Tara Murray
It was one out of three for Footscray on the Rugby Union Victoria grand final day on Saturday.
The Bulldogs had their senior men’s team in the Dewar grand final, with the team going for their first title in that division since 1937.
Their second side was going for back-to-back sides, while their women’s side that formed earlier this year was aiming for success in the Lindorth10s.
In the end, it was only the women’s team that came away with a premiership.
Bulldogs David Diack said it was still a pretty special day for the club.
He said to have three teams in grand finals was massive especially where the club has come from the past few years.
At the end of 2022, the senior side finished bottom and then their club rooms were destroyed by flooding.
“To get three teams into the grand final is really good,” he said. “Our women’s team which is a new team this year were able to win the premierships.
“Our president has done a lot to try and establish a women’s team and get Colts back for the first time since 2021.
“The women’s program is massive for him.”
In the Dewar Shield, the Bulldogs lost 31-12 to Power House.
Diack said it was a really good match.
“They were able to blow the score line out in the end with two late tries in the last six to seven minutes.
“They broke apart the game. It was really hard fought. It’s disappointing for the boys as they played really well.
“We were a little bit unfortunate with a few things.”
Diack said while the group was disappointed now, they would look back at the future and see that they’d achieved something really great.
“I think sometimes a loss build extra fire in the belly to get them there,” he said. “They put a lot out to get there and they’ll be back trying to get there again and have that same feeling of making a grand final.”
The women’s side claimed their premiership in the Lindorth10s winning 42-12.
Diack said there had previously been a western suburbs women’s team but this was the first time they’d had their own team.
He said having new facilities had made it nicer for the women’s side.
Diack said they were hoping this is the building point for the club going forward.
He said they would love to get some lights at Henry Turner Reserve and further develop the ground to help take the program to the next level.
