Jamie Cooper artwork depicting impossible dressing room scene unveiled at Charles Sutton Medal ceremony.
A SPECTACULAR painting that immortalises the 25 Greatest Bulldogs has been unveiled at the 2025 Charles Sutton Medal ceremony at Crown Palladium.
The artwork depicts the 25 players – who were selected earlier this year as part of the Bulldogs’ celebrations to mark 100 years since the Club entered the VFL / AFL – in a ‘Dressing Room of Dreams’ that spans every era of the past century.
Former skipper Bob Murphy – who features as one of the 25 players chosen – spoke on stage at Crown Palladium after the painting was unveiled and described the scene as one every member of the Bulldogs family could feel a part of.
Murphy is depicted in the painting with his arms around the shoulders of former teammate Dale Morris and Allan Hopkins, the earliest representative having debuted in the VFA in 1923 and been posthumously awarded the 1930 Brownlow Medal, which he wears proudly in the painting.
Other evocative scenes include father and son Tony and Tom Liberatore celebrating together as players, great mates Brad Johnson and Chris Grant in an iconic embrace and the two greatest Bulldogs of all – Marcus Bontempelli and Ted Whitten – sharing a playful moment in the centre of the scene alongside W champion Ellie Blackburn.
INTERACTIVE: CLICK HERE TO EXPLORE THE PAINTING
An expert panel compiled the list through multiple deliberations ahead of the Club’s Centenary Gala, which took place at Mission Whitten Oval in July. While the list of 25 was selected without rank, a Top 5 was selected in order and revealed at that event. Whitten was ultimately declared the greatest Bulldog ahead of Bontempelli, with Grant (#3), Gary Dempsey (#4) and Doug Hawkins (#5) rounding out the top five.
The criteria for selection was defined as: “Those who have represented the red, white and blue with irrefutable distinction on the field and made the most considerable positive impact on the Club’s history. Players of exceptional ability who have achieved some of the game’s greatest accolades, they have also made the Club what it is today, setting standards that will always be aspired to, embodying the Bulldogs’ spirit and inspiring fans to dream big and stand proud.”
The artwork was created by Jamie Cooper, a renowned artist who has worked with sporting clubs across the world to create unique commemorative pieces. A former player with Fitzroy, Cooper is also responsible for the Bulldogs Team of the Century painting that hangs proudly at Mission Whitten Oval.
Cooper said the artwork was a result of months of work and more than a year of discussions with the Club on how best to commemorate the special milestone. It also features multiple references to the personalities and achievements of the selected players for eagle-eyed fans to enjoy.
“It’s an impossible scene, a Dressing Room of Dreams, so we’re putting together people and times that didn’t exist so there’s a lot of fun playing with that,” Cooper said.
“I can’t tell all the stories in one image but I’ve tried to weave as much as I can into the painting.”
The original artwork will eventually be displayed in the foyer of Mission Whitten Oval. To order your own print and own this unique commemoration of Bulldogs history CLICK HERE
25 Greatest Bulldogs (full list)
1925-45: Norm Ware, Harry Hickey, Arthur Olliver, Charlie Sutton, Allan Hopkins, Alby Morrison
1946-65: John Schultz, EJ Whitten, Wally Donald, Jack Collins
1966-85: Gary Dempsey, Doug Hawkins, Kelvin Templeton, Simon Beasley
1986-99: Scott Wynd, Chris Grant, Scott West, Brad Johnson, Tony Liberatore
2000-25: Bob Murphy, Matthew Boyd, Dale Morris, Tom Liberatore, Marcus Bontempelli, Ellie Blackburn
INTERACTIVE: CLICK HERE TO EXPLORE THE PAINTING
