On Saturday May 31 2008, the San Diego Lions made the journey up Interstate 15 to take on the Las Vegas Gamblers on their home turf at Aviary Park North Las Vegas at 4pm in the desert heat of the afternoon.

The Gamblers, and particularly Kurt Anderson, had set up the ground to provide an open and fast track for the conduct of a grand football clash between the Division 3 Champs of 2006 and the Division 1 Champs of the same year.

But our trip was different. It was a classic affirmation of everything right and true and decent in the national character. It was a gross, physical salute to the fantastic possibilities of life in this country – but only for those with true grit. And we were chock full of that.

The co-ed game was the perfect curtain-raiser; closely fought with the local team holding off the late challenge from San Diego to take the match. The wind was a factor making anticipation of the bounce and the aerial contests all the more difficult. The heat took its toll of skills and fitness, pointing to the effective use of the bench and fresh legs as a key to success.

Witchetty grub – US Footy umpires no longer sport the colors of the eponymous white maggot any more – Bob Bitmead balled up to get the match out of the blocks and onto the main track. The Gamblers struck early, up-hill and into the wind, to take the first goal in style with a direct attack straight up the middle. San Diego, notorious slow starters who had been coached at length to subvert this habit, were jolted out of their stagecoach torpor to strike back quickly and so began a battle of land and air, with the ability to control the ball from the packs and the capacity to mark the ball in the wind all important. The defense of each team was well schooled in spoiling the high balls. So the groundwork became the key, with speed around the rucks and accuracy of handpasses critical. The rucks were hard fought and the leaping of defenders magnificent, thereby making work for the crumbers and rovers. The journeymen of Las Vegas – Gary Greene, Marty Curry, Rob Luto – were ubiquitous. For San Diego, Donny Lucero, Coach Simon Schenk, and JJ Cisneros provided the foil in the center. The first quarter saw the Lions claw back to a 4 goal lead going into the first break. However, star ruckman and Rugby League convert Red Mitchell was sidelined with a knee injury.

The successive quarters saw the Lions call on their extensive bench to blood their list of first-gamers. In the heat, this brought fresh legs to the play at the same time as it engendered stage fright and nerves. The newbies proved their worth and their talent in translating the drills of practices and metro matches into the inferno of 18-a-side Aussie Rules Footy at its best. The thrill of the game energized these novitiates as they saw the benefits of their training. Brandon Blankenship and Donnie Lucero took on the rucking duties. Jack Cameron, Greg Crescenzo and Mick Stewart blew into the game like the Fremantle Doctor, stripping the ball repeatedly from the center and delivering it into the forward line. Man-mountain Justin Valley began to assert himself at Center Half-Forward. Slowly, the margin extended. Newbie John Bucci was stoic and ever present in defense, as was Brett Ullman. Not to mention, the skills, speed and toughness of another newbie, the Lions own Dan Paul, was inspirational. The Gamblers were resolute in defense and forced many hurried kicks for goal. Big Gambler Dean became much more mobile in his Center Half-Forward role and began to assist in center clearances. As the game wore on, the fitness and teamwork of San Diego proved the difference. At the final whistle, and as the sun at last went down and the desert wind began to ease, a platoon of parched footy players headed for the social events generously organized by the Las Vegas hosts. Coopers longnecks transported from San Diego were the order of the day to accompany the excellent barbecue feast arranged by the Gamblers.

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