WESTERN Bulldogs players and officials welcomed a surprise guest to the Mission Whitten Oval on Wednesday, with Prince Harry, the Duke of Sussex, visiting the club.
Prince Harry visited to speak at an event for mental health charity Movember, which also has a relationship with the Bulldogs, where he opened up about his early struggles with fatherhood.
After meeting with CEO Ameet Bains and president Kylie Watson-Wheeler, the prince hit the track to try out his footy skills.
Bulldogs midfielders Adam Treloar, Matthew Kennedy and Tom Liberatore - all young fathers themselves - taught him how to kick and handball.
At the Movember event, Prince Harry spoke openly about his role as a father and how he struggled to adjust to parenthood.
"It's the most important and transformational role a guy can ever move into," he said. "That role ... gives you purpose.
"Those days, weeks, after birth are a real struggle.
"If I was stressed, the moment I held Archie ... he would notice it quicker than I could."
The meeting had been kept under wraps for several weeks, with Bains recalling his initial shock when the club was approached about Harry visiting.
"Our first reaction was one of disbelief and needing to double-check that we had the facts right. Like, have we got the right person here?" Bains told Nine.
"When we had the staff meeting to inform everyone of the duke's arrival, there were a few gasps in the audience."