By Paul Thomas –
President of the Victorian Trugo Association
Exactly when the Trugo season begins is not always clear but as a rule of thumb it is sometime between the clean-up in the front bar after the AFL Grand Final and the decision to buy or not buy a new fascinator for the Spring Racing Carnival. The essential news is that the VTA’s 2026-27 season is now off and swinging.
Sadly, not all Melbournians are aware of this as the mainstream media missed the opening entirely.
Of course, it is understandable that La Gazzetta dello Sport, missed it given the time differences between Rome and Middle Footscray, but come on ABC, The Age, time to get local. Naturally, we don’t need to talk conspiracy theories here, well not yet, we just want to do our best to fill the hole in Trugo journalism by keeping you up to date with the world’s greatest mallet and railway buffer ring sport.
‘Twas on a grassy knoll above a bend of the picturesque Maribyrnong River that the first ring of the season was launched. Ascot Vale versus Brunswick, two teams which did not make the finals last season but are keen to make big improvements.
As the players took their place on court, there was some friendly banter and a general convivial atmosphere. To the untrained eye a sense of decorum prevailed, typical of Trugo games, but for the sporting cognoscenti this was a mere façade.
Buried inside every Ascot Vale player is the knowledge that it was in the club’s 1963 Premiership year that Brunswick seduced their captain, J.H. Choyce to the dark side allowing Brunswick to take the Premiership honours in ’64. Originally known as Moonee Ponds, the club re-emerged as Ascot Vale but no matter what they’ve done since, they have never been able to break ‘Choyce’s Curse’ and win another VTA Premiership.
Can a curse be so final or could this be their year?
Well, the result of the first and second rounds suggests ‘maybe’. ‘Maybe’s are not ideal in sport but when you’re carrying a curse around it is a step in the right direction. Ascot Vale won both halves in the season’s opener coming out the victors 101 to Brunswick’s 99. It was a true team effort with no big swingers to lead the way leaving best in show to Brunny’s Mick Manning with a very tidy 18 goals.
The highlight of Round One was, naturally, the Grand Final replay between the premiers, Sandridge, and runners-up, Footscray Gumnuts. The Gummies went into the game two players short and without their star opener Nick O’Connor Smith, so it was going to be tough. However, the result was as close as you can come to winning while still losing: Sandy 134 vs Gummies 133.
Sandridge captain, Rowan Slatter, made a statement from the outset with a thundering 20 goals backed up by a pair of 19s from Bellote and Reynolds. The Gummies had their moments with Stuart Lucca-Smith’s 19 and Viv Clark’s 18, but Sandridge made it known they are the team to beat this season.
Funny enough that is exactly what happened in Round Two when the world turned upside down with Brunswick, second last on the ladder last season, losers in the first round, defeated Sandridge by six goals: Brunswick 128 vs Sandridge 122.
What is going on here? Brunny are not shy of showing their teeth on court and it is amazing what modern dentistry can do. This was a clear win to Brunny and can be partly traced to Mick Manning’s hand crafted 21 goals and newbie John Ryan’s ability to hit a glowing 18 in only his second game.
Sandridge captain Rowan Slatter was able to notch up his own 21, along with a 20 from Brent Couper but the Sand People didn’t quite have enough wood in their mallets to get them over the line.
So, after two rounds, only two teams are undefeated, Ascot Vale and the Footscray Doughnuts with Brunswick and Port Melbourne making up the top four. Clearly, no team will be putting their slippers on this season.
As for early starters in the player rankings, Yarraville’s Tony Whittaker leads the dingo pack in the men’s with South Melbourne Penguin Sally Clough and Footscray Gumnut Viv Clark top possums in the women’s.
Don’t forget if you’re still a bit bamboozled by Trugo or feel it’s a little too outré, come along to a game or practice and we’ll sort you out. It’s not too late to join. As Billy Shakespeare would have said had he been knocking rings for Williamstown “That sport best pleases that doth least know how”.
