So the 2013 season of the Canberra Roller Derby League ran tonight, with new rules and new line up in the first two teams, the Brindabelters and the Red Belly Black Hearts. The new rules are a vast improvement to make the game faster. They also eliminate certain tactics that made the game grind to a halt. And indeed tonight’s match was an intense one. Throughout the first half the Brindabelters held a powerful lead, which they kept until the ‘Blackhearts through a series of power jams, quickly closed the gap.

Halfway through the second half the lead had swapped to the ‘Blackhearts, only for the Brindabelters to regain it again. Even until the closing seconds and an unofficial overtime to finish a jam, it was neck versus neck. The final score was Red Belly Blackhearts – 234 and the Brindabelters – 236, leaving the packed bleachers in a roar of cheer and a crash of booing dissent.

A really fine start to the season, I’d like to expect this to be a return to the Roller Derby of two-three years ago, which was blink-and-you’ll-miss-it. And crazy massive scores.