Girl
Power Can't Help The Bullets!
Rule 3.D of the SRFL Rule Book clearly states that each team must play a 'maximum of five male and a minimum of three female players'. In the history of the SRFL, it is hard to find an instant of a team playing more than the minimum requirement of three female players. Whether it be because a club finds it hard to recruit female players or whether it be because a club doesn't embrace the idea of the competition (i.e. the game for everyone) may vary from club to club. On Tuesday night, The Bullets made history by playing more than the minimum requirement of female players. And while you can say it may be due in part to having a shortage of male players, the club has also not had the luxury of having four female players available at any one point this season...often struggling to get the required three (providing a constant source of headaches for poor old Coachy!!!). But despite the shortage of male players, there was never a desperate move made to get a fifth male player by Warren 'Coachy' Burford. He was unwavering in his view that "we play the four lasses". In this humble reporter's opinion, it is a testament to the quality of female players The Bullets have at the club. And
while The Bullets were beaten by 63 points, one couldn't argue that
the girls didn't carry their weight. Narelle Jones, who this week became
the outright longest-serving female player at the club (by playing her
ninth game), and Danijela Mijic both played up forward and contributed
with a goal each. Jones will reach another milestone next week as she
plays her 10th game for the club. Debbie Murray continued her good form
in the midfield and Maree Fewster made her long-awaited debut by providing
some good pressure down in defence. Her debut was slightly longer awaited
than originally planned as she arrived to the game a bit late. She wasn't
alone as Mijic was also late and Dave Beattie almost missed a whole
half. Beattie, however, was able to provide a signed note from his mother
that his lateness be excused and will now not face any disciplinary
action. The early start time of 6:30pm found many players caught in
traffic and didn't get the team off to a great start. It also didn't
help that the opposition, Our Boys Don't Run, were second on the ladder
and had only lost one game for the season. The Bullets did settle as
the game wore on, but could not overcome the quality opposition that
was thrown their way. |
Narelle's
Record: Round 7 Ins & Outs! The
depth of The Bullets will be tested this week as the injuries and omissions
have begun to mount up. Rob Hazell, Rob Rizzo, Simon Conti and Elodie
O'Connor all join star forward Andrew Merryweather on the sidelines
this week.
In:
M.Fewster, N.Jones |
A
Long Road Back For Croft!
When the 2006 season started, The Bullets to no surprise were missing one of their regulars, Catherine Croft. A navigational mishap on the way to pre-season training saw Croft end up in South America rather than Sandringham. A Bullets fan currently holidaying in Peru, who wishes to remain anonymous, took this photo and sent it to The Bullets headquarters this week. It is believed to be Catherine in the picture. When asked if she had any contact, the fan responded that Croft had asked her a question: "Is Sandringham station on the Inca line or the Frankston line?". Yep, sure sounds like Catherine to us! |
Bullets
Go Cold In The Heat!
Sam Cooke once famously, and rather vaguely, sang that "a change is gonna come". On Tuesday night, Livinia Nixon of National Nine News gave the much more precise prediction of a cool change coming at 8:00pm. But by 8:45pm when The Bullets limped off the field after a crushing loss, the mercury was still above 30°. After dominating in arctic conditions last week, a heatwave that swept across Melbourne seemed to sap the life out of The Bullets, who went down by 32 points against Footy Pies in Round 6 action of the SRFL. The hot-and-cold form of The Bullets seems to be related to the hot-and-cold weather Melbourne has been experiencing recently. As a result, it is understood that Warren 'Coachy' Burford has been keeping a close eye on Livinia Nixon's weather reports this week...occassionally stopping to actually look at the forecast. The
loss was soured even further by the shoulder injury suffered by defender
Rob Hazell. In a desperate and courageous attempt to spoil a marking
attempt by a Footy Pies forward, Hazell landed awkwardly. What was originally
feared to be a broken collarbone was thankfully not as serious with
Hazell suffering a jarred and bruised shoulder, however still very much
a painful injury. He is certain to miss The Bullets' next game, and
possibly the following week. Everybody at the club wishes Rob Hazell
a very speedy recovery. |
Gailis
Gives Birth! Coachy Recruits? Former Bullets midfielder and forward Margit Gailis, currently on maternity leave from the club, gave birth to a baby daughter, Heidi, on Saturday night. Both mother and daughter are safe and well. Everyone at the club congratulates Margit and husband Matt on their new arrival. Update: Our spies report that Warren 'Coachy' Burford made a visit on Sunday in an effort to secure the future services of Heidi. Heidi is the first girl to be eligible for selection by The Bullets under the mother-daughter rule and it is believed 'Coachy' is keen to get her under contract immediately. It is believed several at the club have tried to entice Heidi to sign with The Bullets, with an authentic autographed Luke Barisic 'C' rec footy bib mysteriously arriving at Gailis' hospital bedside. |
Round
6 Ins & Outs! The
Bullets have been hit hard this week with a couple of big omissions
from the team that was successful last week against The Travellers.
The icy conditions last week have taken their toll with three players
set to miss. While it was originally thought that star forward and 2005
leading goalkicker Andrew Merryweather would be missing the next two
weeks as he recovered in Queensland from a bout of pneumonia, our spies
have uncovered that 'Mez' has actually left to work on his tan. Meanwhile,
Narelle Jones will also miss the big clash with Footy Pies after coming
down with a nasty bout of the flu. This is a setback for Jones, who
is only two games away from playing her 10th game for The Bullets. Lucy
Burford will also miss this week, and is another who is close to reaching
their 10-game milestone.
In:
S.Conti, R.Hazell, D.Jones, D.Mijic, E.O'Connor |
Bullets
Put A Freeze On The Travellers!
|
Round
5 Lineup: Jones In, Jones Out! Despite
a big win in their last game, The Bullets have made several changes
for Tuesday's crunch game against The Travellers. With star forward
Dean Jones once again suspended and with Danijela Mijic, Asher Newton
and Sarah Sparnenn all unavailable, The Bullets have recalled Narelle
Jones, Debbie Murray, Lucy Burford, and Rob Rizzo into the side. This
will be Rizzo's first game this season, having not played since Round
8 2005, while Burford and Murray have both not played since the season
opener.
In:
L.Burford, N.Jones, D.Murray, R.Rizzo |
