Somerville’s Tyson Stanley off to the Grand Final thanks to generous Western Bulldogs fans
TYSON Stanley will be one of the happiest Bulldogs fans at the Grand Final, having scored a ticket thanks to the help of his beloved club’s generous supporters.
South East
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TYSON Stanley is the biggest Western Bulldogs fan in the south — and he’ll be the happiest fan at the game on Saturday after scoring a last minute ticket with help from other Doggies fans.
The Somerville 15-year-old has an extremely rare condition called fibrodysplasia ossificans progressiva, where soft connective tissues in his body are replaced with bone.
The debilitating condition occurs in one in every two million people.
He was recently able to walk with crutches but has since become reliant on a wheelchair.
Tyson works out once a week with Cranbourne trainer Stuart Cunningham, who does cricket training and muscle work such as bicep curls so Tyson can keep the mobile parts of his body strong.
Cunningham said the two had become good mates in the years he had worked with Tyson.
After the Bulldogs’ qualifying win on the weekend, Cunningham put a call out on a Western Bulldogs supporters Facebook page to see if he could get Tyson a ticket to the once in 55 years Grand Final.
Within 30 minutes someone had sourced a $700 ticket and other fans chipped in to cover the cost.
Cunningham, a Richmond supporter, said more than $1000 was raised.
“He is the most hardcore dogs fan I’ve ever met, he knows every stat about every dog,” he said.
“He is a current member, but I don’t think he knew how to register for the Grand Final ballot, plus I think he didn’t think he would be able to afford to go.”
Tyson’s mum Talia Wilson said Tyson was thrilled the Bulldogs had made it to the final.
“Stu has been helping Tyson for a number of years now and they have just built up a really good friendship over the years,” she said.
“Stuart didn’t ask so much as tell me (he was going to try and get a ticket).
“As soon as the game was finished he said, ‘we have to get Tyson to that football game’.”
Now the Bulldogs just need to win.