Seniors’ Presentation Night 2026

Saturday 5 September. Junior Grand Finals in the morning, and by evening the club was back at Bridge Street, tables set, for a proper sit-down dinner to close out the senior season.

And what a dinner. Roger cooked the lot — a full meal, from scratch, for a room full of players and families. Anyone who has ever tried to feed a rugby club knows what that takes. Sylvia and Alana kept the kitchen running alongside him, and Tim and Alicia worked the bar all night.

That’s the thing about this club. The people who put the night on are the same people who have been putting everything else on all year.

Then to the awards.

🏉 Best Forward 2026 — Luc Gavillucci
For exceptional strength, skill and leadership across the season.

🏉 Best Back 2026 — Aidan Smith
For outstanding skill, creativity and excellence all year.

🏉 Players’ Player — Ari Su’a
Voted by the players themselves, for the player who best embodied teamwork, commitment and the spirit of Eltham Rugby in 2026. There’s no award that means more than the one your teammates give you.

🏉 Most Promising Player — Gianni Teoh
For dedication, development and everything still to come.

🏉 Coaches’ Award — Reuben Stanley
Chosen by the coaching staff for effort and contribution to the team all season.

🏉 Most Valuable Player 2026 — Eliah James
The night’s biggest call, and a well-earned one.

Congratulations to all six.

And to the three who got a side on the park

Here is the part nobody puts on a trophy.

The hardest job in senior rugby at a small club isn’t coaching. It’s getting fifteen players and a bench to the ground on a Saturday. Every week. Work, injuries, shift rosters, the flu, a wedding, someone’s car breaking down — and a team sheet that has to be in by Friday morning regardless.

Theo Trollip, Arron Dalgarno and Tim Adams spent the whole season doing that wrangling. The phone calls on Thursday night. The “can you get here by two?” on Saturday morning. The quiet maths of who’s available, who’s eligible, who can cover a position they’ve never played.

They did it week after week, and they got this group to a semi-final doing it.

Theo, Arron, Tim — thank you. Properly.

And to every player who pulled on the jumper in 2026 — thank you too. Turning up is the whole thing.

Same time next year. 🖤💛