Married to Georgie in February. A week later, completing the Coast to Coast — as a tandem with the new Mrs Sturgess. A family home under construction. Valley looking as good a chance as any North Otago club to win the Citizens Shield.
And tomorrow night he becomes the first Old Golds captain to hoist the coveted Ranfurly Shield above his head.
Well, a man can dream, right?
"Hah. Yeah, the year would be complete if we could win the shield, absolutely," Sturgess chuckled yesterday.
It is at once the most lopsided and the most potentially thrilling clash in New Zealand sport.
When amateurs play professionals, the result is usually a foregone conclusion. North Otago, for example, has challenged for the shield seven times in the professional era (15 overall), and its average losing margin has been 62 points.
But what if? What if the miracle happens some day? What if it happens in Napier?
The TAB has made North Otago a 25-1 outsider tomorrow night. Famously, Leicester City was a 5000-1 long shot to win the 2015-16 English Premier League. So, if you are counting at home, that means the Old Golds winning the Ranfurly Shield is rated 200 times more likely to happen than Leicester’s fairytale.
For Sturgess, this is another opportunity for him and his fellow men at the grassroots to test themselves against some big boys.
"It’s about challenging yourself at that next level, and the Ranfurly Shield goes hand in hand with that," he said.
"We don’t get many opportunities to play the top NPC sides. That’s a buzz in itself, to play guys who are up at that next level.
"Add in the fact the most prestigious trophy in New Zealand rugby is on the line, and what an opportunity."
You might call it a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity — but for some North Otago players, including Sturgess, it is almost a case of yawn, here we go again.
Remarkably, it will be the third straight year the hooker cum loose forward has captained the Old Golds in a shield challenge.
"Yeah, it’s absolutely crazy.
"I know a lot of people in rugby circles and not many have had the opportunity once, let alone three times, so I count myself very lucky.
"It’s also just a really great opportunity to put Heartland rugby on the front stage."
The Old Golds were beaten 49-14 by Otago in 2019 and 71-7 by Canterbury last year.
Sturgess said there was one key lesson that had sunk in from those two games.
"Don’t blink. Otherwise you miss it.
"They’re professionals, who are generally slicker and fitter, and you just can’t make too many errors, because they will capitalise on them.
"The key is to cut down those errors and stay in the game for as long as you possibly can.
"In the past, North Otago has done quite well in challenges for 40 or 60 minutes."
North Otago has at least had a game to prepare — a win over touring King Country in Oamaru three weeks ago.
Otherwise, it has been a strict diet of one training a week to fit in with club rugby.
Sturgess has been heartened at the strength of the Citizens Shield competition this year and is looking forward to seeing a couple of newcomers, Kurow centre Hayden Todd and Old Boys winger Levi Atiga, in action in the gold jersey.
The captain, who has already won trophies with North Otago, Valley, Otago University and Spanish club Santboiana, will have his wife and parents in Napier for support.
And he will be daring to dream until the final whistle.
"You’ve just got to be in to win, eh."
