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NEW Bulldogs sponsor Gary Johnston, head of Jaycar Electrical, wants to set the secord straight. "I used to hate Canterbury - absolutely hate 'em," he declared.
"In fact, I've only ever been to Belmore twice in my life."
A rabid Wests supporter, Johnston didn't want to see anything of his cross-town foes aside from their name on the wrong end of the scoreboard. Yet now this self-made millionare has paid $500,000 to have Jaycar splashed across a Bulldogs jersey - and will fly to Brisbane in his private jet to witness its on-field debut tonight.
"I wouldn't say I've grown to like them, but I can't help but respect them," Johnston says. "What the Bulldogs have done over the past year to turn themselves around, on and off the field, has been very impressive.
"They've gotten rid of the idiots and are running first despite being robbed of two points by that dud call against the Dragons a couple of weeks ago."
It was while watching that very game on television a few Friday nights ago that Johnston decided to join the Bulldogs bandwagon. He noticed a charity - Camp Quality - occupying the front of their jersey and wondered: "How much are they paying for that?"
"I thought there might be an opportunity for Jaycar to get on board with a club that was clearly going places," Johnston added.
"We are a big company but no one knows who we are. Like **** Smith, we are a bit nerdy and sell gadgets. But unlike them, we don't have **** Smith to jump out from icebergs to boost our profile."
Johnston is supremely confident the Bulldogs have enough tricks up their sleeve to compensate.
He has signed on until the end of this season, but will face competition from much bigger companies that were circling should the club continue its upward surge.
The deal came together over the past fortnight, with Johnston and Bulldogs chairman George Peponis striking a verbal agreement over $12 steaks at the Woolwich Pier Hotel.
The pair have been close mates for years, and Peponis even invited Johnston into the Bulldogs box at ANZ Stadium to cheer on Wests last season.
"We thrashed them as well and I remember George saying, 'You've eaten my pies, drank my piss and now you've taken the two points as well'," Johnston said.
"He had always been trying to get me on the Road to Damascus and convert me into a Dogs fan.
"I say never - I'm a Wests fan through and through.
"But I am a businessman first and from that perspective you can't help but admire what the Bulldogs have done."
After last month losing a $2 million, three-year deal with the Strathfield Group because of an intellectual property dispute with the NRL, Bulldogs chief executive Todd Greenberg is finally breathing easier.
"Finding sponsors in this economic climate has been tough - and that's before we even talk about all the hits the game has been taking," Greenberg said.
Johnston, however, takes a different view.
A year ago - with the Bulldogs down and out - he says he wouldn't have touched them for quids.
"But now they represent the way forward for rugby league - and I want my company to be involved in that," Johnston said.
http://www.news.com.au/dailytelegraph/sport/nrl/story/0,26799,25623866-5006066,00.html
"In fact, I've only ever been to Belmore twice in my life."
A rabid Wests supporter, Johnston didn't want to see anything of his cross-town foes aside from their name on the wrong end of the scoreboard. Yet now this self-made millionare has paid $500,000 to have Jaycar splashed across a Bulldogs jersey - and will fly to Brisbane in his private jet to witness its on-field debut tonight.
"I wouldn't say I've grown to like them, but I can't help but respect them," Johnston says. "What the Bulldogs have done over the past year to turn themselves around, on and off the field, has been very impressive.
"They've gotten rid of the idiots and are running first despite being robbed of two points by that dud call against the Dragons a couple of weeks ago."
It was while watching that very game on television a few Friday nights ago that Johnston decided to join the Bulldogs bandwagon. He noticed a charity - Camp Quality - occupying the front of their jersey and wondered: "How much are they paying for that?"
"I thought there might be an opportunity for Jaycar to get on board with a club that was clearly going places," Johnston added.
"We are a big company but no one knows who we are. Like **** Smith, we are a bit nerdy and sell gadgets. But unlike them, we don't have **** Smith to jump out from icebergs to boost our profile."
Johnston is supremely confident the Bulldogs have enough tricks up their sleeve to compensate.
He has signed on until the end of this season, but will face competition from much bigger companies that were circling should the club continue its upward surge.
The deal came together over the past fortnight, with Johnston and Bulldogs chairman George Peponis striking a verbal agreement over $12 steaks at the Woolwich Pier Hotel.
The pair have been close mates for years, and Peponis even invited Johnston into the Bulldogs box at ANZ Stadium to cheer on Wests last season.
"We thrashed them as well and I remember George saying, 'You've eaten my pies, drank my piss and now you've taken the two points as well'," Johnston said.
"He had always been trying to get me on the Road to Damascus and convert me into a Dogs fan.
"I say never - I'm a Wests fan through and through.
"But I am a businessman first and from that perspective you can't help but admire what the Bulldogs have done."
After last month losing a $2 million, three-year deal with the Strathfield Group because of an intellectual property dispute with the NRL, Bulldogs chief executive Todd Greenberg is finally breathing easier.
"Finding sponsors in this economic climate has been tough - and that's before we even talk about all the hits the game has been taking," Greenberg said.
Johnston, however, takes a different view.
A year ago - with the Bulldogs down and out - he says he wouldn't have touched them for quids.
"But now they represent the way forward for rugby league - and I want my company to be involved in that," Johnston said.
http://www.news.com.au/dailytelegraph/sport/nrl/story/0,26799,25623866-5006066,00.html
