Wood Ducks Break Through...

As I sit here pondering after the last seminar in China, my mind wanders back to the competitive juices flowing at Latrobe each weekend and I can’t help but see some similarities emerge from my trip and the premiership. 3 nights ago I sat at a round table with a simmering wok ready for filling, just a bowl of rice in front of me, not knowing what was coming. The Wood Ducks had arrived for 12 long weekends, nothing in front of them but a bowl of hope and a blank sheet of scores ready to be filled. Well, over my right shoulder came a bowl full of bird body parts; and I mean body parts. Chock a block full of heads, wings and legs; I wondered where the bodies were. This has been the Wood Ducks problem all year. A team needs the full body of players to be competitive and like my bowl of rice; just the appendages can’t get the job done. As my hosts happily scooped over a spoonful and encouraged me to eat, I tried not to look in to the little skulls eyes as I picked it up with my chopsticks and moved it mouthward for its crunching end. Funnily enough, the thought of it was harder than the doing and whilst the swallowing was a little sandpapery, it stayed down and I wanted more. Well, these Wood Ducks have also broken through, again I am sure the thought of breaking through was harder than the doing and I am hopeful they are hungry for more. They will be dangerous as they attempt to build momentum with eye on the Knockout. As I faced in China, if it is the only thing left to satisfy your hunger; then you eat. Talking of food, I would think Paul Berryman’s Bertoli Olive oil must be selling well over here. It is a place where the food glistens, slides down easily and completes its passage with little work. The separation on the plates, whether breakfast, lunch or dinner is obvious; as is the separation of the Premiership Table. Never in the Premiership’s history has it seemed that the finalists are secured 2 rounds out. Chinese mathematics is the best in the world and even the scholars over hear that have been shown the Premiership Table slowly shake their heads as they try and work out the way to finals glory for our bottom 8 sides. It is tough equations with The Corruptibles, All Night Chemists and F Troop needing to win their last 2 and rely on defeats from those above. But whilst there is a way you must try and make the journey. As Confucius say, “Our greatest glory is not in never falling, but in getting up every time we do.”. Maybe, just maybe the season is not over for one of these 3 teams; but they need to win. Last Sunday I found myself in the middle of Zhuhai, hailing a taxi for the 40 min trip back to the club. It was to be the ride of my life. Like the race to the top 4 this season, this trip was not over till the last moment. Taking off with an oil stained puff of black smoke, my driver seemed to be on a mission. They drive like we walk through a crowded street, no rules except to miss people, one hand on the wheel and one hand on horn which they press with impressive instinct. As I glanced over my shoulder for the absent seat belt, my hand clasped the handle above the door tighter as it became clear that I had been transported into one of the driving arcade games from my miss spent youth. Just as missing the final 4 is almost the end of your premiership chances, I was hoping like all teams seeking a slice of premiership glory, to have a second chance should this trip end suddenly. It was a fast start and like the Wanderers early in the season, he went for gaps that seemed not there. Every win for the Wanderers seemed like an upset such was the history of their previous 4 seasons. Well every angle he whipped this Jetta car into seemed to defy logic. The engine screaming, the horn blaring and the car heaved from side to side with its loose suspension being examined once again by what was to be another fast journey. I’ll give him this, he never took his eye off the road, eyes darting for space opening and the right foot ready to extend again and send us forward at eye popping speed. Well the Wanderers have had that same commitment to victory each week; they stand at the summit of the premiership table and cannot be knocked off it, have the most points scored and thus deserve their opportunity to shine. After passing out of the tunnel that indicates the city centre, I was looking forward to some less traffic. The Ferrets and the Tunners enjoy this clear air, one win above a pack of teams that are all capable of stealing their high altitude. However they need to win as a loss will provide what my driver provided more anxious moments. The freeway provided the opportunity to go harder, with slower cars blips that came and went as he tore off relentlessly for the golf club. There was a roadblock of cars fast approaching and I wondered how he would get through. It makes me wonder as well who will fill 4th place should the Ferrets and The Tunners hold strong. 4 teams for 1 spot will require from these 4 initiative and a little luck. Well, as my driver lurched across 3 lanes to head up the emergency lane, I smiled at how many tickets he would receive on the Eastern Freeway and marveled how he kept his mind to the job. This was not a race, unlike the race to the Premiership Cup but he took to his job of driving this taxi like he was in formula one. However luck was going to be needed as a car was stopped less than 100 metres in front of us and we were only starting the inside passing maneuver that had created this pending mess. A horn only blows one volume and the hard press he applied made no difference but he ploughed on committed to finishing what he started. Then another taxi lurched into the lane we were heading for. Just as a win this week will not secure the top 4 spot for these 4 teams, they must win again next week and then hope it is enough. Well I was thinking my goose was cooked as taxi drivers in China drive for glory not money and I am sure there is no glory in moving sideways to let a fellow taxi through. With horn blaring and nothing but hope in my heart, a fourth lane appeared; he moved slightly left forcing the other taxi to relent a foot and I’m sure we peeled paint off both sides of our car as we tore through the narrow gap that had appeared between the parked car and the other taxi. He didn’t slow down, didn’t stop blaring that horn; pure commitment and he must have ice running through his veins. I had gripped tighter. It is this sureness and determination that The Cup Hunters, Gummers, Brothers in Arms and Tridents must hit the course with over the next fortnight. There can be no braking now, full speed and look for whatever opportunity is there. It will be a hair-raising ride for all but it must be taken. I admit to being thankful when we pulled up at the club, the journey ended. However, as always is the case, it was the journey not the destination that I will remember and strangely as at times terrifying as the ride was, I am glad to have had that chance. The road to Premiership Glory needs stories to create history and each team starts the year with pen in hand. It is up to everyone what story they plan on writing. Play each match likes it’s your last, embrace the closeness of the contest and enjoy the pressure that comes from playing in the finals of the Latrobe Premiership. PS: I have not mentioned the Buglers in this race for the top 4 cause let’s face it; they have as much chance as I have of hailing another cab in China.