It was one step too far, wasn't it?
By the looks of this Victoria University advertisement which was published in Melbourne newspaper The Age today, there are still some doubters.
THE Western Bulldogs' win in the AFL Grand Final was a fairytale. No, really.
The Aussie Rules darlings snapped a 62-year premiership drought with a 22-point win against the Sydney Swans on Saturday - a result few saw coming at the beginning of the season.
The Dogs had risen from a club that was seen as a bit of a basket case at the end of 2014 when the sacking of coach Brendan McCartney was followed by the forced exit of captain Ryan Griffen to Greater Western Sydney.
Even after new coach Luke Beveridge returned the club to the top eight in 2015 there was little hype around the Dogs' premiership chances this season.
The doubt didn't stop there. Despite unlikely finals wins against West Coast, Hawthorn and the Giants, Beveridge's boys were still underdogs in the decider against the Swans.
It was one step too far, wasn't it?
By the looks of this Victoria University advertisement which was published in Melbourne newspaper The Age today, there are still some doubters.
"As a proud partner of the Western Bulldogs, Victoria University would like to congratulate the team on an outstanding 2016 season," it read.
"In spite of the disappointment of the Grand Final loss, the Bulldogs showed incredible heart and sportsmanship until the final siren, led by skipper and VU student Easton Wood."
Oops. It's normal to prepare two different versions of an ad so everyone's covered depending on which way the result goes. Unfortunately it appears as though the wrong one was dropped in.
After battling adversity for so long, Wood admits he was unprepared for the AFL's ultimate success.
But the feeling has grown on the Western Bulldogs captain quickly. Wood and his teammates are the toast of the league after winning their club's second premiership. "When that siren went, I've never been more unprepared emotionally for a moment in my entire life," he told Channel Nine's Footy Show.
"It was the finality of it that kind-of washed over and I realised that it's done - they can never, ever take that away." But in the last frenetic couple of minutes before the final siren, there was one last moment of apprehension.
After Liam Picken kicked the goal that guaranteed the win, teammate Jordan Roughead excitedly ran up to Wood.
"He was saying 'we've won it, we've won it' and I remember saying to him 'don't jinx it mate, don't bloody jinx it - just play it out, for God's sake'," Wood said.
Wood added that thanks to social media, he quickly saw photos of himself and Bob Murphy holding the premiership cup aloft.
Wood took over as captain when Murphy suffered his season-ending knee injury in round three.
"I get chills thinking about it and it's just a special, special moment," Wood. "Bob even talked about making it (the photo) as a wallpaper for every room in his house. That might be something to look into."
Murphy is the Bulldogs' spiritual leader and coach Luke Beveridge famously called him onto the stage to present him with his Jock McHale medal. Wood and Murphy then accepted the cup.
"To share that moment with him on stage - it's just a thing of dreams," Wood said.
"I really have to pinch myself now thinking about it, it's insane, it's unbelievable." Wood said Murphy was one of the people who first welcomed him to the Bulldogs. This season, Murphy has played a crucial off-field role, especially supporting Wood in the captaincy role.
"Easton Wood has done a fantastic job as a stand-in skipper," teammate Matthew Boyd told Channel Seven's Game Day.
"But Easton wouldn't have been able to do it without the support that Bob has shown."
-News.com with AAP
