Four and a half thousand passionate Western Bulldogs members and fans got their chance to meet the team and hear from President Peter Gordon at the Club’s annual Family Day at Whitten Oval today.

Gordon addressed the crowd about the season ahead and reiterated the value of members as the lifeblood of the Club.

“As we know cycles in footy come and go. There are good days, there are good years and there are bad years,” Gordon said.

“But we know the sort of Club that we are, we know the sort of people that we are.

“It’s the contributions that you guys make that have enabled us to be competitive year after year after year.

“Our supporters for us are gold, they are our family, they are our heart and soul.”

Gordon urged supporters to stick with the Bulldogs as the developing young list matures and reinforced that every employee, player and coach was working hard to make the Club competitive and sustainable both on and off the field.

“Over the course of this year we are all – on the field, off the field, on the board, in the management – going to be working our butts off to build, to re-build, to make this club improve on the field and off the field,” he said.

“Stick with us there’s going to be great moments this year, there is going to be tough times too – as long as you know we are working our butts off that is what our commitment is to you  I hope you enjoy the season.

“Enjoy being a bulldog, look around and just reflect on what a great thing it is to be a Western Bulldogs’ supporter.”

The Bulldog faithful brushed shoulders with their favourite players as well as get autographs, with Dahlhaus Clubhouse members presenting the entire playing group on stage.

The event had a vast range of activities for supporters of all ages including jumping castles, a designated kids’ zone, live music and acrobatics performances, the MFB SmokeBUSter, animals from the Werribee zoo and much more.

Fill out our 2013 Western Bulldogs Family Day Survey here.