Dogs Ready For Howard To Make Good On Promise

The Age

Wednesday October 13, 2004

Lyall Johnson

The Western Bulldogs hope to begin discussions with the Federal Government within a week to put finishing touches to the $8 million funding package for redevelopment of Whitten Oval.

The election campaign promise of funding for the redevelopment deep in Labor heartland was one of the more stunning election coups pulled off by the Government, which, coincidently or not, early this week had recorded a 4.96 per cent swing in the oval's electorate of Gellibrand and a 5.65 per cent swing in neighbouring Maribyrnong.

The project will be jointly funded to the tune of $19.5 million by the State Government, Maribyrnong Council, the AFL and the Forever Foundation.

Bulldogs president David Smorgon said the club would make contact shortly with the Federal Government, but admitted he had not been too concerned with the result of the election because the ALP had promised to match the funding had it won office.

"You could say we are a bit relieved, but there were some pretty good indications that the Labor Party, if they were successful, would have matched the Government's offer, but nonetheless, given that it was the Prime Minister that came out and made the commitment, we're pleased," Smorgon said.

"We'll be making contact with the appropriate people shortly . . . obviously there is a lot of detail that needs to be done on the funding side of things and at the same time we can now start addressing how we can manage the whole process."

Club chief executive Campbell Rose said the club was already working closely with Maribyrnong Council to finalise plans for the site, with work to reach tendering stage by about next April. Construction is due to start in July or August next year and is likely to be completed in December 2006.

Despite disappointing performances on the field in 2003 and 2004, and with the club dropping in membership, Smorgon described the mood as "tremendously exciting". But he emphasised that unlike in the past, when financial problems had put the future of the club in the hands of the gods, supporters were now the key to the club's destiny.

"The only danger to our club is our own membership base because everything else is locked in - our sponsorships, the support of the AFL is ongoing and locked in. So it is now our own membership base that is the key," he said.

"Some people were sceptical about the club, some people were saying there was no future. Well, I hope with the appointment of (coach) Rodney (Eade), with the redevelopment being announced, people don't have any excuses any more not to get behind the club.

"And we have to show the community and the organisations involved in the redevelopment that we have a growing membership base."

To that end, in what is almost unprecedented for the Bulldogs, the club this week held a breakfast for 130 potential new sponsors and coterie group members to meet Eade. "I don't think it would have been possible last year; we would have probably had 130 knockbacks," Smorgon said.

© 2004 The Age

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