Speculation was rife early in the week that that beloved Western Bulldogs mascot 'Sid' would not be at the MCG during Saturday's Grand Final, and today president Peter Gordon has revealed the British Bulldog's lack of conditioning was the real reason behind his near-omission.

Speaking to media at VU Whitten Oval, Western Bulldogs president, Gordon opened up on the eight-year-olds' battle to be fit for his first grand final appearance.

'There's been a lot of sympathy going Sid's way over the course of the last little while, but there's  some hard truths about Sid which we all need to face,' he said.

'His last several months at the Club.. he's out of condition, I mean, you've all seen him'

'His skinfold tests have been appalling; they've been abominable, and the commitment he's made to turning up to training on time has been variable at best.'

Gordon said it was the outpouring of support from the Bulldogs family that eventually saw the Club yield, but he wanted to make it clear that he only had himself to blame.

'You always get these hard luck stories when they come out but we've decided to take a kind view and get him along.

'To the extent he was in doubt as to being on the field this weekend, the way in which he's conducted himself, the way in which he's trained over the last several weeks he's only got himself to blame.'

Let that be a warning.