The Bulldogs will be out to break the AFL’s longest premiership drought on Saturday when they attempt to win their first flag since 1954 against Sydney.

Few people can appreciate just how long the wait has been better than Ion, who played in the Bulldogs’ last grand final back in 1961.

A Footscray man through and through, Ion watched on from the grandstand as a 13-year-old when the Bulldogs won the 1954 grand final.

He played in their next grand final as a 20-year-old alongside his brother Barry and has been waiting ever since to see his beloved Bulldogs back on centre stage.

“It was nerve-wracking the last three or four days trying to get tickets I tell you,” Ion said.

“I went to the 54 grand final as a young fella then played in the next one so it would have been a shame to miss this one.”

Ion will head down to Melbourne with son Trevor and grandson Blake to watch the grand final.

The 107-game Footscray veteran believes the Bulldogs can upset the Swans as well.

“Absolutely, I think they can win, really,” he said.

“They have got a little bit of upside with a few of the players that played last weekend and I think we might have them a little bit for pace, that all depends if we can get the ball out quick.

“They might not win the ruck but they seem to be able to get the ball pretty well out of the centre, which is good.”

After Ion finished with Footscray in 1965, he moved to Deniliquin to coach. After three years there, he arrived in Wagga, enjoying coaching stints with Turvey Park, Mangoplah and Marrar.

Having been all over the countryside and met a lot of good people, Ion still has vivid memories of his grand final appearance with the Bulldogs.

“The lead up to it was great,” he said.

“The best part was running out onto the ground for the first time. You come down the race to the roar of the crowd and you’re running on air, you know.”