Western Bulldogs make Chris Grant a legend, honour club greats at Hall of Fame event

FOR Western Bulldogs fans, Chris Grant has been a legend for years. But now it is official, with the club honouring Grant and seven other club greats at its Hall of Fame event.

CHRIS Grant on Tuesday night became a Western Bulldogs Legend as the club honoured eight servants at its Hall of Fame gala event.

Brownlow Medallists Allan Hopkins and Norm Ware were also elevated to legend status, joining Bulldog icons Ted Whitten, Charlie Sutton, Doug Hawkins, John Schultz and Grant.

Grant, the club’s current director of football, played 341 games for the Dogs and in 1990 became the youngest player in AFL history to boot 50 goals at just 17.

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Grant inherited the No. 3 jumper made famous by Whitten and polled the most Brownlow votes in 1997, although he was ruled ineligible.

In 1996 Grant finished one vote behind winners Michael Voss and James Hird.

Former president David Smorgon became the fourth official to earn induction into the club’s Hall of Fame.

Smorgon led the Bulldogs for a record 16 years from 1997-2012 and joins current president Peter Gordon in the Hall of Fame.

Chris Grant has been made a legend by the Western Bulldogs.

Brownlow Medallist Peter Box, former captain Steve Wallis, 1954 premiership player Don Ross and goalkicking ace Bernie Quinlan were also inducted into the Hall of Fame.

Half-forward Hopkins was the Dogs’ first superstar.

He was the Brownlow Medal runner-up in 1929 and 1931 and placed fourth in 1934. In 1930 player-coach Hopkins lost the Brownlow on a countback, although won a retrospective medal in 1989.

Ruckman Ware finished in the Brownlow’s top 10 on seven occasions.

In 1941 Ware finally won the medal at the age of 30 and as player-coach. Ware learned he had won the Brownlow while at army camp and war services interrupted the tail of his career.

Box remains the only Bulldog to win a premiership, Brownlow and best-and-fairest.

After Quinlan’s nine seasons at the Bulldogs he won a Brownlow Medal and two Coleman Medals playing for Fitzroy.

Wallis captained the Dogs in 1989 and his son, Mitch, celebrated his 100th game for the club last year.