Our unique association with the Western Bulldogs Football Club began in the 1980s, and has grown to include the Grand Finalist AFL Women's League and VFL team. In October 2017 we celebrated the renewal of our partnership for a further five years. Today it is a multi-faceted partnership which includes:

  • Australian Football League (AFL)
  • Australian Football League Women’s (AFLW)
  • Victorian Football League (VFL)
  • Victorian Football League Women's (VFLW)
  • collaborative research projects
  • workplace learning opportunities for students
  • joint staff appointments and professional development
  • community activities and support of the Western Bulldogs Community Foundation
  • naming rights to the Victoria University Whitten Oval
  • support partner of the Next Generation Academy
  • match ball sponsor.

This partnership means that VU now sponsors all the teams (AFL, AFLW, VFL and VFLW) at this iconic club of the west.

The AFLW team celebrating their Grand Final win, March 2018.

Research

VU’s sports science researchers work side-by-side with the Bulldogs' coaching, medical and performance teams in a structured research program.

Collaborative research topics have included:

  • football performance
  • active living
  • community development
  • sport management.

Joint projects give our researchers the opportunity to work with an elite sports team and contribute to real-world advances in the sports industry. They also offer the Bulldogs access to sport science expertise to help them improve their on-field performance and to develop their skills and fitness in our world-class sports facilities.

Future plans include a number of evaluation and research projects for the Western Bulldogs Community Foundation evaluating program impact and opportunities for further improvements.

Education

Workplace learning

The Bulldogs accept sport science and exercise physiology cadets exclusively from VU. Our College of Sport and Exercise Science offers up to three Western Bulldogs student cadetships each year.

Each year, VU students have the opportunity to complete workplace learning with the Bulldogs in areas including:

  • administration
  • biomechanics
  • business
  • community development
  • event management
  • exercise physiology
  • exercise rehabilitation
  • hospitality
  • marketing
  • psychology
  • remedial massage
  • tourism.

The University also has seventy students actively involved in the Western Bulldogs Community Foundation, a grass-roots initiative that provides those living in the western suburbs with the tools and support they need in order to succeed.

Clinics

VU massage therapy and myotherapy students gain hands-on experience treating Bulldogs’ players and members of the public at our Victoria University Whitten Oval Massage Clinic.

Professional development for Bulldogs' players & staff

Many current and former Bulldogs' players and staff are studying at Victoria University or are VU Alumni.

Bulldogs players are encouraged to prepare for a career after football, including continuing their education. Our Elite Athlete program helps players who study at VU to balance study with training and competition demands, by offering flexible study options and career development support.

Check out how AFL player, Zaine Cordy balances his football career with studying and how AFLW player, Ellyse Gamble has found success with the VU block model.

Our joint Professional Development Support Program helps Western Bulldogs’ staff continue their professional development through further study. Through this program, VU makes a contribution to the fees of a small number of staff selected for the program each year.

I’m looking to VU to help me set up for life after footy. For now, footy is my full-time job so I study part-time in the evenings. Studying is a great release from football.

Mitch Wallis — Bachelor of Business (Accounting), Masters of Business Administration (VU Online)
Mitch's story
Catherine Dell'Aquila.

If students are interested in gaining hands-on experience while studying, VU is the leader in this space. Through wide networks and partnerships, students can access work-place leaning opportunities that offer the qualities employers are looking for.

Catherine Dell'Aquila — Community Health Pathways Coordinator, Western Bulldogs Community Foundation
Work with the Western Bulldogs

Community

Supporting community football

In 2014, VU became the major sponsor of the Western Bulldogs VFL team, Footscray Bulldogs, and a premier partner of the Western Bulldogs AFL team.

As one of the sponsorship benefits, VU secured naming rights to Victoria University Whitten Oval. The oval is a legendary location in the west of Melbourne which also operates as a secondary VU campus.

Joint community programs

VU and the Bulldogs have a shared commitment to the development of the western region through community-building programs. Some of our current community programs include:

  • Bulldogs Friendly Schools (BFS) program
    VU pre-service teachers help to facilitate the BFS ‘Footy in Schools’ program in western Melbourne primary schools. Students gain leadership and teamwork skills that can be applied to all aspects of their lives. Our pre-service teachers gain essential communication, leadership and coaching experience.
  • Sons of the West Men’s Health Program
    VU collaborates with the Western Bulldogs’ Sons of the West Men’s Health Program. The Program is designed to improve the health of men aged 18 years and over in the west of Melbourne and is the first program of its kind in Australia.
  • Daughters of the West Women’s Health Program
    VU is collaborating on the newly developed program is designed to improve the lives for all women aged 18 and over who are living, working and recreating in Victoria’s West.

  • Ready Settle Go
    The Ready SETTLE Go program offers a range of community focused health education, leadership, youth and employability programs in the light of meaningful partnerships and referral pathways with organisations and services in the west. VU’s community development students will be supporting this program in 2018 and beyond.

Carlie Bauer

I undertook a semester-long placement at Western Bulldogs. I credit this as one of the greatest experiences the University has offered its students for our success. The placement allowed me to apply theoretical knowledge I had learnt over the first couple of years in my course.

Carlie Bauer — Exercise Science (Human Movement)/Psychological Studies, Clinical Exercise Science & Rehabilitation
Carlie's story

Exclusive membership offer

Details around the 2021 Western Bulldogs membership offer exclusive to VU will be updated shortly in line with the launch of the 2021 AFL season.

Contact us

Contact our sponsorship team for more information on our Western Bulldogs partnership.

Phone: +61 3 9919 1014
Email: [email protected].

Visit the Western Bulldogs website for more information about the club.