The Mighty Avalon Bulldogs

Welcome to our new column, the Tommy Would Go Awards, in honour of the King of Queenscliff Bombie, Tommy Myers, and each month showcasing a local team, individual or cause going all in for glory. We start this month with The Mighty Avalon Bulldogs, as told by club Vibe Guy, Stef Puskar…

The Avalon A-Grade side had been gone a few years. After back-to-back glory of 2016/17, the fanatics were hanging out to MAKE SUNDAYS GREAT AGAIN at Hitchy. The 2016/17 crew were a bunch of young lunatic mates who’d been playing footy together since they were six, surfing the way they play league – flat out, no fear, and partying like it’s a Midnight Oil gig in the late 80s.

Now Avalon might be changing quicker than you can say “oat latte with almond milk”, but the footy club’s still got the same DNA, the same skinny surfy kids who’ll happily whack anything in a different coloured jersey. With some of those past premiership players on hiatus, others at rival clubs, and a few dragged straight out of the surf or the RSL on a Sunday morning, the Avalon A-Grade side was reborn. 

Out of it came a motto: Make kids aspire to be a Bulldog. Play hard, play tough, build a club that makes the whole community smile. And bang, the brotherhood kicked off. The town bought in. Suddenly it was the only thing people were yapping about. You couldn’t walk down Avalon Parade without spotting a North Av Boardriders shirt, a Bulldogs hoodie, or both.

We all know how powerful socials are. The Doggies leant in, took the piss, banged out hard-hitting comedy posts, sprinkled in a bit of Mark Gasnier. Training sessions looked like rock concerts. Locals turning up just to see what was unfolding. The Doggies were back.

At 125 kilos, flame-haired wrecking ball Max Girdler teamed up with Kelso, a bloke with more footwork than Michael bloody Jackson, to weld this ragtag crew into the tightest of units. Backing them was Haig Sare, former professional union rep who brought discipline and just the right amount of mongrel. 

The wins started early. The crowds followed. One by one, Narraweena, Bondi, Belrose all got rolled. Fans were ditching NRL memberships to get down to Hitchy on a Sunday. Out of the chaos came a cult figure: the Back Fence Bruiser. What did he do? He ran straight. That’s it. That’s the show. And the crowd went off their heads for it. 

The season had it all; slick wins, boggy-weather hiccups, and a stumble against Narrabeen. But the boys bounced back hard, storming home as minor premiers. Then came Rat Park. A sea of Avalon. OG crew shoulder-to-shoulder with the new blow-ins. It wasn’t just a footy crowd; it was the whole suburb stitched together in red and green to see the Doggies put Asquith to the sword and lift the premiership.

The silverware’s only half the story. The Doggies being back has lit a fire in the community. Kids now see their heroes at the coffee shop, waxing boards at the beach, or strapping up at training, and they want to be them. The ripple effect of A-Grade. It’s not just about the blokes on the field; it’s about giving the town pride, something to cling onto, something to yell about. And in a joint like Avalon, that’s worth more than any trophy.