What a season for the 35E’s.

By the numbers: 22 blokes hailing from Scotland, Ireland, England, The USA, Australia and New Zealand came together under an Eagles banner and the love of grassroots football.  We gained 7 fresh faces. We bagged 52-goals from 12 different scorers in a 13-week season. Conceding a mere 13 goals with clean sheets from a whopping 50% of regular season games, our defence redefined grit. 0 red cards, 0 own goals, 0 missed penalties, 0 hissy fits and 1 well-deserved semi-final berth. In the end, only a single goal decided our fate, but numbers aren’t quite as important as the lads behind them.

The beginning of the season brought some uncertainty. We had lost a third of the squad to the 45s, which was tough given we were a close-knit unit.  I wondered if we would still gel as a team. Would the dynamic change? Would the newbies fit in? Or even like us? As silly as it sounds, all these questions crossed my mind.

Looking back, this season only reinforced how special our group is. That bond grew stronger with the addition of 7 great personalities: including a loveable giant DJ in goals, 2 prodigious but barely distinguishable twins, an unstoppable beast of a goal scorer, a midfield wizard with lightning feet, a pacey winger with a demon header and finally a goal scoring defender with a nifty goatee. Not many teams could integrate so many new faces and continue to build on past seasons, but our group did – because at its core, we have no egos or bad attitudes—just a bunch of guys who genuinely enjoy each other’s company and respect one another.

For me It’s the inclusiveness, humour and positivity both on and off the field. The hilarious chat, the encouragement and the amazing dopamine hit you get when you lock in as a team and win a game. This is why I’m so keen to do it all again next year with the same group: it’s because of the guys. Whether training, playing, or sharing a beer, they’ve become my best mates.

A particular shout-out to my managerial help, especially Jimmy, Baz, Seymour, Jonesy and Rik. You guys helped make sure that my first year as player-coach didn’t go down in history as an awkward sidenote.

Now, aside from the infamous annual Callala Bay end of season hi-jinx, unfortunately it’s back to having Dad around the house on Sundays again…chores for hours on end…well, until fitness training starts in January 2025. Who wants to win a trophy? 🙂

Picko