THE WESTERN Bulldogs will unveil their 25 greatest players of the past 100 years at a centenary gala at Mission Whitten Oval on Monday night.
Five groups of players from 20-year periods will be included on the list, including all 10 iconic figures who have been elevated to Legend status in the Bulldogs' Hall of Fame.
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The first marquee event held at the club's headquarters since its $77 million redevelopment was completed will culminate with the unveiling of the top five greatest Bulldogs of all time.
Western Bulldogs CEO Ameet Bains was on the selection panel that included former senior coach Rodney Eade, legendary journalist Mike Sheahan, club historian Darren Arthur, board member Lisa Fitzpatrick and former Footscray player Ross Abbey.
The list is unranked, except for the top five, with the selection criteria encompassing how the player represented the club both on and off field.
Accolades are clearly important, but not everything, with the panel focusing on the figures who embody the Bulldogs spirit and have made the most considerable positive impact to the success of a club that celebrates 100 years in the VFL/AFL in 2025.
The Western Bulldogs launched their Hall of Fame in 2010 and not only inducted Ted Whitten and Charlie Sutton, but also elevated both icons to Legend status that night.
Two years later, 1960 Brownlow medallist John Schultz was elevated, before Team of the Century vice-captain Doug Hawkins joined him two years later in 2014.
Six-time All-Australian Brad Johnson, 1975 Brownlow medallist Gary Dempsey and Team of the Century member Arthur Olliver were all elevated in 2023.
Champion forward Chris Grant, plus Brownlow medallists Norm Ware and Allan Hopkins are also Bulldogs legends.
Current captain Marcus Bontempelli has been mounting a case to be considered the greatest Bulldog ever over the past few years, adding a sixth Charles Sutton Medal last year to move level with Dempsey – one behind Scott West's club record – to go with six All-Australian selections, drawing level with Johnson for a club record.
Not many epitomise the Bulldogs spirit like Bob Murphy and the Liberatores, Tom and Tony, who became the second father-son pair in VFL/AFL history to each play 250 games for the same club earlier this month.
The Bulldogs have had 10 Brownlow Medal wins – the equal second most behind Sydney/South Melbourne – but only three Coleman medallists.
Jack Collins (1954,1957), Kelvin Templeton (1978,1979) and Simon Beasley (1985) are all expected to feature in the top 25 list of players to wear the red, white and blue.
AFLW games record holder and 2018 premiership captain Ellie Blackburn has already been announced as one of the 25.
The 25 was selected in no particular order or position, with all AFL and AFLW players since 1925 eligible.
