When I first moved to Australia in October 2006, I assumed there would be many new things that I would have to adjust to. I had to adjust to living away from family and friends, playing a new sport, driving in a big city and the Melbourne weather.
I viewed Australia as a country where the sun shined brightly and strongly all year round. My suitcase was over flowing with t-shirts, shorts, flip flops (you guys have a weird word for those), sunglasses and of course sun screen.
No one had informed me that Melbourne, the city where Collingwood was located, could experience Baltic conditions. I thought I said goodbye to them at the Dublin airport.
From October until April I got by on my t-shirts and shorts, I had even topped up my wardrobe in that department. But then in May 2007, I learned the hard way that Australia wasn't the eternally hot country I had thought it was.
I went to training in Williamstown (Collingwood's then VFL affiliate club) and the sky looked like it was ready to explode. There was driving wind and rain that numbed my body. I thought it must have been a freak day but I noticed the Williamstown boys were in leggings and tracksuit tops. It appeared they were prepared for these types of conditions. I, in my singlet and shorts, was clearly not. I got a cold and nearly missed the weekend game because of that training session.
It certainly erased any illusions I had that it couldn’t get cold and wet in Australia. My Irish friends laugh at me when I tell them it’s winter and it’s cold. But over the last few weeks the weather really has reminded me of home. Don’t get me wrong, I like that type of weather and I’m certainly used to it.
I have played games of Gaelic Football in temperatures just above freezing. I just didn’t expect to experience cold conditions over here.
The AFL winter season certainly adds spice and heat to the cool air. Collingwood have a lot of tough and experienced players. Our determined team spirit ensures it will take more than a drop in temperature to keep us down. And these last few cold weeks have been good to our team so let’s hope we can keep it up on the path to the bright, sunny lights of September.
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