Which Bulldogs players have you met personally?

[chef]

Re: Which Bulldogs players have you met personally?

Two up here in Ky.

Frank Fanning is one of my dad's best mates and Barry Kerr is my local pharmacist(and I feed him a couple of times a week).

They have only played a handful of games between them.

Huddo used to come in a bit to a Cafe I worked in Echuca and I got to chat with him there. What a legend he is.

Chris Grant's cousin was my MOD at boarding school and I got to meet him after a game through him. CG is god to me.

[Eastdog]

Re: Which Bulldogs players have you met personally?

Ive haven't met any players personally but I met and got some autographs from Matthew Boyd, Daniel Cross, Jordan Roughead, Daniel Giansircursa and rookie Lin Jong at the East meet West Training session a couple of weeks. I wished them good luck for the rest of the pre season. Hopefully it can turn into great results.

[jazzadogs]

Re: Which Bulldogs players have you met personally?

When I was 10 or 11 I'd say, my mum met Ryan Hargrave at the Legends Young Guns dinner, and through that organised for him to take me on a tour of the changerooms at Whitten Oval after training one day.

He was absolutely brilliant to me, took me around to meet all the players and showed me all the different areas. I was too nervous to actually really talk to any of them, but I always had a soft spot for Hargrave because of that.

Jason Johanissen was on our table at last years East West Club dinner, seemed like a genuinely nice kid as well. Bit shy, because he's quite young and not established I would say, but chatted about his form for Williamstown and his goals. Nice guy.

[LostDoggy]

Re: Which Bulldogs players have you met personally?

I went to primary school for a few years with Ayce.

I really like Minson, he was up for a chat (I was about 16 at the time, so I though that was nice. I can't be bothered talking to 16year olds and i'm only 21, haha).

[LostDoggy]

Re: Which Bulldogs players have you met personally?

I keep noticing Picken at my local supermarket, but Im not one to bother someone when their out doing something I wouldn't like being interrupted doing, if that makes sense.

Anyone else approached any of our players in random circumstances?

[GVGjr]

Re: Which Bulldogs players have you met personally?

My dad is a mate of a bloke who was mates with Ryan Griffen's late dad. Attended a barbecue as a kid at their place, met Ryan who at the time was a new draftee.


Spoke to Liam Jones on the phone a while ago (spoke about it on here). Lewis Johnston is an old school mate of mine and drunk dialled me when he was on the piss with Dahl, Tutt and Jones at the Bulldogs players' house. Handed over to Liam and he actually had a chat with me.

[ledge]

Re: Which Bulldogs players have you met personally?

I have lived with a few over the years my mum used to take them in, Alistair Ford and Darren Grant were the first so did my mum in law, last 2 being Stephen Tiller and Jesse Wells.
Grew up in Braybrook so I was mates with a couple, the days when players were from the area.

[LostDoggy]

Re: Which Bulldogs players have you met personally?

I have had the opportunity to meet quite a few players over the years, so I think I'll do this chronologically.

When I was a kid the East West Club was this tiny little group with maybe 50 members, and they would have a pie night down at the club after training once a year. I still vividly recall sitting next to Scott Wynd as a 5-yr old eating a pie. I couldn't say a word. Over the years I met Scotty quite a few times and he was always very nice - even enquired after my health when he heard me coughing. I also had a friend in high school do his ACL and wrote to Scotty about it at my mum's suggestion. Scotty called my mate up and chatted to him for half an hour!

However it was the Optus Oval years that were the most fruitful. My mum, sisters and I would get to the ground at 11am and sit next to the players race. After a couple of games mum realised the Italian lady sitting next to us kept referring to Libba as "my boy" and booing the umpires (was quite cute). So mum struck up a conversation with her. It was the start of a friendship that continues to this day. It turned out that most of the people we were sitting with were Liberatores including a very young Tom (who unfortunately doesn't remember us). More interestingly though was that my youngest sister was a big Libba fan, and through Mrs Liberatore we got to meet him. He is the nicest bloke and is so passionate about the footy and the club. He still says hello when we run into him around the place (apparently a photo of my sister decked out in all her Libba stuff as a 5 yr old is in his trophy cabinet )

During these years my sisters and I would also somehow worm our way into the rooms post match. Cooky was always up for a laugh, and for some reason I remember him walking around with loaves of bread under each arm. There was the time Nathan Brown had obviously done something to Matthew "Psycho" Dent and we saw a stark naked Browny being chased by a stark naked Psycho carrying an axe. Brown was always very full of himself and not that great to talk to, his mother on the other hand was a lovely lady and we spoke to her for a good hour whilst I was waiting to get Granty's signature only to find out he'd snuck out the back! Granty was always nice though, I wrote him a letter end of '96 along with every other Bulldogs supporter, to which I got a reply, and then when I mentioned it whilst getting his autograph he remembered it (fairly sure he was just being polite). Apart from Browny most of the players were always happy to have a chat and sign our autograph books. Never had a problem with any of them.

And lastly, but not least. I was taught by Bob Murphy's parents at high school. Infact, I owe a great debt to Mr Murphy as he was very influencial on my teenage years. I've kept in contact with them and they are just a lovely family. My mum got me a hoops jumper for christmas and got Bob to sign it. Told him it was for me and he chatted to her about my being in Germany and to pass on his 'hellos'.

I feel very privilaged to have met some many of my idols over the years, but it also makes me sad to think that my niece will never have the chance to have the same experiences.

[Missing Dog]

Re: Which Bulldogs players have you met personally?

As i grew up in Braybrook across the road from Phil O'Keefe he ia the one I knew best my best friend as a kid was a cousin to Darren Brown. I remember sitting on the dugout waiting for him to get a run in his one and only game. But my all time favorite story in Zeno Ztatzaris who grew up a few houses down and had his name painted on the tin roof in massive letters the story with my friends and I was that his dad was so wrapped when he first went to the dogs that he did it but I asked him one night and he said it was he himself and his old man was not a happy camper a great bloke and a real laugh.Simon and Paul Atkins also shared more than a couple of beers with me and were top blokes and always keen to talk footy as was Mick McLean.

[Dazza]

Re: Which Bulldogs players have you met personally?

I've seen and had a small chat to a few players whilst out on the piss. Minno, Sam Power, Tim callan, Ryan Griffen and Faulkner. Not sure if most of them were drinking. I certainly was. Had an interesting time with Faulkner.

Boyd lives fairly close to me so I see him running occasionally.

Dimma with his restaurant etc.

Other than that met most of the players at functions etc.

[GVGjr]

Re: Which Bulldogs players have you met personally?

Faulkner is an absolute *!*!*!*! these days.

Is one of the better players in the league he plays in (Yorke Peninsula FL, SA) but is king of the behind the play cheap shot. Absolute prick off the field too, you wouldn't even know he's a failed AFL player.

[Remi Moses]

Re: Which Bulldogs players have you met personally?

Faulkner is an absolute *!*!*!*! these days.

Is one of the better players in the league he plays in (Yorke Peninsula FL, SA) but is king of the behind the play cheap shot. Absolute prick off the field too, you wouldn't even know he's a failed AFL player.

Ahhh the next Andrew Mccleod

[Daughter of the West]

Re: Which Bulldogs players have you met personally?

I've met Jack Collins (lovely, lovely bloke - RIP) and Charlie Sutton a couple of times as they were mates of my Grandfather, but my favourite story involves Bob Murphy.

A couple of mates, my sister, my (now) husband and I were out at Cherry Bar one night a couple of years ago, not long after the end of the season. I must have had a crappy day, because I wasn't really decked out in my best and decided to hit the wines with a bit too much enthusiasm.

Lo and behold, Bob walks in with a couple of friends and heads to the bar. One of my mates (a mad doggies supporter) keeps nudging me and saying, "That's Bob Murphy!" Duh. I tell him to leave Bob alone, that I'm sure he just wants to have a quiet drink and enjoy the music in peace. But my mate insists that Bob is staring at him, that Bob has recognised him from somewhere (pffft, yeah). I insist that he leaves Bob alone, and turn back to my drink. Next thing I know, Bob is walking over to us on my mate's arm and introduces himself! I'm ready to belt my mate, as he's used my family connections as an "in" to speak to Bob, and I'm quite drunk, looking below par and incredibly embarrassed!

Bob (and his two friends) were lovely however, and they stayed around and chatted for a half an hour and danced with us too! He's just a lovely, lovely, lovely down to earth guy.

[Ghost Dog]

Re: Which Bulldogs players have you met personally?

Met Tom Williams down at Crown one morning. I was on my way to work and he was looking for a cab after a big night I guess. had a bit of a chat, Gave him some encouragement and he seemed to really appreciate it. Hope he didn't blow all his money! Liked him ever since.

[Doc26]

Re: Which Bulldogs players have you met personally?

Have been fortunate enough to meet and mix with a number of players and officials over the years. Although a bit belated from his playing days I sat with Peter Foster at last year's B&F. Fossie was one of my faves throughout his career so couldn't have been happier with the night's seating allocation. What a lovely guy, certainly did no damage to the regard I held him in. A quite unassuming great of our Club.

Had a similar experience with Steve McPherson where I was fortunate enough to sit next to him throughout the infamous '97 prelim final. Still hold close the consolation he provided as I felt my world falling apart in that final quarter. Another cracking bloke.

Not Bulldog per se but did spend a few hours a couple of weeks back bodyboarding with Gary Lyon down at Cape Paterson.