By Luke Voogt
Grovedale’s Angela Biviano waited 18 years to watch her beloved “Doggies” win the 2016 premiership alongside 99,980 fans.
Angela watched from the ground level of the MCG, near the pocket, as the underdogs upset Sydney to win an incredible fourth final in a row and claim the flag.
“It was beyond loud,” she remembered, ahead of tomorrow’s grand final against Melbourne.
“The stands were like… moving – it was awesome.”
The Western Bulldogs broke a 62-year premiership drought that day, so Angela empathises with Demons fans facing their own 57-year drought.
“I feel for them and if they were playing anybody else I would be barracking for them, but I’ve got to support my boys,” she said.
“I’m happy for us to spoil the party.”
Angela, now 41, was 18 when friends took her to a few Footscray Bulldogs games prompting her to switch sides.
She missed the Bulldogs’ 2016 qualifier in Perth but went to every final after including their thrilling preliminary final win over GWS at the Giants’ home ground.
“There were more Bulldogs supporters than GWS,” she said.
“That was the best game I’ve ever been to.”
The Bulldogs could again pull off a big upset after winning three do-or-die finals so far.
“We’ve got a nice balance between some really skilled players and some players that just give it their all,” Angela said.
Angela, this year a player sponsor for tall forward Mitch Hannan, will have to watch the big game in Perth from home due to Victoria’s latest COVID-19 outbreak.
“We looked at helicopters, shipping containers, submarines – anything that could get us there,” she joked.
Instead she has hung up everything red, white and blue she owns around home to build the atmosphere.
“We can’t be there so we’ve got to do something to get the enthusiasm up,” she said.
