Title winner, administrator, proud father: Weal honoured by Bulldogs

The former first grade-winning player and manager has been a valued member of the Bulldogs both on and off the field from the late 70s through to the present.

Whether it was his work as a player, coach, manager, selector - or even an electrician - Weal has found many ways to lend a hand with the rugby club.

It makes Weal and his father, Harold, the only father-son combination at Bulldogs to hold life membership.

"I was blown away. It's something I didn't expect," Weal said of the announcement.

"A lot of my mates had been made life members, including my dad and my brother in law. It was sitting in the back of my mind that if I ever was to be life member of somewhere it would be with the Bulldogs because they're so close to my heart.

"The rugby club is so special to my family because dad started there ... and he instilled a love of the club into us.

"I was lucky enough to win a grand final in 1981 alongside my brother and my brother in law. I had a number of other premierships in the lower grades with the club over 12 years or so."

Weal premiership-winning season with the first grade team came during a strong era of rugby for the Bathurst club at the turn of the decade.

Bulldogs would ultimately come away with four premierships in the space of six seasons between 1977 and 1982.

Weal looks back on that 1981 campaign fondly not only because of the outcome but because of the enjoyable atmosphere and culture surrounding that group.

"Our coach Ron Graham was an ex-Wallaby and he took over coaching in the finals series so Alistair Robinson could concentrate on his football, and he gave me the nod to come up for the final

"I had played some first grade through the year but they made a couple of changes towards the finals, which brought me into the side, and I'll never forget what that feeling was like.

"And I'm sure some at the club wish I would forget about it.

"I was a reserve for the next two grand finals but didn't quite get the nod. I reckon that Ron Graham was obviously wiser than the other coaches because he picked me for first grade."

Weal had grown up playing soccer for Churches United Football Club (one of five clubs his father has a life membership with) and also played for the Bathurst district side.

A rugby union career wasn't even in the back of his mind until he'd made a return home to Bathurst after some time out of town.

"As kids growing up we only ever played soccer, and never even contemplated rugby union. I went down to Sydney and did an apprenticeship, and when I came back home after a few years all my mates had gone over from soccer to play rugby

"I followed them over to play. I'd never even picked up a football until the late 70s. There were a couple of guys in that 1981 premiership team that I'd grown up playing soccer with."

It's his tireless work on the sidelines where Weal has made his biggest contributions to the Bulldogs.

He is still currently the first grade manager, and has been thrilled by the club's recent back-to-back successes.

One of Weal's most memorable moments at the Bulldogs in recent years was watching his son, Alex, win a first grade premiership of his own.

He's hoping to stay involved with the Bulldogs for many years to come.

"I did have some time as club captain when I was playing football and then went into managing alongside my brother-in-law [Dave Glasson]. He both had our sons playing first grade, and we thought there was no better way to spend time with the kids," he said.

"I also started selecting for the club. Col Kemp got me involved with that, and I've done that for a couple of years now and have been enjoying that a lot.

"The last couple of years I've been retired. I'm an electrician by trade and there's been some bits and pieces to be done at the club, and I've been happy to spend some days down there working on that.

"This year I'll be selecting and manager the first grade side again with Dave [Glasson]. My two sons will be managing the second grade team so I'll still get to spend my Saturday's with the family."

Weal is the 26^th life member for the Bulldogs, and his naming comes shortly after current first grade coach Dean Oxley was given the honour last year.