MITCHELL Ranges Soccer Club kicked off its season with its first game of the year when they hosted the Dockerty Cup on Saturday, February 14 at their pitch on Mollison Street.
The tournament is named after Harry Dockerty, an early pioneer of soccer in Victoria and it dates back to 1909.
The annual soccer knock-out competition is open to all Victorian clubs across the state’s football league system and its inspiring for younger players to see their senior players competing with passion and pride.
The Ranges were drawn at random to play the Hume Bulls, a club established in Melbourne’s northern suburbs in 1989.
A club spokesperson said: “Coming up against experienced opposition at a higher level provided valuable early-season exposure and highlighted areas to build on as the league season approaches.”
“Despite a 9-0 result, the scoreline did not fully reflect the commitment and the work rate shown by the group in their first hit-out of the year.”
Rangers women’s played Shepparton South in a friendly match the next day, going down 3-1 in a closely contested encounter. In their comeback game for 2026, the team showed promising passages of play and attacking with intent.
“Facing tough opposition early in the year is expected to fast-track development and sharpen match fitness as preparations continue. With Round One approaching, the club will look to build on the lessons from the weekend and convert the strong effort shown into results in the weeks ahead,” Rangers spokespersons said.
