Overall we finished 17th and beat our seeded position of 18th. Personally I scored 3 goals, provided 2 assists and got 1 block (using my crotch!). Scoring my first goal felt amazing, I celebrated for about 5 minutes and got face ache from grinning like a gibbon. In the end, Open finalists Buzz Bullets were awesome and seemed deserved winners.

Australia was bonza, shame I didn't have time to make the most of it and travel around, so I would definitely go again. I had lots of laughs, so thanks go to everyone on the team for that. There are hundreds of photos on the EMO Flickr Gallery.

Lastly, I must apologise for not updating the blog at the time, the internet was not available at the pitches so I couldn't put up the posts. Oh, and safe travels to the members of the team who are doing so.

And Pink Cass, have you got any aftersun? Then put it on! :P

A regular feature at big tournaments is a "Trade Night" where you get the opportunity to exchange some of your old shirts for some exotic items from willing parties. I managed to barter for a beautiful Singapore Ultimate shirt and a delightful Tasmanian shirt with Casper the Ghost on it! Obviously, there are going to be winners and losers, with good and bad trades knockin about. The loser on this particular night was definitely Graham "Nimble" Wilson who managed to come away with a Durham Northern Lights shirt!? But he did start off with Random Fling stuff...

Another memorable event was the Closing Party. Not having to worry about playing anymore games for a while or getting up early the next morning the whole team went for it, up until 5 un the morning. We spent most of the time, variously and in combination;

• shouting,
• drinking,
• high fiving,
• dancing,
• laughing,
• conga-ing,
• drinking,
• carrying Chinese men(!?),
• and chanting.

Actually, chanting was the main thing that we did. Be it in Chinese with the Masters Champions ("I have absolutely no idea but meant every word"), on the bus back into Perth against the locals ("Barmy-army!"), or round town when we couldn't find the after party venue ("we don't know where we're going!") and my favourite, cos I invented it, the call and response of;

"East Mid" "Lands Open!"

I still have a sore throat.

First Pool-Stage:

Nomadic Tribe (JPN) 17 - 12 EMO
Ultimate Vibration (FRA) 17 - 9 EMO
Chilli (AUS) 17 - 6 EMO


Second Round:

Flippers (JPN) 17 - 9 EMO
Too Bad (CAN) 10 - 17 EMO
Redbacks (AUS) 6 - 17 EMO
Deathstar (AUS) 17 - 11 EMO
Tibets (JPN) 16 - 13 EMO


Third Round:

Hot Chilli (AUS) 2 - 17 EMO
Santa Fe (COL) 13 - 14 EMO
Results against Redbacks and Too Bad carried over

We moved into our new accommodation, or "Holiday Units", and its as bad as it sounds. However, it is near Kings Park, with a lovely view across the Kwinana Freeway...

We also got our Player Packs which included lots of lovely freebies;

• Boot Bag,
• Disc,
• Player Pass and Handbook etc
  
• Camping Towel,
• Keyring,
• Car Sticker, and best of all,
• Flip Flops (known as Thongs in Australia)

Our Players Handbook contained a handy guide to other commonly used Australian slang, my particular favourites being;

cackleberry: an egg,
by jingoes!: an exclamation of surprise,
skedaddle: to depart quickly,
woop woop: somewhere out in the sticks.

Also, to inspire us for the week of games there was an opening ceremony! This was an impressive display of everything Australian; digeridoo music and Aboriginal dancing, the opening game of the tournament and of course, the Vegemite Dancers.