When Jake Stringer was growing up he was a mad North Melbourne supporter.
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You’d think his hero would have been Wayne Carey, Anthony Stevens or Glenn Archer. Incorrect.
“Jake would throw the ball up in the air and take a hanger and pretend to be (Western bulldogs great) Chris Grant,’’ Jake’s father John Stringer said this week.
“It’s quite surreal to think Jake is now playing for the Dogs in a grand final and Chris Grant is now the director of football at the club.”
On Saturday, Stringer will attempt to do something his hero couldn’t do and that’s win an AFL premiership medal.
Stringer, who moved to Bendigo from Maryborough when he was 11, will be one of the key targets in the Western Bulldogs’ forward line against the Sydney Swans.
“It’s a bit surreal to think Jake’s playing in the big dance,’’ John Stringer said.
“It wasn’t long ago we were watching him run around in the juniors. You never really envisage that he could end up in an AFL grand final. It’s pretty amazing.”
Stringer was always destined to play sport on the big stage – it was just a matter of which one.
He was a standout junior in footy and basketball and represented Victoria Country in both codes.
Outgoing Eaglehawk coach Luke Monaghan coached Stringer at under-16 level with the Bendigo Pioneers and when the then 17-year-old played his only senior game in the BFNL.
“Jake had one goal and that was to make it (to the AFL),’’ Monaghan said.
“He was a match winner all through his juniors. At the under-16 carnival we’d start him at centre half-back and then move him to centre half-forward when we needed a goal.
“He was always a confident boy and he knew he would stand up when required.
“Then as a 17-year-old he played centre half-forward for Eaglehawk seniors and kicked four goals against Strathfieldsaye. He had that class and confidence and you knew he would make it.”
Stringer has been a big name in the AFL since he was drafted by the Bulldogs from the Bendigo Pioneers with selection five of the 2012 national draft.
72 games and 135 goals later, Stringer is primed for the biggest day of his sporting life.
“Jake’s played a lot of footy and basketball finals over the years and he’s always handled them well,’’ John Stringer said.
“There’s no sign of nerves. He’s telling us that he’s got everything under control.”
John, who barracked for Hawthorn before Jake was drafted to the Dogs, said watching this year’s finals campaign had been an experience he’ll never forget.
“It’s been exciting. We went to Perth to watch the West Coast final and that was just amazing,’’ John said.
“The players thought if they could get past West Coast they were a real chance to get to the grand final.
“The Hawthorn game was a bit scary because they were playing against a team of that quality. Once they beat them we thought anything was possible.
“Last week against GWS… when we got there it was a bit like a home game. There were Western Bulldogs people everywhere. The crowd was unbelievable. To be there to watch it and see them win… we just got swept up in it.
“You see what it means to so many people. The emotion last week among the Bulldogs supporters after the final siren was unbelievable.
“We’re fully aware now of what this club means to people.”
The Stringer family will be front and centre at the MCG on Saturday.
Jake’s eldest brother Travis has lived overseas for six years, but is making a flying visit to Melbourne to watch the grand final.
“Jake’s really excited to have Travis at the game. He hasn’t seem him for a couple of years,’’ John said.
“We’ve managed to get tickets for all the family, so it should be a great day. Hopefully, the Bulldogs are in front when the siren sounds.”