Greatest Ever Western Bulldogs Team: Under 50 Games Edition

Unless you have spent the last few months hiding on a different planet, you may well be aware of the COVID-19 pandemic hindering the world at the present time. It has seen the world as we know it change to the point where social gatherings are now banned in Australia, including football matches.

As a result, many people have resorted to partaking in some football-related challenges, where people recall some of their favourite players and memories. Some people have even taken it a step further and listed some of the greatest teams that they have ever seen. We'll continue with this theme today and over the next few days, but we wanted something completely different to kick-start our proceedings.

The challenge for building this team is very simple: it can only consist of the best Bulldogs players who have played 50 or fewer AFL/VFL games. They may have represented other football clubs, but their career total in regards to games cannot exceed 50, so you won't be seeing the likes of Barry Hall or Joel Hamling on this list. Players who are also ineligible includes anyone who is still on an AFL list, as they will harbour hopes of breaching the 50-game barrier, so you'll not be seeing Aaron Naughton or Bailey Smith sneak in on some unfair technicality.

This team will include some players that you're familiar with, others that you may never have heard of before, and some that will make your eyes roll, but it's an opportunity to reflect on some of the more obscure players, rather than go for the same old, boring "best team ever" lists that have the same players every time. So without further ado, let's look at the team I have put together of the best team of Bulldogs to have played 50 games or fewer:

Back Pocket: Charlie Evans - 50 games (42 with Foots.), 1960-63

The eight games Evans played with South Melbourne makes things tight, but he sneaks into the criteria. A fine defender in his prime, Evans played back-pocket in the 1961 Grand Final, and also finished 5th in the Brownlow Medal in the same season.

Full Back: Zeno Tzatzaris - 34 games, 1984-90

A Salty Bulldog icon, persistent knee injuries hampered Tzatzaris throughout his eight-year career, but earns his place in the side due to the most memorable performance of all time: achieving the 3 Brownlow votes in a 50-point loss to Geelong off the back of just 14 disposals, oh, and keeping Gary Ablett Snr goalless. Don't believe us? Look it up.

Back Pocket: Brett Goodes - 22 games, 2013-15

A tough-as-teak defender with reliable run-and-carry, Goodes was a regular during his first season with the Bulldogs, playing 13 games and even managing a Brownlow vote during his debut. But he fell out of favour, managing just nine matches over the next two seasons. Goodes also played in Footscray's 2014 VFL Premiership, and won the Norm Goss Medal as best afield.

Never one to shirk a contest, Brett Goodes made an immediate impact across the Bulldogs half-back line. Source: Getty Images

Half Back Flank: Barry Ion - 40 games, 1961-65

A media man at heart, Ion was convinced to join the Bulldogs by his brother Graham, and the two would go on to play together in the 1961 Grand Final, with Barry named on the half-back flank. He played 29 games over the next two seasons, but managed only five more after that, as injuries took their toll.

Centre Half Back: Fred Cook, 33 games, 1967-69

A Port Melbourne icon, kicking over 1200 goals for the club, Cook started his football career at centre-half back for Footscray, and impressed very early on in that position, playing every game in 1968, and developing a reputation for being one of the best marks in the game. He moved onto Yarraville in 1970, and would eventually become the VFA's all time leading goal-scorer.

Half Back Flank: Tim Callan - 34 games (19 with WB) , 2008-10.

Callan was brought across from Geelong to add some steel to the Bulldogs lineup, and certainly provided that, making a name for himself as a run-with role during 2008, before spending much of his last two seasons at the club plying trade in the VFL. Oddly enough, six of the last seven games of Callan's AFL career were finals.

Wing: Ron McCarthy - 42 games, 1953-56

Ron McCarthy was named on the wing in the Bulldogs 1954 Premiership side; he was always going to be an automatic inclusion in this side. The fact that he missed only two games for the whole season demonstrates that he was a key part of one of the Bulldogs greatest ever sides.

Centre: Cameron McDonald - 42 games, 1959-63

Impressing early in his career as an old fashioned follower, McDonald cemented his place in the Footscray midfield in the early 1960s, and was named in that position in the 1961 Grand Final.

Wing: Roy Evans (C) - 49 games, 1936-39

Captain of this obscure side, and with good reason. Operating as both a wingman and an onballer during his career with Footscray, Evans also captained the club in their first ever finals appearance in 1938.

Half Forward Flank: Jack McMillan - 4 games, 17 goals, 1936

The fewest-games played of any player in this team, McMillan started his Footscray career with a bang, kicking 17 goals in four games, including seven on debut. An untimely wrist injury ended his VFL career, although he did play in Footscray's Reserves Premiership side of 1936.

Centre Half Forward: Max Cross - 21 games, 54 goals, 1956-57

Part of the side that made the 1956 Preliminary Final, Cross had a fine year, kicking 52 goals to finish runner-up in the Coleman Medal.

Half Forward Flank: Shane Loveless - 28 games, 72 goals, 1979-81

A goalkicking dynamo, Loveless worked brilliantly in tandem with Kelvin Templeton during his 28-game, 72-goal career, which included two bags of eight, one of seven, and another of six, and won Footscray's leading goalkicking award in 1981. However, the addition of one Simon Beasley quickly spelt the end of Loveless' time at Footscray, transferring to Glenorchy during 1982.

Forward Pocket: Jack Redpath - 36 games, 57 goals, 2014-18.

The first contemporary player for a while, Redpath developed a cult status among the fans as a no-frills full-forward that held no fears about throwing his weight around. An aggressive, charismatic sharp-shooter, a tragic knee injury robbed him of a potential Premiership in 2016, before persistent knee issues forced him into an early retirement in 2018.

Injuries curtailed his career, but Jack Redpath had more than enough time to become a fan favourite. Source: Getty Images

Full Forward: Alan Rait, 19 games - 62 goals, 1933-34

Recruited from Tasmania, Rait burst onto the Footscray scene, averaging a remarkable three goals a game across his 19-game career, before an injury forced him to return home in 1934. His brief Footscray stint was no fluke, however; he kicked 847 goals in the Tasmania State League, and won the league goal-kicking award eight times.

Forward Pocket: Les Bamblett - 48 games (37 with Foots.), 72 goals (59 with Foots.), 1984-88

Across Bamblett's five seasons at the club, only once did he manage to play more then four games in a season. But in that one season, he managed 51 goals in 24 games as the Bulldogs reached the 1985 Preliminary Final, trailing only Beasley in the club's leading-goalkicking award. Talk about timing.

Ruck: Les Dayman - 34 games, 68 goals, 1932-34

One of South Australia's finest ever ruckman, Dayman had a brief stint at Footscray, being used as both a ruckman and a key forward, leading the club's goalkicking in 1932. Went on to become a member of the South Australian Football Hall of Fame.

Ruck Rover: Graeme Austin, 50 games, 1970-74

Described as a handy rover, Austin struggled to cement himself as a regular in Footscray's lineup, with his tenure coinciding with one of Footscray's least successful on-field eras. He did enjoy success whilst at the Bulldogs, however, being named in the forward pocket in Footscray's 1970 VFL Night Premiership side.

Rover: Charlie Stewart, 20 games, 1961

Stewart was only at Footscray for one season, but that was all he needed to make a significant impact. He played every game, including the 1961 Grand Final, and established himself as one of the finest young recruits of the season.

Interchange: Jack Nuttall - 27 games 1953-55

Like Ron McCarthy, Nuttall was also a member of the 1954 Premiership side, starting the match as a reserve player. That alone gets him into this side. He played 16 matches during the '54 campaign, and every game from Round 6 onwards.

Interchange: Charlie Page, 41 games, 113 goals, 1938-41

Going goalless just six times in his career, Page enjoyed a productive few seasons at Footscray, winning the club's leading goal-kicker award in successive seasons in 1939 and 1940, and was runner-up in 1941. War commitments brought his career to a premature end.

Interchange: John Georgiades, 15 games, 27 goals, 1989-91

With eight goals and three Brownlow votes on debut, many fans hoped that John Georgiades would go on to be one of the greatest players to ever pull on the jumper. 14 games and 19 goals later, his career stats would suggest otherwise, but he still holds the record for the second-most goals ever kicked on debut by a Bulldog.

Interchange: Patrick Cahill - 50 games (47 with Foots.) 1939-41; 1943-44; 1946-48

Twice missing out on entire seasons due to the war, Cahill also spent large portions of other seasons on the sidelines, ultimately meaning that he never played in a final despite being around throughout one of Footscray's most successful on-field eras (Footscray qualified for finals four times from 1939-48). Cahill was tried in a variety of positions, but settled as a ruck/defensive option. He is the backup ruckman for this side.

Coach: Norm Ware, 32 games, 20 wins, 1941-42

He played far too many games (200 exactly) to gain a spot on field, but with 32 games as coach with a win percentage of 62.5%, Norm Ware finds himself in the coaches box instead. Of everyone who has coached at least 10 games for the Bulldogs, no one has a better win percentage, and his coaching record includes a finals campaign (albeit an unsuccessful one) in 1942.

Full Team:

B: Charlie Evans; Zeno Tzatzaris; Brett Goodes

HB: Barry Ion, Fred Cook, Tim Callan C: Ron McCarthy, Cameron McDonald; Roy Evans (C)

HF: Jack McMillan; Max Cross; Shane Loveless

F: Jack Redpath, Alan Rait, Les Bamblett R: Les Dayman, Graeme Austin, Charlie Stewart I/C: Jack Nuttal; Charlie Page; John Georgiades; Patrick Cahill

Coach: Norm Ware