Pago, current President of the Saigon Geckos Rugby Club, player and Fines Master in the first Vientam National AFL Team which made its inaugural appearance at the 2007 Asian Championships, is also one of the original Saigon Saints.

2008 marks the 10th anniversary of the Sainters and below is a brief insight by Pago into the hearts and minds of the Sophisticated Saints.

The Saigon Saints formed in mid 1998 for reasons still unknown. It may have been something to do with the launch of a new beer, or an excuse to exercise then drink more beer, it is probably best left alone. One thing that is known is that upon formation they immediately became the strongest Aussie Rules side in the country. The Saints rivals, the Hanoi Hawks as they were then known, were a low bunch of communist dogs that regularly suffered severe punishment at the hands of the Saints, sometimes narrowly surviving the devastating tactics in both attack, and beer consumption. This is still the case today with the Saints yet to be beaten by the northern scum.

On occasions where the beer ran out The Saints were sometimes forced to venture to new lands to continue their Aussie Rules domination and beer consumption. Amongst the most memorable was a 1999 tour to Phnom Penh where knowing there was a lack of musical entertainment, the Saints insisted on taking their own band, and as such drank Cambodia’s beer to their favourite tunes. Other tours followed with a trip to Bangkok in April 2000  seeing the retirement of many key players. In fact, following this trip the Saints remained undefeated for as many as 6 years until a worthwhile opposition fronted in the form of a visiting Navy ship or a lost Collingwood side.

Today in Saigon the spirit of the Saints lives on with a regular Grand Final Day Brunch hosting in excess of 200 people, and attracting guest speakers such as  David Rhys-Jones, Rod Ashman, David Wilson, Dale Weightman, Mark Yeates, Russel Morris, Gary Ablett and his sons Gary Jnr and Nathan. Still to this day the Saints are yet to lose to the Hanoi scum, and a new breed of younger beer drinkers have taken the reins of this proud club in its 10th year.

Go The Sainters!!!