NAIDOC week has long been celebrated on the Australian football calendar.
In much the same way as Sir Doug Nicholls Round is such an integral part of the landscape, it is an opportunity to pay homage and respect to the contribution of First Nations people to our indigenous game.
As the West Coast Eagles prepares to play St Kilda at Optus Stadium tomorrow it would seem poignant to reflect on one of the great individual performances by a First Nations player in Eagles history.
It’s fair to say, though, that Troy Ugle wasn’t feeling like the round 15 game in 1990 would hold a special place in his memory when he stared at the old WACA Ground scoreboard at quarter-time. St Kilda led 9.3 (57) to 2.1 (13).
And the bloke he started on, Saints small forward Craig Devonport, had done most of the damage bagging a handful by the first change. Devonport would play 95 games in the AFL, one of them at Carlton, but this would be his standout performance, ensuring a permanent place in footy trivia nights.
Ugle, a talented mid-range player who was equally adept at either end of the ground and also an extraordinary aerialist for his size, was a fan favourite. But the popular utility player, affectionately known as Buppy, found it difficult to keep tabs on his elusive opponent.
When Ugle tried to read the ball off the hands of a pack, Devonport would sit back and somehow it would find its way to him. When Ugle tried to assist a teammate, going third man up in a spoiling effort, Devonport would wait in space and the footy would invariably spill his way.
As he enjoyed a night when he could do no wrong, Ugle was left to lament his misfortune and had time to ponder his nightmare when summoned to the bench after his opponent had kicked his fourth.
David Hart was then sent to mind the man who was white hot. Thirty three years ago it wasn’t a rotation, a stint on the pine was punishment and sometimes it meant the end of any involvement in that particular game.
Devonport kicked another goal on Hart before Dwayne Lamb was assigned the task and finally shut down that scoring avenue for the Saints.
The Eagles had an imposing record at the WACA Ground and being torched to that extent in a single quarter was highly unusual. They generally loved the fast, hard deck but simply had no answers to the initial onslaught on a drizzly Perth winter evening.
When champion Saint Nicky Winmar, a Noongyar man from Pingelly, kicked the opening goal of the second term the margin ballooned out to 50 points and it seemed the game was done and dusted.
But the Eagles had other thoughts. The recovery was slowly and steady; a tough inch-by-inch slog rather than a burst of brilliance similar to the Saints.
The revival was instigated by wingman Chris Mainwaring, a man who relished the slippery conditions, the glue pot that was the cricket pitch in the middle of the ground, and the challenge of rolling up the sleeves and getting stuck in.
In conjunction with Chris Lewis, arguably the best player in the competition, the Eagles started to accumulate a better share of the ball, which in turn created more opportunities for their forwards.
The Eagles outscored St Kilda eight goals to three in the middle two quarters, but they were still 19 points in arrears at the last change.
Ugle returned to battle inside the attacking 50 in the third term to kick two important goals. A horrible night was getting better.
In a stunning last quarter Ugle completed a stunning individual and team transformation by kicking a further four goals to finish with six and pilot the Eagles to an amazing 18-point victory – 16.12 (108) to 14.6 (90).
The ultimate zero to hero football story was complete and one of the most infectious smiles, Ugle’s trademark, once again lit up the WACA Ground.
Originally from Carey Park, Ugle played 43 games for the Eagles, none of them more impactful than that night at cricket headquarters.
He is one of 36 First Nations men to have played for the club and holds an indelible place in club history.
