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What is Jugger?

What is it ?

Jugging is game that has been described as 'Medieval Footbal' it is played by two teams of five players armed with and assortment of padded 'weapons'. The aim of the game is to get a foam 'dogskull' or 'jug' onto a spike at the opposing end of the field while preventing the opposing team from doing the same.

Where did it come from ?

The game is based on a fictional sport appearing in the movie 'Salute of the Jugger' (or 'Blood of heroes' depending on the release) starring Rutger Hauer and Joan Chen amongst others. Jugging in the movie was played by wandering teams of warriors who crossed the wastelands of the future to play against other teams in the hope of being able to compete in the 'league' one day. The version of the game in the movie was a brutal game featuring steal weapons and frequent serious injuries.

It seems that the game was first adapted into a real world playable version in Germany where several teams now play in a national league. Elsewhere the game has also been taken up but is not as big as in Germany, Other teams are building up here in Australia and in the USA.

Jugging in Australia was started by Gavin Ellis, who had seen the movie and heard of the game in Germany. Gavin gathered some friends together on the Gold Coast to start up the first local Jugging games. Over time several teams were built up on the Gold coast and regular Jugging games where held forming the origin of the local teams that now play the game in Brisbane. Gavin's enthusiasm for the game was an encouragement for people involved to get in and try the game he was so eager to see succede. Gavin kept the game going
through his own efforts and enthsiasm until the end of 2002 when he was no longer able to keep up playing due to complications as a result of his cystic fibrosis from which he passed away in mid 2003, greatly missed by his friends and family.

gavin

Gavin at a Jugging game.

The game in Brisbane is now organised by friends of Gavin's who played the game with him and new players coming to the sport.

 

The Brisbane days

Before settling in the Current location of New Farm Park in January of 2007 the Brisbane Juggers spent Much time at two other fields in Brisbane. Waterford West State School gave us a home on the south side of the city while Teralba Park in Mitchelton was the home of games on the north side. Games were alternated between the two fields until a cental location at New Farm Park near the City was settled on.

Melbourne Joins the League

The 25th of June 2006 saw the first game of the melbourne Juggers organised by Tony from Melbourne starting the first Jugger group outisde of Queensland

Incorporation

In October 2007 an important step was taken in the development of Jugger. The Brisbane Juggers voted and decided to incorporate as a not for profit organisation in Queensland, aspiring to later incorporate as a national body, to create an official organisation to help organise and promote the game.

The First International Jugger Tour

In 2008 after several years of generous and persistant invitations from the German League to come and play them in one of the several tournaments over there, the Australian Juggers are finally sneding a team to Germany. September '08 will see the first international trip by a team of Australian Juggers to the Berlin Meisterschaft after which the team will be visiting several towns in Germany and visitng the Irish Juggers at home in Dublin.