WAGONS HITCHED UP FOR ANOTHER FINALS RIDE

FORMER Footscray, Glenorchy and North Launceston ruckman Robert Groenewegen is hoping his Dogs can continue their blistering form on Saturday and bring another AFL premiership to a fan base that – 2016 aside – has endured one of the toughest times in football.

Groenewegen, a member of the Tasmanian Football Hall of Fame, played 79 games for Footscray from 1978 to ’87, during which time the big man become one of the Bulldogs’ favourite sons.

“Wagons”, as he’s affectionately known since a coach misspelt his name on a chalkboard when he first arrived to Footscray in 1978, said the 2016 fairytale premiership and the success of this year’s side to date had brought a lot of joy to Dogs fans who for so long had watched the success of other clubs with envy.

“After the struggles of the past, 2016 was amazing and I just had a sense that the way they were playing they were going to win, and as a Dogs supporter you don’t often feel like that,” he said,

“This year has been a weird one because we were one of the best two sides all year but fell away just prior to finals, and fell out of the top four, and we’ve essentially had to play three elimination finals to get here which has been a terrific effort.”

Groenewegen’s confidence levels are not the same as in 2016 but he believes his side is capable of winning just its third premiership in its 96-year history.

“When I’m 100 per cent honest I think Melbourne are the best team if they play their best footy, but the Dogs have a way of shaking teams up a bit so I definitely think we can win and we know funny things can happen in finals,” he said.