Dingos Open The 2025 AFLO Season With A Bang

The Toronto Dingos have kicked off the 2025 AFL Ontario Season with an emphatic victory against the travelling Ottawa Swans, winning 14.19 (103) to 3.2 (20) yesterday afternoon.

The Dingos were keen to get their 2025 campaign underway, and showcase some of the new talent recruited over the off-season, with four debutants in Zenon Sirko, Arran Chambers, Robert Rusan and Harry Moore.

The Swans won the toss and decided to take advantage of the strong wind down at Humber South, electing to kick with it. The game started tightly contested, with the ball pinging around between the arcs and neither team gaining much ascendancy in their first hit out of the the year. The Swans managed the first goal of the match, getting out the back of the Dingos defense.

The Dingos first goal of the season came off the back of some crafty work from sophomore Marco Williams, who turned his defender inside-out before delivering an assist to Ciaran Buckley in front of goals. The Swans and Dingos traded goals to finish the opening quarter, with the Dingos taking a narrow lead into the opening break.

With the wind in their backs the Dingos looked to take full advantage of the conditions, dominating the centre clearances with new recruit Arran Chambers giving the midfield silver service and an open avenue to goal. The Dingos piled on 6 goals in the second quarter via first gamer Robert Rusan (2), Matteo Lugarini, Robert McNaughton & Justin Moore, to just one from Ottawa, taking a 7.8 (50) to 3.2 (20) lead into the main break.

It was all one way traffic in the second half, with the Dingos dominating the ball and barely allowing the Swans to get inside their forward 50. The backline, lead by captain Mike Bocian, smothered the Swans attack and continued to send the Dingos forward. The Swans were held scoreless for the second half of the game, whilst the Dingos piled on 11 goals to run away with an 83-point victory.

Goals: M. Lugarini (3), R. Rusan (3), O. Donaghey (3), R. McNaughton (2), C. Buckley, J. Moore, M. Williams

Best: A. Chambers, R. Rusan, M. Lugarini, R. McNaughton & M. Ladd