Last Saturday’s Hall of Fame Tribute Match between Victoria and the Dream Team was a chance for five LeasePlan Western Bulldogs players to learn more about themselves and the team mates around them. 
Victorian pair Robert Murphy and Brad Johnson and Dream Team representatives Adam Cooney, Ryan Griffen and Daniel Cross each took something away from being involved in the match.
“It was a real buzz walking into the room and seeing so many champions of the game all together as part of a team. I felt honoured to be part of such an occasion,” Griffen said.
 “I was told before the game that I would be playing on Murph (Robert Murphy). I was pretty nervous because I know how hard he works in the forward line. I was crunched in a tackle that resulted in him kicking a goal and he mentioned it to me when I manned up on him afterwards with a grin on his face.”
Fellow Dream Team member Adam Cooney said he had learnt quite a lot from being part of the match and its preparations.
“It was a great game to be involved in. Getting to know players from other teams and seeing how they approach their game differently was interesting.”

Daniel Cross, an emergency for the Dream Team, said the week provided him with one of the best football experiences of his life.   
 “Being in and around the best of the best was a real buzz and it gave everyone the chance to form different friendships with players you would normally only play against,” Cross said.

Brad Johnson was delighted that his Bulldogs team mates were involved in such an historic event.
“I was willing Coons and Griff to do well personally on the night, but from a Victorian’s point of view that was as far as it got,” he joked.

“I haven’t been involved in something like that for quite a while. Although I was disappointed not to play, it was interesting watching the younger players develop over the course of the week. I’m sure they have learnt quite a lot from the whole experience.”