THE Footscray Bulldogs are back. The Western Bulldogs have
confirmed the club’s VFL team will return next year as the Footscray
Bulldogs.
The overwhelming majority of the club’s 3000 members who voted on the name chose Footscray ahead of the Western Bulldogs.
Victoria University will be the team’s major partner and the first naming-rights partner of Whitten Oval.
Western Bulldogs chief executive Simon Garlick said the move
embraced the club’s proud heritage while heralding a bright future
through the university link.
“The partnership makes perfect sense,” he said. “It provides the
Dogs with the unique opportunity to tap into world-class sports science
and elite sport best practice – right here in our heartland.”
The partnership will open research, education and training opportunities for the university students.
University vice-chancellor Peter Dawkins said the “world-class sport university” was excited about the partnership.
“It will set the benchmark for what sport partnerships should be –
sharing the outcomes of applied sport science research, engaging with
the local community and developing players in responsible ways,”
Professor Dawkins said.
