Tara Murray
At the end of the 2022 season, things were at their lowest for the Footscray Rugby Union Club.
The club finished bottom of the Rugby Union Victoria top grade, the Dewar Shield. before weeks later the club’s rooms at Henry Turner Reserve and a lot of history were destroyed by floods.
Fast fast to this weekend, the Bulldogs have three sides facing off in grand finals.
The club will play Powerhouse in the Dewar Shield grand final trying to win it for the first time 1937.
Their reserves side which broke through last season for their first second division premiership since 1938 will be aiming to go back-to-back.
The club’s women’s side is also through to the grand final in their first season.
Bulldogs David Diack said it was an amazing effort by everyone involved in the club.
“It’s a great story for the Footscray and Maribyrnong area,” he said. “The floods destroyed our old club rooms and we finally got to the stage to put plans for the new club rooms.
“That was massive and it’s been a bit of a rebuild. In 2022 we were dead last, it’s a really good story.”
Diack said the club rooms needed to be redeveloped anyway to make them more family friendly, but it was heart breaking to see the damage to the club’s home since the 1970s.
He said the club had been battlers for a number of years, but that was starting to change.
They had their two top two sides make it through to the grand final, while their thirds made a preliminary final after all finishing third.
The club also had the chance to host finals for the first time in a number of years.
“The last time was 2012,” Diack said. “To host three knockout finals was just amazing.”
On Saturday, the Bulldogs Dewar side won the preliminary final against Harlequins, 26-22.
Diack said there was a lot of disbelief in what they had achieved. He said the coaching group had made massive changes, while president Charlie Sale and his family had put everything into the club.
“A lot of people have been around for a while and to have that opportunity to get through to the grand final is special.
“There were jubilant scenes. Everyone is really happy and looking forward to this week.”
Diack said they enter the grand final as underdogs having finished the regular season in third spot.
He said the group will keep believing that anything is possible.
All three grand finals will be held at Box Hill Rugby Club.
The women’s start the day in the Lindorth10s against Bendigo at 12.45pm, followed by the reserves in the Dewar second grade at 1.15pm and then the seniors at 3.15pm.
