter went on to play 80 games mainly at CHF and he kicked 80 goals. A very good player and a great servant of the club post retirement

These notes courtesy of Wikipedia.

Recruited locally, from Kingsville, Baxter was a follower and key position player. He topped Footscray's goal-kicking in the 1959 VFL season, with 35 goals, six of which came in a loss to Essendon at Windy Hill.[1] His efforts were rewarded with selection in that year's Victorian team which played Tasmania.[2] He was the club's leading goal-kicker again in 1960, managing 37 goals, the seventh biggest tally in the league that season.[1] Playing as a centre half-back, Baxter was a member of the Footscray team which won the 1963 Night Premiership.

Ray continued in footy, by being both Captain and Coach of Mordialloc from 1965 to 1967. He was awarded Best & Fairest in both 1965 & 1966.

Ray was successful in his career after football, being employed by Mazda in 1963, and becoming general manager by 1979. In 1987, he brought Lease Plan to Australia as the Managing Director. Ray was appointed Lease Plan Chairman for Australia & New Zealand in 1997, he held this position until his retirement in 2002.

Ray always continued working with the Footscray Football Club (eventually the Western Bulldogs). He was Vice President Of WBFC (Western Bulldogs Football Club) Board from 1996 to 2001. Ray Baxter is currently a Director of the Forever Foundation (est. 1999) and is also Chairman and Trustee of the Western Bulldogs Society (Bequests).

Ray Baxter is a good friend and a great servant of our Club. His son Darren Baxter was also a fine servant of our Club. Ray played in an era when the Bulldogs team was dominated by players from its then strong Footscray District Football League.
This included the likes of Ted Whitten Bob Spargo Graeme and Barry Ion, Bob Ware, Charlie Evans, John Jillard, Merv Hobbs and Keith Beamish, Cameron McDonald, who all went on to play in our 1961 Grand Final team.
Ray Baxter still plays golf each week with John Schultz and they remain firm friends.

[EasternWest]

Ray Baxter is a good friend and a great servant of our Club. His son Darren Baxter was also a fine servant of our Club. Ray played in an era when the Bulldogs team was dominated by players from its then strong Footscray District Football League.
This included the likes of Ted Whitten Bob Spargo Graeme and Barry Ion, Bob Ware, Charlie Evans, John Jillard, Merv Hobbs and Keith Beamish, Cameron McDonald, who all went on to play in our 1961 Grand Final team.
Ray Baxter still plays golf each week with John Schultz and they remain firm friends.

If this thread isn't the best thread ever produced on WOOF, it's got to be in the top ten.

[merantau]

Kevin Delmenico joined us from Castlemaine in 1966 and played for five seasons in the #18. A descendent of the Swiss-Italians who journeyed out to Central Victoria during the 1850s gold rushes, Delmenico's Guildford Family Hotel bears witness to their connection to the area.

Just opposite the hotel there is a bust of the great Ron Barassi, another of Swiss-Italian heritage, at the entrance to the Guildford Oval.

Kevin was a solid defender who gave good service to the club and is stilla passionate Bulldogs supporter.

Notes from Wikipedia follow:


Delmenico played his early football with Castlemaine[1] before spending five seasons beside club great Ted Whitten at Footscray. A defender, he kicked the only goal of his career against Geelong in 1966, his debut season.

He joined Canberra club Manuka in 1973 and played in three successive premierships, the last two as captain-coach.[2] From 1976 to 1980, Delmenico coached Queanbeyan.[3] During this time he coached the ACT at the 1979 Perth State of Origin Carnival. In 2011 he was inducted into the AFL Canberra Hall of Fame.[4]

[merantau]

If you haven't yet been to Guildford it's worth a visit to see the Big Tree. It's at the end of the street that runs off the General Store. It's an Aboriginal boundary trèe. If you look closely you'll see the evidence. There is an information board explaining the tree recent history (circa 1860s)

[merantau]

Ian "Sockeye" Salmon was a big, burly left-footer who arrived from Leongather in 1971 in the #9. He switched to #18 the following season. All up he played 113 games in 6 seasons and kicked 36 goals. Primarily a forward he could take a run in the ruck. He was a big man in a team full of big men at the time. He was totally reliable and never took a backward step.

[merantau]

Round 1, 1982. Me and a mate journeyed to Windy Hill to witness Simon Beasley's debut wearing the #18. We were filled with expectation. Simon was a big name recruit who had starred in State games against the Vics taking strong marks and kicking long goals from outside 50 with arrow-straight drop punts.

It could not have been a more lacklustre debut. Simon had 2 kicks for 2 behinds and we lost by 109 points. It was a bleak day. But as they say: "It's always darkest before the dawn." Simon booted 82 goals in his first year and went on to boot 575 goals in a 154 game, 8 year career - the most majors ever kicked by a Bulldog.

In round 16 against Geelong at the Western Oval he booted 12 goals 4 behinds and we won handsomely. It was my privilege to see this bravura performance by the Pieman. We only won three games in 1982 and were wooden spooners but Simon shone for us.

He won our goal kicking from '82 to '88 and was Coleman Medalist in 1985 with 93 goals. He went on to kick 105 goals that year reaching 100 by booting 7 in memorable finals win against North at the "G". I was there.

Simon was a great player. He didn't look like a big heavy bloke but he topped the scales at 102kgs. He was immensely courageous standing under a high ball. He was quick on the lead and could take a pack mark with the best of them. He was an excellent kick for goal. Bulldog Team of the Century. A Bulldog Immortal.

https://youtu.be/-21Q4NI1nyo

This is a beautiful memory. I was there.
https://youtu.be/ZNn6MqJ1mno

Simon had guts.
https://youtu.be/r4GFMT2Xe9Q

100th goal in season 1985.
https://youtu.be/uKhancHOM6Q