Imagine the Bulldogs playing in three drawn matches in the first half of a regular 22-game season. It wouldn't be great for the ticker!

Fortunately for the hearts and nerves of Doggies fans' that has never happened but, in a statistical oddity, the Dogs have drawn three of the 11 matches they have played on June 8.

In fact, the very first match the Doggies played on the date ended in a tie, back in 1935.  In some ways the Dogs were unlucky to lose that match played against Carlton at Western Oval.

The Dogs were in front for most of the afternoon, leading by 16 points, seven points and 11 points at each break, before the Blues levelled the scores with a rushed behind not long before the final siren.

On the other hand, it could also be said that the Bulldogs were lucky to win, because Carlton had an amazing 15 more scoring shots than Footscray!  The final score was Footscray 12.7.79 to Carlton 9.25.79.

Flip the calendar forward to 1991 and the Dogs were back at Whitten Oval on a soggy Saturday afternoon.  For much of the game the Bulldogs held sway on the scoreboard and looked like celebrating Mark Hunter's 50th game with a win, but a second-half surge from Sydney in a very low-scoring game saw the Swans snatch a one-point lead early in the final term.

A week earlier, the Bulldogs had almost held Carlton goalless for an entire match, but a late free given away by Steve MacPherson had given the Blues their only goal in the final minute. Seven days later, MacPherson was again the centre of attention as the clock ticked down.

This time around, though, MacPherson was more hero than villain. With just 10 seconds remaining, with neither side having scored at all for 20 minutes, MacPherson managed to scramble a behind for the Dogs, levelling the scores. The siren sounded as the goal umpire waved his flag, the game ending with Footscray finishing on 4.11.35 against the Swans' 5.5.35.

Twelve years to the day later, in 2003, the Bulldogs travelled to Perth as the bottom side, having not won a match since the opening round. They were facing the second-placed West Coast Eagles, and few gave them a chance.

The Eagles made the early running and were 16 points clear at quarter time. The Dogs didn't lie down, though, and were still within 11 points at the long break.

Most thought West Coast would turn up the heat in the third term, but instead it was the Bulldogs who did so. The Dogs piled on six goals to three for the term — including an incredible burst of three goals in five minutes from Ben Harrison — to lead by 14 points at the last change. 

West Coast fought back to level the scores early in time on but after Brad Johnson and Ryan Hargrave both kicked truly the Dogs led by 13 points and looked home with two and a half minutes on the clock. But somehow the Eagles came again, with a goal to Chad Fletcher and a rushed behind cutting the margin to an even goal.

The Eagles attacked once more in the final minute but a clearing kick from the back pocket by Bob Murphy with 17 seconds to go looked to have saved the Dogs. Unfortunately, his kick landed in the arms of Eagle Andrew Embley, who played on and found Ashley Sampi.

The siren sounded as Sampi lined up and he kicked truly to level the scores at 19.10.124 apiece, giving the Bulldogs a third drawn June 8 match.

Overall, the Bulldogs have done pretty well on June 8, winning five, drawing three and losing three of the 11 matches they have played on the date.

BULLDOGS ON JUNE 8 OVER THE YEARS

1935: Footscray 12.7.79 drew Carlton 9.25.79 at Western Oval

1940: Footscray 12.19.90 def Carlton 12.8.80 at Western Oval

1957: Footscray 14.14.98 def Collingwood 6.4.40 at Western Oval

1968: South Melbourne 11.9.75 d Footscray 9.8.62 at Western Oval

1974: Footscray 11.10.76 def St Kilda 9.9.63 at Moorabbin

1981: Geelong 17.15.117 def Footscray 12.10.82 at Western Oval

1985: Footscray 15.21.111 def St Kilda 13.12.90 at Western Oval

1991: Footscray 4.11.35 drew Sydney 5.5.35 at Western Oval

2003: Western Bulldogs 19.10.124 drew West Coast 19.10.124 at Subiaco

2008: Western Bulldogs15.16.106 def St Kilda 11.13.79 at Telstra Dome

2017: Sydney 12.16.88 def Western Bulldogs 6.6.42 at the SCG