When Lukas Markovic steps out onto Victoria University Whitten Oval in his first game for the Footscray Bulldogs, he will be living out a childhood dream.

The life-long Bulldogs fan has made the decision to return to the kennel as an experienced head in the VFL side, after playing 29 games during his four years on the senior list. 

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“Some of my earliest memories of being a Bulldogs supporter are actually watching games out at Whitten Oval,” Markovic said.

“So to be able to run out and play for Footscray at Whitten Oval is pretty exciting for me.”

Markovic’s decision to return to the kennel was not without careful consideration.

“I was asked to come back and it wasn’t a decision I made immediately, but it was something I had to walk away and think about,” he said.

“There’s still a lot of disappointment of being delisted but I don’t hold any grudges, I still love the people around this place, the players, the coaches and the Club itself.

“I know the Club is heading in the right direction and it is something I am really honoured to be a part of.”

Held in high regard around the Club for his selflessness both on and off the field, the close-checking defender is eager to contribute to the young VFL players’ development and help instil the “Bulldogs way” of football.

“The biggest thing I am looking forward to is getting these young VFL listed players to learn the Bulldogs way of football and to still develop that further myself,” he said.

“The reason I say that is it’s an exciting, hard, tough brand of football that we want to be playing.

“I think the challenge is to get the whole team from the senior list down to the VFL list all on the same page and having a really strong group together to be striving towards the same goals.”

Off the field Markovic is also making inroads in a career path close to his heart, working with the AFL affiliated charity, Ladder to help combat youth homelessness.

“I’ve always dabbled in a bit of social work stuff, so now I have been able to land a gig with them which I have been absolutely loving,” he said.

“I am learning a lot and that has been really important for me as well, to show that football means so much to me but I think it is so important to have something outside it.

“I think making a career path out of it is going to be really well suited to me too.”