A special piece of Western Bulldogs history was returned to Whitten Oval this week, with inaugural Hall of Fame inductee Harry Hickey’s 1939 Best & Fairest trophy donated back to the Club after being recently discovered in a Seaford backyard.
 
The unusual find was made by lifelong Bulldogs fans Adrian and Tennille Busso with Mrs Busso’s father Robert Petrini also on hand to watch the discovery unfold.
 
“It was in my daughter’s backyard in Seaford. During some renovations the youngsters were digging the backyard out and that and to dig up this cup,” Petrini said.

Watch Robert Petrini talk to BulldogsTV about the uncovered treasure on the media player above.
 
“When I cleaned it up, to realise it was a Bulldog cup or a Footscray cup was to my amazement, you know, being out the other side of town.”
 
It was later established that the Seaford residence was home to Hickey for a number of years before his death.
 
The fact the discovery was made by long term Bulldogs fans brings even more significance to the find.
 
“My mother was born and bred in Seddon and lived here, you know, all her premarital days and my grandmother and grandfather,” Petrini said.
 
“We actually own property in the area and my daughter was living here also before she shifted to Seaford, so she’s only just left the area maybe August last year.”
 
Harry Hickey played 174 games and kicked 169 goals during his eleven year playing career before retiring in 1948.
 
He also captained the Bulldogs in 1947, was a triple best and fairest winner and was named in the Bulldogs Team of the Century on the wing.

The timing of the finding of this special piece of memorabilia is even more significant given the impending opening of the new Bulldogs Museum which is on track for opening later this year. Discover more about the Bulldogs Museum.