Western Bulldogs father-son trio set to play important role in AFL Grand Final on Saturday
THE family ties run deep at the Whitten Oval. Three sons of former Western Bulldogs players are set to play important roles in Saturday’s AFL Grand Final.
Bulldogs
Don't miss out on the headlines from Bulldogs. Followed categories will be added to My News.
THE family ties run deep at the Whitten Oval.
Three sons of former Western Bulldogs players are set to play important roles in Saturday’s AFL Grand Final - a number which would have swelled to four if Mitch Wallis hadn’t suffered a season-ending knee injury back in July.
As the offspring of Footscray legends, Wallis and Tom Liberatore arrived at the club together to great fanfare back in 2010.
GF BAROMETER: SWANS, DOG FACE TOUGH SELECTION CALLS
MERGER AVOIDED: THE WOMAN WHO SAVED THE BULLDOGS
Liberatore’s father Tony - the 1990 Brownlow Medallist - celebrated joyously at Spotless Stadium last weekend after the Dogs edged past GWS to book a spot in the decider for the first time since 1961.
“Having not been in a Grand Final for such a long time it means so much to our fathers and so much to us as well,” said Tom Liberatore, who has reclaimed his spot at the heart of the Bulldogs’ midfield after missing all of 2015 with a ruptured anterior cruciate ligament.
Lachie Hunter is another key member of the Bulldogs’ engine-room.
Due to the influence of his cousin Mark McVeigh, Hunter started his footballing life as an Essendon fan before swapping allegiances to the Bulldogs at the age of eight.
Father Mark played 130 games for the Dogs between 1988 and 1996 and also spent a couple of years as the Footscray runner.
“Ever since I switched over to the Dogs I’ve always wanted to play for them and I was really rapt to end up here,” said the 21-year-old Hunter, who has enjoyed a career-best campaign in 2016.
“It’s great to have the romance of it all, to be able to say your father played for the club as well.
“It’s more a family thing, you get to share it with them.”
Youngster Zaine Cordy’s familial links with the club from Melbourne’s working-class western suburbs are more complicated.
Father Brian played 124 games for the Dogs in the 1980s, many of them alongside older brother Neil and a handful with younger sibling Graeme.
Neil Cordy went on to play a further 96 matches for the Swans and has been a long-time prominent member of the Sydney sports media fraternity.
Zaine Cordy’s older brother Ayce preceded him at the Western Oval, only to be delisted last year after an injury-plagued stint.
“It did help me, having Ayce here last year,” said the 19-year-old Zaine Cordy, who did not break into the senior team this year until Round 19, but has been a mainstay ever since.
“I also chat to dad about footy most weeks.
“He’s pretty cool, calm and collected, although there’s a bit of advice here and there.”
Worrying update on absent AFL star’s future
Former No.1 draft pick Jamarra Ugle-Hagan’s availability for the 2025 AFL season remains a mystery as he deals with personal issues.
Dogs make early-season Jamarra concession
The Western Bulldogs are ‘really hopeful’ star forward Jamarra Ugle-Hagan will have an impact this year – but, as interim footy boss Sam Power explains, that isn’t the club’s focus right now.