Northern Rivers artist writes Bulldogs anthem

AN evening bike ride with his beagle sparked Northern Rivers musician Andrew Kidman’s unlikely collaboration with Western Bulldogs coach Luke Beveridge on a potential new club anthem.

The song, Tooth ‘n’ Nail, began forming in Kidman’s head as he rode along the coast, watching his dog move with single minded determination.

“I was riding my bike one evening and walking my beagle, when the origins of ‘Tooth ‘n’ Nail’ began flooding my head,” he said.

One lyric, “dogs on a mission”, came directly from the moment.

“The lyrics and melodies kept coming, and by walk’s end I had all the parts to the song,” he said.

A lifelong Bulldogs supporter, Kidman decided to send the finished track straight to Beveridge during the 2025 season.

“Luke’s a busy guy, he was right in the middle of coaching,” he said.

“But I pressed send from my phone and within minutes he replied.

“He was excited.”

The pair had already connected through a shared love of surfing, with Kidman previously sending the Melbourne based coach surf books and films from his creative work.

A respected figure in Australian surf culture and former editor of Waves magazine, Kidman has spent decades producing surf films, writing music and exploring the creative edges of coastal life.

Beveridge later suggested changes to the opening lyrics, adding his own voice to what Kidman describes as a modern rock anthem designed to follow the emotional rhythm of a football match.

He said the song moves through different musical moods before building into a crowd driven chorus.

“This song was made for our national game, and so the message should fit our game,” he said.

“What has a dog got in life?

“All it’s got is its own tooth and nail, but it’s digging, clawing and scrapping nonetheless.

“You can apply this attitude to all walks of life.”

Beveridge has already referenced the track publicly, even breaking into its chorus during a post match interview earlier this season.

Kidman hopes the song might one day be heard echoing around AFL stadiums.

“If they play in that spirit and the song is able to lift them in any way, then it is serving its purpose,” he said.