Ugle earns universal respect on way to 100 gamesFriday, August 17, 2018 - 4:34 AM - by Chris Pike

THE journey of Kirk Ugle to play AFL and WAFL football was far from conventional and the challenges in his life have been vast, but that makes his 100-game milestone all that more meaningful especially because he got to share it with his family and long-time teammates.

It's easy to look at the football career of Ugle and think that is what defines him.

After all, he has now played 100 games with Swan Districts, the club which means the world to him and that is where he got his start in top-level football at and has been his home away from home since returning from his time with Collingwood.

He did play three AFL matches and perhaps was capable of much more at the Magpies too but he has proven himself one of the best WAFL players since returning in 2013.

He has represented the WAFL State Team on two occasions along the way and been a standout performer for the black-and-whites mostly as a small defender equally capable of locking down a dangerous opposition forward or providing tremendous run and carry out of the back-line.

Ugle has also shown he is more than capable of going forward to kick goals, which is the role he's currently playing since returning to the Swan Districts team in the absence of the likes of Todd Banfield, Matthew Rogers and Taryce Stewart.

That journey at Swan Districts is enough to make the 100-game milestone he celebrated at Steel Blue Oval on Saturday against South Fremantle special, but his journey is much more than that.

Ugle played a key role in helping to raise his three sisters following the passing of his father Glen in 2007 and then more recently in 2016 his mother was tragically murdered at her Midland home.

That's quite a lot for a 26-year-old to deal with and not only try to cope with himself, but to then also show the strength of character and maturity to be there as a role model and stable influence for younger sisters Courtney, Skye and Maddi.

Ugle himself now is married to Tahni with the couple having three children of their own, and to get to share his 100-game milestone on Saturday with so many family members and walk out onto the ground with his kids meant the world to him.

"To be able to put this jumper on 100 times for one club is a great honour and means a lot to me. I didn’t think I’d make it due to some off-field situations. But I’m proud of my achievement," Ugle said.

"It was very special to share it with my family. My nan, pop, aunty and cousin come from Beverley to be able to watch me so that meant a lot to me."

Aside from the result not going the way of Swan Districts against South Fremantle, it was a day that Ugle will remember fondly for the rest of his life and deservedly so because his achievement of reaching 100 WAFL games for Swans is above and beyond your usual milestone.

To share it with long-time teammates made it mean that much more and it was only fitting that he kicked the last goal of the game on the famous Bassendean turf in front of the can bar on his trademark left boot.

"It’s up there mate, to be able to run out with the boys in Alex Howard and Brandon Erceg where I’ve played all development teams with is pretty amazing," he said. 

"And to have Tony Notte and Matt Riggio chair me off was an unreal feeling."

It has been another year in 2018 with its challenges for Ugle and there was a time there he wasn’t sure if he'd be able to get to the 100-game milestone, but he returned a month ago and after a week in the reserves, has been back in the league side the last three weeks.

He has moved into a role in the forward-line since returning too and that included a four-goal haul in a win over East Fremantle.

But really, Ugle is happy to play wherever he's asked by coach Adam Pickering and while the season hasn’t panned out how Swans hopes with them now out of finals contention, he is excited by the future at the club.

"To be honest I don’t mind where I play, I was originally a forward and changed up after my first year back here. It’s just good to be able to a versatile player and not just one position," Ugle said.

"We probably lost a few games that we should have won and we should have been playing finals again. But that’s not the case and I’m happy with what direction Adam and the club is going in. We have a good group of young blood coming through which is very exciting."

As a father of three who works hard to support his family and with everything else he's had to cope with in life, Ugle could easily think that the commitments to continue to be a WAFL footballer are too much.

But Ugle has great passion for Swan Districts and would love to continue playing as far beyond this 100-game milestone as possible.

"I would love to play as many as I can for this great club," he said.

"Swans have been a very big part of my life, from developing into colts and now seniors. They’ve helped me through very hard situations when I thought I was down and out. The likes of Rick Anderson, Greg Harding, and everyone involved in the club."

As important as football is to Ugle, nothing can compare to family and whether it's his sisters, his wife and three children, or his extended family, that's always what comes first and what he is most proud of.

"Yeah mate my family always comes first in everything I do. To make them happy is all I want to do in life," Ugle said.

"I couldn’t be more proud of my sisters and how they’ve handled things with themselves and in life.

"There were a few bumps in the road but to come out the other side and still have a smile really makes me appreciate the little things in life. 

"I can’t have asked for three better sisters. My kids and my wife have been a very big part in our recovery and I can’t thank them enough."