Why do you follow the Bulldogs?

[Typical dog]

Brainwashed as a young child

 

[khan]

Growin up in balmain, i was literally no more than 6yrs old with no footy influence in the family with parents on the brink of divorce, i found a game i noticed being played on ABC knights and some other team cant remember... but loved the knights tough forward pack at the time.

Got into it that much that if i wasnt able to watch it on tv id listen to it on the radio! At the age of 6!

Found out later dad played for the lower grades at newtown. So my passion for the game grew even more.

Watched more games and obviously being from balmain they were all tigers fans, i started liking them aswel but somethin made me follow each of the canterbury games, i think it was the colours.. blue and white..

Later down the track moved to bankstown, played with numerous clubs in the area and the rest is history, it was my faith.

Dddefinately not the club i grew up loving.

 

[Wahesh]

I've been a Bulldogs supporter as long as I can remember.

My grandfather on my mums side was a BIG South Sydney supporter. He lived in Redfern and ran a milk bar there (and was a very respected member of the community). Even though my mother supports Souths, she doesn't really follow the game at all so had no influence on me. When my Dad immigrated to Australia in the 70s, he lived in Campsie. Naturally, the Bulldogs were the team he supported. Campsie back then was a mainly Anglo area. We lived about 10-15 mins walk from Belmore oval, so whenever a game was on there, we'd hear it from our place.

Dad took me to games in the 90s and I remember it clearly, Saturday afternoon, buying a hot dog/hot chips/coke, sitting on the Terry Lamb Hill and enjoying it. Used to go with a family friend of ours (my Dads good friend) and his son who was my age who I was mates with. I remember one game in particular (how's this for a memory), 1993, Bulldogs vs Steelers at Belmore. Bulldogs won 26-16, and earlier in the year, we beat the Steelers by the exact same scoreline.

This is the game: http://www.rugbyleagueproject.org/seasons/nswrl-1994/round-21/canterbury-vs-illawarra/summary.html

I remember in 2006 I went to a Bulldogs open training session at Belmore and Terry Lamb was there who I idiolised growing up. I remember Baa was there on the sideline watching the boys. I went up and stood next to him on the sideline and said "I remember when I was a kid my Dad used to bring me here to watch the games and we'd sit right there (pointing to the hill) and that hill was named after you" - and when I said that he replied "The good old days mate" - it's not everyday you get to have a reminiscing conversation with your idol. That's something I will never forget.

 

[Dawain87]

The Bulldogs have always been there growing up through the good and bad!

My parents brought the family over from Fiji in 88' and we moved around Sydney from Stanmore,Rockdale,Rooty Hill,Bexley,Mount Druitt, and even Bathurst until we found a place staying and caring for my ill grandfather who was living in Campsie.
He was a Bulldogs supporter and so were we by association.

We were illegals if anyone was wondering why we moved alot and one my earliest Bulldogs memories was everyone at home and in the streets/area celebrating the 1995 GF win, soon after my dad would be taken to Villawood.

I like a few others here attended Canterbury Boy's and remember an instance when Utai and Hazem came around the school prior to them taking out the GF in 04 and everyone marveling at Utai's height but more importantly his tree trunks for legs!.
I remember watching the 2004 GF at a house party, I had my first beer that night i was just 16, i thought i would also grow some balls and ask this girl out that night but I didnt and she ended up with some other bloke - fate brought her back many years later as we were together and then parted ways on indifferences after a few good years.

Sometimes the one thing that brings my sanity and the sense of normality back in my life is watching a bulldogs game whether it's in the flesh or on a tv/mobile app.
2012 & 2014 was hard on me but i expect that we should snag a handful before i kick the proverbial bucket- god willing.

 

[Shire Dog]

My dad was born in 1946, so it's a long while ago since he was there. He always said it was rough as well at that school back then.

I was at the school in the early 80’s and can definitely confirm trouble amongst the students.
But the real drama was outside the grounds and issues with other schools
The police were attending on a regular basis.

 

[bullanth]

I grew up in Paddington ,heart of roosters territory,when my parents settled there on arrival from Italy,the first game I saw was a match of the day,SCG Bulldogs v roosters I fell in love with the jersey,the blue and whites where my team forever,we lost that day,but the result was irrelevant,the seed had been sown,I got married a few years later,and settled in beautiful downtown ashbury,a good walk to belmore,and took my kids every home game,they are both diehard doggies fans,and like myself they will have fond memories ,from team bbq,club events etc,great times,

 

[Dawain87]

My dad was born in 1946, so it's a long while ago since he was there. He always said it was rough as well at that school back then.

Yeah John Howards crew was running a muck then lol

 

[rwalker999]

I grew up in Nowra and practically everyone in our street supported Souths or St George.
My first pair of footy boots carried an autograph of Les Johns. I found out who he was and decided
the Berries / Bulldogs would be my team.

 

[Bazildog]

The day before the 95 grand final.. Papa bear said these wise words. "Z Bulldog will eat Z Eagle" - in a very woggy accent.

I was a Bulldog ever since.

Out of curiosity, would you mind telling me who Papa bear is? Just that I have heard that said before..

 

[albatross]

Mum was born in Canterbury Hospital in 1940, where she later had me in 1964, and grew up in Sharp St Belmore. There was never any other team!

 

[capt obvious]

We moved from bexley when i was 5 to campsie. I went to st mels catholic school in campsie and represented nsw in at athletics whilst there, a nun asked me if id like to play rugby league as well she belived id do well in the game. I had no idea what it was.
I went home and told mum what the nun wanted me to do, so mum looked into it and the following Saturday took me and my sister to belmore and that was it, we did that for most home games from 1974 till around 1996. We would walk about 3klm each way , watch all 3 grades, at half time grab the empty hotdog bun lids and slide down the back of the hill.
I dont live in the area and havent since 97 but still visit the area at times and people look at me twice sometimes and think where do i know that face from? Id imagine i sat next to or near them sharing some of the best days of my life
Cheering home the blue and whites.

 

[JayBee]

Out of curiosity, would you mind telling me who Papa bear is? Just that I have heard that said before..

My old man.

 

[KambahOne]

It started out as pure hatred, I loathed your success and toughness. That turned into respect, still with a flavouring of hate, and how I wished my club could get tough and uncompromising like yours. I loved it when James Graham bit Slater's ear. Then came the great aneurysm of 2014, you guys or the Scabbitohs? No! No! No! No! I just couldn't, so I suffered that loss with you all. Now it's a bit of fun between pandemics. Can mods include a "Salute" emoji in the choices, I just don't see one that says respect or else I'd use it here?

 

[Dog4life77]

I grew up in Revesby in the 80’s..
Most people in my area either supported the Bulldogs or the Saints..
I used to draw a lot when I was young and found a love of drawing footy players in their team uniforms..
I wasn’t too bad with the drawing and sold hundreds of drawings at school to classmates of whoever they wanted..
One day,while I was in a process of a transaction with a friend,my principal made a visit to our classroom and took an interest in my drawings..
He saw a drawing of Terry Lamb and gave some kind of compliment and asked me to go to his office that afternoon..
I thought I was in trouble for selling my drawings but he had been in contact with my mother asking if he could take me somewhere that afternoon when school finished..
I can’t remember the suburb we drove to,but it turned out he was friends with Terry Lamb and we went to his house and I gave him a drawing of himself with my signature on it..
One of the best afternoons of my life and it started a strong repore between myself and my principal..
But footy wise..I went from not really having a team I followed, to following a team I felt I had a tie to after meeting one of their legends at his home..
I am 42 now and still act like a petulant child when we lose,and a gloating halfwit when we win..
The Bulldogs have been and always will be a massive part of my life..

 

[Wahesh]

We moved from bexley when i was 5 to campsie. I went to st mels catholic school in campsie and represented nsw in at athletics whilst there, a nun asked me if id like to play rugby league as well she belived id do well in the game. I had no idea what it was.
I went home and told mum what the nun wanted me to do, so mum looked into it and the following Saturday took me and my sister to belmore and that was it, we did that for most home games from 1974 till around 1996. We would walk about 3klm each way , watch all 3 grades, at half time grab the empty hotdog bun lids and slide down the back of the hill.
I dont live in the area and havent since 97 but still visit the area at times and people look at me twice sometimes and think where do i know that face from? Id imagine i sat next to or near them sharing some of the best days of my life
Cheering home the blue and whites.

Yep, I went to St Mels as well. When I was there though, no nuns were around... I went to school there in the 90s.

 

[capt obvious]

Yep, I went to St Mels as well. When I was there though, no nuns were around... I went to school there in the 90s.

Did you go as same time there as robbie farah wahesh?

 

[bulldogsfan_88]

Like many on here my old man is a big fan and so there was no chance I was supporting anyone else... and my son doesn't know it yet but is gonna be a bulldogs fan just like his old man

 

[JoeyG]

Dad grew up in Chester Hill and mum grew up in Bass Hill. I had no other choice.

Me too,Bent st

 

[Spoonman84]

Like many on here my old man is a big fan and so there was no chance I was supporting anyone else... and my son doesn't know it yet but is gonna be a bulldogs fan just like his old man

It's hard to brainwash the little one's these days. My boy is still on the fence because he gets upset so much when they lose.

I need a winning season so badly to lock him in.

 

[flamebouyant]

I was at the school in the early 80’s and can definitely confirm trouble amongst the students.
But the real drama was outside the grounds and issues with other schools
The police were attending on a regular basis.

Haha, yeah no doubt.