Editing Western Bulldogs

{{Short description|Australian rules football club}}
{{Redirect|The Doggies|other uses|doggy (disambiguation)|the [[National Rugby League]] club|Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs}}
{{Use Australian English|date=January 2018}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=June 2017}}
{{Infobox australian football club
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  | clubname          = Western Bulldogs
  | image             = Western Bulldogs logo.svg
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  | fullname          = Footscray Football Club Limited, trading as Western Bulldogs{{efn|name=officialName}}<ref name="abn"/>
 | formernames = Footscray Football Club<br/>(1877–1879, 1882–1996)<br/>Prince Imperial Football Club<br/>(1880–1881)<br>Western Bulldogs<br/>(1997–present)
  | nicknames         = Dogs, Doggies, Scraggers, The ‘Scray, Footscray, Tricolours
  | season     = [[2024 AFL season|<span style="color:white">2024</span>]]
  | afterfinals  = 7th
  | home&away  = 6th
  | topgoalkicker  = [[Jamarra Ugle-Hagan]] (43 goals)
  | bestandfairest    = [[Marcus Bontempelli]] (6th title)
  | bestandfairestname = Charles Sutton Medal 
  | founded           = {{Start date and age|1877}}
  | colours           = {{colour box|#20539d}} Royal blue {{colour box|#bd002b}} Red {{colour box|white}} White
  | league            = '''[[Australian Football League|AFL]]:''' Senior men<br />'''[[AFL Women's|AFLW]]:''' Senior women<br />'''[[Victorian Football League|VFL]]:''' Reserves men<br />'''[[VFL Women's|VFLW]]:''' Reserves women
  | president         = Kylie Watson-Wheeler
  | CEO               = Ameet Bains
  | coach             = '''AFL:''' [[Luke Beveridge]]<br />'''AFLW:''' [[Tamara Hyett ]]<br />'''VFL:''' [[Stewart Edge]]<br />'''VFLW:''' [[Rhys Sullivan]]
  | captain           = '''AFL:''' [[Marcus Bontempelli]]<br />'''AFLW:''' [[Deanna Berry]]<br />'''VFL:''' [[Joshua Chatfield]]<br />'''VFLW:''' [[Riley Christgoergl]]
  | ground            = '''AFL:''' [[Docklands Stadium|Marvel Stadium]] (56,347) & [[Eureka Stadium]] (11,000)<br />'''AFLW/VFL/VFLW:''' [[Mission Whitten Oval]] (10,000)
  | ground2           = 
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  | trainingground    = [[Mission Whitten Oval]] 
  | premierships      = '''VFL/AFL''' (2){{hlist|[[1954 VFL Grand Final|1954]]|[[2016 AFL Grand Final|2016]]}}'''Reserves/VFL''' (8){{hlist|[[List of VFL/AFL reserves premiers|1936]]|[[List of VFL/AFL reserves premiers|1945]]|[[List of VFL/AFL reserves premiers|1962]]|[[List of VFL/AFL reserves premiers|1988]]|[[List of VFL/AFL reserves premiers|1994]]|[[List of VFL/AFL reserves premiers|1998]]|[[2014 VFL season|2014]]|[[2016 VFL season|2016]]}}'''VFA''' (9){{hlist|[[1898 VFA season|1898]]|[[1899 VFA season|1899]]|[[1900 VFA season|1900]]|[[1908 VFA season|1908]]|[[1913 VFA season|1913]]|[[1919 VFA season|1919]]|[[1920 VFA season|1920]]|[[1923 VFA season|1923]]|[[1924 VFA season|1924]]}}'''AFLW''' (1){{hlist|[[2018 AFL Women's Grand Final|2018]]}}
  | url               = [http://www.westernbulldogs.com.au/ westernbulldogs.com.au]
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The '''Western Bulldogs''' are a professional [[Australian rules football]] club based in [[Footscray, Victoria|Footscray]],<ref name="Footscray boundaries">{{cite web |title=Footscray |url=https://profile.id.com.au/maribyrnong/about?WebID=110 |website=City of Maribyrnong |access-date=15 February 2025}}</ref> a suburb of [[Melbourne]] in [[Victoria, Australia]]. The club competes in the [[Australian Football League]] (AFL), the sport's premier competition.

Originally named the '''Footscray Football Club'''{{efn|name=officialName|"Footscray Football Club Limited" is the name of the parent company according to the club's ABN which also includes businesses such as hotels and a travel agency. The official name of the AFL team has been the "Western Bulldogs" since 1997. The VFL reserves team is called Footscray. From 1997–2020 the back of the club's AFL guernseys bore the initials "FFC". Since 2021 the "FFC" initials have been placed on the front of the guernsey. On select occasions, such as the 100th year in the VFL/AFL anniversary match in 2025, the club has reverted to the name Footscray.}}<ref name="abn">{{cite web|url=http://abr.business.gov.au/SearchByAbn.aspx?abn=68005226595|title=Current details for ABN 68 005 226 595|date=12 July 2015|publisher=Australian Business Register|access-date=9 September 2015}}</ref> the club cites a foundation year of 1877, and it adopted the name of the [[City of Footscray|local borough]]. The club won nine premierships in the [[Victorian Football Association]] (VFA) before gaining admission to the Victorian Football League (which became the AFL in 1990) in [[1925 VFL season|1925]]. The club has won two VFL/AFL premierships, in [[1954 VFL Grand Final|1954]] and [[2016 AFL Grand Final|2016]] and was runner-up in [[1961 VFL Grand Final|1961]] and [[2021 AFL Grand Final|2021]].

The club has developed a strong support base to the west of the city, traditionally a working-class area. [[Docklands Stadium]], in the city's inner-west, has served as the club's home ground since [[2000 AFL season|2000]], while its headquarters and training facilities are at its traditional home ground, the [[Whitten Oval]]. The club also plays home games at [[Eureka Stadium|Mars Stadium]] in the city of [[Ballarat, Victoria|Ballarat]] west of Melbourne. The Western Bulldogs [[Guernsey (Australian rules football)|guernsey]] features two thick horizontal hoops—one red and one white—on a royal blue background. Fourteen players from the club are members of the [[Australian Football Hall of Fame]], including inaugural inductee and [[Australian Football Hall of Fame#Legends|Legend]] [[Ted Whitten]]. [[Marcus Bontempelli]] and [[Luke Beveridge]] serve as the club's current captain and head coach respectively.

At the end of 1996, as part of a broader rebranding scheme, the club changed its name from Footscray to Western Bulldogs. The club has fielded a side in [[AFL Women's]] since the competition's 2017 inception, winning a premiership in [[2018 AFL Women's season|2018]], and also has a reserves side in the [[Victorian Football League]] and [[VFL Women's]] League.

==History==

===1877–1880s: Origins===
Newspapers record Australian rules football being played in the [[Melbourne]] suburb of [[Footscray, Victoria|Footscray]] in the mid-1870s, with several teams playing in and being called Footscray.<ref>[https://books.google.com/books?id=FvIm0lUeJdgC&dq=western+bulldogs+1877&pg=PT18 ''So Close: The bravest, craziest, unluckiest defeats in Aussie sport''] by Patrick Mangan, Hachette Australia, 2013 – {{ISBN|9780733630248}}</ref> The area's main football ground was located between Napier, Bunbury and Hyde Streets in Lower Footscray.<ref name="Pre 1880s">[https://www.westernbulldogs.com.au/history/timeline/pre-1880s Pre 1880s Western Bulldogs History]</ref> A stronger club named Footscray emerged in the area during the late 1870s. However there are few historical records and no records of its formation. No definitive documented connection has been established between the early clubs and the modern club. As such some club historians believe this club was established in 1876 though the official date is cited as 1877. Both dates of formation have been challenged by historians. Early matches weren't played against any of the large Melbourne clubs and Footscray was thus classified as a "junior" club, playing mostly against teams from nearby [[Williamstown, Victoria|Williamstown]].<ref name="Pre 1880s" />

===1880s–1924: VFA years and Championship of Victoria===
[[File:Footscray team 1898.jpg|thumb|right|The team that won Footscray's first premiership in 1898]]
Initially the club played at the Northern Reserve, also known as the Market Reserve located between Barkly Street and Geelong Road. In 1880, the club changed its name to the Prince Imperials in honour of [[Napoléon, Prince Imperial]], the heir to [[List of French monarchs|French throne]], who had recently died in battle. The club was initially based in a park in Lower Footscray. The name change coincided with a lack of support and players, with a meeting to discuss the future of the club held in June 1881. The members present voted to continue the club, although player availability continued to be an issue, with club chairman Charlie Lovett claiming in his memoirs that the name had left many not knowing that they were a club from Footscray. The club would revert to Footscray in April 1882, adopting the name of the [[City of Footscray|local borough]] during the annual general meeting.<ref>{{cite thesis |last=Arthur |first=Darren |date=April 2019 |title= Foundation Narratives in Rowing, Cricket and Australian Rules Football: Sport in Footscray 1859-1886 |url=https://vuir.vu.edu.au/40552/1/ARTHUR%20Darren-thesis.pdf |degree=Masters by Research |publisher=Victoria University |access-date=}}</ref> The club began using the Western Oval and in 1886 was granted permanent use of the Western Oval by the City of Footscray. Footscray gained admission to the [[Victorian Football Association]] (VFA) after amalgamating with the Footscray Cricket Club to form a senior football club. The club tended to struggle over the next decade, occupying the lower rungs of the VFA ladder.

The club began to improve after the [[Victorian Football League#Split (1897–1937)|VFL breakaway of 1896]], finishing on top of the VFA ladder in 1898, 1899 and 1900. As no finals were played, Footscray were declared premiers. The club played in and won its first finals match in 1903, against {{AFL Ric}}, the minor premiers, but lost the follow-up finals match to {{AFL NM}}. After losing to [[West Melbourne Football Club|West Melbourne]] in the 1906 VFA Grand Final, the club won its first premiership by defeating [[Brunswick Football Club|Brunswick]] in 1908. Another premiership followed in 1913.

{| style="margin-right:4px; margin-top:8px; float:right; border:1px #000 solid; border-radius:8px; background:#fff; font-family:Verdana; font-size:8pt; text-align:center;"
|-
| width=200 | ''[[Dame Nellie Melba's Limbless Soldiers' Appeal match|1924 Championship of Victoria]]'' || ''G'' || ''B'' || ''Total''
|-
| style="text-align:left" | [[File:AFL Footscray Icon.jpg|16px]] Footscray || '''9''' || '''10''' || '''64'''
|-
| style="text-align:left" |[[File:EssendonDesign.svg|16px]] {{AFL Ess}} || 4 || 12 || 36
|-
| Venue: [[Melbourne Cricket Ground]]
| colspan=3 | Crowd: 46,100
|}
The club entered two years of recess during World War I and returned in 1918. Still rebuilding, the club won the [[wooden spoon (award)|wooden spoon]]. From bottom to top in one year, 1919 saw the club win the premiership, and again in 1920. The club went back-to-back in 1923 and 1924.
[[File:Con McCarthy 1923.jpg|thumb|left|upright|[[Con McCarthy]] captained the club to VFA premierships in 1923 and 1924, as well as a [[1924 Championship of Victoria|victory in the 1924 Championship of Victoria]].]]
The 1924 premiership would be Footscray's last in the VFA. After the 1924 season, the club challenged the premiers of the VFL, [[Essendon Bombers|Essendon]], to a charity match, otherwise known as the [[Dame Nellie Melba's Limbless Soldiers' Appeal match|Championship of Victoria]], for the benefit of opera singer Dame [[Nellie Melba]]'s Limbless Soldiers' Appeal.<ref>{{cite web|title=Did the 1924 Bombers throw their last game?|url=http://afl.com.au/Season2007/News/NewsArticle/tabid/208/Default.aspx?newsId=32977|work=AFL|publisher=Telstra Corporation Limited|access-date=29 June 2012|author=Lionel Frost|date=25 September 2006|url-status=dead| archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20090710013417/http://afl.com.au/Season2007/News/NewsArticle/tabid/208/Default.aspx?newsId=32977|archive-date= 10 July 2009 }}</ref> Footscray recorded an upset victory, winning by 28 points. The win was a significant factor in Footscray gaining admission to the VFL.

===1925–1940s: Joining the VFL===
[[File:Performance Chart AFL WBD.svg|thumb|Chart of yearly ladder positions for Western Bulldogs in [[Australian Football League|VFL/AFL]]]]
In 1919, there were nine clubs competing in the VFL, due to the return of all the foundation teams plus Richmond after World War I, as well as [[University Football Club]] deciding not to rejoin the VFL. This caused one team to be idle every Saturday and the VFL was keen to do away with this bye each week. On the night of 9 January 1925, a committee meeting of the VFL, chaired by Reg Hunt of [[Carlton Football Club|Carlton]], decided to expand the league from nine clubs to twelve. It was decided in the meeting to admit Footscray, along with two other VFA clubs, {{AFL Haw}} and {{AFL NM}}.

Footscray played their first VFL match against {{AFL Fit}} on Saturday 2 May at the [[Brunswick Street Oval]] in front of 28,000 spectators. Former {{AFL Ric}} star [[George Bayliss]] had the honour of kicking Footscray's first VFL goal, and although they ended up losing by nine points against an experienced league side, they earned great respect. Future Brownlow medallist [[Allan Hopkins]] was regarded as Footscray's best player that day.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article2113637 |title=Saturday's Results. |newspaper=[[The Argus (Melbourne)|The Argus]] |issue=24,566 |location=Melbourne|date=4 May 1925 |access-date=8 February 2017 |page=9 }}</ref> The following week, playing their first VFL home game at the [[Western Oval]] against a strong {{AFL SM}} team, the Tricolours recorded their first VFL victory by 10 points in front of 25,000 spectators with a strong team effort.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article2115597 |title=FOOTSCRAY'S FINE VICTORY. |newspaper=[[The Argus (Melbourne)|The Argus]] |issue=24,572 |location=Melbourne|date=11 May 1925 |access-date=8 February 2017 |page=17 }}</ref>

Footscray adapted relatively quickly to the standard of VFL football despite losing some of their VFA stars, and by 1928 were already a contender for the finals, missing only on percentage in 1931. Though they slipped to eleventh place in 1930, 1935 and 1937, in 1938 they became the first of the new clubs to reach the finals. They fell back drastically in 1939, but played better during the war-torn 1940s, winning their first nine games in 1946.

===1950–1954: First VFL flag===
{{further|1954 Footscray Football Club season|1954 VFL Grand Final}}
[[File:Footscray Football Club 1954.jpg|thumb|left|Footscray players line up for the unfurling of the [[1954 VFL Grand Final]] premiership flag]]
Between 1938 and 1951, Footscray failed to win any finals matches, losing all six of its semi-final appearances. In [[1953 VFL season|1953]], however, the club set a record by conceding only 959 points in the home-and-away season due to a powerful defence featuring [[Dave Bryden]], [[Wally Donald]], [[Herb Henderson (Australian footballer)|Herb Henderson]] and [[Jim Gallagher (footballer)|Jim Gallagher]]. Footscray finally won its first semi-final, against Essendon, but lost the preliminary final to {{AFL Gee}}, a key factor being the absence of star full-forward [[Jack Collins (footballer, born 1930)|Jack Collins]], who had been suspended for four matches at the end of the home-and-away season.

The Bulldogs went into the [[1954 VFL season]] as premiership contenders. However, the season did not start well with losses {{AFL StK}} and {{AFL Ric}}, both of which finished in the bottom four the previous season.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article26605244 |title=TIGERS WIN ALL WAY |newspaper=[[The Argus (Melbourne)|The Argus]] |location=Melbourne|date=26 April 1954 |access-date=8 February 2017 |page=17 }}</ref> In the following two matches, against {{AFL SM}} and {{AFL Car}}, the club returned to form with Jack Collins booting eight and nine goals respectively to help propel the Bulldogs to victory.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article23430490 |title=COLLINS LEADS REVIVAL |newspaper=[[The Argus (Melbourne)|The Argus]] |location=Melbourne|date=3 May 1954 |access-date=8 February 2017 |page=16 }}</ref><ref>{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article23422055 |title=Collins beats Carlton |newspaper=[[The Argus (Melbourne)|The Argus]] |location=Melbourne|date=10 May 1954 |access-date=8 February 2017 |page=16 |first=George|last=Bickford}}</ref> In Round 7 against {{AFL Haw}} at [[Glenferrie Oval]], Footscray, led by [[Don Ross (footballer)|Don Ross]] after Whitten injured his shoulder, came from 23 points down at the last break to kick seven goals and win by nine points.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article23430927 |title=BULLDOGS CRASH THROUGH 7 GOALS TO SNATCH GAME |newspaper=[[The Argus (Melbourne)|The Argus]] |location=Melbourne|date=30 May 1954 |access-date=9 February 2017 |page=11 |first=Hugh|last=Buggy}}</ref> With Richmond upsetting {{AFL Col}} at [[Victoria Park, Melbourne|Victoria Park]] that same day, the Bulldogs went to the top of the ladder, where they would stay until Round 11, when they lost to Collingwood by ten points in a top-of-the-ladder clash at Victoria Park. Took out their first VFL premiership, beating [[Geelong Football Club|Geelong]] and then {{AFL Mel}} in the [[1954 VFL Grand Final]].

{| style="margin-right:4px; margin-top:8px; float:right; border:1px #000 solid; border-radius:8px; background:#fff; font-family:Verdana; font-size:8pt; text-align:center;"
|-
| width=200 | ''[[1954 VFL Grand Final]]'' || ''G'' || ''B'' || ''Total''
|-
| style="text-align:left" | [[File:AFL Footscray Icon.jpg|16px]] Footscray || '''15''' || '''12''' || '''102'''
|-
| style="text-align:left" |[[File:AFL Melbourne Icon.jpg|16px]] {{AFL Mel}} || 7 || 9 || 51
|-
| Venue: [[Melbourne Cricket Ground]]
| colspan=3 | Crowd: 80,897
|}

===1955–1960s: Gradual decline===
Footscray failed to capitalise on their premiership success, falling off in the latter part of the decade and finishing with their first [[Wooden spoon (award)|wooden spoon]] in 1959.

The 1960s started promisingly, with the club bouncing back to reach the [[1961 VFL Grand Final|1961 Grand Final]], where they faced {{AFL Haw}} who were in their first Grand Final. This was the first VFL Grand Final not to feature any of the foundation teams. In front of over 107,000 spectators, the Bulldogs worked their way to an eight-point lead at half-time, but were clearly struggling with the physicality of their hardened opponents. Rover [[Merv Hobbs]] recalled eight players needing first aid, while ruckman [[John Schultz (footballer, born 1938)|John Schultz]] remembered: ''The selectors looked around and could see we were in a bad way. In those days, strange to realise, we didn't hydrate. We were told not to drink too much in case we got cramps. We just ran out of legs. And Hawthorn were brutal. They made every contest a physical clash. They wore us down.''<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.theage.com.au/afl/afl-finals-new-dogs-pulling-off-old-tricks-at-footscray-20160921-grl8yc.html|title=AFL finals: New Dogs pulling off old tricks at Footscray|first=Greg|last=Baum|work=The Age|date=23 September 2016}}</ref> In the second half, the Hawks, led by centreman [[Brendan Edwards]], pulled away from the tiring Bulldogs, kicking ten goals to two to take out their first VFL premiership. This was followed by winning the 1963 and 1964 night premierships, although this success was not transferred into the season proper. The rest of the decade was a bleak era for the club, particularly between 1965 and 1969, when they finished in the bottom three every year.

===1970s===
[[File:Ted Whitten statue.jpg|thumb|upright|Footscray legend E. J. Whitten played his 321st and final game in 1970 to become the [[List of VFL/AFL players to have played 300 games#VFL/AFL games record holder|VFL games record holder]]. (Pictured: Statue of Whitten outside Whitten Oval.)]]
Ted Whitten Snr. retired as a player in 1970 and held the record for the most VFL games played at the time (321 games); he would continue in a coaching capacity until the end of 1971. The club was relatively strong in the 1970s, but did not win a final; by decade's end they were back near the bottom.

The main stars of the decade included [[Gary Dempsey (Australian footballer)|Gary Dempsey]], the heroic [[Ruckman (Australian rules football position)|ruckman]] who was badly burnt in Lara bushfire of January 1969 but managed to take out the game's top individual award, the [[Brownlow Medal]], in 1975. Promising South Australian import [[Neil Sachse]] had his neck broken in a freak accident while playing against Fitzroy at the Western Oval. He was left [[quadriplegic]].
In 1978, [[Kelvin Templeton]] became the first Bulldogs player to kick 100 goals in a season, including a club record of 15.9 in Round 13 against St Kilda.

===1980s ===
After muddling its way through a disappointing decade, having to sell many of its key players to survive, the Bulldogs would endure another tumultuous decade in the 1980s. To try and improve the club's fortunes, the committee appointed former Richmond champion [[Royce Hart]] as coach for the [[1980 VFL season]]. Things hit an all-time low in [[1982 VFL season|1982]]; the Bulldogs lost their opening round match to {{AFL Ess}} by 109 points and by the middle of the season, with only one win in 12 games and having lost the last eight matches, Hart was sacked and replaced with player [[Ian Hampshire]], who promptly quit his playing duties.<ref>{{cite news|work=The Age|first=Emma|last=Quayle|url=http://www.theage.com.au/articles/2003/05/26/1053801337712.html|date=27 May 2003|title=Stick together, say the Dogs of '82}}</ref> One of the few bright spots in an otherwise dreary season was the performance of Western Australian recruit [[Simon Beasley]], who kicked 82 goals for the season and proved himself one of the best full-forwards in the competition. He would go on to become the Bulldogs' record goalkicker.

[[Mick Malthouse]] was appointed senior coach in 1984, and a dramatic improvement saw them rise to second position in 1985 before a ten-point loss in the preliminary finals against Hawthorn. The club boasted a list of top players at this time, with Beasley, [[Doug Hawkins]], [[Brian Royal]], [[Rick Kennedy]], [[Stephen Wallis]], [[Peter Foster (Australian rules footballer)|Peter Foster]], [[Michael McLean (footballer)|Michael McLean]], [[Jim Edmond]], [[Andrew Purser]], [[Stephen MacPherson]] and [[Brad Hardie]].

The debt ridden club in 1986 was considered by the VFL extremely likely to fold if not for the lifeline provided by the VFL granting licenses to Brisbane and Perth.<ref name="West Coast">[https://www.abc.net.au/news/2019-03-15/west-coast-eagles-analysis/10900458 How the West Coast Eagles went from the brink of collapse to financial powerhouse] By Clint Thomas for ABC 15 March 2019</ref>

Things didn't bode well for the Bulldogs early in the [[1987 VFL season]]. Hardie and Edmond had moved to the newly formed {{AFL BB}}, while Hawkins' return from his knee injury was still some time away. By Round 3 they were sitting on the bottom of the ladder after heavy losses to Essendon, {{AFL Syd}} and {{AFL Car}}. Footscray's revival started when, in one of the upsets of the season, they defeated the reigning premiers Hawthorn by 41 points in a display characterised by teamwork and desperation.<ref>{{cite news|first=Sam|last=Prenesti|title=Footscray pulls out a do-or-die victory|url=https://news.google.com.au/newspapers?id=kLNRAAAAIBAJ&sjid=_5IDAAAAIBAJ&pg=4222%2C368103|work=The Age|date=21 April 1987|page=39}}</ref> A seven-match winning streak mid-season saw them back in the Top Five. However, they just missed out on the finals when Melbourne defeated them in the last round in front of a record crowd at their home ground.

====1989: Proposed merger and fightback====
Discontent between players, officials and fans reached an all-time low during the [[1989 VFL season]]. Club president [[Barrie Beattie]] was replaced by former Footscray board member, businessman and prominent racing personality [[Nick Columb]] in March. Things started promisingly with a 59-point win over a dispirited Carlton at [[Princes Park (stadium)|Princes Park]], with {{WAFL|Sub}} recruit [[John Georgiades]] kicking eight goals on debut.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=208pAAAAIBAJ&sjid=DJcDAAAAIBAJ&pg=4713%2C3210270|title=Dogs' new litter leaves Blues flat|first=Garry|last=Linnell|work=The Age|page=32|date=3 April 1989}}</ref> However, it proved to be a false dawn; the Bulldogs would only win five more games for the season, with one draw, to finish 13th. The prevailing mood was best captured in Footscray's last win of the season in Round 20 against eventual wooden-spooners {{AFL Ric}}; although the Bulldogs won by 78 points, a meagre crowd of 8,673 turned up to what many believed at the time would be Footscray's last home game at the [[Western Oval]]. [[The Age|''Age'']] journalist [[Garry Linnell]] wrote: "But saddest of all is that the suburb of Footscray has turned its back on the Western Oval and its football team. Without that support, one of the last remaining monuments to the days when Victorian football was a battle of suburban tribes has hit the dust."<ref>{{cite news|url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=gLMyAAAAIBAJ&sjid=SZEDAAAAIBAJ&pg=1493%2C338779|title=Apathy rules as the West gives up on the Bulldogs|first=Garry|last=Linnell|date=21 August 1989|page=36|work=The Age}}</ref>
 
Faced with the prospect of running a club with declining membership and sponsorship, Columb learned that Footscray's debt situation was poor, and it reached the point when the VFL looked likely to appoint an [[administration (law)|administrator]] to wind up the club's affairs at the end of the year.<ref name="4octms1">{{cite news|newspaper=The Sun News-Pictorial|publication-place=Melbourne|page=72|author=Michael Stevens|date=4 October 1989|title=No choice}}</ref> He decided the best way forward was a merger with {{AFL Fit}}, which was also in a weak financial position, although was not facing immediate bankruptcy. The two clubs announced a merger to form the [[Fitzroy Bulldogs]], but the merger was derailed when the people of Footscray, led by lawyer Peter Gordon and a host of others, rallied to raise funds to pay off the club's debts. In further developments, former club player [[Terry Wheeler]] was named as Malthouse's replacement as senior coach, while champion veteran [[Centre line (football)|wingman]] Doug Hawkins was appointed captain.  While Columb was branded by some as the villain of the story, the wisdom of hindsight shows that had he not instigated the merger, the Western Bulldogs would not exist as it does today.<ref>{{cite web | author=Mark Stevens | title=The 20-year miracle | date=4 September 2009 | url=http://www.heraldsun.com.au/sport/afl/the-20-year-miracle/story-e6frf9nx-1225769336965}}</ref><ref>''Unleashed – A History of the Footscray Football Club''</ref>

===1990s===
The Bulldogs began the new decade in promising fashion, finishing in seventh place with twelve wins in 1990, including one against eventual premiers Collingwood, when [[Follower (Australian rules football)|rover]] [[Steven Kolyniuk]] ran around the man on the mark and kicked a goal to put his team in front. Although they just missed out on the finals, there was much to look forward to, and the year was capped off with diminutive rover [[Tony Liberatore]] winning the Brownlow Medal.

After a disappointing 1991, the Bulldogs bounced back in 1992, finishing second on the ladder and making their first finals appearance since 1985. [[Danny Del-Re]] was an excellent full-forward, while champion veterans Hawkins, Royal, Wallis, Foster and MacPherson helped ensure the club played its best football in many years. Scott Wynd capped a magnificent year with the Brownlow Medal, while [[Chris Grant (footballer)|Chris Grant]] and [[Simon Atkins (footballer)|Simon Atkins]] also had outstanding seasons.

In 1994 and 1995, the Bulldogs again made the finals, only to be eliminated by Melbourne and Geelong, respectively. [[Leon Cameron]] and [[Daniel Southern]] were stars. In August, Ted Whitten died from prostate cancer; such was his status in the game that he was given a [[state funeral]]. In his honour, the club renamed the Western Oval the Whitten Oval, and a memorial statue of Whitten was erected outside the stadium.

Under the tightly focused management of club president [[David Smorgon]], driven coaching by [[Terry Wallace]], and the on-field leadership of [[Chris Grant (footballer)|Chris Grant]] (who narrowly missed a Brownlow Medal in 1996 and 1997) and [[Tony Liberatore]], the club had a successful period through the mid- to late 1990s, making the finals from 1997 to 2000. The 1997 season is remembered for the club's cruellest loss, to eventual premiers Adelaide in the preliminary final by two points after leading for much of the game and appearing to be headed for their first grand final since 1961. [[Rohan Smith]], [[Brad Johnson (Australian footballer)|Brad Johnson]], Chris Grant, [[Jose Romero (Australian rules footballer)|Jose Romero]], [[Paul Hudson (footballer)|Paul Hudson]] and company were catalysts in a fine season.

The Bulldogs would again feature in the finals in 1998, after heavily defeating West Coast in the qualifying finals, they met Adelaide again in the losing preliminary final. The Bulldogs eventfully lost by 68 points against the reigning premiers who went on to claim their second consecutive premiership in the grand final that following week.

The Bulldogs would make their third consecutive top 4 finish in 1999 but they suffered consecutive finals losses to West Coast and Brisbane.

In late 1996, the club changed its playing name from ''Footscray'' to the ''Western Bulldogs'' to market the club more broadly (specifically the western suburbs of Melbourne).<ref>{{Cite web |title=Historical Timeline {{!}} Western Bulldogs |url=https://www.westernbulldogs.com.au/history/timeline/1990s |access-date=2022-11-27 |website=westernbulldogs.com.au |language=en}}</ref> To coincide with the change, the club moved their home games from the Whitten Oval, originally to [[MC Labour Park|Optus Oval]] from 1997 to 1999, and then to the newly built [[Docklands Stadium]] for the 2000 season.

===2000s===
{{main|Western Bulldogs season 2009|Western Bulldogs season 2010}}
[[File:Western Bulldogs vs Collingwood 2004.jpg|thumb|Western Bulldogs players during warm-up against [[Collingwood Football Club|Collingwood]] in 2004]]

During the 2000 season, the Bulldogs handed the eventual premiers, Essendon, their only loss for the year. That victory secured the Bulldogs a place in the finals for the fourth consecutive year. They would bow out in the first week of finals after being defeated by the Brisbane Lions at the Gabba. The Bulldogs missed out on the finals over the next two seasons; in 2001, six players were in New York City during the [[September 11 attacks]] while they were attending the [[2001 US Open (tennis)|2001 US Open]].<ref>[https://www.news.com.au/sport/afl/afl-legend-luke-darcy-reveals-september-11-runin-with-michael-jackson-lleyton-hewitt/news-story/2f603f192422838a7a03f6f888f1b8a8 AFL legend Luke Darcy reveals September 11 run-in with Michael Jackson, Lleyton Hewitt (news.com.au) – retrieved August 28, 2020]</ref> Terry Wallace left the club with one match left in 2002 and assistant coach [[Peter Rohde]] took charge. Philanthropist and long-time Bulldogs supporter [[Susan Alberti]] was elected to the club board in December 2004. After two miserable seasons, the Bulldogs appointed [[Rodney Eade]] as coach in 2005. Improvement was immediate, with the Bulldogs winning 11 games and finishing ninth on the ladder in 2005, missing out on the finals by just half a game. Missing the finals dealt a blow to both players and supporters of the team, as late season success led to the team being considered real premiership contenders.

In 2006, the Bulldogs continued to play well despite a disastrous run of injuries throughout the year; with five players having to have knee reconstructions, including captain [[Luke Darcy]]. Despite this setback, the Bulldogs finished the home-and-away season with 13 wins (see [[2006 AFL season]]), making it to the finals for the first time since 2000, with [[Scott West]] and Brad Johnson continuing their excellent play. They won the Elimination Final against Collingwood in front of 84,000 at the [[Melbourne Cricket Ground]] (MCG) and reached the semi-finals before being defeated by eventual Premiers the [[West Coast Eagles]] at [[Subiaco Oval]].

On 5 August 2006, [[Chris Grant (footballer)|Chris Grant]] broke the Western Bulldogs record for the most senior [[AFL/VFL]] games at the club. On this day he played his 330th game, breaking [[Doug Hawkins]]' previous record of 329 games.

Looking for new markets, the club had played one game every year at the [[Sydney Cricket Ground]] and one "home" game each year at [[Marrara Oval]] in [[Darwin, Northern Territory|Darwin]]. On 16 August 2006, the league announced that the Bulldogs' Sydney "home" game would be played at [[Manuka Oval]], [[Canberra]] in 2007, 2008 and 2009.

[[File:Brad johnson.jpg|thumb|left|150px|[[Brad Johnson (Australian footballer)|Brad Johnson]] was the club's captain from 2007 to 2010.]]

Prior to the 2007 season, the Bulldogs made a splash by trading for [[Brisbane Lions|Brisbane]] midfielder [[Jason Akermanis]]. They were premiership favourites early on in 2007, but yet again injuries took their toll, and they faltered in the last seven rounds, losing six games and drawing one, to finish 13th.

In the 2008 pre-season they traded away [[Jordan McMahon]] to [[Richmond Football Club|Richmond]] and [[Sam Power]] to North Melbourne. They also recruited ruckman [[Ben Hudson]] and forward [[Scott Welsh]] from [[Adelaide Football Club|Adelaide]] and back [[Tim Callan]] from Geelong in what was a very successful trade week. In [[2008 AFL Season|2008]], the Bulldogs were widely predicted for the bottom four after the [[2008 NAB Cup|pre-season]], but had a successful home-and-away season, finishing in third place with fifteen wins, one draw and six losses (five of which occurred in the season's last seven games). The team's finals campaign began with a loss to Hawthorn by 51 points at the MCG in the first qualifying final, but won the subsequent semi-final against [[Sydney Swans|Sydney]] by 37 points. The Bulldogs lost their preliminary final match against reigning premiers Geelong.

Much was expected of the Bulldogs following their 3rd-place finish in 2008. They began the 2009 season with a 63-point thrashing of [[Fremantle Football Club|Fremantle]] in Perth, and then recorded solid wins over North Melbourne and Richmond before losing their next three games to West Coast (in Perth), Carlton and St Kilda. The Bulldogs then notched up their first away win against Adelaide since 2001, kicking eight goals to one in the third quarter to win by 32 points. The following week, they survived a determined effort from Melbourne, winning by 7 points, before succumbing to Geelong in one of the best and closest games of the season. They proceeded to win their next five games, including a 93-point drubbing of Port Adelaide in Darwin and an 88-point win over the reigning premiers Hawthorn. After a bit of a dip in form including losses to Collingwood, St Kilda and West Coast, the Bulldogs rebounded with an 18-point win against Brisbane at [[The Gabba]]. That was followed up by a 14-point win over Geelong. In the final round of the home-and-away season, the Bulldogs needed to defeat Collingwood by more than 22 points to reclaim third place on the ladder. The Bulldogs managed win by 24 points, earning the right to play Geelong in the first week of the finals.<ref>{{cite web | author=Jennifer Witham | title=Bulldogs win secures third
 | date=30 August 2009 | url=http://www.westernbulldogs.com.au/season2009/news/newsarticle/tabid/4112/newsid/83819/default.aspx}}</ref>

===2010s===
There was media expectation that the Western Bulldogs would again feature in the top four in 2010 after doing so in 2008 and 2009.  The [[2010 NAB Cup|pre-season]] delivered the Western Bulldogs their first competition victory since 1970 as they defeated {{AFL StK}} by 40 points in the NAB Cup Grand Final, with new recruit [[Barry Hall]] starring with seven goals and winning the [[Michael Tuck Medal]] for being the best player. However, after a promising pre-season, the Bulldogs failed to make their first grand final in 49 years after being demolished by {{AFL Col}} in the first round of the finals, coming back against the Sydney Swans and losing again to St Kilda in the preliminary final, captain Brad Johnson's last game.<ref>{{cite news|title=The difference – one big forward|url=http://www.theage.com.au/afl/afl-news/the-difference--one-big-forward-20100313-q5et.html|access-date=29 June 2012|newspaper=The Age|date=14 March 2010|author=Peter Hanlon}}</ref>

The pain of three consecutive Preliminary final exits took its toll in [[2011 AFL Season|2011]]. After a 55-point thrashing at the hands of Essendon in the opening round, the season never looked on track. The Bulldogs lost 9 of their first 12 games, including 7 from 8 games between Rounds 5 and 12. Following a 49-point loss to Essendon in Round 21, coach Rodney Eade was sacked by the Western Bulldogs after seven years at the helm. The club finished the year with wins against Port Adelaide and [[Fremantle Football Club|Fremantle]] and a loss against Hawthorn. The Bulldogs finished 2011 with a 9-win, 13-loss record for the season. Shortly after the 2011 season was completed, long-time Geelong and Essendon assistant [[Brendan McCartney]] was appointed as the senior coach on a three-year contract. During the following months, the Bulldogs assembled a coaching panel consisting of senior coach McCartney, former Geelong and St Kilda ruckman [[Steven King (footballer)|Steven King]], former Sydney Swans and North Melbourne midfielder [[Shannon Grant]], former Bulldogs champion and 300 game player Rohan Smith, and former Bulldogs and Port Adelaide player [[Brett Montgomery]].

In October 2012, long-time president David Smorgon stepped down from the role to be replaced by former president Peter Gordon. Smorgon served as president from 1996 to 2012, overseeing two rebuilding phases, the erasure of much debt and a period of stability after decades of uncertainty surrounding the club's future.

In 2013, the Bulldogs ended their affiliation with [[Williamstown Football Club]], establishing a reserves team in the [[Victorian Football League]] for the 2014 season. The team played under the name of Footscray and the decision proved an instant hit on and off the field, with supporters of the AFL club taking a strong liking to the newly established VFL team. The success flowed onto the field as well, with the club securing the VFL Premiership in its first season in the competition since 1924, defeating the Box Hill Hawks by 22 points in the VFL Grand Final.

===Luke Beveridge era (2015–present)===
Following a disappointing [[2014 AFL season]], the Bulldogs endured a tumultuous off-season. It began when [[Ryan Griffen]], who was widely regarded as the club's best player and had only been captain for one season, shocked the football world by requesting a trade to {{AFL GWS}}. He later cited the stress of captaincy as his reason for nearly giving up the game altogether.<ref>{{cite news|publisher=ABC News|url=http://www.abc.net.au/news/2014-10-16/ryan-griffen-was-close-to-quitting-afl/5819550|title=Ryan Griffen was close to quitting AFL before joining GWS from Western Bulldogs|date=16 October 2014}}</ref> Two days later, senior coach McCartney handed in his resignation to the board. President Gordon agreed that the decision was in the best interests of the club and also stressed to the press that the club was not in crisis.<ref>{{cite news|first1=Al|last1=Paton|first2=Ben|last2=Waterworth|title=Brendan McCartney quits as Western Bulldogs coach as players threaten to walk out|work=Herald Sun|url=http://www.heraldsun.com.au/sport/afl/teams/western-bulldogs/brendan-mccartney-quits-as-western-bulldogs-coach-as-players-threaten-to-walk-out/news-story/492781a6f7fbba798525750be5674756|date=10 October 2014}}</ref> [[Adam Cooney]] requested a trade out of the club, and [[Shaun Higgins]] joined North Melbourne via free agency. On November 14, the club's coach selection panel, headed by club champion and football director [[Chris Grant (footballer)|Chris Grant]] and including CEO [[Simon Garlick]], football manager Graham Lowe, former captain [[Luke Darcy]] and former West Coast coach [[John Worsfold]], appointed former player [[Luke Beveridge]] as the Bulldogs' new senior coach.<ref name=bevo>{{cite web|publisher=[[AFL Media]]|date=14 November 2014|title=Luke Beveridge to coach Bulldogs in 2015|url=https://www.afl.com.au/news/96220/luke-beveridge-to-coach-bulldogs-in-2015|first=Peter|last=Ryan}}</ref> Beveridge had recently served as an assistant coach at Collingwood and Hawthorn, and was due to take up a position at St Kilda as director of coaching before applying for the job as Bulldogs coach.<ref name=bevo/> In a series of important first steps, he decided to keep the existing coaches and appointed veteran [[Robert Murphy (footballer)|Robert Murphy]] as captain.

In January 2015, Simon Garlick announced his resignation as club CEO, having first taken on the position in December 2010. Having been at the Bulldogs for more than 13 years as a player and administrator, Garlick felt the time was right to "start a new chapter in his life".<ref name="guardian">{{cite news|work=[[The Guardian]]|url=https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2015/jan/19/western-bulldogs-ceo-simon-garlick-resigns|date=19 January 2015|title=Western Bulldogs CEO Simon Garlick resigns}}</ref> President Gordon paid tribute to Garlick for his work in keeping the Bulldogs competitive during what had been a difficult period for the club.<ref name="guardian"/> After losing over 700 games of experience during the off-season, the Bulldogs were expected to again struggle in [[2015 AFL season|2015]], and those feelings were further strengthened when [[Tom Liberatore]], the reigning Charles Sutton Medallist, went down with a rupture to his [[anterior cruciate ligament]] in the [[NAB Challenge]] match against Richmond.<ref>{{cite news|work=Fox Sports|first=Bruce|last=Matthews|title=Western Bulldogs midfielder Tom Liberatore tears ACL in NAB Challenge, AFL season over|url=http://www.foxsports.com.au/news/western-bulldogs-midfielder-tom-liberatore-tears-acl-in-nab-challenge-afl-season-over/news-story/45b9bbbdd20adb06a919916a86a920f5|access-date=23 January 2017}}</ref> However, the Bulldogs exceeded expectations to finish the home-and-away season in sixth position to feature in the finals for the first time since 2010. In the elimination final, they lost to Adelaide by 7 points in front of over 60,000 fans at the MCG, the largest crowd at any Bulldogs game since the 2010 finals.

====2016: AFL premiership====
{{main|2016 AFL Grand Final}}
{| style="margin-right:4px; margin-top:8px; float:right; border:1px #000 solid; border-radius:8px; background:#fff; font-family:Verdana; font-size:8pt; text-align:center;"
|-
| width=200 | ''[[2016 AFL Grand Final]]'' || ''G'' || ''B'' || ''Total''
|-
| style="text-align:left" | [[File:AFL Footscray Icon.jpg|16px]] Western Bulldogs || '''13''' || '''11''' || '''89'''
|-
| style="text-align:left" |[[File:AFL Sydney Icon.jpg|16px]] {{AFL Syd}} || 10 || 7 || 67
|-
| Venue: [[Melbourne Cricket Ground]]
| colspan=3 | Crowd: 99,981<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.afl.com.au/news/2016-10-01/match-report-grand-final-sydney-swans-v-western-bulldogs |title=Match report: Dogs dust Swans to snap 62-year drought|work=AFL |date=1 October 2016 |access-date=1 October 2016}}</ref>
|}
The Bulldogs fought through numerous injuries in 2016 to finish 7th in the home and away season. In a series of against-the-odds finals victories, the club eliminated the previous year's runners-up, the [[West Coast Eagles]], in Perth;<ref>[http://www.abc.net.au/news/2016-09-08/western-bulldogs-beat-west-coast-in-elimination-final/7827992 "AFL finals: Western Bulldogs shock West Coast with 47-point elimination final win"] (9 September 2016), ABC News. Retrieved 21 November 2016.</ref> thwarted {{AFL Haw}}'s bid for a fourth successive premiership;<ref>[http://www.abc.net.au/news/2016-09-16/western-bulldogs-end-hawthorn-hawks-reign-in-semi-final/7854352 "Western Bulldogs end Hawthorn Hawks' AFL reign, winning semi-final by 23 points"] (16 September 2016), ABC News. Retrieved 21 November 2016.</ref> and, away from home, scraped through against {{AFL GWS}} to qualify for the [[2016 AFL Grand Final|Grand Final]] for the first time in 55 years. In doing so, it became the first club to reach the premiership decider from such a low position on the ladder.<ref>{{cite news|title=AFL finals 2016: GWS Giants v Western Bulldogs live|url=http://www.theage.com.au/afl/afl-match-centre/afl-finals-2016-gws-giants-v-western-bulldogs-live-20160924-grnpix.html|access-date=24 September 2016|newspaper=The Age|date=24 September 2016|author=Daniel Cherney}}</ref>

The club ended a 62-year premiership drought with a 22-point victory over minor premiers the Sydney Swans. [[Jason Johannisen]] won the [[Norm Smith Medal]], with Liam Picken (WB), Tom Boyd (WB) and Josh Kennedy (SYD) close behind, while coach [[Luke Beveridge]] gave his [[Jock McHale Medal]] to captain and club veteran [[Robert Murphy (footballer)|Robert Murphy]]—who suffered a season-ending knee injury in round 3—saying, "This is yours, mate. You deserve it more than anyone."<ref>Nicholson, Larissa (2 October 2016). [http://www.theage.com.au/afl/afl-news/afl-grand-final-2016-luke-beveridge-gives-bob-murphy-his-premiership-medal-20161001-grszu4.html "AFL grand final 2016: Luke Beveridge gives Bob Murphy his premiership medal"], ''The Age''. Retrieved 3 October 2016.</ref> This gesture, described as "one of the most touching" in football history, was met with a standing ovation by the crowd.<ref>[http://www.3aw.com.au/news/matthew-lloyd-overcome-by-luke-beveridges-gesture-to-bob-murphy-20161001-grszrp.html "Matthew Lloyd overcome by Luke Beveridge's gesture to Bob Murphy"] (1 October 2016), 3AW. Retrieved 3 October 2016.</ref><ref>Beveridge, Rily (2 October 2016). [http://www.foxsports.com.au/afl/luke-beveridge-gives-premiership-medal-to-robert-murphy-bulldogs-coach-explains-his-gesture/news-story/4858f30a93e54f0301a06b798b9674dc "Luke Beveridge gives premiership medal to Robert Murphy: Bulldogs coach explains his gesture"], Fox Sports. Retrieved 3 October 2016.</ref> Murphy, though thankful, returned the medal to Beveridge the following day, saying he could not keep it. They decided to gift the medal to the Bulldogs museum.<ref>[http://www.abc.net.au/news/2016-10-06/beveridge-murphy-to-put-premiership-medal-in-bulldogs-museum/7907308 "Western Bulldogs Luke Beveridge and Bob Murphy to put shared Jock McHale medal in club museum"] (7 October 2016). ABC News. Retrieved 8 October 2016.</ref>

====2017–18: Post-premiership disappointment====
Despite a promising start to the [[2017 AFL season]], which saw the reigning premiers win five of their first seven matches,<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.afl.com.au/news/2017-05-06/match-report-dogs-steal-win-over-tough-tigers |title=Match report: Dogs steal win over tough Tigers|work=AFL.com.au |date=6 May 2017 |last=Bowen|first=Nick |access-date=30 December 2018}}</ref> the Bulldogs lost six of the next eight games.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.abc.net.au/news/2017-07-07/crows-smash-the-bulldogs-in-adelaide/8683678 |title=Adelaide Crows rack up 59-point win over Western Bulldogs in the wet at Adelaide Oval|work=ABC.com.au |date=7 July 2017 |access-date=30 December 2018}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.afl.com.au/match-centre/2017/16/adel-v-wb |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170314023645/http://www.afl.com.au/match-centre/2017/16/adel-v-wb |url-status=dead |archive-date=14 March 2017 |title=Adelaide Crows Vs Western Bulldogs – Match Centre|work=AFL.com.au |date=7 July 2017  |access-date=30 December 2018}}</ref>  A four-game winning streak towards the end of the season proved to be a false dawn, as the Bulldogs failed to secure a spot in the top eight after losing the last three games of the season. They finished tenth with an 11–11 win–loss record, becoming the first team since Hawthorn in 2009 to miss the finals the year after winning the premiership. The club would farewell two long-serving veterans: the retiring captain Murphy and ex-captain [[Matthew Boyd (Australian footballer)|Matthew Boyd]].<ref>{{cite web |title=Hawthorn Vs Western Bulldogs – Match Centre |url=http://www.afl.com.au/match-centre/2017/23/haw-v-wb |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170330202458/http://www.afl.com.au/match-centre/2017/23/haw-v-wb |url-status=dead |archive-date=30 March 2017 |website=AFL.com.au |access-date=30 December 2018}}</ref>

[[2018 AFL season|2018]] proved to be an even more difficult year for the club. [[Tom Liberatore]] suffered a second season-ending knee injury in the opening round 82-point loss to Greater Western Sydney; he would be the first of eight Bulldogs to have their season ended by injury.<ref name=rev>{{cite web|url=https://www.afl.com.au/news/54273/season-review-western-bulldogs|title=Season review: Western Bulldogs|date=3 September 2018|publisher=[[AFL Media]]|first=Ben|last=Guthrie}}</ref> They suffered six heavy losses in the first half of the season and would win only once between Round 9 and Round 19, with the sole win in that period a thrilling two-point upset win over finalists Geelong in Round 15.<ref>{{cite web |title=Western Bulldogs vs Geelong Cats – Match Centre |url=http://www.afl.com.au/match-centre/2018/15/wb-v-geel |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180514062002/http://www.afl.com.au/match-centre/2018/15/wb-v-geel |url-status=dead |archive-date=14 May 2018 |website=AFL.com.au |access-date=30 December 2018}}</ref> Injuries aside, there were also issues with inconsistent form – players such as premiership heroes [[Jordan Roughead]], [[Caleb Daniel]], [[Shane Biggs]] and [[Fletcher Roberts]] spending time in the VFL – and a forward set-up that was struggling to function effectively.<ref name=rev/><br />Improved form in the final four rounds of the season saw the Bulldogs win three consecutive games and lose gallantly to reigning premiers Richmond,<ref>{{cite web |title=Richmond Vs Western Bulldogs – Match Centre |url=http://www.afl.com.au/match-centre/2018/23/rich-v-wb |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180517042926/http://www.afl.com.au/match-centre/2018/23/rich-v-wb |url-status=dead |archive-date=17 May 2018 |website=AFL.com.au |access-date=30 December 2018}}</ref> to finish 13th with an 8–14 win–loss record, becoming the first team since Adelaide in 2000 to miss the finals in successive years after a premiership triumph.<ref>{{cite web |title=The record the Western Bulldogs would prefer not to have |url=https://www.foxsports.com.au/afl/the-record-the-western-bulldogs-would-prefer-not-to-have/news-story/1d86f105fa44f78a40436422df9665ce |website=FOX Sports Australia |date=4 June 2018 |access-date=30 December 2018}}</ref>

====2019–22: Return to the finals====
Defying expectations that they would again miss the finals, the Bulldogs were one of the surprise packets of the [[2019 AFL season|2019 season]].<ref name=revtwo>{{cite web|title=Western Bulldogs season review: MVP, surprise packet, low point, final grade|url=https://www.afl.com.au/news/50946/western-bulldogs-season-review-mvp-surprise-packet-low-point-final-grade|publisher=[[AFL Media]]|date=11 September 2019|first1=Jourdan|last1=Canil|first2=Josh|last2=Schonafinger}}</ref> The season started well enough with victories in the first two games, defeating Sydney by 17 points in Round 1<ref name="roundonevsswans">{{cite web |title=Western Bulldogs Vs Sydney Swans – Match Centre |url=https://www.afl.com.au/match-centre/2019/1/wb-v-syd |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181105211642/http://www.afl.com.au/match-centre/2019/1/wb-v-syd |url-status=dead |archive-date=5 November 2018 |website=afl.com.au |access-date=25 August 2019}}</ref> and then kicking nine goals in the last quarter against Hawthorn to win by 19 points in Round 2.<ref name="round2vhawks">{{cite web |title=Hawthorn Vs Western Bulldogs – Match Centre |url=https://www.afl.com.au/match-centre/2019/2/haw-v-wb |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181106004450/http://www.afl.com.au/match-centre/2019/2/haw-v-wb |url-status=dead |archive-date=6 November 2018 |website=afl.com.au |access-date=25 August 2019}}</ref> However, they then lost their next four matches.<ref name="round6vdockers">{{cite web |title=Fremantle Vs Western Bulldogs – Match Centre |url=https://www.afl.com.au/match-centre/2019/6/fre-v-wb |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190103234820/http://www.afl.com.au/match-centre/2019/6/fre-v-wb |url-status=dead |archive-date=3 January 2019 |website=afl.com.au |access-date=25 August 2019}}</ref> The Dogs would continue to have up-and-down form, winning their next two<ref name="round8vlions">{{cite web |title=Western Bulldogs Vs Brisbane Lions – Match Centre |url=https://www.afl.com.au/match-centre/2019/8/wb-v-bl |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181106004021/http://www.afl.com.au/match-centre/2019/8/wb-v-bl |url-status=dead |archive-date=6 November 2018 |website=AFL.com.au |access-date=25 August 2019}}</ref> before losing four of five afterwards.<ref name="round14vspies">{{cite web |title=Round 14 – Western Bulldogs Vs Collingwood |url=https://www.westernbulldogs.com.au/match-centre/2019/14/wb-v-coll |website=westernbulldogs.com.au |access-date=25 August 2019}}</ref> Staring at a third consecutive year out of the finals with a disappointing 5–8 record at the end of Round 14,<ref name="runhomeround14">{{cite web |last1=Navaratnam |first1=Dinny |title=The run home: Can the Swans produce a miracle? |url=https://www.afl.com.au/news/2019-06-23/the-run-home-round-14 |website=AFL.com.au |date=23 June 2019 |access-date=25 August 2019}}</ref> the Bulldogs would go on to win seven of their last nine matches of the season, securing a spot in the finals for the first time since the 2016 premiership after defeating Adelaide by 34 points in Round 23.<ref name="round23onmars">{{cite web |title=Western Bulldogs Vs Adelaide Crows |url=https://www.afl.com.au/match-centre/2019/23/wb-v-adel |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190825042710/https://www.afl.com.au/match-centre/2019/23/wb-v-adel |url-status=dead |archive-date=25 August 2019 |website=AFL.com.au |access-date=25 August 2019}}</ref> They would finish the home-and-away season in seventh position with a 12–10 win–loss record.<ref name="shapeofthe8">{{cite web |title=Shape of the eight: Where did your club finish? |url=https://www.afl.com.au/news/2019-08-23/shape-of-the-eight-wholl-win-the-race-to-september |website=AFL.com.au |date=23 August 2019 |access-date=25 August 2019}}</ref> Despite having strong form heading into the finals and having defeated eventual finals opponent [[Greater Western Sydney Giants|Greater Western Sydney]] by 61 points in Round 22,<ref name="dogsround22win">{{cite web |last1=Curley |first1=Adam |title=Dogs pile on last 12 goals to smash stumbling Giants |url=https://www.afl.com.au/news/2019-08-18/match-report-greater-western-sydney-v-western-bulldogs |website=AFL.com.au |date=18 August 2019 |access-date=8 September 2019}}</ref> the Bulldogs were thrashed by 58 points in their elimination final encounter with the Giants, who would eventually go on to play in that year's [[2019 AFL Grand Final|grand final]].<ref name="doggiesthrashed">{{cite web |last1=Collins |first1=Ben |title=Giants silence doubters to end Bulldogs' season |url=https://www.afl.com.au/news/2019-09-07/match-report-greater-western-sydney-v-western-bulldogs |website=AFL.com.au |date=7 September 2019 |access-date=8 September 2019}}</ref>

The Western Bulldogs entered the [[2020 AFL season]] looking to improve on their strong finish to 2019. They had strengthened their squad during the off-season trading period, recruiting key position players [[Josh Bruce]] from St Kilda<ref>{{cite news|publisher=[[Fox Footy]]|url=https://www.foxsports.com.au/afl/afl-trade-period-2019-josh-bruce-western-bulldogs-alex-keath-western-bulldogs-done-deals/news-story/6517509fc947dc7d30ca85c67579d89a|title=The Bulldogs just got Josh Bruce for 'an absolute bargain'. Here's how it went down|date=16 October 2019}}</ref> and [[Alex Keath]] from Adelaide.<ref>{{cite news|publisher=[[Fox Footy]]|url=https://www.foxsports.com.au/afl/how-western-bulldogs-recruit-alex-keath-went-from-12-games-at-27-to-the-most-intriguing-trade-of-2019/news-story/35e8e9b72c6b6358ebe6cb5d3516b9eb|title=How Western Bulldogs recruit Alex Keath went from 12 games at 27 to the most intriguing trade of 2019|date=17 December 2019|first=Josh|last=Gabelich}}</ref> Veteran defender [[Easton Wood]], who had been acting captain in the 2016 premiership and then served as official captain after Bob Murphy retired, stepped down at the end of 2019 and was replaced by [[Marcus Bontempelli]] in an almost unanimous player vote, with [[Lachlan Hunter]] as his deputy.<ref name="bont">{{cite web|url=https://www.afl.com.au/news/267575/new-top-dog-flag-skipper-steps-down-superstar-steps-up|publisher=[[AFL Media]]|title=New top Dog: Flag skipper steps down, superstar steps up|date=10 December 2019|first=Jason|last=Phelan}}</ref> Bontempelli would be supported by a leadership group which included Wood, [[Jason Johannisen]], [[Mitch Wallis]] and [[Josh Dunkley]].<ref name="bont"/><br />After losing the traditional season opener to Collingwood, the season was then plunged into chaos when the [[COVID-19 pandemic]] reached Australia, causing the competition to be suspended for over two months. After significant modifications in consultation with state governments, the AFL resumed the season in mid-June, having cut the home-and-away season to 17 rounds, shortening quarter lengths to 16 minutes plus time-on, and not permitting crowd attendances at Victorian venues due to government-imposed restrictions. As state borders began to close in a bid to curb the spread of the virus, the Victorian-based teams flew out of Melbourne after Round 5 and spent the rest of the season based in interstate quarantine hubs; the Bulldogs would be based in Queensland. The Bulldogs secured their spot in the 2020 finals series after another strong finish, winning five of their last six games and ending in seventh position on the ladder with a 10–7 record. Their Elimination final opponents, sixth-placed St Kilda, also finished with the same win–loss record but a higher percentage. The match, which was hosted at [[the Gabba]], was a close-fought affair; the Bulldogs worked their way to a five-point lead at quarter time, only for the Saints to take control in the second and third terms to lead by 24 points at the last change. In a desperate bid to keep their season alive, the Bulldogs made one last charge in the final minutes to reduce the margin to under a goal with two minutes remaining, but the Saints held on by three points, winning their first final since [[2010 AFL finals series|2010]], which had also been against the Bulldogs.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Cloud nine: Saints march into semis after holding off hot Dogs|url=https://www.afl.com.au/matches/2896#match-report|last1=Whiting|first1=Michael|work=AFL Media|access-date=5 October 2020}}</ref><br />Despite another disappointing early finals exit, there was still much to celebrate in terms of individual recognition; diminutive playmaker [[Caleb Daniel]] had a career-best season, winning the Charles Sutton Medal and All-Australian honours, while Marcus Bontempelli and [[Jack Macrae]] earned their second consecutive All-Australian blazer. Also promising was the continued development of the younger players; [[Aaron Naughton]] (for the second straight year) and [[Bailey Smith]] were named in the [[22 Under 22 team]], while [[Laitham Vandermeer]] won the Chris Grant Best First Player award.

The Bulldogs headed into the [[2021 AFL season]] with the aim of progressing past the first week of the finals series. They had been one of the big winners in the trading period,<ref>{{cite web|publisher=[[Fox Footy]]|url=https://www.foxsports.com.au/afl/afl-trades-2020-grades-report-card-afl-trade-period-every-club-graded-winners-and-losers-best-and-worst-trades/news-story/692471846186afe9942c8e91e47eefe9|title=Contenders go all in; fire sale that makes no sense: Every AFL club's trade period graded|date=13 November 2020|first=Max|last=Laughton}}</ref> recruiting [[Mitch Hannan]] from Melbourne, [[Stefan Martin]] from Brisbane, and [[Adam Treloar]] from Collingwood, while managing to keep [[Josh Dunkley]] after he had requested a trade to Essendon.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.foxsports.com.au/afl/afl-2020-afl-trades-adam-treloar-western-bulldogs-collingwood-ameet-bains-josh-dunkley/news-story/c6ad371c077605329347fa4b21e3b332|publisher=[[Fox Footy]]|date=17 November 2020|title=Bulldogs confident Treloar can star away from family as 'flat' teammate returns|first=Matt|last=Balmer}}</ref> They had also secured promising Next Generation Academy member [[Jamarra Ugle-Hagan]] as the Number 1 pick at the [[2020 AFL draft]].   
For much of the season, the Bulldogs had been one of the clear standout teams, winning nine of the opening ten matches and appearing on track to win their first [[minor premiership]] after defeating {{AFL Mel}} in Round 19. However, an ill-timed late season slump saw the Bulldogs consigned to a third consecutive year without the double chance, finishing outside of the top four by just 0.5% after the Brisbane Lions supplanted them in the final round. Despite the disappointing end to the regular season, the Bulldogs were finally able to progress to the second week of the [[2021 AFL finals series|finals]] after a thumping 49-point win over Essendon in the first elimination final. The Bulldogs would then go on to progress to their first preliminary final since 2016 after an enthralling one-point win over Brisbane in the semi-final, before securing a second Grand Final appearance in six years after thrashing Port Adelaide by 71 points in the prelim. However, the Bulldogs were comprehensively outplayed by Melbourne in the grand final, losing to the Demons by 74 points.

The Bulldogs were looking to atone for their galling grand final defeat ahead of the 2022 season. However, the Dogs were very inconsistent and were fortunate to qualify for a fourth consecutive finals berth, finishing eighth with a 12–10 win-loss record and narrowly supplanting ninth-placed Carlton by 0.6%. The Bulldogs started their elimination final encounter with Fremantle strongly, leading by as much as 41 points during the second quarter, but would fade out dramatically to lose by 13 points.

===2023–present: Rebuilding period===

The Western Bulldogs continued to perform inconsistently in 2023. The Bulldogs stayed in contention for the finals right throughout the season, but costly losses to cellar-dwellers Hawthorn and West Coast in the final stretch of the season eventually scuppered their hopes of a fifth consecutive finals appearance. Greater Western Sydney defeated Carlton in the final match of the home-and-away season and secured their spot in the 2023 finals series at the Bulldogs' expense. The Dogs ultimately finished ninth with a 12–11 record to miss out on September for the first time since 2018.

During the 2023 offseason, superstar midfielder Bailey Smith suffered an ACL tear at training, ruling him out for essentially the entire 2024 campaign. Smith would not play for the club again, eventually being traded to Geelong during the 2024 offseason.

The Bulldogs would return to the finals in 2024. After showing inconsistent form once again for most of the season, the Dogs would enter the finals in sixth place with a 14–9 win-loss record after winning six of their last seven games. Despite expectations of a third deep September run in nine years, the Bulldogs were bounced out in the first week after losing to a resurgent Hawthorn by 37 points in the elimination final.

==Identity==
===Nickname and mascots===
{{multiple image
 | align        = right
 | direction    = horizontal
 | header_align = center
 | total_width  = 340
 | image1    = Footscray bulldog mascot 1928.jpg
 | width1    = 637
 | height1   = 1268
 | alt1      = 
 | caption1  = Footscray captain [[Paddy Scanlan (footballer)|Paddy Scanlan]] with the club's first mascot, 1928
 | image2    = Western Bulldogs real life mascot.jpg
 | width2    = 1664
 | height2   = 2496
 | alt2      = 
 | caption2  = Sid served as the Western Bulldogs' mascot from 2009 to 2017.
}}
Footscray went by a variety of nicknames during the VFA years, including the Bone Mill Fellows, the Saltwater Lads, and, most popularly, the Tricolours, in reference to the club guernsey.<ref name=nickname/> Footscray came to be known locally as the Bulldogs during the 1920s. At a club social function on [[1 November]] [[1920]], "a red, white, and blue flag, bearing the words "bulldog tenacity" blazoned in gold, and bearing a picture of a typical bulldog, was presented to [then president David] Mitchell on behalf of the club".<ref>{{cite news |url=https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/74977914 |title= President Entertains Footballers |newspaper=[[The Independent (Footscray)|The Independent]] |issue=1749 |location=Footscray|date=6 November 1920 |access-date=25 September 2021 |page=1 }}</ref> As early as the [[1922]] season, an image of a bulldog was being stamped on the football club's members' tickets.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/75070378 |title= Change Suggested |newspaper=[[The Independent (Footscray)|The Independent]] |issue=1829 |location=Melbourne|date=10 June 1922 |access-date=26 September 2021 |page=2 }}</ref>  In a game against [[Collingwood Football Club|Collingwood]] at the Western Oval on 23 June 1928, a bulldog mascot was "led onto the field at three-quarter time ... to the wild applause of the callow youth",<ref>{{cite news |url=https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/140812786 |title= Intriguing Round |newspaper=[[Australasian Post|The Australasian]] |issue=4147 |location=Melbourne|date=30 June 1928 |access-date=25 September 2021 |page=35 }}</ref> and was photographed with Footscray captain [[Paddy Scanlan (footballer)|Paddy Scanlan]].<ref>{{cite news |url=https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/129130144 |title= Mascot on Football Field |newspaper=[[The News (Adelaide)|The News]] |issue=1546 |location=Adelaide|date=28 June 1928 |access-date=26 September 2021 |page=15 }}</ref> In another report on the same match, mention was made that "the Bulldogs were contesting every inch in the air", indicating a widening use of the club nickname.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/140812786 |title= Great Final Quarter Burst Gives Collingwood Win at Footscray |newspaper=[[The Sporting Globe]] |issue=617 |location=Melbourne|date=23 June 1928 |access-date=25 September 2021 |page=2 }}</ref>

The real-life mascot for the Western Bulldogs is a [[bulldog]] named Caesar.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.westernbulldogs.com.au/news/293808/hail-caesar-a-new-king-is-crowned|title=Hail Caesar: a new king is crowned|publisher=Western Bulldogs|date=9 May 2017}}</ref> He can be seen walking around the perimeter of the ground prior to each match. He then waits for the players to come out on the ground; they give him a pat as they run past to the banner. Sid, the club's previous real-life mascot, officially retired his club jumper at Etihad Stadium on 6 May 2017 and was given a lap of honour for his seven years of service to the Western Bulldogs.<ref name="nickname">Talbot, Christopher (26 August 2016). [http://www.heraldsun.com.au/news/victoria/what-your-footy-team-was-once-called-and-how-it-got-its-name/news-story/ebc68823888ac0000580d313422aca4c "What your footy team was once called and how it got its name"], ''Herald Sun''. Retrieved 26 September 2016.</ref> Sid died in 2019 at age 9.5 years old.<ref>[https://www.foxsports.com.au/afl/sid-the-western-bulldogs-mascot-passes-away-after-serving-the-club-for-seven-years/news-story/a0e21978e40cb4c42d3dc75bd485eb67 Sid the Western Bulldogs mascot passes away after serving the club for seven years] by BEN WATERWORTH on Fox Sports Australia, 27 Feb 2018</ref>

During home games, Caesar has a reserved area at the Footscray End (Gate 7), where fans can come and give him a pat and have their photo taken.

===Song===
Western Bulldogs' club song is sung to the tune of "[[Sons of the Sea (song)|Sons of the Sea]]".<br />
Before the club changed its name from Footscray to Western Bulldogs, the club song was called "Sons of the 'Scray", sung to the same tune but with different lyrics.

The club song for the Men's team is called "Sons of the west"<br />
:''Sons of the west,''
:''Red'', ''white'' ''and blue,''
:''We come out snarling,''
:''Bulldogs through and through,''
:''Bulldogs bite and Bulldogs roar,''
:''We give our very best,''
:''But you can't beat the boys of the Bulldog breed,''
:''We're the team of the mighty West!''<ref name="Club Song">[http://www.westernbulldogs.com.au/fanzone/clubsong Club Song]</ref>

The club song for the Women's team is called "Daughters of the west"<br />
:''Daughters of the west,''
:''Red'', ''white'' ''and blue,''
:''We come out snarling,''
:''Bulldogs through and through,''
:''Bulldogs bite and Bulldogs roar,''
:''We give our very best,''
:''But you can't beat the girls of the Bulldog breed,''
:''We're the team of the mighty West!''<ref name="Club Song"/>

===Grounds===
{{Multiple image
 | align     = right
 | direction = vertical
 | width     = 220
 | image1    = E.J. Whitten Stand.jpg
 | caption1  = The E. J. Whitten Stand at Whitten Oval (demolished 2022), the club's training base and administrative headquarters
 | image2    = Etihad Stadium crop.jpg
 | caption2  = The Western Bulldogs play their home games at [[Docklands Stadium]] (here pictured in 2009), located in Melbourne's [[Docklands, Victoria|Docklands]] area
}}
The club played its home matches at the Western Oval, located in the inner-western Melbourne suburb of Footscray, from 1884 until 1997 (except for a brief period at nearby [[Yarraville Oval]], from 1941 to 1943). Home to the club's training facilities and administrative headquarters, the oval, nicknamed "The Kennel", was officially renamed Whitten Oval in 1995 in honour of club legend Ted Whitten, who died earlier that year. It underwent a [[Australian dollar|A$]]20&nbsp;million redevelopment in 2005.<ref>{{cite web | work=ABC News | title=Youth to benefit in Whitten Oval redevelopment | date=23 September 2004 | url=http://www.abc.net.au/news/2004-09-23/youth-to-benefit-in-whitten-oval-redevelopment/556778}}</ref>

Melbourne's [[Princes Park (stadium)|Princes Park]] became the Western Bulldogs' primary home ground from 1997 until 1999. Since 2000, the club has been based at [[Docklands Stadium]] (currently known as Marvel Stadium), and as of 2017, two home games will be played each season at [[Eureka Stadium]] (known as Mars Stadium for sponsorship reasons) in [[Ballarat]].<ref>{{cite web |title=Why Ballarat? |url=https://www.westernbulldogs.com.au/ballarat/why-ballarat |website=Western Bulldogs |access-date=11 September 2022}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=Mars Stadium |url=https://www.westernbulldogs.com.au/about-us/venues/mars-stadium |website=Western Bulldogs |access-date=11 September 2022}}</ref>

===Guernsey===
*The home [[Guernsey (Australian rules football)|guernsey]] is primarily royal blue with a red and white hoop. The player numbers are white, and located high upon the back. Although the team officially trades under the name "Western Bulldogs", the initials "F.F.C." for Footscray Football Club, which still remains the club's official name, are placed on the front of the jumper beneath the sponsor's logo in small blue capital letters.
*The clash jumper is primarily white, with a red and blue hoop around the chest area. The player's number is blue, and located high upon the back.

=== Uniform evolution ===
Below are some significant uniforms in the history of the Western Bulldogs. Most are generalisations and saw minor changes over the period of their use.

'''Pre-VFL'''
{|
|{{Australian rules football kit box
|pattern_b= _thinwhitehoops
|pattern_so= _5_hoops_white
|body= 333399
|shorts= 002D62
|socks= 333399
|title= 1877–85
}}
|{{Australian rules football kit box
|pattern_b= _red_white_hoops
|pattern_so= _redwhite_thin
|body= 333399
|shorts= 002D62
|socks= 333399
|title= 1886}}
|{{Australian rules football kit box
|pattern_b= _redwhite_hoop
|pattern_so= 
|body= 333399
|shorts= ffffff
|socks= 333399
|title= 1901–24}}
|}

'''VFL/AFL'''
{|
|{{Australian rules football kit box
|pattern_b= _bulldogs_classic_correct
|pattern_so= _redwhite_hoop
|body= 333399
|shorts= 000099
|socks= 000099
|title= 1925–34
}}
|{{Australian rules football kit box
|pattern_b= _redblue_stripes
|pattern_so= _hoops_red_white
|body= FFFFFF
|shorts= 1E1E1E
|socks= 000099
|title= 1935–35
}}
|{{Australian rules football kit box
|pattern_b= _bulldogs_classic_correct
|pattern_so= _redwhite_hoop
|body= 333399
|shorts= 000099
|socks= 000099
|title= 1936–74
}}
|{{Australian rules football kit box
|pattern_b= _redband_whiteborder
|pattern_so= _bulldogs_70s
|body= 333399
|shorts= ff0000
|socks= 333399
|title= 1975–79
}}
|{{Australian rules football kit box
|pattern_b= _redband_whiteborder
|pattern_so= 
|body= 333399
|shorts= 333399
|socks= 333399
|title= 1980–96}}
|{{Australian rules football kit box
|pattern_b= _bulldog
|pattern_so= _2_white_stripes_1_red_stripe
|body= 333399
|shorts= 333399
|socks= 333399
|title= 1997–2011}}
|{{Australian rules football kit box
|pattern_b= _redwhite_hoop
|pattern_so= _redwhite_hoop
|body= 333399
|shorts= 333399
|socks= 333399
|title= 2012–}}
|}

===Banners===
In 2014, the Bulldogs accepted an offer from comedian and supporter Danny McGinlay to write the messages that appear on the club's [[banner (Australian rules football)|banners]]. While AFL clubs traditionally use banners to celebrate milestones or to write motivational messages, McGinlay's "amusing pieces of throwaway banter" at the expense of opposing clubs have acquired cult status in the game, and occasionally proved controversial.<ref>Sharwood, Anthony (26 August 2014). [http://www.news.com.au/sport/afl/ok-everybody-we-admit-we-were-wrong-and-didnt-get-the-bulldogs-banner-joke-happy-now/news-story/870392f878d8674730de50bd866122bd "OK everybody, we admit we were wrong and didn't get the Bulldogs banner joke. Happy now?"], news.com.au. Retrieved 2 October 2016.</ref><ref>Tyeson, Cam (28 September 2016). [https://www.pedestrian.tv/news/sport/the-western-bulldogs-have-been-spitting-hot-fire-o/9638fb71-5283-4ddc-9d5b-12d1f63cf630.htm "The Western Bulldogs Have Been Spitting Hot Fire On Their Banners All Year"], ''Pedestrian TV''. Retrieved 2 October 2016.</ref>
[[File:House painted in Western Bulldogs team colours, Melbourne.jpg|thumb|House painted in Western Bulldogs colours in Melbourne's western suburbs]]

===In popular culture===
[[William Ellis Green]] ("WEG"), cartoonist for ''[[The Herald (Melbourne)|The Herald]]'', began a VFL/AFL Grand Final tradition in 1954 after drawing a full-page caricature of the Western Bulldogs mascot. It is the most valuable and sought-after of WEG's Grand Final posters.

[[Martin Flanagan (journalist)|Martin Flanagan]]'s 1994 book ''Southern Sky, Western Oval''<ref name="National Library of Australia – Trove – Southern Sky, Western Oval / Martin Flanagan">{{cite web|url=https://trove.nla.gov.au/work/11361183?q&versionId=13323931|title=Southern Sky, Western Oval / Martin Flanagan|work=[[Trove]]: National Library of Australia|access-date=23 May 2018}}</ref> reflects on the Western Bulldogs' fight for survival when it faced a merger with [[Fitzroy Football Club|Fitzroy]] in the late 1980s. The award-winning documentary ''[[Year of the Dogs]]'' gives an inside look at the Western Bulldogs over the course of the [[1996 AFL season]].

Footscray Bulldogs merchandise is seen to be worn in 1992 film [[Romper Stomper]] by the main character 'Hando'.  The film revolves around the exploits and downfall of a violent skinhead gang based in Footscray.

In season 1 [[Degrassi Junior High]] episode 'It's Late!' character 'Wheels' is seen wearing a 1980s Footscray Bulldogs VFL long-sleeve jumper.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.smh.com.au/entertainment/tv-and-radio/degrassi-stars-death-a-fiveyear-secret-20120217-1te8u.html|title=Degrassi star's death a five-year secret|last=Cooper|first=Mex|date=2012-02-17|website=The Sydney Morning Herald|access-date=2019-10-28}}</ref>

==Membership and attendance==
[[File:Western Bulldogs cheer squad.1.jpg|thumb|Western Bulldogs cheer squad]]
Compared to other Victorian AFL clubs, the Western Bulldogs have had historically low membership numbers. However, the club broke its membership record in 2006 and continued to sustain these figures before another significant increase in 2010. In 2015, the club reached 35,000 members for the first time, and ended the season with an official tally of 36,213.<ref name="MemRecord">{{cite web|url=http://www.westernbulldogs.com.au/news/2016-05-18/dogs-break-membership-record-sights-set-on-40k|date=18 May 2016|publisher=westernbulldogs.com.au|title=Dogs break membership record, sights set on 40K}}</ref> In 2016, the Bulldogs equalled the club's previous year's tally by mid-May,<ref name="MemRecord"/> and again reached record-breaking membership numbers by July, with 39,459 fans having signed up.<ref name="AFLMem">{{cite web|publisher=AFL.com.au|title=The membership ladder: Hawks overtake Pies, Dons slide|date=25 August 2016|first=Nick|last=Bowen|url=http://www.afl.com.au/news/2016-08-25/hawks-overtake-pies-to-top-membership-ladder}}</ref> It was also the second successive year in which the club had recorded double-digit percentage growth in membership.<ref name="AFLMem"/><ref name="DogsMem">{{cite web|title=Double digit membership growth for Dogs|url=http://www.westernbulldogs.com.au/news/2015-08-26/double-digit-member-growth-for-dogs|publisher=westernbulldogs.com.au|date=26 August 2015}}</ref>

{| class="wikitable"
|- style="background:#bdb76b;"
! Year !! Members<ref>Lovett, 2015</ref>
|- align=right
|1984||6,491
| -||7th||18,789|| –
|- align=right
|1985||8,030
|{{increase}} 1,539||'''2nd'''||21,624
|{{increase}} 2,835
|- align=right
|1986||8,433
|{{increase}} 403||8th||22,036
|{{increase}} 412
|- align=right
|1987||3,452
|{{decrease}} 4,981||7th||16,886
|{{decrease}} 5,150
|- align=right
|1988||5,351
|{{increase}} 1,899||8th||15,910
|{{decrease}} 976
|- align=right
|1989||5,168
|{{decrease}} 183||8th||22,036
|{{increase}} 6,126
|- align=right
|1990||10,983
|{{increase}} 5,815||7th||22,290
||{{increase}} 254
|- align=right
|1991||9,598
|{{decrease}} 1,385||10th||17,457
|{{decrease}} 4,833
|- align=right
|1992||9,391
|{{decrease}} 207||'''2nd'''||20,909
|{{increase}} 3,452
|- align=right
|1993||11,478
|{{increase}} 2,087||9th||21,085
|{{increase}} 176
|- align=right
|1994||9,339
|{{decrease}} 2,139||5th||20,578
|{{decrease}} 507
|- align=right
|1995||12,212
|{{increase}} 2,873||7th||21,989
|{{increase}} 1,411
|- align=right
|1996||10,650
|{{decrease}} 1,562||15th||18,072
|{{decrease}} 3,917
|- align=right
|1997||15,054
|{{increase}} 4,404||3rd||19,334
|{{increase}} 1,262
|- align=right
|1998||20,064
|{{increase}} 5,010||'''2nd'''||23,832
|{{increase}} 4,498
|- align=right
|1999||20,491
|{{increase}} 427||4th||24,023
|{{increase}} 191
|- align=right
|2000||18,056
|{{decrease}} 2,435||7th||30,572
|{{increase}} 6,549
|- align=right
|2001||19,085
|{{increase}} 1,029||10th||29,660
|{{decrease}} 912
|- align=right
|2002||20,838
|{{increase}} 1,753||12th||25,518
|{{decrease}} 4,142
|- align=right
|2003||21,260
|{{increase}} 422||16th||25,038
|{{decrease}} 480
|- align=right
|2004||19,295
|{{decrease}} 1,965||14th||26,097
|{{increase}} 1,059
|- align=right
|2005||21,975
|{{increase}} 2,680||9th||28,320
|{{increase}} 2,223
|- align=right
|2006||26,042
|{{increase}} 4,067||8th||'''33,253'''
|{{increase}} 4,933
|- align=right
|2007||28,725
|{{increase}} 2,683||13th||28,777
|{{decrease}} 4,476
|- align=right
|2008||28,306
|{{decrease}} 419||3rd||30,275
|{{increase}} 1,498
|- align=right
|2009||28,590
|{{increase}} 284||3rd||32,877
|{{increase}} 2,602
|- align=right
|2010||34,842
|{{increase}} 6,252||4th||30,447
|{{decrease}} 2,430
|- align=right
|2011||32,125
|{{decrease}} 2,717||10th||26,294
|{{decrease}} 4,153
|- align=right
|2012||30,007
|{{decrease}} 2,118||15th||23,317
|{{decrease}} 2,977
|- align=right
|2013||30,204
|{{increase}} 197||15th||22,132
|{{decrease}} 1,185
|- align=right
|2014||31,725
|{{increase}} 1,521||14th||22,265
|{{increase}} 133
|- align=right
|2015||35,991
|{{increase}} 4,266||6th||23,478
|{{increase}} 1,213
|- align=right
|2016||39,459
|{{increase}} 3,468||7th||30,699
|{{increase}} 7,221
|- align=right
|2017||47,653
|{{increase}} 8,194 ||10th ||31,473
|{{increase}} 774
|- align=right
|2018||43,246
|{{decrease}} 4,407 ||13th ||25,372
|{{decrease}} 6,101
|- align=right
|2019||44,373
|{{increase}} 1,127 ||7th||26,747
|{{increase}} 1,375
|- align=right
|2020||38,876
|{{decrease}} 5,497 ||7th||3,894
|{{decrease}} 22,853
|- align=right
|- align=right
|2021||46,541
|{{increase}} 7,665 ||5th||31,981
|{{increase}} 28,087
|- align=right
|2022||50,941
|{{increase}} 4,400 ||8th||28,600
|{{decrease}} 3,381
|- align=right
|2023||56,302
|{{increase}} 5,361 ||9th||30,412
|{{increase}} 1,812
|- align=right
|2024||'''62,109'''
|{{increase}} 5,807 ||6th||31,662
|{{increase}} 1,250
|- align=right
|}

==Playing lists==

===Current squad===
{{Western Bulldogs current squad}}

== Corporate ==
{| class="wikitable mw-collapsible" align="right"
! colspan="4" |Guernsey sponsors
|-
!Period
!Front sponsor
!Back sponsor
!Above Number
|-
!1978–81
| Pyrox
! rowspan="4" |
! rowspan="10" |
|-
!1982
|KB
|-
!1983–86
|Eastcoast 
|-
!1987
|Hunters 
|-
!1990–97
! colspan="2" | [[Imperial Chemical Industries|ICI Dulux]] ''(back sponsor from 1994 onwards)''<ref>{{Cite web | url=http://www.footyjumpers.com/1994Fsc.htm | title=1994 Western Bulldogs Games }}</ref>
|-
!1998
|[[Orica]]
| [[Dulux]]<ref>{{Cite AV media |url=http://www.footyjumpers.com/images/Footscray-Uniform1998Back.png |title=Footscray-Uniform1998Back.png |type=Image}}</ref>
|-
!1999–2001
! colspan="2" | [[Vodafone]]
|-
!2002–2008
! colspan="2" | [[Leaseplan]]
|-
!2009–2017
! rowspan="4" |[[Mission Foods]]
![[Mission Foods]]
|-
!2018–2020
![[Mercedes-Benz|Mercedes Benz]]
|-
!2021–2023
! rowspan="2" |Coinspot
![[Pedigree Petfoods|Pedigree]]
|-
!2024–present
!Allied Express <ref>{{Cite web | url= https://www.westernbulldogs.com.au/news/1492973/bulldogs-welcome-allied-express-as-official-partner | title=Bulldogs welcome Allied Express as official partner| date=21 February 2024}}</ref>
|}

=== Administrative positions ===

* President: Kylie Watson-Wheeler <ref name=Board>{{cite web |title=Club Board|url=https://www.westernbulldogs.com.au/about-us/board |publisher=Western Bulldogs |access-date=19 September 2021 }}</ref>
* Chief executive: [[Ameet Bains]]<ref name=Board/>
* Football operations:
* Board members:
** [[Luke Darcy]]<ref name=Board/>
** Belinda Duarte<ref name=Board/>
** Mark Evans<ref name=Board/>
** Lisa Fitzpatrick<ref name=Board/>
** Fiona McGauchie<ref name=Board/>
** Chris Nolan<ref name=Board/>
** Jerril Rechter AM<ref name=Board/>
** Levent Shevki<ref name=Board/>

=== Sponsors ===

''' Current major sponsors '''
* [[Mission Foods]] (major)<ref name=Sponsor>{{cite web |title=Commercial Partners |url=https://www.westernbulldogs.com.au/commercial-partners |publisher=Western Bulldogs |access-date=19 September 2021 }}</ref>
*[https://www.coinspot.com.au/wbpartnership CoinSpot] (principal)<ref name=Sponsor/>

''' Premier Partners '''
* [[ASICS]]<ref name=Sponsor/>
* [[City of Ballarat]]<ref name=Sponsor/>
* [[Victoria State Government]]<ref name=Sponsor/>
* [[Pedigree Petfoods]]<ref name=Sponsor/>
* [[Victoria University, Melbourne|Victoria University]]<ref name=Sponsor/>

''' Apparel sponsors '''
* [[Canterbury of New Zealand|Canterbury]] (1998)
* [[Fila (company)|FILA]] (1999–2002)
* [[Diadora]] (2005–2009)
* [[BLK (sportswear)|KooGa/BLK]] (2010–2016)
* [[ASICS]] (2017–present)<ref>{{cite web |title=ASICS on board as apparel partner |url=https://www.westernbulldogs.com.au/news/64890/asics-on-board-as-apparel-partner |publisher=Western Bulldogs |date=10 November 2016}}</ref>

== Supporters ==
Prominent people who have supported the Western Bulldogs include:
* [[Wil Anderson]], comedian<ref>{{cite web|publisher=[[Triple M]]|title=Wil Anderson Joins Triple M's Hot Breakfast|url=https://www.triplem.com.au/story/wil-anderson-joins-triple-m-s-hot-breakfast-this-monday-63547|date=23 October 2017}}</ref>
* [[Tim Cahill]], Australian professional footballer<ref>{{cite web |last1=Windley|first1=Matt |title=Tim Cahill drawing inspiration from Western Bulldogs |url=https://www.heraldsun.com.au/sport/football/a-league/teams/melbourne-city/tim-cahill-drawing-inspiration-from-western-bulldogs-as-melbourne-city-begin-aleague-finals-campaign/news-story/79d482d271c4ecc168871a0dc8a78f51 |website=Herald Sun |access-date=22 April 2017}}</ref>
* [[Shane Delia]], celebrity chef<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.deliagroup.com.au/shane-delia|publisher=Delia Group|title=Meet Shane}}</ref>
* [[Julia Gillard]], former Prime Minister <ref name="fans">{{cite web|publisher=[[Fox Footy]]|url=https://www.foxsports.com.au/afl/your-afl-clubs-most-famous-supporters-from-barack-obama-to-cam-newton/news-story/03eb54659866d587cf9c2cc4b9f3d8c5|title=Your AFL club's most famous supporters, from Barack Obama to Cam Newton|first=Riley|last=Beveridge|date=29 January 2016}}</ref>
* [[Chris Hemsworth]], actor <ref name="fans"/>
* [[Liam Hemsworth]], actor
* [[Jill Hennessy (politician)|Jill Hennessy]], state Labor politician<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.parliament.vic.gov.au/dispute-resolution/members/details/22/85|title=MINISTERS & MEMBERS SEARCH – THE HON. JILL HENNESSY (ALTONA)|publisher=[[Parliament of Victoria]]}}</ref>
* [[Michael Jakobsen]], Danish professional footballer <ref>{{cite web|title=Shane Delia |url=https://www.instagram.com/p/BKaQq85gXiN/}}</ref>
* [[Jess Jonassen]], cricketer <ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.westernbulldogs.com.au/news/732582/bred-bulldog-jess-jonassen|title=Bred Bulldog: Jess Jonassen|date=24 June 2020|first=Josh|last=Gabelich|publisher=Western Bulldogs}}</ref>
* [[Merv Hughes]], cricketer <ref name="fans"/>
* [[Danny McGinlay]], comedian and former banner writer<ref>{{Cite web |title=Western Bulldogs Banner Man Posts Hilarious List Of Rejected Banners For Tonight's Final |url=https://www.triplem.com.au/story/western-bulldogs-banner-man-posts-hilarious-list-of-rejected-banners-for-tonights-final-2735 |access-date=2023-10-16 |website=Triple M |language=en}}</ref>
* [[Scott McLaughlin (racing driver)|Scott McLaughlin]], V8 Supercars champion <ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.westernbulldogs.com.au/news/703812/bred-bulldog-scott-mclaughlin|date=10 June 2020|publisher=Western Bulldogs|title=Bred Bulldog: Scott McLaughlin|first=Josh|last=Gabelich}}</ref>
* [[Ernie Sigley]], entertainer <ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.abc.net.au/news/2021-08-16/television-entertainer-ernie-sigley-dies-aged-82/100379248|date=16 August 2021|publisher=[[ABC News (Australia)|ABC News]]|title=Television and recording star Ernie Sigley dies at the age of 82}}</ref>
* [[Thomas Sorensen]], Danish professional footballer <ref>{{cite web|title=Shane Delia |url=https://www.instagram.com/p/BKaQq85gXiN/}}</ref>
* [[Michael Rowland (news presenter)|Michael Rowland]], news presenter <ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.abc.net.au/news/2022-10-31/us-ambassador-caroline-kennedy-first-interview/101597628|date=31 October 2022|publisher=[[ABC News (Australia)|ABC News]]|title='America doesn't have a stronger, closer ally': US ambassador Caroline Kennedy on her Australian posting}}</ref>
* [[Mark Labbett]], professional English quizzer best known for his roles on the [[The Chase (British game show)|British]] and [[The Chase Australia|Australian]] versions of game show ''The Chase''<ref>{{cite tweet|title=Glad I picked the Bulldogs to be my AFL team. Nice bunch of lads and a 55 year drought ended. Go Doggies! #Bulldogs #BulldogNation|user=MarkLabbett|date=24 September 2016|number=779635009204486144}}</ref>
* [[Chas Licciardello]], comedian<ref>{{cite web|url=https://omny.fm/shows/dannyboydbulldogs/reaction-jackson-with-chas-licciardello|title=Reaction Jackson with Chas Licciardello|date=9 May 2024}}</ref>

[[Number-one ticket holder]]s include: 
* Alan Johnstone, head of Penfold Motors and former Bulldogs board member<ref>{{Cite web | url=https://www.westernbulldogs.com.au/news/81316/johnstone-named-no1-ticket-holder | title=Johnstone named no.1 ticket holder | date=19 December 2013 }}</ref>
* Julia Gillard

==Match records==
(''Correct at end of 2024 season'') 
*'''Highest score:''' 33.15 (213) v {{AFL StK}} 16.10 (106) – [[1978 VFL season#Round 13|Round 13, 1978]] at [[Western Oval]]
*'''Lowest score:''' 1.8 (14) v {{AFL Gee}} 5.13 (43) – [[1965 VFL season#Round 12|Round 12, 1965]] at Western Oval
*'''Highest losing score:''' 22.13 (145) v {{AFL Kan}} 24.12 (156) – [[2003 AFL season#Round 10|Round 10, 2003]] at [[Docklands Stadium]]
*'''Lowest winning score:''' 4.11 (35) v {{AFL Fit}} 3.16 (34), [[1976 VFL season#Round 21|Round 21, 1976]] at [[Waverley Park|VFL Park]]
*'''Greatest winning margin:''' 128 points – 25.17 (167) v {{AFL NM}} 5.9 (39) – [[2021 AFL season#Round 3|Round 3, 2021]] at Marvel Stadium
*'''Greatest losing margin:''' 146 points – 9.8 (62) v {{AFL Ess}} 32.16 (208) – [[1982 VFL season#Round 22|Round 22, 1982]] at Western Oval
*'''Record attendance (home and away game):''' 78,027 v {{AFL Col}} – [[2025 AFL season#Round 2|Round 2, 2025]] at [[MCG]]
*'''Record attendance (finals match):''' 107,935 v {{AFL Haw}} – [[1961 VFL Grand Final]]

Source:[https://afltables.com/afl/teams/bullldogs/gamer.html#21 AFL Tables]

==Honours and achievements==

===Honours===
{| class="wikitable"
|-
| colspan="4" style="background:#bdb76b;" align="center"| '''Premierships'''
|- style="background:#bdb76b;"
! style="width: 210px;" | Competition
! style="width: 145px;" | Level
!Wins
!Years Won
|-
|rowspan=3 scope="row" style="text-align: left"|'''[[Australian Football League]]'''||[[List of VFL/AFL premiers|Seniors]]||2||[[1954 VFL Grand Final|1954]], [[2016 AFL Grand Final|2016]]
|-
|[[List of VFL/AFL premiers#VFL/AFL Seconds/Reserves premierships|Reserves]] <small>(1919–1999)</small>||6||[[List of VFL/AFL premiers#VFL/AFL Seconds/Reserves premierships|1936]], [[List of VFL/AFL premiers#VFL/AFL Seconds/Reserves premierships|1945]], [[List of VFL/AFL premiers#VFL/AFL Seconds/Reserves premierships|1962]], [[List of VFL/AFL premiers#VFL/AFL Seconds/Reserves premierships|1988]], [[List of VFL/AFL premiers#VFL/AFL Seconds/Reserves premierships|1994]], [[List of VFL/AFL premiers#VFL/AFL Seconds/Reserves premierships|1998]] 
|-
|[[List of VFL/AFL premiers#VFL/AFL Thirds/Under-19s premierships|Under 19s]] <small>(1946–1991)</small>||1|||[[List of VFL/AFL premiers#VFL/AFL Thirds/Under-19s premierships|1954]]
|-
|rowspan=2 scope="row" style="text-align: left"|'''[[Victorian Football League]]'''||[[List of VFA/VFL premiers|Seniors]] <small>(1877–1924)</small>||9|||[[1898 VFA season|1898]], [[1899 VFA season|1899]], [[1900 VFA season|1900]], [[1908 VFA season|1908]], [[1913 VFA season|1913]], [[1919 VFA season|1919]], [[1920 VFA season|1920]], [[1923 VFA season|1923]], [[1924 VFA season|1924]]
|-
|[[List of VFA/VFL premiers|Reserves]] <small>(2014–present)</small>||2||[[2014 VFL season|2014]], [[2016 VFL season|2016]]
|-
|'''[[AFL Women's]]'''||[[List of AFL Women's premiers|Seniors]]||1||[[2018 AFL Women's Grand Final|2018]]
|-
| colspan="4" style="background:#bdb76b;" align="center"| '''Other titles and honours'''
|-
|'''[[VFL Night Series]]'''||Seniors||4||[[1963 Night Series Cup|1963]], [[1964 Night Series Cup|1964]], [[1967 Golden Fleece Cup|1967]], [[1970 Radiant Cup|1970]] 
|-
| colspan="4" style="background:#bdb76b;" align="center"| '''Finishing positions'''
|-
|rowspan=3 scope="row" style="text-align: left"| '''[[Australian Football League]]'''||[[List of VFL/AFL minor premiers|Minor premiership]]<br /><small>([[McClelland Trophy]])</small>||0||Nil
|-
||[[AFL Grand Final|Grand Finalist]]||2||[[1961 VFL Grand Final|1961]], [[2021 AFL Grand Final|2021]]
|-
||[[List of VFL/AFL wooden spoons|Wooden spoons]]||4||[[1959 VFL season|1959]], [[1967 VFL season|1967]], [[1982 VFL season|1982]], [[2003 AFL season|2003]]
|-
| rowspan=2 scope="row" style="text-align: left"|'''[[AFL Women's]]'''||[[List of AFL Women's minor premiers|Minor premiership]]||1||[[2018 AFL Women's season|2018]]
|-
||[[List of VFL/AFL wooden spoons|Wooden spoons]]||1|| [[2023 AFL Women's season|2023]]

|}

===Hall of Fame===
{{further|Australian Football Hall of Fame}}

The Footscray-Western Bulldogs Hall of Fame was established in 2010 to honour "those whose involvement and contribution to [the] club has been significant, memorable and worthy of celebration."<ref name="hof">{{cite web|url=https://www.westernbulldogs.com.au/news/533595/hall-of-fame|title=Hall of Fame|publisher=Western Bulldogs|date=4 December 2019}}</ref>

Players who have been retired for at least two years are eligible for induction, and while individual playing records, including club and representative games, club and individual honours and premierships are considered, candidates "must also have given outstanding and devoted service to the club".<ref name="hof"/> Officials and administrators are also eligible for induction.

The current Hall of Fame selection committee comprises: [[David Smorgon]] OAM, Darren Arthur, [[Terry Wheeler]], [[Ray Walker (Australian rules footballer)|Ray Walker]] and [[Mike Sheahan]].<ref>{{Cite web | url=https://www.westernbulldogs.com.au/history/hall-of-fame/selection-committee | title=Selection Committee &#124; Western Bulldogs }}</ref>

* Brackets with years next to members names indicate year of induction or, in the case of a Legend, year of elevation to Legend status. No year in brackets indicates that a member was an inaugural inductee
* Members with names in '''bold''' are also in the [[Australian Football Hall of Fame]]
* Members with an asterisk* next to their names are Legends in the [[Australian Football Hall of Fame]]

{| class="wikitable" 
|+ <span style="color:#000080">Footscray-Western Bulldogs Hall of Fame</span>
| style="text-align:center; background:#014896; color:white; border: solid #C70136 2px" colspan="5" | <big>'''''Legends'''''</big>
|- 
| style="width:200px"| '''[[Doug Hawkins]]''' (2014) || style="width:200px"| '''[[John Schultz (footballer, born 1938)|John Schultz]]''' (2012) || style="width:200px"| '''[[Charlie Sutton|Charles Sutton]]''' || style="width:200px"|'''[[Ted Whitten]]''' * || style="width:200px"|'''[[Chris Grant (footballer)|Chris Grant]]''' (2018)
|-
| '''[[Norman Ware]]''' (2018) || '''[[Allan Hopkins]]''' (2018)|| '''[[Arthur Olliver]]''' (2023) || '''[[Gary Dempsey (Australian footballer)|Gary Dempsey]]''' (2023)  || 
|-
| style="text-align:center; background:#014896; color:white; border: solid #C70136 2px" colspan="5" | <big>'''''Pioneers'''''</big>
|- 
| Victor A. Samson || David De Coite || Archie Clarke || William Harris || [[Norman Ford]] 
|-
| John F. Craddock || James Cuming || [[Vernon Banbury]] || [[Con McCarthy]] || Joseph Marmo 
|-
| Arthur Gregory || Jim Cassidy || Roy Cotton ||  ||  
|- 
| style="text-align:center; background:#014896; color:white; border: solid #C70136 2px" colspan="5" | <big>'''''Inductees'''''</big>
|- 
| [[Simon Beasley]] || [[George Bisset (footballer)|George Bisset]] (2012) || [[Peter Box]] (2018) || [[Jack Collins (footballer, born 1930)|Jack Collins]] ||  
|- 
| [[Wally Donald]] (2012) || [[Herb Henderson (Australian footballer)|Herb Henderson]] (2012) || [[Harry Hickey]] || [[John Jillard]] (2014) || '''[[Brad Johnson (Australian footballer)|Brad Johnson]]''' (2014)  
|- 
| [[Tony Liberatore]] || [[Alby Morrison]] ||  || '''[[Bernie Quinlan]]''' (2018) || [[Don Ross (footballer)|Don Ross]] (2018)    
|-
| [[Brian Royal]] (2012) || [[Joe Ryan (footballer)|Joe Ryan]] (2012) || [[Rohan Smith]] (2014) || [[Kelvin Templeton]] || [[Stephen Wallis]] (2018)  
|- 
| '''[[Scott West]]''' (2012) || [[Scott Wynd]] (2012) || [[Jim Gallagher (footballer)|Jim Gallagher]] (2023) || [[Robert Murphy (footballer)|Robert Murphy]] (2023) || [[Dale Morris]] (2023)
|-
|| [[Matthew Boyd (Australian footballer)|Matthew Boyd]] (2023)|| [[Luke Darcy]] (2023)
|-
| style="text-align:center; background:#014896; color:white; border: solid #C70136 2px" colspan="5" | 
<big>'''''Officials'''''</big>
|- 
| Roy Russell || Peter Gordon || [[David Smorgon]] (2018) ||   || 
|- 
|  style="text-align:center; background:#014896; color:white; border: solid #C70136 2px" colspan="5" |   <big>'''''Moments'''''</big>
|- 
|  '''Footscray's first VFL finals appearance'''
| colspan="4" | ''In [[1938 VFL season|1938]], 13 years after being admitted to the VFL, Footscray became the first of the "new" teams to qualify for a VFL finals series, and faced Collingwood in the first semi-final at the MCG on Saturday 3 September. In front of over 68,000 spectators (a record at the time), the Bulldogs acquitted themselves well against the previous year's Grand finalist, and only poor finishing in the second quarter prevented them being in front at half time. While Footscray did grab the lead briefly at the start of the second half, the experience and class of the Magpies was telling as they kicked six goals in as many minutes and eventually ran out winners by 39 points.''
|- 
|  '''[[1954 VFL Grand Final|The 1954 VFL premiership]]'''
| colspan="4" | ''During the [[1954 VFL season|1954 season]], the club started the season slowly, losing the first two matches by small margins, before an 87-point victory over [[Sydney Swans|South Melbourne]]. On the back of performances from captain-coach [[Charlie Sutton]], club legend [[Ted Whitten]] and [[Coleman Medal|Leading Goalkicker Medallist]] [[Jack Collins (footballer, born 1930)|Jack Collins]]<ref>{{cite web | url=https://afltables.com/afl/stats/1954a.html | title=AFL Tables – Player Statistics – 1954 }}</ref> The club would make finals for only the eighth time in their history,<ref name="afltables.com">{{cite web | url=https://afltables.com/afl/teams/bullldogs/season.html | title=AFL Tables – Western Bulldogs – Season Summary }}</ref> in beating [[Geelong Football Club|Geelong]] in the semi-final they would eliminate past demons, with Geelong defeating them in the previous seasons preliminary final.<ref>{{cite web | url=https://afltables.com/afl/seas/1954.html | title=AFL Tables – 1954 Season Scores }}</ref><ref>{{cite web | url=https://afltables.com/afl/seas/1953.html | title=AFL Tables – 1953 Season Scores }}</ref> This win would take them to their first Grand Final, with Melbourne joining them. A bumper crowd of 80,897 would pour into the [[Melbourne Cricket Ground|MCG]] with police having to seat crowd members on the ground itself to avoid injuries. By half time, Collins had kicked three of his eventual seven goals and pushed the Bulldogs to a 53–30 lead. By the final break, they were six goals ahead, eventually coming out 51-point winners (6.3, 8.5, 12.9, 15.12 (102)) to (1.4, 4.6, 6.7, 7.9 (51)). Rover [[John Kerr (Australian footballer)|John Kerr]] was judged best for the Bulldogs, with Collins' seven goals an incredible effort. Over 20,000 people were present at the [[Whitten Oval|Western Oval]] sparking celebrations that continued for over 10 hours after the game had finished.'' <ref>{{cite web | url=https://australianfootball.com/articles/view/the+dogs+triumph+in+1954/2169 | title=Australian Football – the dogs triumph in 1954 }}</ref>
|- 
|  '''The [[Neil Sachse]] Incident'''
| colspan="4" | ''On 12 April 1975 at the Western Oval, in only his second game for the Bulldogs, star South Australian recruit Neil Sachse was the victim of one of Australian rules football's most tragic on-field incidents. Late in the game, the North Adelaide premiership player collided with Fitzroy defender Kevin O'Keeffe in what then Bulldogs club president Dick Collinson described as a "freak accident".<ref>{{cite news|date=14 April 1975|title=A freak accident – Dogs|url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=l3sQAAAAIBAJ&sjid=PZIDAAAAIBAJ&pg=5844%2C2998018|page=22|first=Percy|last=Beames|author-link=Percy Beames|newspaper=[[The Age]]|issue=37,411}}</ref> Sachse was stretchered off and transferred to the spinal unit at the Austin Hospital, where he would spend months adjusting to life as a quadriplegic. He would later establish the Neil Sachse Foundation with the aim of finding a cure for spinal cord injury''  
|-
|  '''[[2018 AFLW Grand Final|The 2018 AFLW premiership]]'''
| colspan="4" | ''The Western Bulldogs had been among the first AFL clubs to have a women's team with [[Melbourne Football Club|Melbourne]] and the Bulldogs playing the first women's exhibition matches from 2013,<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.afl.com.au/news/70686/first-bounce-for-women | title=First bounce for women's footy at the MCG | date=24 June 2013 }}</ref> before the [[AFLW]] began formally in [[2017 AFL Women's season|2017]].<ref>{{Cite web |title=First Friday in February – AFLW audio collection |url=https://researchdata.edu.au/friday-february-aflw-audio-collection/1330488/ |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210301231230/https://researchdata.edu.au/friday-february-aflw-audio-collection/1330488/ |archive-date=2021-03-01 |access-date=2023-10-07 |website=researchdata.edu.au}}</ref> After finishing with only two wins in the 2017 season, the Bulldogs began the 2018 season losing Izzy Huntingdon and [[Daria Bannister]] to injury in the first two rounds, before inaugural captain [[Katie Brennan]] was sidelined with an ankle injury. Despite this, the Bulldogs finished the season with only two losses for the clubs first minor premiership in men's or women's football, and a berth in the Grand Final against the [[Brisbane Lions]], the previous season's runner up. Despite a goalless first half, and trailing the Lions by six points leading into the second half of the game, three goals from [[Deanna Berry]], Kristen McLeod and [[Monique Conti]] in the third quarter and a diving defensive mark by [[Naomi Ferres]] in the dying seconds sealed a six-point win for the Bulldogs and their first AFLW premiership.<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.westernbulldogs.com.au/news/1355194/2023-hall-of-fame-aflw-premiership-pups-enshrined | title=2023 Hall of Fame: AFLW premiership pups enshrined | date=10 June 2023 }}</ref>''
|}

===Team of the Century===
In May 2002, the club announced a team of the greatest players from the century of 1900 to 1999.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Team of the Century |url=https://www.westernbulldogs.com.au/history/team-of-the-century |access-date=26 Feb 2024 |website=Western Bulldogs}}</ref>

{{Aussie rules team | title = Western Bulldogs Team of the Century (1900–1999) | teamcolour = WB | align = center
| backpocket1 = [[Charlie Sutton]]
| fullback = [[Herb Henderson (Australian footballer)|Herb Henderson]]
| backpocket2 = [[John Schultz (footballer born 1938)|John Schultz]] 
| halfbackflank1 = [[Wally Donald]]
| centrehalfback = [[Ted Whitten]] ([[Captain (Australian rules football)|c]])
| halfbackflank2 = [[John Jillard]]
| wing1 = [[Harry Hickey]]
| centre = [[Allan Hopkins]]
| wing2 = [[Doug Hawkins]]
| halfforwardflank1 = [[Alby Morrison]]
| centrehalfforward = [[Kelvin Templeton]]
| halfforwardflank2 = [[Chris Grant (footballer)|Chris Grant]]
| forwardpocket1 = [[Jack Collins (footballer, born 1930)|Jack Collins]]
| fullforward = [[Simon Beasley]]
| forwardpocket2 = [[George Bisset (footballer)|George Bisset]]
| ruck = [[Gary Dempsey (Australian footballer)|Gary Dempsey]]
| ruckrover = [[Scott West]]
| rover = [[Brian Royal]] 
| interchange1 = [[Jim Gallagher (footballer)|Jim Gallagher]]
| interchange2 = [[Arthur Olliver]]
| interchange3 = [[Brad Johnson (Australian footballer)|Brad Johnson]]
| interchange4 = [[Norman Ware]]
| interchange5 = [[Tony Liberatore]]
| interchange6 = [[Scott Wynd]]
| coach = [[Charlie Sutton]]
}}

===Club records===
*Most career games: '''364''' by [[Brad Johnson (Australian footballer)|Brad Johnson]] (1994–2010)<ref>{{cite web|title=Club Records over 100 games|url=http://www.westernbulldogs.com.au/club%20records/tabid/4192/default.aspx|work=BigPond|publisher=Western Bulldogs Official Website|access-date=9 July 2012|author=Western Bulldogs|year=2011}}</ref>
*Most career goals: '''575''' by [[Simon Beasley]] (1982–1989)
*Most goals in a season: '''118''' by [[Kelvin Templeton]] (1978)<ref name="rleague1">{{cite web|title=Footscray/Western Bulldogs Leading Goalkickers|url=http://afltables.com/afl/teams/bullldogs/leadinggk.html|work=rleaguestats|publisher=rleague.com|access-date=9 July 2012}}</ref>
*Most goals in a game: '''15''' by [[Kelvin Templeton]]<ref name="rleague1"/>
*Most goals in debut game: '''9''' by [[Bill Wood (Australian footballer)|Bill Wood]]
*Most [[Charles Sutton Medal]]s won: '''7''' by [[Scott West]]

===Season summaries===
{| class="wikitable"
|- style="background:#bdb76b;font-size: 87%"
! colspan="9" | Western Bulldogs AFL honour roll
|- style="background:#bdb76b;font-size: 87%;"
! Season !! Ladder !! W–L–D !! Finals !! Coach !! Captain(s) !! [[Charles Sutton Medal]]ist !! Leading goalkicker
|-style="font-size: 87%;"
|[[2010 AFL season|2010]]
|3rd
|14–8–0 
|Preliminary Final
|[[Rodney Eade]]
|[[Brad Johnson (Australian footballer)|Brad Johnson]]
|[[Ryan Griffen]]
|[[Barry Hall]] (80)
|-
|-style="font-size: 87%;"
|[[2011 AFL season|2011]]
|10th
|9–13–0 
|Did not qualify
|[[Rodney Eade]]
|[[Matthew Boyd (Australian footballer)|Matthew Boyd]]
|[[Matthew Boyd (Australian footballer)|Matthew Boyd]] (2)
|[[Daniel Giansiracusa]] (28)
|-style="font-size: 87%;"
|[[2012 AFL season|2012]]
|15th
|5–17–0 
|Did not qualify
|[[Brendan McCartney]]
|[[Matthew Boyd (Australian footballer)|Matthew Boyd]]
|[[Matthew Boyd (Australian footballer)|Matthew Boyd]] (3)
|[[Daniel Giansiracusa]] (28)
|-
|-style="font-size: 87%;"
|[[2013 AFL season|2013]]
|15th
|8–14–0 
|Did not qualify
|[[Brendan McCartney]]
|[[Matthew Boyd (Australian footballer)|Matthew Boyd]]
|[[Ryan Griffen]] (2)
|[[Daniel Giansiracusa]] (36)
|-
|-style="font-size: 87%;"
|[[2014 AFL season|2014]]
|14th
|7–15–0 
|Did not qualify
|[[Brendan McCartney]]
|[[Ryan Griffen]]
|[[Tom Liberatore]]
|[[Stewart Crameri]] (37)
|-
|-style="font-size: 87%;"
|[[2015 AFL season|2015]]
|8th
|14–8–0 
|Elimination Final
|[[Luke Beveridge]]
|[[Robert Murphy (footballer)|Bob Murphy]]
|[[Easton Wood]]
|[[Jake Stringer]] (56)
|-
|-style="font-size: 87%;"
|'''[[2016 AFL season|2016]]'''
|7th
|15–7–0 
|bgcolor="gold" div style="text-align: center;"|{{font color|black|[[2016 AFL Grand Final|Premiers]]}}
|[[Luke Beveridge]]
|[[Robert Murphy (footballer)|Bob Murphy]]/[[Easton Wood]]
|[[Marcus Bontempelli]]
|[[Jake Stringer]] (42)
|-
|-style="font-size: 87%;"
|[[2017 AFL season|2017]]
|10th
|11–11–0 
|Did not qualify
|[[Luke Beveridge]]
|[[Robert Murphy (footballer)|Bob Murphy]]
|[[Marcus Bontempelli]] (2)
|[[Liam Picken]] (24)
|-
|-style="font-size: 87%;"
|[[2018 AFL season|2018]]
|13th
|8–14–0 
|Did not qualify
|[[Luke Beveridge]]
|[[Easton Wood]]
|[[Lachie Hunter]]
|[[Billy Gowers]] (26)
|-
|-style="font-size: 87%;"
|[[2019 AFL season|2019]]
|7th
|12–10–0 
|Elimination Final
|[[Luke Beveridge]]
|[[Easton Wood]]
|[[Marcus Bontempelli]] (3)
|[[Sam Lloyd (footballer)|Sam Lloyd]] (38)
|-
|-style="font-size: 87%;"
|[[2020 AFL season|2020]]*
|7th
|10–7–0 
|Elimination Final
|[[Luke Beveridge]]
|[[Marcus Bontempelli]]
|[[Caleb Daniel]]
|[[Mitch Wallis]] (25)
|-
|-style="font-size: 87%;"
|[[2021 AFL season|2021]]
|5th
|15–7–0 
|bgcolor="silver" div style="text-align: center;"|{{font color|black|[[2021 AFL Grand Final|Runner Up]]}}
|[[Luke Beveridge]]
|[[Marcus Bontempelli]]
|[[Marcus Bontempelli]] (4)
|[[Josh Bruce]] (48)
|-
|-style="font-size: 87%;"
|[[2022 AFL season|2022]]
|8th
|12–10–0 
|Elimination Final
|[[Luke Beveridge]]
|[[Marcus Bontempelli]]
|[[Josh Dunkley]]
|[[Aaron Naughton]] (51)
|-
|-style="font-size: 87%;"
|[[2023 AFL season|2023]]
|9th
|12-11–0 
|Did not qualify
|[[Luke Beveridge]]
|[[Marcus Bontempelli]]
|[[Marcus Bontempelli]] (5)
|[[Aaron Naughton]] (44)
|-
|-style="font-size: 87%;"
|[[2024 AFL season|2024]]
|6th
|14–9–0 
|Elimination Final
|[[Luke Beveridge]]
|[[Marcus Bontempelli]]
|[[Marcus Bontempelli]] (6)
|[[Jamarra Ugle-Hagan]] (43)
|-
|}
<small>*Shortened season.</small>
<small>Sources: [https://afltables.com/afl/teams/bullldogs/season.html AFL Tables] and [https://www.westernbulldogs.com.au/history/honour-roll Western Bulldogs]</small>

===VFL/AFL ladder positions (1925–present)===
{| class="wikitable"
|- style="background:#bdb76b;"
! Finishing Position !! Year ([[AFL finals series|Finals]] in Bold, Premierships in Italics)!!Tally<ref name="afltables.com"/>
|-
|1st||nil||'''0'''
|-
|2nd||'''''[[1954 VFL Grand Final|1954]]''''', '''1985, 1992, 1998'''||'''4'''
|-
|3rd||'''1938''', '''1953''', '''1946''', '''1997''', '''2008''', '''2009'''||'''6'''
|-
|4th||'''1942''', '''1944''', '''1948''', '''1951''', '''1956''', '''1961''', '''1999''', '''2010'''||'''8'''
|-
|5th||1931, 1945, 1955, 1962, '''1974''', '''1976''', '''1999''', '''2021'''||'''8'''
|-
|6th||1940, 1941, 1943, 1957, '''2015''', '''2024'''||'''6'''
|-
|7th||1928, 1932, 1933, 1964, 1970, 1972, 1975, 1977, 1983, 1984, 1987, 1990, '''1995''', '''2000''', '''''[[2016 AFL Grand Final|2016]]''''', '''2019''', '''2020'''||'''17'''
|-
|8th||1971, 1986, 1988, '''2006''', '''2022'''||'''5'''
|-
|9th||1929, 1934, 1947, 1949, 1963, 1973, 1979, 1993, 2005, 2023||'''10'''
|-
|10th||1926, 1927, 1936, 1937, 1950, 1952, 1960, 1965, 1966, 1968, 1980, 1991, 2001, 2011, 2017||'''15'''
|-
|11th||1925, 1930, 1935, 1939, 1958, 1969, 1978, 1981||'''8'''
|-
|12th||1959, 1967, 1982, 2002||'''4'''
|-
|13th||1989, 2007, 2018||'''3'''
|-
|14th||2004, 2014||'''2'''
|-
|15th||1996, 2012, 2013||'''3'''
|-
|16th||2003||'''1'''
|-
|17th||nil||'''0'''
|-
|18th|| nil ||'''0'''
|}
Notes: The Top 4 teams made finals until 1971, Top 5 between 1972 and 1990, Top 6 between 1991–1993 and Top 8 from 1994 onwards.<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.melbournefc.com.au/news/758299/the-evolution-of-the-vflafl-finals | title=The evolution of the VFL/AFL finals | date=30 August 2012 }}</ref>

==Individual awards==

===Brownlow Medal winners===
{{Main|Brownlow Medal}}
[[File:Allan Hopkins Footscray.jpg|thumb|upright|Allan Hopkins, the club's first Brownlow Medalist]]
[[File:Luke Darcy.jpg|thumb|upright|Leigh Matthews Trophy winner Luke Darcy]]
[[File:Marcus Bontempelli 2018.3.jpg|thumb|upright|3x Leigh Matthews Trophy winner most successful in Bulldogs History Marcus Bontempelli]]
* [[Allan Hopkins]] (1930)
* [[Norman Ware]] (1941)
* [[Peter Box]] (1956)
* [[John Schultz (footballer, born 1938)|John Schultz]] (1960)
* [[Gary Dempsey (Australian footballer)|Gary Dempsey]] (1975)
* [[Kelvin Templeton]] (1980)
* [[Brad Hardie]] (1985)
* [[Tony Liberatore]] (1990)
* [[Scott Wynd]] (1992)
* [[Adam Cooney]] (2008)
<small>Note: [[Chris Grant (footballer)|Chris Grant]] gained the most votes in 1997 but was not eligible to win the award due to suspension</small>

===Norm Smith Medal winners===
{{Main|Norm Smith Medal}}
* [[Jason Johannisen]] (2016)

===AFL Coaches Association Champion Player of The Year winners===
{{Main|AFL Coaches Association awards}}
* [[Marcus Bontempelli]] (2019)

===Leigh Matthews Trophy winners===
{{Main|Leigh Matthews Trophy}}
* [[Luke Darcy]] (2002, with [[Michael Voss]])
* [[Marcus Bontempelli]] (2021, 2023, 2024)

===Coleman Medal winners===
{{Main|Coleman Medal}}
*[[Jack Collins (footballer, born 1930)|Jack Collins]] (1954, 1957)
*[[Kelvin Templeton]] (1978, 1979)
*[[Simon Beasley]] (1985)

===All-Australians===
{{Main|All-Australian}}

Leading All-Australians
*[[Marcus Bontempelli]] 6x (2016, 2019, 2020, 2021(v.c), 2023(v.c), 2024(c))
*[[Brad Johnson (Australian footballer)|Brad Johnson]]  6x (1999, 2000, 2002, 2005, 2006(c), 2007)

Players Achieved All-Australian While playing for the Bulldogs:
*[[Ted Whitten]] (1958, 1961)
*[[John Schultz (footballer, born 1938)|John Schultz]] (1961)
*[[Ian Bryant (footballer)|Ian Bryant]] (1966)
*[[David Thorpe (footballer)|David Thorpe]] (1972)
*[[Gary Dempsey (Australian footballer)|Gary Dempsey]] (1972)
*[[Brian Royal]] (1981)
*[[Brad Hardie]] (1981)
*[[Michael McLean (footballer)|Michael McLean]] (1988)
*[[Tony McGuinness (footballer)|Tony McGuinness]] (1988)
*[[Scott Wynd]] (1992)
*[[Chris Grant (footballer)|Chris Grant]] (1997, 1998, 1999)
*[[Rohan Smith]] (1997, 2003)
*[[Paul Hudson]] (1998)
*[[Scott West]] (1998, 2000, 2004, 2005, 2006)
*[[Brad Johnson (Australian footballer)|Brad Johnson]] (1999, 2000, 2002, 2005, 2006(c), 2007)
*[[Nathan Brown (Australian footballer, born 1978)|Nathan Brown]] (2001, 2002)
*[[Luke Darcy]] (2002)
*[[Dale Morris]] (2008)
*[[Adam Cooney]] (2008)
*[[Matthew Boyd (Australian footballer)|Matthew Boyd]] (2009, 2011, 2016)
*[[Brian Lake]] (2009, 2010)
*[[Barry Hall]] (2010)
*[[Robert Murphy (footballer)|Robert Murphy]] (2011, 2015(c))
*[[Will Minson]] (2013)
*[[Ryan Griffen]] (2013)
*[[Easton Wood]] (2015)
*[[Jake Stringer]] (2015)
*[[Marcus Bontempelli]] (2016, 2019, 2020, 2021(v.c), 2023(v.c), 2024(c))
*[[Jack Macrae]] (2019, 2020, 2021)
*[[Caleb Daniel]] (2020)
*[[Bailey Dale]] (2021)
*[[Tim English]] (2023)
*[[Adam Treloar]] (2024)

Coaches:
*[[Terry Wheeler]] (1992)
*[[Terry Wallace]] (1998)
*[[Luke Beveridge]] (2016)

===Club awards===
{{Main|Charles Sutton Medal}}
The Charles Sutton Medal is awarded annually to the Bulldogs player adjudged [[best and fairest]] by the coaches over an entire AFL season, including finals. 
Other club awards include the:
* Doug Hawkins Medal (awarded to the runner-up in the best and fairest count)<ref name="B&F">{{cite web|url=http://www.westernbulldogs.com.au/news/2016-10-05/sutton-medal-winner|title=Bontempelli caps stunning season with Sutton Medal|date=5 October 2016|publisher=westernbulldogs.com.au}}</ref>
* Gary Dempsey Medal (awarded to third place in the best and fairest count)<ref name="B&F"/>
* Scott West Most Courageous Player<ref name="B&F"/>
* Chris Grant Best First Year Player<ref name="B&F"/>
* Brad Johnson Best Team Player<ref name="B&F"/>
* Tony Liberatore Most Improved Player<ref name="B&F"/>
* John Schultz Community Award<ref name="B&F"/>
* Victoria University Education Award<ref name="B&F"/>
* John Van Groningen Domestique Award<ref name="B&F"/> – Established in 2013,<ref>{{cite web|url=https://old.sportschaplaincy.com.au/premiers-bulldogs-celebrate-morris-in-honour-of-chaplain-jvg/|title=Premiers Bulldog's Celebrate Morris in Honour of Chaplain John Van Groningen|date=6 October 2016}}</ref> this award is voted on by the players and named after the former club chaplain who died suddenly from cancer in 2012 at the age of 52.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://tributes.theage.com.au/obituaries/112855/john-van-groningen/|publisher=[[The Age]]|title=John Van Groningen Death Notice}}</ref> The term "[[domestique]]" is taken from the role of a rider in the [[Tour de France]] whose job is to support the team and the leader, thus the award is given to the footballer who best plays a sacrificial role for the team.
* Footscray Best and Fairest (awarded to the fairest and best player in the VFL competition)<ref name="B&F"/>
* Bulldogs Taskforce VFL Coaches Award<ref name="B&F"/>
* Best in Finals – only awarded in years when Bulldogs play in the finals<ref name="B&F"/>

==Reserves team==
{{Infobox australian football club
  |color1 = #20539d
  |color2 = white
  |color3 = solid #bd002b
  | clubname          = Footscray Bulldogs
  | image             = 
  | image_size = 120px
  | formernames          = 
  | fullname          = {{nowrap|Footscray Football Club Limited}}<ref name="abn"/>
| season    = [[2023 VFL season|<span style="color:white">2023</span>]]
| home&away  = 2nd
  | afterfinals  = 3rd
  | topgoalkicker  = [[Dominic Bedendo]] (24 Goals)
  | bestandfairest    = 
  | bestandfairestname = Charles Sutton Medal 
  | founded           = 1925, re-established in 2014 (as a reserves side)
  | league            = [[Victorian Football League]]
  | president         = 
  | CEO               = 
  | coach             = Stewart Edge
  | captain           = Joshua Chatfield
  | ground            = [[Whitten Oval]] (12,000)
  | ground2           = 
  | capacity          = 
  | trainingground    = 
  | premierships      = '''VFL/AFL reserves''' (9){{hlist|[[List of VFL/AFL reserves premiers|1936]]|[[List of VFL/AFL reserves premiers|1945]]|[[List of VFL/AFL reserves premiers|1962]]|[[List of VFL/AFL reserves premiers|1988]]|[[List of VFL/AFL reserves premiers|1994]]|[[List of VFL/AFL reserves premiers|1998]]}} '''VFL''' (2) {{hlist|[[2014 VFL season|2014]]|[[2016 VFL season|2016]]}}
| kit_alt1        = 
| pattern_b1      = _redwhite_hoop
| pattern_sh1     = _redsides
| pattern_so1     = _redwhite_hoop
| body1           = 333399
| shorts1         = 333399
| socks1          = 333399
| pattern_name1   = <!--optional, default: Home -->
| pattern_name3   = Clash
| jumper            = 
}}
The '''Footscray Bulldogs''' are the [[reserves team]] of the club, competing in the [[Victorian Football League]].

===History===
In 1925, the year Footscray was admitted to the VFL, the club's reserves team began competing in the [[AFL reserves|VFL reserves grade competition]]. The team won six [[List of VFL/AFL reserves premiers|premierships]] between 1936 and 1998, and were runners-up five times between 1938 and 1986.

Following the demise of [[AFL reserves]] competition at the end of the 1999 season, the reserves team was dissolved and a [[Australian Football League reserves affiliations|joint reserves affiliation]] was established with the [[Victorian Football League]]'s two western clubs − [[Werribee Football Club|Werribee]] and [[Williamstown Football Club|Williamstown]] − for the [[2000 VFL season]]. From 2001 to 2007, the Bulldogs were solely aligned with Werribee, and from 2008 until 2013, solely aligned with Williamstown.

After a fourteen-year recess, the club re-established a stand-alone reserves team to compete in the [[Victorian Football League]] from 2014 onward.<ref>[http://www.westernbulldogs.com.au/news/2013-10-14/dogs-name-footscray-vfl-coach Western Bulldogs VFL team]</ref> The new reserves team was formally named the Footscray Bulldogs, reflecting the club's original name prior to the decision to trade as the Western Bulldogs in the AFL from 1997. They play home games at [[Whitten Oval]].<ref>[http://www.westernbulldogs.com.au/news/2013-08-16/footscray-bulldogs-to-play-at-victoria-university-whitten-oval- Footscray Bulldogs to play at Victoria University Whitten Oval]</ref>

In its inaugural year, Footscray claimed the [[List of VFA/VFL premiers|VFL premiership]], defeating the [[Box Hill Hawks]] by 22 points in front of 23,816 at [[Docklands Stadium]].<ref>{{cite web|title=Footscray comes from three goals down to claim VFL premiership by 22 points over Box Hill|url=http://www.heraldsun.com.au/sport/afl/footscray-comes-from-three-goals-down-claim-vfl-premiership-by-22-points-over-box-hill/story-fni5fazt-1227065722018|publisher=Herald Sun|date=21 September 2014|author=Staff}}</ref> Their second premiership came in [[2016 VFL season|2016]], defeating {{VFL Cas}} by 31 points.

Footscray claimed the minor premiership in the [[COVID-19 pandemic in Victoria|COVID-19 pandemic]]-affected [[2021 VFL season|2021 season]].

===Individual records (VFL)===
*'''Most games''': [[Will Hayes (Australian footballer)|Will Hayes]] − 96 (2014–2021)<ref name="records">{{cite web |title=FOOTSCRAY |url=https://australianfootball.com/Clubs/stats/Footscray/2550/2024 |publisher=Australian Football}}</ref>
*'''Most goals''': [[Jack Redpath]] − 73 (2014–2017)<ref name="records"/>

==Women's teams==
[[File:Western Bulldogs 04.03.17.jpg|thumb|The team is led through the banner by vice-captain [[Ellie Blackburn]] in round 5, 2017]]

In June 2013, the Western Bulldogs fielded a [[women's Australian rules football|women's football]] side against {{AFLW|Mel}} in the first AFL-sanctioned women's exhibition match, held at the MCG. The two teams competed annually over the next three years for the Hampson-Hardeman Cup.<ref>{{cite news|last1=Twomey|first1=Callum|title=First bounce for women's footy at the MCG|url=http://www.afl.com.au/news/2013-06-24/first-bounce-for-women|access-date=16 October 2016|publisher=AFL.com.au|date=16 October 2016}}</ref> In 2016, when the AFL announced plans for [[AFL Women's]], an eight team national women's league competition, the Bulldogs were asked to submit an application for a license alongside other AFL clubs.<ref name=NWL>{{cite news|title=Women's team can be next generation heroes: Stevenson|url=http://www.westernbulldogs.com.au/news/2016-05-02/womens-team-can-be-next-generation-heroes-stevenson|access-date=16 October 2016|work=Western Bulldogs|publisher=Bigpond|date=2 May 2016}}</ref> The club was one of four Melbourne-based clubs to be granted a license that year.<ref>{{cite news|title=Bulldogs awarded inaugural license in National Women's League|url=http://www.westernbulldogs.com.au/news/2016-06-15/bulldogs-receive-womens-team-license|access-date=16 October 2016|work=Western Bulldogs|publisher=Bigpond|date=15 June 2016}}</ref>

The club's first players were marquee signings [[Katie Brennan]] and [[Ellie Blackburn]].<ref>{{cite news|title=Brennan, Blackburn revealed as Bulldogs women's team marquee players|url=http://www.westernbulldogs.com.au/news/2016-07-27/brennan-blackburn-revealed-as-dogs-marquees|access-date=16 October 2016|work=Western Bulldogs|publisher=Bigpond|date=27 July 2016}}</ref> They were joined in August by priority player [[Emma Kearney (sportswoman)|Emma Kearney]] who had previously worked in an off-field role at the club.<ref>{{cite news|title=Kearney chosen as Dogs' priority player|url=http://www.westernbulldogs.com.au/news/2016-08-25/kearney-chosen-as-dogs-priority-player|access-date=16 October 2016|work=Western Bulldogs|publisher=Bigpond|date=25 August 2016}}</ref> In October, the club completed its inaugural playing list by adding 22 other senior listed and two rookie players in [[2016 AFL Women's draft|the league's draft and signing period]]. Former Monash Blues ([[Victorian Amateur Football Association|VAFA]]) coach [[Paul Groves (Australian coach)|Paul Groves]] was named as the team's first head coach and football manager in August 2016.<ref>{{cite news|last1=Schmook|first1=Nathan|title=Paul Groves appointed women's head coach|url=http://www.westernbulldogs.com.au/news/2016-08-23/groves-appointed-womens-head-coach|access-date=16 October 2016|publisher=AFL.com.au|date=23 August 2016}}</ref> The following month, the club signed three-year sponsorship agreements with [[Priceline (Australia)|Priceline]], [[Bob Jane T-Marts]] and [[Pancake Parlour]].<ref>{{cite news|title=Iconic brands named Women's Team partners|url=http://www.westernbulldogs.com.au/news/2016-09-03/iconic-brands-named-womens-team-partners|access-date=16 October 2016|work=Western Bulldogs|publisher=Bigpond|date=3 September 2016}}</ref>

The team's training base and administrative headquarters are located alongside the men's team at the Whitten Oval, and as part of the initial application, it plans to play home games at Whitten Oval, [[Eureka Stadium]] and Docklands Stadium.<ref name=NWL/> The club has also fielded a team in the second-tier [[VFL Women's]] league since 2016, the league's inaugural year.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://vfl.com.au/clubs/vfl-womens-clubs/western-bulldogs/|title=Western Bulldogs|work=VFL.com.au}}</ref>

In 2018, the Western Bulldogs and [[Carlton Football Club|Carlton]] women's teams held the first Pride game in the AFLW, to celebrate [[gender diversity]], promote inclusion for [[LGBTIQA+]] players, and to help stamp out [[homophobia]]. After being joined by other clubs, in 2020, the first full [[Pride Round (AFLW)|AFLW Pride Round]] was held in 2021, supported by all 18 clubs in the league.<ref>{{cite web | title=History of AFLW Pride | website=Western Bulldogs | date=18 January 2022 | url=https://www.westernbulldogs.com.au/news/1048534/history-of-aflw-pride | access-date=8 March 2024}}</ref><ref>{{cite web | title=AFL welcomes first AFLW Pride Round | website=AFL NSW / ACT | date=4 February 2021 | url=https://aflnswact.com.au/afl-welcomes-first-aflw-pride-round/ | access-date=8 March 2024}}</ref><ref>{{cite web | last=Bourke | first=Ed | title=AFL challenged to embrace own pride round | website=The Australian | date=3 November 2023 | url=https://www.theaustralian.com.au/breaking-news/aflw-players-hope-afl-can-deliver-own-pride-round-message/news-story/49aaf0625f5c116a4fc15fb92eb20242?nk=7e343132852968b095eea73770a437a7-1709857685 | access-date=8 March 2024}}</ref>

{| style="margin-right:4px; margin-top:8px; float:right; border:1px #000 solid; border-radius:8px; background:#fff; font-family:Verdana; font-size:8pt; text-align:center;"
|-
| width=200 | [[2018 AFL Women's Grand Final]]||''G'' || ''B'' || ''Total''
|-
| style="text-align:left" | '''Western Bulldogs''' || '''4''' || '''3''' || '''27'''
|-
| style="text-align:left" | {{AFLW|Bri}} || 3 || 3 || 21
|-
| Venue: [[Princes Park (stadium)|Ikon Park]]
| colspan=3 | crowd: 7,083
| colspan=3 |
|}

===Current squad===
{{Western Bulldogs AFL Women's current squad}}

===Season summaries===
'''AFL Women's'''
{| class="wikitable"
|- style="background:#bdb76b;font-size: 87%"
! colspan="9" | Western Bulldogs AFLW honour roll
|- style="background:#bdb76b;font-size: 87%;"
! Season !! Ladder !! W–L–D !! Finals !! Coach !! Captain(s) !! Best and fairest !! Leading goalkicker
|-style="font-size: 87%;"
|[[2017 AFL Women's season|2017]]
|6th 
|2–5–0 
|Did not qualify 
|[[Paul Groves (Australian coach)|Paul Groves]]
|[[Katie Brennan]]
|[[Ellie Blackburn]] & [[Emma Kearney (sportswoman)|Emma Kearney]]
|[[Ellie Blackburn]] (6)
|-
|-style="font-size: 87%;"
|'''[[2018 AFL Women's season|2018]]'''
|1st 
|5–2–0
|bgcolor="gold" div style="text-align: center;"|{{font color|black|'''[[2018 AFL Women's Grand Final|Premiers]]'''}} 
|[[Paul Groves (Australian coach)|Paul Groves]]
|[[Katie Brennan]]
|[[Emma Kearney (sportswoman)|Emma Kearney]] (2)
|[[Brooke Lochland]] (12)
|-
|-style="font-size: 87%;"
|[[2019 AFL Women's season|2019]]
|7th ^
|2–5–0 
|Did not qualify  
|[[Paul Groves (Australian coach)|Paul Groves]]
|[[Katie Brennan]] & [[Ellie Blackburn]]
|[[Monique Conti]]
|[[Katie Brennan]] (6)
|-style="font-size: 87%;"
|[[2020 AFL Women's season|2020]]
|12th ^
|1–5–0 
|Did not qualify 
|[[Nathan Burke]]
|[[Ellie Blackburn]]
|[[Isabel Huntington]]
|[[Kirsten McLeod]] (5)
|-style="font-size: 87%;"
|[[2021 AFL Women's season|2021]]
|8th
|5–4–0
|Did not qualify 
|[[Nathan Burke]]
|[[Ellie Blackburn]]
|[[Ellie Blackburn]] (2)
|[[Isabel Huntington]] (12)
|-style="font-size: 87%;"
|[[2022 AFL Women's season 6|2022 (S6)]]
|7th
|4–5–1
|Did not qualify 
|[[Nathan Burke]]
|[[Ellie Blackburn]]
|[[Ellie Blackburn]] (3)/[[Kirsty Lamb]]
|[[Bonnie Toogood]] (10)
|-style="font-size: 87%;"
|[[2022 AFL Women's season 7|2022 (S7)]]
|7th
|7–3–0
|Elimination final
|[[Nathan Burke]]
|[[Ellie Blackburn]]
|[[Ellie Blackburn]] (4)
|[[Gabby Newton]] (8)
|-style="font-size: 87%;"
|[[2023 AFL Women's season|2023]]
|18th
|1–9–0 
|Did not qualify 
|[[Nathan Burke]]
|[[Ellie Blackburn]]
|[[Ellie Blackburn]] (5)
|[[Kirsty Lamb]] (7)
|-style="font-size: 87%;"
|''[[2024 AFL Women's season|2024]]''*
|''12th''
|''4–7–0'' 
|Did not qualify
|[[Tamara Hyett]]
|[[Ellie Blackburn]]/[[Deanna Berry]]
|[[Isabelle Pritchard]]
|[[Sarah Hartwig]] (8)
|-
|}
<small>*Season in progress. ^ Denotes the ladder was split into two conferences. Figure refers to the club's overall finishing position that season.</small>

'''VFL Women's'''
{| class="wikitable"
|- style="background:#bdb76b;font-size: 87%"
! colspan="9" | Western Bulldogs VFLW honour roll
|- style="background:#bdb76b;font-size: 87%;"
! Season !! Final position
!Coach
!Captain!! Best and fairest !! Leading goalkicker
|-style="font-size: 87%;"
|2016
|6th 
|[[Debbie Lee]]
|[[Bree White]]
|[[Bree White]]
|[[Alexandra Quigley]] (25)
|-
|-style="font-size: 87%;"
|2017
|6th
|[[Debbie Lee]]
|[[Bree White]]
|[[Bree White]]
|[[Alyssa Mifsud]] (12)
|-
|-style="font-size: 87%;"
|2018
|6th
|[[Debbie Lee]]
|''None''
|[[Naomi Ferres]]
|[[Alyssa Mifsud]] (7)
|-
|-style="font-size: 87%;"
|2019
|''[[List of VFL Women's premiers|Runners-up]]''
|Sean Kavanagh (coach)|Sean Kavanagh
|Mickayla Ward
|[[Ellie Gavalas]]
|[[Danielle Marshall]] & Mickayla Ward (10)
|-style="font-size: 87%; background:#C0C0C0"
|2020 
|colspan=7|''Season cancelled due to the [[COVID-19 pandemic in Australia|COVID-19 pandemic]]''
|-
|-style="font-size: 87%;"
|[[2021 VFLW season|2021]] 
|7th
|Sean Kavanagh (coach)|Sean Kavanagh
|Riley Christgoergl
|Simone Ruedin
|[[Nell Morris-Dalton]]/[[Danielle Marshall]]/Gemma Lagiola/Mary Sandral (5)
|-
|-style="font-size: 87%;"
|[[2022 VFLW season|2022]] 
|12th
|[[Kirby Bentley]]
|Riley Christgoergl
|Eliza Vale
|Mary Sandral (7)
|-
|-style="font-size: 87%;"
|[[2023 VFL Women's season|2023]] 
|11th
|Rhys Cahir
|Mary Sandral
|Jorja Borg/Dominique Carbone
|[[Jaimi Tabb]]/[[Imahra Cameron]] (8)
|-
|-style="font-size: 87%;"
|[[2024 VFL Women's season|2024]] 
|2nd
|Rhys Cahir
|Dominique Carbone
|Dominique Carbone
|[[Jaimi Tabb]] (14)
|-
|-style="font-size: 87%;"
|[[2025 VFL Women's season|2025]] 
|TBC
|Rhys Cahir
|Steph Asciak
|TBC
|TBC
|}
<small>Sources: [https://vfl.com.au/western-bulldogs-womens-historical-data/ Club historical data] and [http://websites.sportstg.com/comp_info.cgi?c=1-118-0-518546-0&pool=1001&round=0&a=STATS VFLW stats]</small>

==Bibliography==
* {{cite book|first=Martin|last=Flanagan|author-link=Martin Flanagan (journalist)|title=Southern Sky, Western Oval|publisher=McPhee Gribble|year=1994|isbn=0-86914-331-X}}
* {{cite book|title=A History of the Footscray Football Club: Unleashed|first1=John|last1=Lack|first2=Chris|last2=McConville|first3=Michael|last3=Small|first4=Damien|last4=Wright|publisher=Aus-Sport Enterprises Pty Ltd|year=1996|isbn=0-646-26215-7}}
*{{cite thesis |last=Nicholson|first=Matthew|date=August 2002|title=Print Media Representation of Crisis Events in Australian Football|type=PhD|chapter=Fightback: The Footscray Football Club's Fight to Survive in 1989|publisher=Victoria University|chapter-url=http://vuir.vu.edu.au/344/1/06chapter5.pdf|access-date=9 February 2017}}

==See also==
{{Portal|Sports|Australia}}
* [[Australian Football League]]
* [[Footscray, Victoria]]
*[[:Category:Western Bulldogs players|List of Western Bulldogs/Footscray players]]

==Notes==
{{notelist}}

==References==
{{Reflist|30em}}

==External links==
{{Commons category}}
* {{official website}}
* [http://www.aroundthegrounds.bellestorie.com/western/western.html "Around the Grounds" – web documentary – Western GO DOGGIES]

{{Western Bulldogs|state=collapsed}}
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{{AFL Women's premiers}}
{{AFL Women's minor premiers}}
{{AFL Women's}}
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}}

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