And it’s not his leg.

The Bulldogs are aiming to snap a seven-year grand final drought.

After Ellerton and wife Josie bought a house in Panmure, he crossed to the club in 2007, when it failed to make finals.

The past two years the Bulldogs have bowed out in the preliminary final and first semi-final.

The 2008 preliminary final against Timboon Demons holds painful memories for Ellerton as he snapped his tibia.

Surprisingly, it wasn’t the first time he sustained such an injury in his left leg after breaking a fibula in 2004.

It saw him sidelined as the team he was captain of, Terang Mortlake, soared to a premiership — the first since the two clubs merged.

“When I broke it for the second time, I thought straight away ‘that’s it, I’ve had enough’,” he said.

“But I had a think about it and decided I might as well keep playing.

“I’m glad I have, I’m really enjoying this year.”

At 34, he realises retirement is probably not far away.

“You feel a bit slower with all the younger ones coming through,” he said.

“It’s hard to keep up but I like to try and pass on a bit of knowledge when I can.”

Ellerton believes a lack of key position players is what has kept Panmure from advancing to a season decider the past couple of years.

“It’s pretty hard to try and get players out to Panmure because not many people like travelling these days and we don’t have a lot of money like other clubs, which makes it hard,” he said.

“But we’ve got a pretty loyal bunch of players out there (and) we’re a real tight-knit community.

“When Billy Browne died this year, it just brought us closer together as a club and a community.”

Another community-powered club in Warrnambool and District league is the Bulldogs’ preliminary final opponent — Kolora-Noorat.

Ellerton will line-up against about six ex-Bloods teammates today.

“But it’s no worries, we’ll all have a bit of a chat after the game,” he said.

“I think there is maybe a rivalry between the two teams because (Panmure coach) Dave (Conheady) lives in Noorat.

“Everyone used to say Allansford and Panmure were rivals but since I’ve been there, there’s a bigger rivalry with Kolora-Noorat.”

The Bulldogs have defeated the reigning premiers in their past two encounters.

“If we play like we have the last couple of times against them, we can beat them,” Ellerton said.

“We just need to put pressure on them when they’ve got the ball and make the most of our opportunities up forward.”