By Nick Creely
Whether staying in the car with the wipers on, sheltering indoors or braving the wind, rain and hail, it was footy for the purists over the weekend, and despite the threat the clouds presented all weekend, crowds still came out in their droves to show support for their local club.
There is something extraordinary about wet weather football; it presents a different challenge to a game that relies so heavily on skill, with the ball and the footballers sliding across the turf for 120 minutes.
It’s all about putting bodies on the line, moving the ball forward and taking absolutely every opportunity that is presented.
But it also evens up the game immediately, and provides an underdog with a chance, and ultimately, makes it an enjoyable and worthwhile viewing experience.
The rain and wind did cause some havoc – particularly early in the day – with some of the local leagues copping the brunt of it.
In the SEFNL, Officer and Tooradin-Dalmore’s reserves had to trudge their way off at Starling Road with large hailstones pelting down at one point, and it didn’t stop there. In the WGFNC, Garfield and Nar Nar Goon was halted briefly in the reserves because of the weather.
It was a far cry from the opening round of the season, played only seven days prior, in what was some of the hottest days on record in April over that week.
The stark contrast in weather was not unnoticed, with many brave fans commenting that it was ‘bloody cold’ while enjoying a beer and rugging up with a blanket and their warmest coat.
It’s certainly true that a week in footy is a long time.
Extraordinarily, the highest score across all SEFNL divisions was just 87 by Officer’s Under 19’s, with the Kangaroos’ seniors the next best with 68, highlighting just how tough scoring was.
It was a weekend that would have had purists beaming from ear to ear, a round of local sport that was tough and gritty, with old school long sleeve jumpers out in force.
