■ I was star-struck last Sunday at Etihad Stadium when the Bulldogs had organised a ’70s player reunion in the past players room I host. Laurie Sandilands came down from the Gold Coast to be there with the other players. I did not see a lot of the Doggies in the ’70s as I was in Brisbane – we got one game of VFL a week and the Bulldogs were not top of the heap. I reckon I saw a game a year, if that. Mind you, I knew about Sandilands, Dempsey, Whitten, Morrison, Power, Abbey and the rest, as did the football world at the time. The Dogs played finals in ’74 and ’76 but they were only highlights of that decade. It was great to hear from Laurie Sandilands, Max O’Halloran and Ian Morrison about their thoughts on their days with the Bulldogs. President Peter Gordon also shared his memories of that era and his hopes for the future. What a game was then played out. If the Bulldogs are three points off the team that has won the past three premierships, then I am a happy camper. Having said that, I am bitterly disappointed we did not win.
■ Sharyn Grima and Mick Psaila were awarded life memberships to the Western Region Football League last weekend, deservedly so. Mick said the major reason he came to the league in the mid-’80s was to meet Robert McGhie, who was the senior coach of St Albans. When he got to the Saints, he met “Bones”. They gave him a few party pies and a beer or two, and he was in – and still is. Sharyn, like Mick, has played a number of different roles at the club, which has become an important part of her family. This is what local footy is about. If we ever lose this kind of loyalty and passion, the game at grass-roots level will die. We must see some of the money that is in football filter down for the survival of clubs – not for the players, but for the clubs. After all, every AFL player has to start somewhere.
■ The three western suburbs VFL sides enjoyed good starts to their seasons, with Werribee, Footscray and Williamstown all winning at the weekend. The VFL competition is in an interesting phase, with a mix of AFL reserves, VFL-AFL alignments and stand-alone VFL clubs. No one knows what the future holds for the competition, something that is being researched and discussed at the highest level. The standard of the football at both senior and development levels has never been higher. I suggest you go to a game and see for yourself.
Any news, let me know on email kevin@howdypartnersmedia.com.au. Follow me on Twitter @KevinHillier, plus check out the Howdy Partners Media website as well.
