Leopard Skin Cover - 1. Chapter 1

He kept his eyes averted and concentrated on thinking about football. There were no out Aussie Rules football players in the Victorian Football League, and he didn’t intend to be the first. He knew his own mind, and he knew he wouldn’t be able to take the pressure that would come from both the media and his teammates. He had to stay in the closet.

He’d been through hell to achieve his place in the team, and he was still hopeful of a spot in the Australian Football League, but he knew it was a long shot. Only the very top talent reached the elite level of competition, and he was just under that level. Eighty percent of the difference between the top and those not quite there was mental, and the added stress of being out would prevent him from ever reaching that level.

He was playing for the Lilydale Leopards in the semi-professional Victorian Football League, one step below the elite level, and he would do anything to make the leap from the VFL to the fully professional AFL. It was his dream, but after failing to be picked up in the AFL draft as an eighteen-year-old, the goal of reaching the Australian Football League was no certainty. Getting noticed while playing in the VFL was his only chance. He had to focus and let nothing distract him.

So he played games with his mind. His teammates weren’t male. They were not and never would be objects of affection. They were just the guys he played with, that he bonded with, that … that... he had to hide from.

He kept his personal life private while building a façade that he hoped would keep suspicion at bay.

It was all he could do.

* * *

Paul Crowman looked up as the front door of their Bronson Avenue house opened, and an overall-clad Todd Underwood carried his work gear through the living room, leaving the door open behind him.

“Sorry, I’ll be just a sec,” Todd yelled over his shoulder as he rushed to his room.

Oliver Bellesconi shook his head. “You’d think as a tradie he’d be able to leave early on Fridays. If we get laps for being late to training, I’m going to come down on him like a ton of bricks.”

Paul chuckled. “You and me both, Ollie, but given that he’s normally twenty minutes late and today he’s only fifteen, it’s almost like he’s early.”

“I still think he should change jobs. He needs to spend more time on his football, and he can’t do that if his employer doesn’t allow him to be flexible.”

Paul bent down to pick up his sports bag. “It’s what he wants to do. Let’s be fair: at twenty three, Todd and I are losing hope of getting a spot in the AFL and turning professional. We need to have something else to fall back on. You’re only nineteen, and you’ve still got a decent chance at the big league, so things are different for you.”

Todd returned without overalls and with his own sports bag before Oliver could respond. “Okay, guys, let’s get going.” Without stopping, Todd headed back out.

The three had been sharing a house since the start of the previous football season. Oliver had moved in as a fresh-faced eighteen-year-old after one of the other players had gotten married and moved out. The house was one of a handful owned by supporters of the Lilydale Leopards to be rented out as shared accommodation to the players of the team. It was such deals that helped keep the players financially viable.

Under the salary-cap rules of the Victorian Football League, the Lilydale Leopards could only pay their players an average of around $300 per game. Keeping costs down through cheap accommodation, as well as personal sponsorships for each player from local businesses and wealthy individuals, allowed the players to concentrate as much as possible on their football. Even so, most of the players had part-time, or even full-time, jobs to keep their financial heads above water. Todd was a full-time electrician, while Paul worked part time in the local sports store. Oliver was lucky enough to get an above-average sponsorship with few demands on his time, and he only worked part time to give himself spending money for the occasional night out.

Paul paused momentarily in the doorway as he glanced at the dark clouds moving in from the north. It was a typical hot February day in Melbourne, but the late-day thunderstorms appeared to be arriving earlier than predicted. After locking the door, he jogged over to Todd’s third-hand station wagon and threw his bag into the back before clambering in himself.

“Come on. We’re going to be late.” Oliver, already buckled up in the passenger side front seat, was frowning.

“I’d be quicker if someone else bothered to lock the house or if you left me the front seat,” Paul said, though without rancour. It was a familiar discussion. “The back seat isn’t exactly designed for someone my size.” He wasn’t the tallest member of the Lilydale Leopards football team, but he was in the top five.

“I don’t know. The back seat fits me just fine, and I’m almost as big as you,” Todd said as he started the engine. Paul and Todd worked together well as defenders on the team, shutting down opposition offensives and feeding the ball back to the midfielders. It was one of the reasons they were housemates as well as good friends.

Ollie was the short one of the three. His role in the team was as a fast midfielder, picking up on the loose ball, and stopping opposition runs through middle of the oval.

“Yeah, but that’s when you’re lying down manhandling whatever girl you managed to lure into your meat trap,” Paul replied. “I don’t think you’ve ever sat in the back.”

Todd laughed. “True.” Looking over his shoulder, he reversed the car into the quiet suburban Bronson Avenue, and then sped off towards the football oval a couple of kilometres away.

“Speaking of girls, what’s the plan for tomorrow night?” Oliver asked.

“The usual, I expect, unless you’ve got another idea. We go out after the game, mingle with the girls at whatever nightclub we end up at, find someone who’d like to say they’ve dated a football player, have a couple of weeks of regular sex, and then we move on,” Todd replied.

There was a short pause in the conversation before Oliver twisted around to smirk at Paul. “Nothing to say?”

Paul snorted. “You know that’s not me. You and Todd change girls more often than you change your underwear, but I want someone long-term.”

“Blame it on my hot-blooded Bellesconi heritage.” Oliver dropped the smirk. “Yeah, we know, Paul. You never did tell us why you split up with Rochelle, but you’ve been moping for almost a month now. Why not join us and have a short fling? You can still keep an eye out for ‛the one’ while you’re getting laid.”

Paul grimaced and looked out the window.

“Paul can’t do that, Ollie. It’s just not in his nature. Even with Rochelle, I don’t think much happened in the bedroom department. I think he’s trying to save himself for when he gets married.”

Paul’s glare snapped to the back of Todd’s head. “What the fuck are you doing prying into my private life?”

Todd glanced at the rear-view mirror. “Paul, we’ve known each other for four years and shared a house for three. I know how often Rochelle spent the night, and it wasn’t a lot. You never slept at her place, either. It doesn’t take a brain surgeon to work out how often you got laid.”

“You keep the hell out of my sex life, Todd. And you keep your mouth shut, Ollie. I’m not in the mood.”

“Okay, Paul. We’re just concerned about you, that’s all.” Oliver stared at Paul for a couple of seconds, his expression inscrutable, before turning around and facing the front. “Time to get our minds off our cocks and back into football mode. I heard a rumour that Peter’s planning on running us into the ground tonight.”

Paul rolled his eyes. “With a game tomorrow? Not bloody likely, even if it is only a practise match. The board would be looking for a new head coach if he tried that. It’ll be a light workout and maybe a strategy meeting afterwards. The season starts in just over a month, and we’ve still got a number of rookies to integrate.”

“It won’t take long. The guys are settling in well.” Todd turned the station wagon into the football oval’s entrance and parked just outside the Leopard’s training complex.

“They’d better, because it’s going to be a tough season,” Paul said.

Ollie grimaced. “They’re always tough. I’m just hoping we do better than last season. Getting to training on time’s a good start.” He tried to glare at Todd but couldn’t stop his lips from curling into a smile.

“We’re here with eight minutes to spare,” Todd said after a glance at the car’s clock. “Let’s get going.”

* * *

Eric Blackman, President of the Lilydale Leopards Football Club, rested his forearms on the desk as he leant forward. “Peter, are you sure about the new hire? She’s got the potential to cause a lot of waves, and we don’t really need problems at the moment. We’ve got to have at least a moderately successful season, with no drama, or the club could fold. Our sponsors are making noises about reconsidering their involvement with the club.”

Peter Stevenson looked relaxed, but he knew how critical the current discussion was to his own career. If the team didn’t perform well early on, the board could take the drastic step of replacing him as head coach before the end of the season in an effort to keep the club viable.

“I’m sure. She’s a professional, and I’m sure Paul will be the same. Both will be able to maintain a professional attitude, despite the family connection.”

“I’m not worried about what they do or don’t do. I’m worried about the perception. The other players may perceive a bias even if there isn’t one, and that can disrupt team unity.” Eric settled back in his chair. “We need the team to be solid, and this is a potential weak point.”

Peter sighed. “We went through all of this with the board, Eric. Yes, it’s a risk. But we need to take some risks if we’re going to recover from last year’s disaster. We got rid of the main culprit, and the team is starting to bond again. I accept that Julie may fracture that bond, but I think, given her record, she’s much more likely to strengthen it.”

Eric pulled a face. “I just don’t know...”

Peter stood up. “Training’s about to start, and I need to go. I understand your concerns, Eric, but it’s too late to tell her she doesn’t have the job. Give her four weeks and we’ll know. If it doesn’t work out, her contract says she’s on probation for that time, and we can fire her without any legal ramifications. But I’m confident she’ll still be here when the main season starts in April. Trust me, Eric. It’ll all work out.”

Eric rose to his feet and held out a hand across the desk. “Okay, Peter, but this is an important year. The fate of the club is at stake, and we can’t afford any problems. One piece of bad press and our sponsors are likely to walk. One of them is already making noises about cutting back.”

Peter shook the proffered hand. “I know, and I’ll make sure the team knows, too. Off-field behaviour is one of things I’ll be mentioning at today’s end-of-training meeting.”

As soon as he was out of the office and in the antechamber beyond, Peter Stevenson gave a heavy sigh. He had never liked office politics, but being head coach meant dealing with club managerial issues as well as the team ones.

“Tough meeting?” Melissa Cole asked.

Peter gave a short sardonic chuckle. “Always, Mel. Always.”

“You know he’s on your side. There was talk about replacing you at the end of last season, but Eric talked everyone around.”

As the club president’s personal assistant, Melissa had a lot of inside knowledge, but Peter was surprised she was sharing any of it with him.

“I heard something about that, and, yes, I know I’ve got his support, but that still doesn’t help when he starts trying to second-guess my decisions.”

Melissa glanced at the clock. “You’ve got to run, but if you want to discuss this later, just give me a call.”

Peter laughed as he headed out the door. “And have Yvonne wonder why I’m ringing another woman late at night? She’d kill me!”

The sound of Melissa’s laughter followed him down the hallway to the coaches’ change room. Peter knew his wife would understand – he already spent hours each night at home working – but he didn’t want to continue that conversation. He understood that things were dire, but interference in what should be his job, and not the board’s, wasn’t helpful.

Entering the change room, he found it empty apart from a trim and taut young woman in her mid-twenties wearing a club tracksuit and reading a small folder. She looked up and spoke before he could say anything.

“Will said to tell you he’ll get the team started on their warm-ups and that I should stay here until you arrived. I was just reviewing the player profiles again.”

Peter smiled. “Thanks, Julie. Eric kept me longer than I had hoped, but I’m here now, and we can get started. You’ll be working the midfielders and defenders while Will handles the forwards and rucks. I’ll be with you for the first part of training, but I’m sure you know the normal drills. If there’s anything different you want to try, just let me know first.”

“Thank you, sir. I’ll do my best.”

“Call me Peter. We try to keep things on a first name basis at the Leopards.”

“Okay, Peter.” Julie frowned. “Does Paul know I’m here?”

“If you haven’t told him, then no. I’ll admit that I wondered if you’d have let him know ahead of time.”

She grimaced. “I thought about it, but I decided it wouldn’t be professional to tell him ahead of the rest of his teammates. He’ll probably kill me afterwards, but I thought this was the best approach.”

Peter nodded. “I agree, but this will be only the first such decision you’re going to have to make. Your position is different from that of Will and me, and you’re going to encounter things that don’t apply to us. If you need advice, feel free to see me, and we can discuss what to do. Most of the time you’ll have the time to think things through, but don’t hesitate if you want to talk through the options.

“Now, let’s get going. They should be finishing their warm-ups and be ready for us.”

A few minutes later, they were out on the oval facing the players. Will Lander, the assistant coach who led the team through their warm-up exercises, stood at Peter’s right. While the players’ attention was mainly on their head coach, Peter could see a lot of glances at Julie on his left.

“I’d like to introduce you to our new assistant coach, Julie Crowman. She comes to us after a very successful couple of years as head coach of the Broncos district club, and she’s looking forward to stepping up to the VFL and helping us to similarly improve. She’ll be responsible for the midfielders and helping me with the defenders.”

Peter saw Paul Crowman’s wince. “For those of you not in the know, Julie comes from a long-time football family that not only includes her father, who played here with the Leopards back in the 80s, but also her younger brother, Paul.” Peter nodded to where Paul was schooling his face back into one of neutrality.

“I’m only going to say this once because I expect the utmost of professionalism from both my coaching staff and my players. If anyone has a problem with Paul’s sister coaching this team, you can come and see me. If you believe there is any bias or preferential treatment going on, I want to know about it. Paul’s shown himself over the years to be a thoroughly professional and dedicated Leopard, and Julie’s shown herself to be the same over at the Broncos, so I don’t expect any such behaviour to occur, but if you believe it’s happening, come and tell me.

“Any questions?”

There was a short pause before Roger McDowell, the oldest member of the team and current captain, put up his hand. “What’s going to happen regarding the change rooms? Is she going to have access?”

“She’ll have full access before, during and immediately after each game. She’ll leave before you guys start your showers.”

Roger’s forehead wrinkled for a few seconds, and then he nodded.. “Sounds fine to me, but does that mean Zach’s girlfriend has to leave, too? She usually stays until he’s finished.” Roger’s grin at the team’s primary ruckman was echoed by most of the team.

Zachary Wilson’s face was red. “Hey, she’s only got eyes for me, so you leave her alone!”

Once the team’s laughter stopped, Paul Crowman lifted his voice. “It’s still a legitimate question.”

Peter nodded. “It is, but the difference is that Julie’s part of the staff. She’s being held to higher standards. If you’ve got a problem with Angela waiting for Zach, you’ll have to take it up with him. If you can’t resolve it, come and see me and I’ll get involved. Since it hasn’t been a problem up until now, and Angela’s not the only girlfriend or wife that’s been in the change rooms while guys are showering, I’m not intervening unless someone sees it as a problem.

“Anything else?”

There were lots of glances between the players, but no one spoke.

“Okay, then, defenders and midfielders to the east end, and forwards and rucks to the west. Let’s get to work.”

* * *

Ty Flanders dumped his bag and collapsed onto the couch of their Tenterfield Street house. “Man, she was a real bitch.”

Ryan Keen paused on his way to his room and frowned at his housemate. “No, she wasn’t. She just wouldn’t let you slacken off. You’ve had it easy for the last few weeks because the coaches have been short-staffed, and now that you’re getting caught, you’re blaming anyone except yourself.”

Privately, he conceded it had be a lot tougher than he had expected, but part of that had been the rain that started halfway through the session, making the ball-handling exercises more challenging, and part was having an extra coach to ensure the momentum was maintained. It wasn’t what he considered to be a tough session, especially compared to sessions he’d been through in the previous years, merely tougher than they’d been having for the previous few weeks.

“We’ll see when the others get home. Jim’ll agree with me, I’m sure. She was almost as hard on him as she was on her brother.”

Ryan grinned. “I’ll give you that one. She’s holding Paul to higher standards than everyone else, and it shows. Even Peter noticed, but he didn’t interfere. I think he’s waiting to see if it results in an improvement. As for Jim, I don’t think she was tough, just precise. She’s saying his techniques are sloppy, and that’s what a coach is supposed to do: correct them. I’m also betting that she’s going to do the same to a different person each session so we all get the benefit of some one-on-one coaching.”

Ty grinned back. “I wouldn’t mind some one-on-one coaching with her – but off the grounds. She’s one hot girl.”

Ryan rolled his eyes. “You don’t have a chance. She’s at least five or six years older than you, and I don’t think she’d date someone she’s coaching, anyway. It’s hard enough with her brother being on the team and people watching for any signs of favouritism. It’d be twice as hard if she had a boyfriend on the team.”

“Who said anything about being her boyfriend. I’d just like some one-on-one time with her to work on my bedroom technique.” Ty reached over, grabbed the TV remote, and turned on the television.

Ryan shook his head and decided not to give the obvious response. Ty was the only one in the house still looking for a girlfriend and had started to become sensitive on the subject.

“Don’t leave your bag there, Ty. Jim and Deon could trip over it when they come in.”

Not waiting for a reply, Ryan headed to his room. Despite having been in the Tenterfield place since early December, it still didn’t feel quite like home. He couldn’t complain, though. The club provided the house for the players at low cost – much lower than if he’d had to find a place on the open market.

The club generally tried to leave the players in the same house each year, but they also insisted on older players being paired as mentors for the eighteen-year-olds who had just joined the team. Jim was there to help Deon, and Ryan had been assigned to mentor Ty. Though the team normally tried to keep players in the same house from year to year, Ryan had been transferred from last year’s accommodation to the current four-bedroom house in Tenterfield Street, Lilydale, and only three kilometres from the football ground.

As a twenty-one-year-old who was also the youngest in his family, being responsible for someone else was a new experience, and Ryan wasn’t sure he liked it. He didn’t want to impose rules on the younger guy, but he and Jim had agreed that it was necessary after a disastrous first week with Ty and Deon. They worked to keep the rules to a minimum, but Ty was becoming rebellious about doing his part in a household that had to live together. Ryan didn’t know what to do.

Deon and Ty had nominated themselves for the Australian Football League draft as eighteen-year-olds but were not selected by any of the clubs. They’d joined the Leopards instead to try to gain the experience and exposure necessary for another try for the top-level competition by playing in the Victorian Football League – the competition one level below the elite AFL. The disappointment had been more obvious in Ty, but Ryan had sensed it in Deon, too. It helped that he and Jim had been through the same disappointment the last couple of years, but they kept their hopes alive by remembering that sometimes an AFL team would be looking for an older, experienced VFL player, rather than the more typical young recruit.

After sorting out the contents of his sports bag, Ryan bundled up his dirty clothes and headed to the washing machine. He knew Jim would be looking to do the same when he got home, and he wanted to get in first. The rookies, Deon and Ty, were still at the stage of leaving the washing until the last possible moment, a habit that Ryan had broken halfway through his first year away from home.

Leaving the laundry, he found Deon and Jim had arrived. He came in at the tail end of the conversation about the new assistant coach.

“... so, yes, it’s tough, but if it’s going to make me a better player, I’m going to do the work to get things right,” Jim said.

Ryan grinned. “Sounds like Jim’s not on your side, Ty.”

“Fine!” Ty turned around and blatantly gave the television all his attention.

Jim rolled his eyes and then gave Ryan a grin. “You grabbed the washing machine?”

“Yeah, sorry, but most of my stuff was covered in mud, and I didn’t want to let it set.”

Jim shrugged and turned to Deon. “Do you want to wash your stuff next? I can wait if you do.”

Deon shook his head. “I’ll do mine tomorrow morning. Thanks for the offer, though.”

“No problem. What are your plans for the rest of the night?”

“I’m going to get changed and then head out to pick up Pamela. We’re going to the Crown for the night.” Deon grinned. “And before you remind me, yes, I’ll be back by eleven, and I won’t be drinking.”

Ryan raised an eyebrow. “Curfew’s not until midnight and you’re allowed to drink, just not too much.” He was privately pleased. Deon had been dating Pamela for almost two weeks, and she seemed to be a positive influence on the lanky teenager. The first week in the house, Deon and Ty had come home after 3am twice and had come home drunk three times. They had been lucky that, with no games, there had been no curfew, but neither teenager performed well at training that week.

“I know, but Pamela’s working tomorrow morning and doesn’t want a late night. Now, if you’ll excuse me...”

Ryan and Jim both laughed. “Go and have fun,” Jim said. “I hope it works out for the two of you.”

After Deon had headed to his room, Jim stared at Ty with narrowed eyes for a few seconds. Turning back to Ryan, he tilted his head towards the kitchen. Ryan nodded, and the two left the room.

Once they were alone, Jim grimaced. “Ty’s got an attitude problem, and it’s getting worse.”

Ryan sighed. “I know. He needs to get his mind focused or he’ll be dropped from the seniors. He wants the AFL, but he resents having to work to get there.”

“We’re not his babysitters or his coach, but he’s going to affect the team if he keeps going the way he’s going. What should we do?”

“I’ve tried talking to him, but he’s stopped listening to me. Maybe you can get through to him, Jim, because I’m lost.”

“Should I play the heavy or just a concerned teammate?”

“If you can get some home truths through to him, I don’t really care. I think you’ll have to be at least a little heavy before he’ll pay attention, but use your own judgement.”

“Okay. I better do it now, because he’s probably heading into the city nightclubs again and will end up breaking curfew. Again.”

“Not to mention coming home drunk. I don’t think Peter’s lecture at the end of training about representing the club even registered with him.” Ryan shook his head. “I hope your talk works, because otherwise I think he’ll be out of here.”

Jim took a deep breath. “I better get it over and done with. Wait here…or maybe you should head out with Deon when he leaves. I think it’ll be better if there are no witnesses when I let loose.”

Ryan stiffened. “You’re not going to hit him, are you?”

“Of course not. But I’m not going to be nice with what I’m going to say. If I can’t shake him out of his attitude, we’ll have to pass it on to Peter, and that’ll mean Ty will be dropped. Neither one of us really wants that. Wish me luck!”

Ryan stared as Jim returned to the living room and then shook his head. Even though Jim was a year younger than himself, Ryan felt that Jim was the better mentor. Ryan knew he wasn’t cut out for that role, and he needed to tell Peter, so someone else could try to manage Ty. Assuming Ty was still on the team, he mentally reminded himself.

* * *

“Explain to me again how you’ve got the surname of Driver when I’m the one doing all the driving?”

The four players had left the football grounds after training and were on their way to their Lowfield Place house. Dave Islington and Owen Driver were senior players and there to look out for their two eighteen-year-old housemates and charges: Charlie McDonald and Jarrod Green.

Owen laughed. “Because, Dave, you’ve got a car that can take four big guys comfortably while my car is more for intimate couples.”

Dave chuckled. “Like you and Zoe. How are things going there?”

Owen shrugged. “Pretty well, but with the main season about to kick off soon, we’re going to have to make adjustments. She was annoyed when I told her that we can’t stay out late on the nights before our games, and she’s going to be even more annoyed when I get around to telling her I won’t be going up to the snow with her in winter.”

Charlie piped up from the back seat. “Yeah, that sucks. My family’s been going to Mt. Buller each year for as long as I can remember, and this year will be the first time I won’t be going with them.”

“Priorities, Charlie, priorities. If you want to play football, then that means you don’t do other things during the season.” Owen glanced over his shoulder at the younger guy he was mentoring. “It’ll be even worse if you make it to the AFL. Once you’re a professional, your options become even more limited because you’ll be expected to put the club and football before anything else. Ask Roger if you want more details.”

“Roger? You mean Roger McDowell? Why him?”

Dave’s eyebrows rose, and he glanced in the rear-view mirror. “He played four games in the AFL a few years ago. Didn’t you know?”

Charlie shook his head. “That’s news to me, but I’ve been so busy concentrating on getting settled that I haven’t spoken to him very much. Everything’s so different here in Melbourne that it’s taking me time to get adjusted.”

Owen grinned. “So what do you do when you head into the city with the other guys? Visit the educational sites?”

Charlie laughed. “What else is an eighteen-year-old living away from home for the first time supposed to do? The nightclubs and bars in Echuca don’t compare, and we certainly don’t have any strip joints. Definitely educational!”

A grunt from the other back-seat passenger diverted attention from Charlie.

“What’s your problem, Jarrod?” Charlie asked. “You’ve been in a sour mood since the start of training.”

“What do you want it to be? I don’t even know why you’re living with us. Your parents can afford to pay for your own place, so how come you’re in with those of us who have to work full time to keep a roof over our heads?”

Dave’s head snapped around. “Jarrod, shut the fuck up!” Quickly bringing his attention back to the road, Dave continued in a calmer tone of voice. “I thought you knew, but the club looks after all the new players, especially those whose families are a long way away. Charlie will probably have to find somewhere else to live at the end of the year, but for now he’s staying with us so he’s not being left by himself in a strange city. Ask anyone; all the eighteen-year-olds who aren’t living at home are staying in club-organised houses with older players.”

“And you’re not the only one who’s working, Jarrod,” Owen said. “Is this about the fact you don’t have a sponsorship yet? We told you, sometimes it takes a couple of months before a sponsor is found. Once that happens, you’ll have more money in your pocket, and things won’t be as tight.”

“How bloody long, and how much of a difference will it make?” Jarrod Green glared at the two senior players in the front seats and then turned to stare out the window at the rain.

Charlie opened his mouth, as if to say something, but shook his head instead. He caught Owen’s eye and shrugged.

Jarrod’s comments had a grain of truth. Charlie was still a student, starting a part-time Applied Science degree at RMIT the following week and was being supported financially by his parents. Everyone else was working. Jarrod was working full time at a motor shop, while Dave and Owen had part-time sales positions.

“The club is doing what it can to find you a sponsor, Jarrod. You just have to be patient. As for how much of a difference it makes, I don’t know. It depends on the sponsorship. Regardless, it’ll be extra money in the pocket, and that’s always good.”

Jarrod sighed and rested his head on the glass. “Why the fuck is everything taking so long?”

Owen and Dave exchanged looks.

“Changing the topic, what did you think of the new coach?” Dave asked.

“Strict, but she seems to know what she’s talking about,” Charlie said.

“Yeah, right,” Jarrod muttered.

“What’s that supposed to mean?” Owen asked.

Jarrod turned away from the window. “She’s never played, not in a guy’s comp, at least, and while she might’ve been coaching for a few years, she doesn’t know what’s like to be on the field in a tough match. How is she supposed to teach us anything?”

Dave frowned. “Peter’s never played at a high level, either. Will played one season of VFL ten years ago, and that’s it. Are you trying to say that we’ve got a bunch of useless coaches?”

“That’s different. They’ve both got lots of experience with coaching, and they understand us guys.”

Owen turned around so he could look at Jarrod in the back seat. “I spoke to Paul during training, and he told me that his sister’s been coaching for six years and been head coach at the Broncos for two. Both of those years she’s coached those guys into the finals, reaching the semi-finals in the first year and the grand final in the second. She’s got the experience.”

“Yeah, but that’s district level, not VFL.”

“It’s not that much different, not in the way the game is played. Okay, it’s tougher in VFL, but that’s because the skill levels are higher. Even so, the top district teams would be competitive in the VFL. If Julie can take the Broncos to that level, she’s got what it takes to do the same with us. She can’t play at that level, but neither can Peter or Will.”

“Owen’s right,” Dave said. “Okay, she may not have what it takes, but you can’t tell that from her record. If she can’t cut it, we’ll know soon enough. Until then, I say let’s give her a go.”

“You just don’t get it! She’s not going to do the job, and she’s going to drag us down!”

Charlie was staring at Jarrod, a puzzled expression on his face. “Is it because she’s a girl? Because that’s all I’m hearing, Jarrod, and I thought this was the twenty-first century.”

“Ah, I give up. If you can’t see it now, you’ll see it soon enough.” Jarrod turned his head and stared out the window again, shutting out the others in the car.

The rest of the thankfully short drive home was made in silence as Dave turned into Lowfield Place and then into the driveway of their house.

Once inside, Jarrod stormed off to his room and slammed the door. Owen and Dave exchanged glances, then headed to their own rooms to sort out their gear.

Owen was putting his muddy training clothes in a pile when there was a knock at his door. He looked up to see Charlie standing outside.

“Come in, Charlie. What’s up?”

“Do you really think it’s the sponsorship thing that’s upset Jarrod?”

Owen rocked his head from side to side as he thought about it. “It’s probably a factor, but I don’t think that’s all there is to it. Something else is bothering him, too. He’s been fine up until today, but he’s gone off the deep end. This thing with Julie may be real, or it may be just an excuse he’s using to lash out. I don’t know.”

“Do you think it’ll make it better or worse if I asked my parents if they’d consider sponsoring him, too?”

Owen’s eyes widened. “That’s pretty generous. Can they afford it?”

“Maybe, though they probably couldn’t offer him too much. I don’t really know, but if they could I wasn’t sure if it would make Jarrod feel worse. He strikes me as the sort who wants to earn his own way, and my parents sponsoring him might feel too much like charity.”

“I think the same. I overheard Colin Mann saying that a new guy will be starting on Monday, so hopefully he’ll be able to help Jarrod.”

“Who’s Colin Mann?”

“You haven’t met him? He’s the marketing manager for the club and responsible for organising sponsorships. We’ve needed another person doing that job for a while and it looks like they’ve finally found someone. Let’s give things a couple of weeks before you talk to your parents. Who knows, Jarrod may be back to normal tomorrow.”

Charlie grinned. “Let’s hope so. I was hoping to join him tomorrow night for another ‛educational’ trip into the city.”

* * *

Over at the Tenterfield house, Deon dropped prone on the bed as he answered his phone. “Mum!”

“Hello, dear. I just wanted to wish you all the best for tomorrow’s game.”

Deon grinned. “Thanks, Mum. I’m looking forward to it – my first game in the VFL! Okay, it’s only a practise match, but it’s still the first time I’ll be playing against one of the other teams. Will’s been driving me and the other forwards hard, and I think I’m doing better than I did last year. Tomorrow I find out how much I’ve really learnt.”

“Well, all the best. Jordan wants a quick word before you go. Here he is.”

“G’day, Deon!”

Deon had to stifle a chuckle at his younger brother’s enthusiastic greeting. “G’day, Jordan. What’s up?”

“I’ve been telling everyone at school that you’re going to be on TV tomorrow! That’s right, isn’t it?”

“I think so. I didn’t pay attention to which game they’re broadcasting. But you know that I might not play the full game. I’m still a rookie.”

“Nah, you’ll play the whole game, and you’ll score a ton of goals, too. You have to – you’re my brother!”

“If only it was that easy. I’ll be lucky to score one goal, let alone a ton.”

“You’re too hard on yourself, Deon. Of course you’ll get a ton. I’m counting on you!”

Deon chuckled. “I’ll try my best, but that’s all I can do. This isn’t like last year when I was only playing against other seventeen-year-olds. Some of the other team are six or even seven years older than me. The game’s going to be a lot more difficult.”

“You’ll be fine. You’re my brother, and you’re perfect!”

Deon winced. “I didn’t make the AFL, Jordan. I’m a long way from perfect.”

“Nah, that’s just because you don’t push yourself forward enough. Everyone who knows you knows you’re the best. The stupid AFL teams don’t know what they’re missing out on. You’ll have a great year, and at the end, the AFL teams will be falling over themselves to draft you. Just wait and see.

“Er... Mum says I have to go now. Good luck, Deon! Not that you’ll need it.”

“Bye, Jordan!”

Deon lay on his bed for several minutes after the call ended. He loved his younger brother, but he didn’t like the pressure that Jordan was putting him under. It was going to be a new experience playing in the VFL, and Deon was concerned that he’d find he wasn’t up to the required standard.

When his phone beeped, he checked the message and smiled again. His older sister, Teresa, was wishing him good luck for the game. He was hoping the same, himself.

* * *

“How was it, Julie?” Paul asked.

The reply over the mobile phone was tinny. “Different in some ways, but more of the same in others. I hope you didn’t mind that I hadn’t told you ahead of time.”

Paul shrugged, even though his sister couldn’t see it. “I was annoyed at first, but I worked out why you hadn’t told me. It’s cool.”

“Thanks. We still need to be careful, though, because I can’t tell you some of the things happening with the coaches.”

“And I have to make sure I don’t tell you things unless I’m happy for them to be passed onto Peter. It’s not fair to you, otherwise. Yeah, I get it. Not that we chat a lot, anyway, but since we’ll be seeing each other several times a week, it’ll be harder.”

“We’ll be fine. What I’m more concerned about is...” Julie’s voice trailed off.

“What?”

“I did a lot of research before I took the job, Paul. The club isn’t in a healthy financial state, though they should make it through this season. I’ve got contacts at a couple of the sponsors, and there’s some doubt if they’ll commit to next year. This could end up being a one-year job for me and both of us looking for a new club after the finals in September. A poor year or a major scandal, and that’s it. End of the line.”

“You’re joking, right?”

“I wish I was. It was a hard decision, knowing that, but the Leopards are the club I wanted to coach at, so I decided to take the risk. But I know what I’m letting myself in for. If we have a poor season, some will blame it on having a female coach.”

“No fucking way! Anyone with any sense will know better than that. You’re a good coach, Julie, and I know you’ll make a difference. I just wish you didn’t have to start with me!”

Julie laughed. “Sorry, Paul, but I had to. I can’t be seen to be biased in your favour, so I’ve got to lean a little the other way.”

“Just be careful. I heard a couple of the younger guys complaining about it.”

“Let me guess: Ty and Jarrod.”

“I’m not going to answer that, Julie. If you want me to talk about these things, I can’t give you names.”

“Sorry, Paul, you’re right. I shouldn’t have done that to you. I heard both of them several times, which is why I mentioned them. Peter and Will also heard them, so I’m leaving it with them to deal with it. I noticed a number of the other young players copying Ty after he started to mouth off, but they got shut down by the senior players. Ty and Jarrod were the only ones I heard that didn’t heed them. My job is simply to do what they hired me to do and try to get some improvement in the midfield and on the back lines. I’ll leave it to Will and Peter to manage the personalities.”

“I think you’ll get that improvement. If nothing else, having you on my case will push me to do better.” Paul grinned. “Just like you used to do when I was younger.”

“Say, do you want to go out for a drink, tonight? My shout.”

“Sorry, Julie, but that wouldn’t be a good idea. Later on, okay, but I think you need to settle in first before you start hanging out with the players after hours. Ollie and Todd are dragging me out to the pool hall tonight – they think I don’t get out enough – and I think it’d be better if we don’t have a coach hanging around.”

“Okay, I get you. But you can’t use that as an excuse to get out of family dinners, Paul!”

Paul laughed. “Family dinners are fine. I think I can put up with one of my coaches for a couple of hours once a month.”

“I love you, too.”

“Take care, Julie, and congratulations again.”

“Thanks, Paul. Good luck for the game tomorrow.”

Paul hung up and stared at his bedroom ceiling for a few moments. He knew he’d been drifting away from his family for over a year, but it seemed that they had found a way back into his life. He wondered if that was going to make his life any more complicated than it already was.