The first challenge of this week’s game was simply getting there. A good hour or so worth of tolls, tunnels and 367 traffic lights later, players really needed to conjure the football gods to get their head in the game. Blue skies and a distant ocean breeze made it a beautiful day for footy, and no one dared complain about the heat because who knows how many more of these days we’ll get.

Filling two teams is still a challenge for the Renegades, so Prems ran out with seven players with a game already in their step count for the day. A huge thank you to Lloydy (Sam Lloyd), Larissa, Han, Maddie, Mon, Bella and, Buzz (Josie Marchant) for strapping up and going two rounds in the ring. You wouldn’t believe Bella had already played an incredible game prior as she swept through the midfield with a second wind that could blow the froth off your beer.

Prems went in hard in the first quarter with solid tackles and relentless attacks from our midfield warriors Shelly, Badsy (Emily Collins), and Kath sweeping in to shut down any funny business from Parkdale. Can we welcome to the stage Larissa who quietly wandered into pre-season this year and absolutely stole the limelight with her performance on the field this weekend. Absolutely glorious to watch her rip through the game with pure determination. A great early goal by Kingi (Nolene King), but Parkdale were proving a force on the field.

It was a fatal second quarter for the Prems, with long-standing captain and legend of the game Woodhouse having to bow out with a quad injury. Who better than to step into the captains’ boots than Snowy (Ange Snowden), whose presence on the field is always seen, felt and absolutely heard bellowing through to the bleachers. Unfortunately, the snowstorm wasn’t enough, and the scoreboard got away from the Renegades by halftime.

Even the huge energy that the team brought to the second half, despite having no bench, couldn’t get the game back. Loving the on-field chemistry between long-standing players, in particular, Eliza, Mon and Sash. They moved the ball from deep in the midfield to inside 50 for a set shot like it was passing the gravy down the table at Sunday roast dinner. The damage could have been a lot worse, but ‘Not Today Bella’ (Bella Jones) stood guard on that goal line, checking every ball as it passed.

Heads up, we’ll make them pay the tolls on the home ground.