I can not find any other distractions, like things on ebay to bid on, so I thought I might write something here. As you may, or may not have noticed, my main interest has been concentrated on super rules football lately, I have neglected the old Panthers a bit, photographically anyway, but that level of football gets its' share of attention and my quality of photos just isn't up there, so I may as well focus on the club that has taken me in: Diamond Valley Supers. With regards to the Panthers' performance this season: as a supporter it has been frustrating, so many close wins went begging earlier in the season and I feel these may have had an influence on player and club confidence. I have attended most games this year and I have to say I have been proud of their endeavor.
I have been playing football with the D.V. Magpies in the veterans (over 47s) division. It is my first ever season of seniors football, in some respects it is a pity I waited until I was 50 to start, but in other respects it has been interesting approaching the game with fresh eyes. Most of my friends and family think I am crazy and I must say "it is one of the hardest physical things I have ever done", the type of exercise required to play, or even train to play a game of Aussie rules football, is something I have not experienced for many years. I think it's a good thing, because it has put myself under pressure and highlighted how unfit I have been, sustaining a decent level of fitness is an entirely different subject. Not taking into consideration the strategies of being a good footballer (having a head for the game), my greatest challenges have been: skills and respiratory issues. I have never mastered some of the skills that the guys I play with (or an under fifteens player) take for granted, for example: kicking on the run, sure I can do it, but it is usually ugly and often results in a turn-over, more often than not, I have more time than I realize and could quite easily take more care when kicking the ball, but this is my point; I have to think about what I am doing, where as others just do it. The other BIG issue with my game is smoking, I have been a smoker all my life and what football has highlighted is oxygen and how smoking affects the supply of that vital fuel to the body parts that need it. On a couple of occasions I have built up an oxygen debt, which is a terrifying experience, how this happens is: you run and you run hard, there may be a tackle at the end of that run and you get through it, then you may be required to do the same thing straight away and maybe again, what happens then is you find yourself relying heavily on your lung capacity to deliver oxygen to all of your vital parts, when you have a reduced lung capacity you have basically spent more than you have, or can absorb and you find yourself in a situation close to losing consciousness. Apart from the negative aspects of my game, joining the club has been great, they are a good mob of blokes and when I can I hang around to support the other teams, the masters (over 40) and supers (over 35).
Anyway two games to go and I have played the whole season less one game. Tomorrow we are playing the Peninsula Raiders right down at Frankston.
