Eels v Bulldogs. What a game. I thoroughly enjoyed it. El Magic is just Awesome when he brings his boots, and today he was again a pleasure to watch.

Bugalugs played Captain yesterday in his game, and the team won their 6^th consecutive game, 32-24. It was thoroughly awesome! He is one of the biggest kids, both stocky and tall. And yesterday morning I did as all bogan westie mothers do, and cut his hair….. into a Mohawk. And to top off the bogan-ness, I sprayed it bright blue, to match his uniform. His coach’s comment upon seeing him arrive at the game summed it up perfectly: “wow! DANGER! Look at Bugalugs, boys! Heres TROUBLE!” If the other team wasn’t scared enough of him last time, they sure were now! He looked awesome! Theres a pic with him in his training kit, as jerseys are handed to the manager after each game for washing. I tell you, it was definitely the week to do it, as there was a photographer taking shots all day, and I guarantee “that tough kid with the blue hair” will be in at least a couple! Famewhore that I am! (Its ok, my son’s a poser – soon as a cameras around he’s right up in it)

Bugalugs is a little frightened on the field after an incident a couple of weeks ago when he was stomped on the face by an opposing player in a particularly rough game (a game also littered with parents yelling abuse from the sideline, and an endemic tactic of their players tackling our boys by grabbing the collar of their shirt and yanking backwards. Strangulation is NOT an approved method of tackling, people!). He was also punched in the nose by a teammate just prior to taking the field this weekend, and so was a little skittish, so the hair certainly helped his confidence. Which I was glad of, because as the biggest kid (as well as the youngest) on his team, he gets to go toe to toe with the biggest kid on the opposition, because the kids think its fair (and their probably right). However as a mum you’re a bit concerned when the biggest kid stands 6 inches or more over your son, and is tongan. You get more concerned when as the kids take the field, tongan-kid shoves your boy in the back for no reason. 10 points to Bugalugs for spinning round on him and yelling “fuck off” at the top of his lungs. 100% worth having the ref give you a stern warning, no?

Highlights of the game for Bugalugs included and awesome kick off by him, a perfectly placed kick for goal (apart from the 6 or so inches he lacked in height to get over the crossbar, but otherwise was spot on), an absolutely textbook tackle made on the tongan kid that nobody else would touch that saved a try, 4 brilliant assists, a control of the game that was astounding for a 6yr old ADHD kid that has never paid attention to ANYTHING for 30mins straight, let alone something requiring thought and forward planning (something that little kids, let alone ADHD sufferers have a lot of trouble with), and most proudly for me, he was everywhere on field, encouraging, guiding and praising his teammates at every turn. He was a brilliant captain, and a fantastic sportsman. Props. Big props.

Being the little powerhouse that he is, with such huge potential for his team, we have an NRL idol for him, and a theme song. Before you all start spouting shit, his mum is a Bulldogs fan, through and through. And half of what you hear in the media is hype, as in most “reports” the media does on most things nowadays. And Willie Mason is an awesome player. And wile I wont get into the off field allegations and my opinions on them (and the facts – you hear that media? Remember what they are? – on why 90% of them are false allegations) nobody can argue that he has a great game, and is a hard man to stop. Just like bugalugs. Bugalugs regularly has 3-5 players trying to bring him down, and he just keeps going. Its AWESOME. So he and I watched the game against the Eels this arvo, and studied his form intently. Bugalugs is fired up for next week when he will get more runs with the ball, and cant wait to try some of Mason’s moves himself.

Oh, and before you think all this is being taken far too seriously and grown-up like for an Under Sevens Team…… Bugalugs’ theme song I mentioned….? Well, ever see Finding Nemo? Remember when Dory was motivating Nemo’s dad Marlin, and sung “just keep swimming, just keep swimming” over and over again? Well Bugalugs is told to catch the ball and just keep running, just keep running…..

Dory was the little blue fish voiced by Ellen Degeneres. Bugalugs is known to his teammates as “FISH”. Because in their bright blue uniform, he is the little blue fish that just keeps swimming.

 Kinda like his mum really. His really, really proud mum.