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Western Bulldogs skipper Brad Johnson says history is an incentive and not a burden for him and his teammates at the AFL club.
Victory over St Kilda in Friday night’s first preliminary final would put the Bulldogs in their first grand final since 1961, and give them the chance of winning only the club’s second premiership, and first since 1954.
That sort of expectation could weigh heavily on some, but Johnson, who has played more games for the Doggies (348) than anyone else, said the team was focused on making its own history.
“We’re creating our own history around the footy club,” he said on Monday.
“We’re certainly not losing focus of what those guys achieved back in `54 and we’ve certainly met up with them a few times throughout the years.
“Without a doubt we’d love to take a part of that and go along with them more than anything.
“So no pressure at all, we’re creating our own history, and hopefully that continues this Friday night.”
St Kilda are also chasing their second premiership, and first since 1966.
Meanwhile, Bulldogs forward Jason Akermanis has again stirred up his old club, Brisbane, after the Bulldogs beat the Lions by 51 points in last Friday night’s semi-final.
Akermanis was bemused to read a report saying Lions coach Michael Voss had a forward flanker on his recruiting wishlist, and said he had savoured the win over the Lions, with whom he had an acrimonious split in 2006.
“It’s funny, I saw in the paper today that Michael Voss is going after a goal-kicking forward-cum-classy half-forward flanker and I can’t help but think that could have been me had they not kicked me out,” he told radio station Nova.
“They had one, now they want another one.
“It’s always good to beat those guys after what happened, but that’s something that only I know and only I really care about. No one else probably does.
“Emotionally, I know I have a smile on my face after the game.”
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