Red vs Blue Read online

  Mum picked me and Matt up from school.

  When we stopped at the traffic lights on Gregory Hills Drive, a big black crow landed on the back of the council truck in front of us. It stared at me, through the windscreen and into my soul. I know this crow. It’s connected to Percy Kelly, the regional selector.

  When the traffic light turned green, the truck moved forward and gave the crow a fright. It flapped its wings and launched itself high into the air, but didn’t take its eyes off me. I craned my neck to keep it in my sights.

  As we turned the corner onto Camden Valley Way, the traffic slowed again. We came to a stop outside McDonald’s. The crow dive-bombed towards our car, levelled out gracefully at the last minute and glided up towards the big yellow ‘M’ near the drive-through.

  The traffic sped up and Mum accelerated past Maccas. The crow stayed on the big ‘M’, watching me as we turned the corner, then it was out of sight.

  I was left with a good feeling. Something positive was coming.

  As usual, Dad and I are the first ones at the ground. Mum, Nonno, Nonna and Matt will arrive closer to kick-off.

  ‘Can you fill the water buckets, mate?’ asks Dad. ‘I’m just going to ask the Knights’ coach if we can steal some of their players.’

  The thought goes through my head. Two players who don’t know how we play. Two players who don’t really want to be there. Two players who might make mistakes just to help their mates on the other team win.

  ‘Dad?’ I call out.

  ‘Yeah?’ he says, stopping and turning around.

  ‘Don’t,’ I tell him. ‘We don’t need them.’

  Dad gives me a puzzled look.

  ‘Mate, we only have eleven players. We don’t want to get pumped again,’ he says.

  Water splashes over the edge of the half-filled water bucket and down my dark blue footy sock as I grip the handle and lower it to the ground, next to the basket of empty drink bottles.

  ‘We’ll be okay, Dad, I promise,’ I say, not exactly knowing how I can make such a prediction.

  ‘But you were so upset after we lost last time,’ he says.

  He’s right. But my Spidey senses are telling me something else.

  ‘I can’t explain it, Dad,’ I say. I even try my best to smile, just to make him feel better, but all it does is freak him out even more. ‘All I know is that I have a feeling that everything will work out,’ I finish.

  Dad lets out an exasperated sigh.

  ‘Whatever you think, son.’ He shrugs. ‘What would I know? I’m only the coach.’ He sees President Taber walk out of the footy club and over to the canteen. ‘You right with the water, James?’ says Dad. ‘I’m going to have a coffee with El Presidente.’

  I nod and start filling up the drink bottles. As I fill the last bottle and place it in the basket, I feel a presence behind me. When I turn around, the traffic lights, the crow, the council truck and the big ‘M’ at McDonald’s all come flooding back to me.

  ‘Holy Chicken McNugget!’ I say. I have no other words.

  ‘What?’ says the kid in front of me.

  ‘Holy mother of Big Mac sauce!’

  Again, the kid squints at me like I’m speaking another language, which I kind of am.

  ‘What’s with you and the McDonald’s stuff?’ he asks.

  I try to speak, but I can’t.

  ‘It’s you!’ I finally say.

  ‘Don’t you dare call me Ronald McDonald,’ he says. There’s a girl next to him. She looks at me and the funny look on my face, and then back at him. She laughs.

  ‘It’s you! It’s actually you!’ I yell. Then I recognise his sister.

  Now both of them are laughing. It’s the twins from the athletics track. That wise old crow was sending me a message. He landed on the big ‘M’ for a reason: he was trying to tell me not to worry because Michael and Mikayla would be here! I quickly remember the text I sent Michael after Gerard and Ben said they didn’t want a girl on the team. ‘Hey, Michael. I never heard back from you.’

  ‘That’s because I told him not to reply,’ says Mikayla. In an instant, she’s gone from laughing to serious. It’s clear she means business, and that she doesn’t want her brother speaking on her behalf. ‘I’ve been wanting to play footy for years,’ she says, ‘but all the local girls’ teams are full!’

  She crosses her arms and moves her head from side to side. It looks like she’s thinking,

  ‘Besides, I scare them too much,’ she adds, pointing her finger at me and adding another head wobble.

  ‘Hey, it’s the twins!’ says Luke, arriving before I get into more trouble with Mikayla. ‘You playing for us or what?’ Before Michael can speak, Mikayla takes over again.

  ‘That’s the plan,’ she says. ‘But if there’s no me, there’s no Michael – right, bruz?’

  ‘Uh, yeah, sis,’ says Michael, looking a bit embarrassed.

  Tawera, Patty, Tobias and Dexter arrive.

  ‘Hey, fellas, meet Mikayla and Michael,’ says Luke. ‘They’re the twins from the athletics track we told you about.’

  ‘You gonna be in our team?’ says Tawera.

  Before I can say anything, Mikayla pounces on Tawera’s invitation.

  ‘Don’t mind if we do,’ she says, and Michael grins.

  ‘Deadly!’ he says. ‘Let’s get our boots from the car.’

  As the twins race off, I realise we now have another two players. We haven’t got any reserves, but we have a full run-on squad.

  Back your instinct

  Follow your intuition. Take note of everything that is happening around you.

  CHAPTER 9

  THE FASTEST HUMAN EVER

  Without any hesitation, Dad has the paperwork and sign-on sheet in front of the twins.

  They lean the forms against the outside wall of our dressing sheds and fill them out with black pen.

  ‘Are you sure about this, James?’ Dad whispers to me from inside the doorway.

  ‘Very sure,’ I whisper back. ‘Just go with me on this, Dad.’

  After they’ve finished, Michael and Mikayla walk into the change rooms with their bags. Patty has his shirt off and as usual, he’s flexing his muscles in the mirror. He sees Mikayla in the reflection and squeezes his biceps a little harder. She ignores him and drops her bag next to Gerard, who has entered through the other door with Ben. Gerard is tying up his bootlaces. Mikayla’s aqua-green Nike bag takes him by surprise. I try to get in early and explain what’s happened, but I’m not quick enough.

  ‘Never seen a GIRL before?’ says Mikayla. Gerard just sits there staring, looking stunned.

  ‘Is this the girl from Little Athletics, Teddy?’ he says.

  I nod.

  ‘I thought we weren’t playing her?’ says Gerard.

  ‘I’m right here,’ says Mikayla, getting in Gerard’s face. ‘I can hear you, you know.’

  ‘Yeah, Teddy,’ says Ben. ‘I thought you told them that there are no girls allowed?’

  ‘Let’s make a deal,’ says Mikayla, her voice calm as she eyeballs Gerard. ‘You and me, out on the field, right now. Hundred-metre sprint, tryline to tryline. You win? I leave. I win? You shut up and let me play.’

  A stone-cold silence comes over the change room, except for the sound of Dad coming in, slurping on his coffee.

  ‘Do it!’ says Dad.

  ‘Do it! Do it! Do it!’ Tawera chants.

  Soon enough, the whole team joins in.

  they sing.

  ‘Serious?’ Gerard laughs, looking at Mikayla like she’s a walkover.

  I decide not to say anything and let it all play out.

  ‘Deadly serious,’ she answers.

  ‘Okay then,’ he says. ‘You’re on.’

  The team follow Mikayla and Gerard out of the change rooms and onto the field. Camden Red are finishing their game against the Narellan Jets.

  We all stop at the sideline, but Gerard and Mikayla walk onto the field, with the game being played around them. People are
yelling at them to get off the field, but mentally, they are in the zone. Finally, they reach the tryline directly under the goalposts.

  ‘This will be a walk in the park,’ says Gerard.

  ‘Don’t walk, whatever you do,’ says Mikayla, smiling. ‘On the count of three, we start here and we finish at the other end. Okay?’

  Gerard nods and looks over at us, smirking. Camden Red and Narellan are still battling it out around them.

  Mikayla counts to three and they explode forward. Mikayla glides over the dew-soaked evening grass effortlessly, but Gerard looks like he’s trying hard to keep up. He grits his teeth and looks over at Mikayla, her legs blurring like the Road Runner, but her face is calm and composed. Gerard pumps his arms to try and get more speed but it’s no use. Mikayla is like an F-15 fighter jet moving at the speed of sound. By the time she hits the other end, Gerard is only just past halfway.

  We go nuts! Mikayla is the fastest human we have ever seen! Even Camden Red and Narellan have stopped mid-play to admire Mikayla’s speed.

  To his credit, once he gets to her, Gerard reaches out and shakes Mikayla’s hand.

  ‘I was wrong,’ he puffs. ‘You’re going to be great. Are you a school champion?’

  ‘No,’ says Mikayla as they walk back to us on the sideline. ‘New South Wales Under 12s champion.’

  The current game’s fulltime siren fills the air. It’s time to get Mikayla and Michael their jerseys.

  Back in the change rooms, we’re ready to play, but Dad has made some last-minute changes. He finishes scribbling on the whiteboard and spins it around to face us. We sit on the cold wooden benches, boots laced, mouthguards in and focused.

  ‘Okay, team, listen up,’ he says. His gumboots squelch on the tiles of the dressing shed as he shifts position to point at the new version of the team list on the whiteboard. ‘I’ve made some quick changes. Read it carefully, especially our new players,’ he says.

  ‘Notice anything?’ asks Dad after we’ve all had time to read our positions.

  ‘Your handwriting is very neat for an old person?’ suggests Ben.

  ‘Besides that,’ says Dad, rolling his eyes. He waits for an answer but there isn’t one, only crickets. ‘We have no reserves,’ Dad finally says. ‘We have a run-on team, which is great, but if anyone wants to come off, we’ll be short – okay?’

  Everyone nods. We’re just happy to have 13 players for once.

  ‘Now, get out there and have fun!’ yells Dad. ‘You’ve got this!’

  When I look around the shed and see:

  three of my best friends, Ben, Luke and Gerard

  Patty with freshly combed hair

  Tawera with a cheeky smile

  Tobias and Dexter strapping up their headgear

  Soli and Amiri, the Cook Islander cousins

  Connor, who won’t let a prosthetic foot stop him from playing footy and . . .

  I finally feel like this is my team. Our team. Just like Dad said – we’ve got this!

  Game day routine

  Make sure you have plenty of rest the night before. Try to relax and not waste energy thinking about the game. I walk or swim before I play.

  CHAPTER 10

  DOGS ON A SAUSAGE

  It takes a while for the new players to adjust to their positions. Each time Mount Annan scores, it’s because someone has moved infield too quickly or not moved out fast enough. It’s 15 minutes into the first half with five minutes to go. We’re huddled under the goalposts and Mount Annan have scored again. Mount Annan lead Camden Blue 10–0. If the scoring continues like this, it will end up like our game against the Moss Vale Dragons.

  ‘Mikayla, I need you to do something,’ I say.

  Mikayla lowers the drink bottle she’s sipping and raises her eyebrows.

  ‘I need you to stay on your wing,’ I say. ‘If you come off your wing, you’re leaving space for them to score.’

  I think I’ve poked the hornet’s nest. The look on her face says it all.

  ‘Well, Captain Big Ted,’ she says, ‘you better give me the ball so I feel like I’m involved. I didn’t join the team just to make up the numbers.’

  She has a point. Maybe we do need to spice up our attack.

  ‘Fine,’ I say. ‘Next time the backs have the ball, you and me will work the right side of the field.’

  Mount Annan kick the conversion, which takes the score to 12–0. Before we head back to halfway, I have one more thing to say. ‘Soli and Amiri, can you force a mistake after kick-off?’

  ‘For sure, Teddy,’ says Amiri with fire in his eyes.

  Gerard kicks off and the ball travels deep into Mount Annan territory. Before I can see which player will receive it, Amiri and Soli come tearing past me like two wild bulls. Oh no, I think. This is going to hurt. The Mount Annan lock forward runs the ball up bravely, but the impact of the human tsunami soon buries him in the ground. Instantly the ball comes loose.

  ‘Hey, Teddy, we did it!’ says Soli, fist-pumping the air.

  ‘That’s great, but dive on the ball!’ I yell. So he does.

  Ben runs into the dummy half position behind Soli and fires the ball out to me.

  ‘You ready, Mikayla?’ I say, running towards her wing. She nods.

  The Mount Annan defence, still scrambling, follow me across the field and get ready for the famous Tedesco step.

  Instead, I pop an easy ball up for Mikayla.

  ‘Finally,’ she says, gripping the footy in her hands. Mikayla’s opposite winger moves up quickly to tackle her, but she sticks out her palm and flicks him off like a mozzie. Mikayla then steps in to draw their centre, then steps back out at a speed no one is prepared for. She moves the ball to her other hand and tucks it under her arm as she hits some space.

  The Mount Annan fullback is flying across the field but he has no chance. In fact, Mikayla has so much room to move, she curves back infield and scores a try under the posts. The Camden crowd goes bananas at the strength, skill and speed they have just witnessed. Michael is the first player in to congratulate her.

  ‘Nice work, sis,’ he says as he gives her a high-five.

  ‘See? I’m not here to make up the numbers, Teddy,’ she says to me.

  ‘That was amazing,’ I say.

  She sticks her hand up for a high-five, but I grip it instead and shake her hand properly.

  ‘Welcome to the team, Mikayla,’ I say.

  ‘Just hurry up and kick the conversion, Teddy,’ she says, smiling. ‘We’ve got a game to win.’

  Finally, we’ve broken the ice.

  The scoreboard is now 12–6, Mount Annan leading with five minutes to go in the first half. This time the Mount Annan Knights kick off to us and the red and blue jerseys chase it like dogs on a hot sausage.

  ‘Mine!’ yells Patty as the ball hits the ground and grubbers towards him. Patty picks it up skilfully after an awkward bounce and, knowing that we’d like one more try before halftime, he runs hard at the Mount Annan defenders, who are already in a tight defensive formation. Again, Ben moves into the dummy half position as Patty is tackled and plays the ball.

  ‘Forwards, hit the line!’ I scream as Camden Blue prepare to attack. Luke runs first. He barrels into three defenders, not taking a backward step. ‘Who’s next?’ I yell.

  ‘Me, me, me!’ says Amiri,

  getting Ben’s attention.

  Again, Ben pops up a ball as Amiri hustles forward like a wrecking ball, making valuable metres and taking at least four defenders with him.

  ‘Give the forwards one more run and then it’s the backs’ ball!’ I command.

  Dexter takes control and runs off Ben, catching the scrambling defence by surprise with his speed. He crosses halfway and hits the 40-metre mark before being tackled around the legs and crashing to the ground.

  ‘Gerard, left is wide open!’ I shout. From the position of fullback, I can see everything. If Gerard finds space for our players on the left-hand side, we can score. This time Gerard scoots from dum
my half and our backs are already reading his mind.

  Tobias runs a decoy move, crossing infield and bringing two defenders with him. Gerard spots the mistake that Mount Annan makes and shoots a straight ball to Michael, hitting him right on the chest. Like his sister, Michael speeds ahead gracefully, stepping one defender and another. As the Mount Annan fullback closes in on Michael, Connor appears from nowhere.

  ‘Yes, Michael, next to you!’ he screams.

  Without even looking, Michael flicks a trick pass behind his back and Connor successfully catches it while running at full pace. He clutches the ball carefully in his hands and runs another ten metres to score in the corner.

  Again, the crowd stands up!

  ‘Ladies and gentlemen, we have a game on our hands!’ says the ground announcer on the microphone. ‘Two of Camden Blue’s newest recruits, Michael Malone and Connor Ellis, combine to take the score to 12 points to 10. Mount Annan still in front!’

  The halftime siren echoes off the grandstand as I walk back to take the conversion.

  ‘Don’t miss it, Teddy!’ jeers someone from the stands.

  ‘Yeah, this is a REALLY hard kick!’ someone else laughs.

  I should know better, but I look up to see who it is. Shawn, Krispen and the rest of my old team, Camden Red, are watching the game. Usually they would shower and go home after their match, but there’s a buzz around the ground about the new-look Camden Blue.

  As I place the ball on the kicking tee, I do everything I can to block them out. I can’t let them get into my head.

  I look over to Dad, who is giving me the thumbs up.

  I gaze over at the other stand where Nonna is holding up her well-worn Go Teddy! sign.

  ‘DON’T SLIP!’

  yells Shawn. He’s pulling out all the stops to put me off my game.

  I move five steps forward, then five steps back.

  Then I run forward and follow through on the kick.

  As my foot connects with the ball, I know it feels wrong.