WESTERN Bulldogs premiership skipper Easton Wood and player Tim English made a special visit to Wimmera Base Hospital as part of the club’s trip to Horsham on Monday.
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The two were invited to meet Graeme Bell, a terminally ill patient at the hospital.
Mr Bell, 80, is a life-long Western Bulldogs supporter who has witnessed both premiership wins for the side, in 1954 and 2016.
Mr Bell told Wood and English about his first memories of barracking for the Bulldogs.
“When I was living in Altona I was walking to the pharmacy college,” he said.
“Altona was very small back then. There were just three shops in the main street.
“When I got to the pharmacy someone came in behind me and it was Charlie Sutton.
“Since that day I have barracked for Footscray.”
Graeme also spoke of his high regard for Bulldogs coach Luke Beveridge.
“The fella that the side would miss the most is the coach,” he said.
“He’s not nearly as tall as a lot of the players either.”
Wood agreed with Mr Bell’s assessment.
“No, no just about all of us are taller than him,” he said.
“Maybe only Caleb Daniel and a few others aren’t.”
Mr Bell said he was fond of Daniel.
“You can always tell him because he has his helmet on,” he said.
“He’s really a good player but I don’t think he is as tall as I am.”
Mr Bell was amazed by the height of English. Wood asked the young ruckman how tall he was when he was 15. English said he grew late.
“I am six-foot-nine now,” he said.
Wood said he grew up in a small country town and said it felt like returning home.
“Meeting Graeme was fantastic and hearing his story of being at the ‘54 grand final is as good for me as it is to him,” he said.
“I think it is great because when I was a young kid to meet AFL players was really exciting.”