Papa Joe's "Most Underrated Player" Of The Day
MARK BUGDEN - Premiership Player 1984, 1985,1988 - Grand Finalist 1986
In the year that he started his Bulldogs career coming over from the Jets, Mark went on to oust regular club hooker Billy Johnstone in 1984 to become the Grand Final Hero by scoring a fine solo try when the Bulldogs beat Parramatta 6-4 to claim premiership glory.
In 1985, Mark served a 14 week suspension and failed to re claim the starting hooker position from Billy Johnstone but did come on as a replacement in the Grand Final to delivery the dummy half pass to Steve Mortimer for what turned out to be the winning field goal & a 7-6 final score.
In 1986 he was the Dogs 1st choice hooker & ended up going head to head against his brother & Eels Hooker Geoff who got the better of him as the Eels won 4-2.
In 1988 Mark again came on as a replacement in the Bulldogs 4th Grand Final win of the 80's and remarkably he won his 3rd premiership in 5 years.
In 1989 Mark left to play 22 games for the Eels over 2 years in a not so successful stint.
Tough, No Nonsense & Uncompromising with a touch of craft to his work - Mark opitimised the sense of what a Bulldog is.
However he quiet often he gets left out in the conversations of reflect when looking back at our greatest ever era.
And that's why today Mark Bugden Is my "Most Underrated Player".
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