Division 2 had an outstanding 2005 season, probably our best season in a very long while. We finished up Major and Minor Premiers! You can't ask more than that! This was directly related the talent, consistency, commitment and team spirit we had all season long. I have to say it was a pleasure to play and a pleasure to manage. We had several new players this year all of whom contributed valuable aspects to the team and coupled with our existing solid foundation of players we were truly a force to be reckoned with. The Division 2 team has been in the Grand Final for 4 years in a row, just missing out on winning in the last two years, but making sure it was our Final this year!
Sadly we will lose 3 or 4 of our players in 2006 due to injury and overseas trips, but I'm sure we can recruit a number of new players this summer who will ensure the team continues it's winning streak and maintains it's Div 2 status as a team of great depth, strength and versatility.... 2006, bring it on!!
Division 3 had a rocky start to the season (and I don't mean that we took up boxing!). Only 5 players remained from the season before so there was a fair bit of restructuring to be done.
The team took on a distinct multicultural flavour with 7 'international' players including those from Germany, England and Ireland. The Aussies in the team took well to the international influences and towards the end of the season we were beginning to create a style of play not dissimilar Brazil in the 2002 world cup – ahem, well we won our first couple of matches.
A dramatic come back was staged by Division 3 when it came to the pennant play offs at the end of the year. Placed bottom of the ladder, and seriously lacking in players, we were by far the underdogs and ranked outsiders. Who'd have thought we would remain unbeaten for the last 3 matches. Goals flew in left right and centre and our defence stood firm like an iron wall. Like one dynamic unit the team rallied and with determination and grit and we brought home the coveted pennant to its rightful home.
Many of this triumphant team will return next year and we shall march forward towards the ultimate goal – organising a Div 3 social – err, I mean the Division 3 championship. Bring on next April…
What a year!!!…Division 4 was the new division of the club in 2005 and what a fun season we had. Our team consisted of 3 girls who were moved up from the previous year’s division 5 team and the rest of the girls were new. Some of girls had never played football before (a couple hadn't even watched it). You would never know it now though!!!
The first half of the season saw us oldies be a little bit intimidated by the pony tailed youngsters of the Uni teams. We couldn't win a game for trying and that’s despite putting many a ball in the back of the net (not our own net let me add). However in the second half of the season confidence was beaming, we were playing our little hearts out and we won most of our games. We were also the only team to beat the undefeated Sydney Uni girls. Sadly it was all a little too late for the pennant and we ended up coming a very respectable 6th out of 8.
On top of all the ‘footballing’ and maybe more importantly, we were the team of laughter. We all got along very well on and off the pitch, many a social was had and many a close friendships were formed.
Here’s looking forward partying and playing in 2006.