Chris Grant Biography

Western Bulldogs list manager Sam Power has been appointed interim head of football at the Whitten Oval.

The 41-year-old will step up top help cover the loss of Chris Grant over the pre-season, after the club great departed last week following more than 30 years of service as a player, board member and executive.

Chris Grant will leave his long-running executive role at the Western Bulldogs, less than a year after a football department shake-up.

Grant, 51, has headed the Bulldogs' football operations since 2016 and oversaw the drought-breaking premiership that year, as well as the club's run to the 2021 Grand Final where the Dogs lost to Melbourne.

The club also secured its first AFLW premiership, in 2018, and the VFL premiership in 2016.

"I've spent over half of my life with the club as a player and administrator and will cherish the many memories we have created together at the Western Bulldogs," Grant said.

"While the decision to pause and map out the next stage of my professional career has not been an easy one, I leave knowing the club is in a great position to succeed and write the next chapter in the amazing history of the red, white and blue."

Club legends Chris Grant and Garry Lyon are nominated by Western Bulldogs and Melbourne, respectively, to present the premiership cup to the 2021 premiership-winning team.

The Western Bulldogs name Chris Grant one of three new Legends, with another five players inducted into the Hall of Fame at the club's 2018 season launch.

Grant, who played 341 games for the Bulldogs between 1990 and 2007, was joined by Brownlow medallists Norm Ware and Allan Hopkins in receiving Legend status at the gala event.

Former players Don Ross, Peter Box, Bernie Quinlan and Steve Wallis were inducted into the Hall of Fame.

Chris Grant freely admits he's envious of Luke Beveridge's Western Bulldogs' team as it prepares to play in the club's first Grand Final since 1961.

"This is a Grand Final, this is the opportunity of playing in a premiership, so purely as a player that's something you would love to have achieved," Grant said.

"Having been on the board for the last four years and now in the role that I'm in (as Bulldogs football director) I'm just enjoying the ride.

"It's fantastic to be involved, but it's no more important and no more of a focus for me than it is for member No. 40,000."

Ayce Cordy has the luxury of being mentored by two greats in Cameron Mooney and Chris Grant.

"He's got me in the ring a couple of times, and smacked me around the head just to teach me a bit of sense," Cordy said about Mooney.

"He's really big on trying to keep your confidence up and just doing the right things, always, one after the other, and good things will happen."

"He's definitely a legend at this football club and definitely a legend throughout the AFL," Cordy then said about Grant.

"You look at blokes like him, but you're not going to try and be Chris Grant, because you know everyone wants to be Chris Grant. You take bits and pieces from them."

Western Bulldogs legend and director of football Chris Grant says overlooking long-time friend and former teammate Leon Cameron for the club's senior coaching job was the hardest decision he's ever made.

"To get into the situation where you're not going to give him the job that he's chased, longed for and dreamt about, was the most difficult thing I've ever been a part of," Grant said.

"The hardest 15 minutes of my life was to drive to Leon's place, but I hope he respects us for it and understands that we were trying to do was the best thing for the footy club.

"Clearly, we've made a really good choice. He'll never agree with it, because he was a great candidate. But he'll get his opportunity."

Chris Grant is inducted into the AFL's Hall of Fame.

Brad Johnson will play his 342nd senior game for the Bulldogs against Fremantle, taking him past former teammate Chris Grant as the club's games record holder.

"By the very facts and figures that he has achieved for the Western Bulldogs, he takes over in my view as the pre-eminent Bulldog of all time," Bulldogs president David Smorgon said.

Recently retired Chris Grant hands Andrejs Everitt his no. 3 jumper.

"He works hard and there's no fuss about him on and off the field," Grant Said. "We decided it was going to go to someone who would do the number justice."

Everitt was pleased with the progress he has made after just one year. "At the start I didn't think I was going to play," he said.

"But to see that I have played and they think of me that highly is really good. I'm looking forward to getting on with it next year."