First Among Equals
This weekend the Club acknowledges a significant milestone by one of the Club’s most respected players, Eleanor Rugg. Eleanor, Elly, or “Ruggy”, as she is universally known, is the first Penno women’s player to reach her 100 game milestone. Not only is this a significant achievement for Ruggy, but it also marks the coming of age of the Club’s Women’s program.
Pennant Hills entered its first Women’s team in the Division One competition in 2016. In its first season the team won 5 out of 14 games and finished 8th in a field of 11 teams. Elly played in the Club’s first women’s game in Round 1 of 2016 against Manly Warringah Giants. Although beaten by 19 pts, the Penno women put on a creditable first-up performance that included kicking 6 goals.
In 2017, showing great improvement, the team won 10 out of 17 games, finishing 4th. In the team’s first ever final, it beat East Coast Eagles in an Elimination final before being outclassed by Western Magic in the semis. This was a fantastic effort for a team in only its 2nd season. Ruggy played in both finals and was Penno’s BST #3 in the losing semi-final.
In 2020, Pennant Hills was promoted to the Women’s Premier Division competition. Covid lockdown delayed the start of the season and shortened it to 9 home & away rounds. Penno finished 7th, 2 wins/5 losses. The team’s first win in the top grade was in round 2 against UTS at Trumper Park. Penno won by 33 pts. Not only did Elly play in this first victory, but she was also co-captain of the team.
Before coming to Penno, Ruggy had grown up playing Football … soccer and Futsal. Elly played soccer at NWS Koalas (known now as Sprit FC) from Under 12 to open age for 11 years, playing in their Premier League squad from age 17. Ruggy also played Futsal from under 14s until open-age representing NSW for 8 years.
Ruggy then stopped playing Football ‘… as it was pretty serious at that point and I wanted to get back to playing sport for fun and enjoyment. I played local comp Football for a year but was itching to learn something new. I had a friend playing AFL for UTS and I was going to go play there but then I saw the Pennant Hills team starting which was much closer for me. I came to training in the pre-season and the rest is history!’ The Club is glad she did!
Highlights from her time at the footy club include:
- ‘our first season, it was great getting it off the ground, seeing the support from the club as well as getting our first win;
- Playing our first finals games was great as well;
- Watching our Women’s Division Two side win the flag in 2022; the first Women’s premiership for the Club;
- Winning the Pennant Hills Footballer of the Year Award in 2020 was such a privilege and an honour;
- So many amazing social events and footy trips; and
- the many friends I’ve met through the club as well as meeting my Wife!
The only thing missing from this list is a flag and hopefully our first prems finals campaign in 2023!’
Ruggy was joint winner of the Women’s Premier Division Best & Fairest (with Maddy Hare) in the CoVID-shortened 2020 season. She has also been twice runner-up B&F in 2022 and 2019, playing in the top side on both occasions, Women’s Prems in 2022 and Women’s Div One in 2019. In 2020, Ruggy distinguished herself when she was awarded Pennant Hills Footballer of the Year, another first for the Penno Women.
Ruggy has been a key defender for the Women’s top side throughout her time at the club. Ruggy is a natural leader and has been captain or co-captain for 7 out of 8 seasons and has been important to the team’s development and on-field success. Ruggy is clearly a talented and experienced footballer, is a fierce competitor and always leads by example. She is an excellent role-model for all of the new players that continue to come through the ranks.
Ruggy is a familiar and popular figure at the Club. She is one of the 2016 originals, a trailblazer! Along with coach Daniel Fiedler, another 2016 original, Elly has played an important role in the Club’s progression in the AFL Sydney Women’s competition. Ruggy is a senior and seasoned player who continues to perform at the highest level and is an inspiration to all. She is a Demon’s champion and personification of the Club’s ‘Club – Team – Self’ ethos.
Ruggy is the only original 2016 player still playing with the Club. Women’s senior coach, Daniel Fiedler, and Team Manager, Allen Abbott, are the only others from 2016. These three have formed a strong connection with each other and performed an essential role in the development of the Women’s program including match play, training and team administration.
As the two footy people that know her best, we asked them for their reflections on Ruggy’s time at the Club.
Daniel Fiedler (Coach 2016 – 2023):
‘Ruggy personifies what it means to be a Pennant Hills Demons player with her heart, guts and determination. She is not only determined to play hard for her team, but she is a strong advocate for women’s footy and equality between teams.
Leadership is something that comes so naturally to Ruggy. She has deserved the club captaincy in her 7 out of 8 years playing. Whether it’s knowing what to say and when to say it on game day and during training, she always leads with her words, and then backs them up with the way she plays. She is usually the loudest voice on the field.
Her ability to anticipate the play usually results in lots of possessions. Her target kicking hit rate is phenomenal, as well as her defensive reading of the play and pressure. She has mostly played in the backs but has also had strong stints in the centre, where leadership and communication skills have been imperative for so many wins.
She has consistently been a part of our top Best and Fairest list every season, as well as being the club’s Footballer of the Year in 2020. It was in 2018 though, where she had her most iconic performance against traditional arch-rivals East Coast Eagals .
It was the first week of the finals in Division 1, and halfway through the second quarter, Ruggy was in what looked like a human demolition derby! She could barely talk at half time, but she soldiered on at fullback and was cleared of concussion. It wasn’t until after the game, that we found out that she’d broken her jaw in three places. That is the most guts I’ve seen anyone in our squad go through on a footy field, and exactly why Ruggy deserves all the accolades she’s achieved and has the respect of all of her teammates and clubmates. True Grit!
It has been an absolute pleasure to have coached Ruggy since the start of the women’s program in 2016. She is the only player left from our inaugural season. I cannot imagine ‘Al’s Angels’ without her, and she has become one of my closest friends ever since. Her 100th game milestone should be congratulated and celebrated, and I am looking forward to watching her lead the team out for a big win!’
Allen Abbott (Team Manager 2016 – 2023:
‘The Penno Football Club was fortunate to gain the services of Elly Rugg in our inaugural 2016 season.
A fearless, skilled and inspirational player “Ruggy “ was and remains a wonderful example to all players – versatile, long kicking , strong overhead and always happy to put her melon over the ball, inspirational tackler with a real nous for footy. She’s incredibly courageous and in 2018 Ruggy played with a broken cheekbone in the final against East Coast.
Even more importantly she was embracing of new players to the club and a real leader off the field as well – one of the few Penno players who could consume their own body weight in fermented beverages at club functions!
Still at her best, Ruggy won the 2020 Penno’s Footballer of the Year and is without peer as a player in Penno’s fantastic Ladies Footy history.’ Ps. In 2019, AB received the Sydney AFL Volunteers Award, presented by Club Legend Barnaby Howarth.
We wish Ruggy all the best in her 100th game this weekend.
Go Penno!
First Victory in Women’s Premier Division Round 2 2020
Written & compiled by John Acheson for PHAFC, 15 July 2023