For someone whose love of winning is only outweighed by their distaste for losing, it was fitting to be reminded last weekend of why a lot of us play the sport.
On a dreary Sunday morning in Dandenong, when most of us were giving our mothers breakfast in bed or hand delivering flowers, the Monash Womens Metro B South team faced an undefeated Dandenong side with just seven players, and managed to take a 1-0 lead early in the second half.
Michelle Lloyd filled in, despite having already played a game in the 3s and knowing she had to catch an Uber home, and was vital as the centre midfield in a game played almost entirely in transition
Casey Isherwood ran all day, giving us drive in attack and shots on target before not two seconds later making crunching tackles in our defensive circle
Em Wilkinson won more 1 on 3 battles than a statistician would ever think possible, and was the last line of defence all game
Rey Shamugathasan suited up as goalkeeper and was vital in keeping the score as low as it was
The debut of Elyce Ozols in attack was desperately needed, and her constant run and aggression down the field set up countless opportunities in attack
Simone Keogh was the field general, stealing the ball from the opposition before driving or smashing the ball up the ground
Penny Heard was the final piece after being notified only half an hour before the game, and provided us with some steel and strength
The players gave everything they had, and deserved to win despite their numerical disadvantage. After being centimetres away from scoring for a lot of the first half, Elyce put the farmers ahead on the scoreboard early in the second.
Unfortunately the fatigue was too much, and late in the game Dandenongโs younger players ran over the top of Monash, the girls going down two goals to one.
It was a game to be proud of, with every player showing the kind of heart and effort that all clubs love to see
Around the grounds:
M1 vs St Bedes 3-1
M2 vs St Bedes 2-0
M3 vs MUHC 0-6
M4 vs Bye
M5 vs Collegians 3-2
Mast1 vs GD Warriors 1-1
Mast2 vs GD Warriors 1-3
W1 vs Melton 2-1
W2 vs Melton 1-0
W3 vs KBH Brumbies 0-6
W4 vs GD Warriors 1-2
Mast35A vs Swinburne 1-2
Mast35B vs Powerhouse 1-3
U14 vs Bayside 0-4
U10 vs Waverley 0-17