President – Brendan ‘Trendy’ Allardyce

Hometown: Canberra

Age: 49

Rugby Position: Hooker

Games Played for the Vikings: I played 92 games for Tuggeranong – all in the lower grades (but proudly played in 3 x lower grade premierships, 92>94>95). I was agonisingly 8 short of 100 games due to a couple of serious injuries at the end of my career.

 

How many years have you been involved with the Club & the Committee?

Started with the club in 1988, 30 years ago (but have had a couple of short breaks so I’ve been actively involved roughly 24 years).

I had started coaching with Vikings juniors in 1991 and have coached almost every grade in both the junior and senior clubs from Under 10s to 1st Grade. I have enjoyed coaching approx. 115 games for Vikings juniors and 220 games for Vikings seniors.

I was on the club committee in 1992-1993, (Coaching Director 2006-2008) and now again on the committee from 2016 – current.

 

What made you nominate for the Committee?

I joined the committee most recently to bring peace to the galaxy and unite the clans.

 

What is it that you love about being a Viking?

I love the club for the comradery, mateship, sense of family, atmosphere and the high standards that drive individual and team improvement (and tours). When I started, we were rugby minnows and ran chook raffles, so the journey from easy beats to juggernauts has been fascinating. My daughters, partners, best mates, brother, nephews etc. have all had some involvement in the club over the years.

 

What is your favourite memory as a Viking?

Obviously, having on-field success with great teams has been a massive highlight throughout and I have been blessed to play or coach in over 15 Grand Finals and some of the fondest winning ones include:

  1. 1992 – Playing in the clubs first ever senior premiership in 5th Grade at Manuka Oval v’s Qbyn
  2. 1997 – Coaching the Vikings Juniors under 16 side to an undefeated black division premiership and Qld tour with 11 x Act reps and 4 x Australian reps all home-grown
  3. 2004 – Coaching Premier 1st Grade to the John I Dent Premiership, the first one in the previous 5 years
  4. 2007 – Coaching the ViQueens Grade to the Women’s Premiership
  5. 2016 – Coaching Premier 2nd Grade to a resounding upset Premiership
  6. 2018 – Coaching Premier Colts grade to an undefeated premiership

 

You’ve been a coach at the Club for a long time – who is the best player you’ve coached and why?

Very hard to single out best players ever coached but; Manny Edmonds, Christian Lealiifano, Beau Mokotupu, Tim Curran and Jake Knight in the backs and Huia Edmonds, Graeme McIntosh, Julian Salvi and Brett Naylor in the forwards were all standouts.