This time last week, Bendigo’s Steve Campbell was with one of his best mates on a motorbike trip around Sumba Island in Indonesia.
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It was a holiday planned more than 12 months in advance and one that Campbell had looked forward to with great anticipation.
However, once Campbell’s beloved Western Bulldogs won the preliminary final against the GSW Giants, the holiday was over.
“I told my mate before we left for the holiday that if the Bulldogs made the grand final I’d be coming home to go to the grand final,’’ Campbell said on Thursday.
“We watched the preliminary final at a place called Hu’u Beach with about six other Aussies. The next morning I got on the motorbike at 8am and it took me about eight hours riding to reach the ferry.
“I had a 90 minute ferry ride back to Lombok and then another two hour ride on my motorbike in the dark, so it was a 13-hour trip.
“I organised for someone to find a flight for me and the next day I found out I had a ticket back to Australia. It cost me $1000, but it’s money well spent.
“I’m an E.J. Whitten Social Club member of the Bulldogs, so I knew I was guaranteed of a grand final ticket.”
# Bendigo’s John Hoiles talks about when he played for Footscray in the 1961 VFL grand final
55 years after being at the MCG to watch Footscray lose the 1961 to Hawthorn, 67-year-old Campbell will head to the grand final with his daughter.
“In 1961 I was in behind the Punt Rd goals with my brother, standing on two 28 ounce VB cans. They were made of tin back then and were very solid,’’ Campbell said.
“Unfortunately, we didn’t win that day, but I’m very confident we’ll win on Saturday.
“I’ve been a supporter for 60 years. It’s a long time to wait for a flag.”
Despite the Bulldogs’ lack of on-field success, Campbell, who has been a member of the club for 40 consecutive years, has plenty of great memories.
“I saw Charlie Sutton’s last (home) game at the Western Oval,’’ Campbell said.
“For 14 years I got to watch Ted Whitten – the greatest player of all time. I feel really blessed to be a Dogs supporter.
“Emotionally, it’s a deeper experience barracking for the Dogs because you savour every victory and you feel all the defeats deeply.”
One of Campbell’s fondest childhood memories was meeting the great Ted Whitten.
“Ted Whitten had a driving school back in the day and my brother did a driving lesson with him,’’ Campbell said.
“After the lesson my brother invited Ted in for a cup of tea and some fruit cake and Ted sat around the table and spoke with us all. He was a wonderful person and a champion player.”