If history is any guide, the Western Bulldogs, along with the Liberatore and Hunter families could be forgiven for asking that the Dogs play Melbourne on May 15 in all future fixture requests.
The Bulldogs have played the Demons three times on May 15 and won them all, with T Liberatore a key contributor each time.
The run kicked off in 1994 when Footscray travelled to the MCG to take on the Demons, who were on top of the ladder. The Dogs were ninth, and looking to claim a place in the top eight.
Melbourne dominated the first half and led by 22 points at the long break, but the Bulldogs hit back in the third term to claim the lead before holding on to win by three points in a thriller.
In an outstanding performance, Tony Liberatore had 17 possessions and laid eight tackles to claim the three Brownlow Medal votes. Libba Senior's tackle count needs to be given some context a quarter of a century on. To lay eight tackles in a single match in the mid-'90s was rare indeed, which is highlighted by the fact that the next highest figure in that match was five.
One of those who laid five tackles was Mark Hunter, who also had a field day for the Bulldogs. He picked up 35 possessions, eight more than any other player on the ground, kicked a goal and was even credited with a hitout in the match! He must have been desperately unlucky to miss out on a Brownlow vote.
Hunter was a bit luckier later in the year when the Dogs hosted the Demons at Western Oval. Footscray won the match easily and Hunter was awarded one vote, while Tony Liberatore collected the full three again.
Five years later in 1999, the two sides met on May 15 at Princes Park. Mark Hunter had retired by then, but Tony Liberatore was still very much at the top of his game at age 33. The Bulldogs won again, this time in a canter, thrashing Melbourne by 64 points. Libba Senior was best on ground, his 25-possession effort earning him three votes once more. Another Bulldog dad, Scott West, collected two votes for his 28 touches and a goal.
The next May 15 encounter between the Bulldogs and the Demons came on this day in 2016. The elder Liberatore, Hunter and West had all long since retired but two of them had sons wearing the red, white and blue, with both of them playing major roles in another win.
Controlling the game from start to finish, the Bulldogs won by 32 points, and while Marcus Bontempelli was voted best on ground, Tom Liberatore and Lachie Hunter were also dominant, with Libba Junior equalling a tackle record that stand to this day. Tom laid 19 for the match, a figure match only by North Melbourne's Jack Ziebell a few weeks earlier.
On top of his tackle count, young Liberatore had 25 disposals and kicked a goal, but the leading possession-getter on the ground was Lachie Hunter, just as his father had been 22 years to the day earlier. Lachie had 34 touches (one fewer than Mark in 1994) and kicked a goal. Unlike Dad, though, Lachie was awarded Brownlow votes (two), while Tom Liberatore also received one.
Interestingly, Melbourne's Jack Viney also had a very high tackle count in the match, laying 16 to go with his 25 disposals and one goal. Jack's own dad, Todd Viney, was one of the Demons' better players in the 1999 match between the two teams.
The Dogs, the Demons, a Libba, a Hunter, a West and a date of May 15 — together they create a winning combination for the team of the Mighty West.
