Bulldogs Debt Reduction Campaign

"Our core business is football. Our priority is to redirect as many resources as we can into our footy department. The more that goes into a football department, the more successful the Club."      

            -  Simon Garlick, Chief Executive                        

For 129 years, the Western Bulldogs Football Club has played with passion, bite and determination, buoyed by loyal members, supporters and fans. 

Today, the Western Bulldogs Football Club is being held back from the success it deserves by its historical debt and it’s time for us to bite-back.

In 2011 the Club launched our debt reduction campaign (Bulldoze the Debt) to help the Club reach our goal to become a sustainable and successful football club – both on and off the field.

While necessary to get our great Club to where it is today, it’s now time to further reduce our debt and unleash a very bright future.

With your help we have already knocked almost  massive $1 million off our debt. 

This reduction, coupled with the consolidation of our business, the completion of the $31 million redevelopment of Whitten Oval and the implementation of a a solid business plan, means we have the opportunity to re-build our most key area – football.  

Ultimately, our core business is winning games of football and in order to do that, we need to invest in our football operations to make us competitive and give us the best chance at winning.  

As a club we have taken decisions we have needed to take to ensure we build a sustainable and successful football club.  

This includes putting in place a football program and process aimed at delivering sustainable success and in order to ensure that sustained success, we need to continue the development of our club which requires continual investment into our football operations. 

In 2011, the Club made some significant appointments and funded eight new positions in the football department with;

• Brendan McCartney appointed as the Club’s 27th Senior Coach
• Steven King & Shannon Grant appointed as Assistant Coaches
• Rohan Smith appointed as Development Coach and Jason McCartney appointed as List Manager, both new full time positions
• In addition, a physio consultant, a full-time player welfare, conditioning and Footy IT roles were appointed. 
• Chris Grant appointed to the Board of Directors as Football Director

In 2012 an additional $1.4 million boost will also be delivered. The platform for sustained success is now in place and provides enormous opportunity and hope.