Ron reaches his century!

Cast your mind back to August 2018, what were you doing? Holidaying in Europe? Standing around watching after school sports in the freezing cold? Finalising your tax return submissions hoping for a nice little kicker to the bank account for the end of the year? 

For the Uni Blacks players of 2018, the season was spent finding our feet again as a team that had experienced much change - playing in a different grade and a lot of new recruits. By August the squad was settled and Thursday night Blackspots at the Clyde had become a foundational time of the week for the team to bond and revel in each other’s company. 

(Stay with us here, it is worth it). Blackspot in 2018 was hosted by the duet of “Nugget & Snags”, and a feature of their time in charge was an online trivia game called “Kahoot”, where players could log in, select a nickname of their choosing and respond to trivia questions about the week just passed at the Blacks, in front of a live audience. The creative aspect to this was in part the nicknames players would choose as their display name on the leaderboard. Nicknames from all sorts of genus and species were selected. Opposition player names, pop culture references, superlatives from the season that continued to be expanded on until no further evolution was possible. 

Then, on an auspicious Thursday evening in August 2018, a nickname appeared on the TV at the Clyde that has since become synonymous with a person, and with the Blacks since that season. Short and without fuss, stood a nickname - “Ron”. “Ron” had won for the evening, and yet no one knew who “Ron” was - until after a dramatic pause, a voice cried out to answer “who is Ron?” With one hand raised, the voice exclaimed, “I am Ron”. It was Louis Vescio. 

Louis “Ron” Vescio joined the Blacks at the start of 2018 thanks to some heavy recruiting from former Blacks legend and Premiership player, Adam Pattison. Patto had coached Ron at Montrose and when a change of scenery was needed, a fresh faced young man called Louis arrived down at the Main to begin what has been since then, a remarkably consistent career for a tenacious and wonderful teammate. 

Under the coaching of Cam Roberts, Louis quickly cemented a spot in the 1s with his craft and ability to impact games. Prowling on the half forward line, roaming the wings or playing a spurt in the guts, Ron was a wildcard (or to steal a phrase from one of Ron’s favourite pastimes, Supercoach; a “point of difference” for the Blacks) when inserted into matches. That 2018 side did everything right except win the heartbreaking prelim against Carey. Nevertheless the birth of a new team with new faces was celebrated and by then, despite Ron’s somewhat transient footy career prior to 2018, we knew he wouldn’t be walking on from the Blacks in 2019. 

From then, Louis has gone from strength to strength at the Blacks and has ultimately found his long lost home-away-from-home. Originally from Wangaratta, Ron was a talented youngster that legend would often say turned junior games in the Ovens and Murray on their head with bursts of brilliance - similar to Dusty in 2017-2020. If not for his questionable-love/hate relationship with fitness and interesting dietary habits, he would almost certainly be gracing higher levels of football. 

As a footballer, fellow 2018 debutant and Cordner Medalist, Lachlan “Vindicator” Knight describes Ron as “hard as a cat's head”. Mixed with deft skills and a raging toughness in the packs, “Ron comes into his own world at the Uni Main on Saturdays, constantly putting his body in harm's way when needed, and then fairly folding opposition players like deck chairs in the contest when the team needs a lift”. Indeed, it is telling that despite this style of play, Ron has been a remarkably consistent player; it is hard to name a team for the Blacks in the last 6 years without Ron in it. The only thing known to man to slow Ron’s willingness to pull on the black and blue, or slow his tenacity, was an abhorrent broccoli pizza the night before a game, which caused a late withdrawal. 

Ron has become synonymous with Blacks footy over the past 5 years. I would challenge any past player to name a current Blacker who goes about their business in a more emblematic way of those in the late 90s/00s teams than Ron. Not afraid to do the dirty work, but a love and ability for the spectacular and exceptional, it is the style of play that the Blacks have made their bread and butter over the journey and it is no surprise to us to see a player like Ron flourish in our melting pot of footy backgrounds. Even in game 99, Ron is finding new ways to excite and dazzle his teammates, opposition, and the crowd. A hitout to advantage as a 178cm player nominated in lieu of our dedicated ruck, only to be followed by the next stoppage, Ron asking the question to his mids, “where do you want the next one?” sums up his cheeky nature backed up with some bloody good footy ability. 

A personal highlight for Ron would have to be his selection in the 2019 Premier B - Div 4 VAFA Representative team which traveled to Perth. To be nominated by the Blacks, and recognised by the league in this way, spoke volumes of his character and skill. 

Off field, Louis is a player who definitely has the pulse of his teammates - knowing when the boys need a lift or when to shut up and fall into line. He is cheeky, laconic and not afraid to poke fun at himself or others to keep the mood light and the momentum going. Throughout the Covid years, “Ronnie” was always at the front of the action keeping the playing group connected virtually, or since then with his traditional Tuesday night post training Pizza in the rooms, demonstrating his commitment to the Club and his mates in keeping the mood up and the boys enjoying their time together. 

When speaking to Ron last night and quizzing him on what spurred him to put down “Ron” as his kahoot name in August 2018, Ron was typically laconic and uncomplicated. A man who loves sport, loves footy, and loves his mates, simply responded by saying “I needed a short name and was short on time”. There you have it, one of the most revered nicknames in recent times at Blacks owes its origins to the man himself going about his business in a way that earned him the respect of everyone who has come to know him. 

Good luck this weekend Ron, you are a true Blacker and can’t wait to see you go off against the Xavs this Saturday at Toorak Park (and then celebrate it in a fashion we know you are capable of at the Ball Saturday night!)

As per standard operating procedures, we now hear from the man himself through the tried and tested Q and A…. this will be entertaining!

How did you end up at the Club? 

Combination of Adam Pattison when he was my coach at Montrose and he got moved on, he praised the Club. I also ran into Lochy Dornauf at Glamorama and I thought if he isn’t playing for money then it must be a good Club.

Any standout junior footy memories?

Won a flag at Wang in Under 18s. 

Favourite player to watch when growing up? 

Robbie Gray or Sam Mitchell. 

Who has had the most influence on your career?

I’m going to have to say my Dad, he has always supported me and given his advice (asked for or not). Most of it has been pretty sound.

Biggest tightarse at the Club?

I reckon it would be Finn Raymond, pinches chips off everyone at the Clyde.

Favourite subject at high school?

PE or Biology because that was just mucking around with mates. 

Favourite teammates?

My best mate Dylan Landgren played a year or two in the heart and souls before he hung them up, but I’ve made a lot of great mates at the Blacks, too hard to pinpoint one. Favourite teammate to watch though was Lachie Huntington. Very entertaining and especially to listen to when arguing with umpires or opposition. 

Any interesting pre game routines?

Not really, Milo on Weetbix before the game then try watch something funny. Always Sunny in Philadelphia usually gets a fair run. 

If you could teleport anywhere in the world right now for holiday, where would it be? 

Italy, because I’d get to hang out with Tom Cousins and Nick Hanlon, miss them dearly. 

Last book you read?

I read “The Paperbag Princess” to a Grade 2 class. Read “Atomic Habits” but not sure if that’s been translated. 

What is your ideal way to spend a Sunday off following a game before heading back into the grind of another week? 

Watch every game on Fox Footy and watch my SuperCoach team fizzle. 

Last but not least, favourite Blacks memory, on or off field. 

On field, beating the Blues was unreal earlier this year, off field hard to go past the worlds greatest pub crawl earlier this year, just edging out Nick Hanlon’s father son night.