Wowowee. Here we are again and it’s that most glorious time of the year, the time when rugby fills the grounds of Nomads Sports Club and we all get to pretend we’re younger than our mothers know.

Another stellar line up for Nomads in 2009, the kind of fellas you’d take a hit for, or bail out of jail if they got banged up, or drink strange drinks with, or go swimming at sunrise with after an all-nighter, or cover for when they have ballroom dancing lessons to attend to instead of coming to training. Come to think of it, that’s exactly the kind of guys they are.

So this is the 2009 Nomads crew, the 20th anniversary crew, the guys who carry forward the responsibility of creating new legends for an already legendary club…

UP FRONT:

MAX ‘Chicken’ STEWART– has aged rapidly since the transfer north to Angeles. No idea why. Has hardly played this year so should be in one piece for a change.

PAUL ‘Password’ INGRAM – none of us can believe she actually said yes, he must have a secret something.

PAUL ‘Head first’ RETZLAFF – gets at least one decent injury per game, usually from running straight at someone. Genius though.

JIMBO ‘Why would I train?’ GARWOOD – the move north to Angeles does not seem to have dulled his aversion to training. Starting new team up north to give him some company off the
pitch, not so that he can do extra training sessions.

BRAD ‘Freddy’ HOADLEY – just one more year from the old fella, and he’ll probably want to take some guys out with him…. advise you to stay well clear on the pitch or on the strip.

JESS ‘Most Improved’ PENADA – had not played a game of rugby before 2008 and ended it as a form prop and most improved player. Outstanding.

JERRY ‘Playmaker’ ECHTER – a flyhalf in the body of a prop. If only there was more kicking in this game and less catching and passing…. Watch for the dummy and step!

SURESH ‘The Mobile Prop’ MUSTAPHA – he’s back from the wilds of Indonesia so might actually stick around for the finals this time. Never before has so much enthusiasm and club spirit been coupled with so little speed.

JONAS ‘Hacker’ PINA – debuted last year and was a stand-out tour virgin, looking to actually touch the ball this year.

GAVIN ‘Ping Pong’ ESCOLAR – has been scouring the region, studying cultural  performances in many countries, returned a slimmer, fitter version of the old Gav. Clearly not the same guy.

ALEX ‘Nugget’ PATRICK – speedy Fijian with great hands who plays… hooker? On the comeback trail after a few years spent counselling opposition victims.

DAVE ‘Nude Nut’ THOMAS – a regular returnee, loves to compare the trafik of Manila with Jakarta, keeps threatening to actually get on the pitch.

NICK ‘Dave Graney’ HOLTHOUSE – consistent winner of ‘best dressed for the 70s’ award. Used
to have size, pace and guile. Getting bigger.

HAMISH ‘Shaggy’ REID – looks very comfortable in white tights. And a sheep outfit. Nuff said.

ERIC ‘Tap and Go’ SAVINA – strongest, fastest little guy in the squad and never misses an opportunity. Now all he needs to do is curb that Friday night enthusiasm.

ANDREW ‘Nothing wrong with sheep’ BARBER – more committed to the zen of surf than rugby
of late, and his daughter wears our kit more often than him. Needs to run a scan to prevent
‘catching’ virus.

FRED ‘Milk-me’ DAVIS – has a habit of losing things, like frogs, and dressing up funny. He’s pretty normal though…….

BASILE ‘Gutless’ RICARD – likes his chances with the ladies, though we’re yet to see if he has the stomach for a full weekend.

PAULO ‘The Big O’ OCAMPO – new on the pitch in ’09 and moved straight into the front row in his first ever game of rugby. That’s guts.

ASIAN ‘Saffron’ KAPLANBASOGLU – loves telling everyone how he got the nickname, just ask. Can catch too.

BRIAN ‘Spam’ FIELDKAMP – careful, stand back, he has just been released from captivity for a week and is likely to spin outta control. Returning for a dose of all that Manila goodness.

OUT THE BACKS:

IAN ‘Mr T’ TAYLOR – the wise man of the backline, has opted out of training and into more concentrated drinking. Playing better than ever.

NICK ‘Pinkie’ WONG – a nickname like that isn’t just given away, you have to earn it. No doubt the dancing classes will come in handy while the forwards do the work on the pitch.

ARNAUD ‘Fastest Old Man In The World’ CAUCHOIS – plays true to his name, has burned many a younger opponent this year, must be the pink socks.

STEVE ‘Blondie’ MOMMAERTS – keeps disappearing to go get his hair coloured in strange places, but when he’s around he is unstoppable..

KEVIN ‘Headgear’ SANTOS – would have made his U20 international debut except he broke his cheekbone – and played on with it broken. Hard… and quick.

EUGENE ‘Sister’ MARSTERS – our returning international. Learnt everything he knows about rugby from his 4 sisters, so once you’ve seen him play you’ll know that you don’t mess with him, or them.

REY ‘Coach’ GIGATARAS – rumours abound that he is going to coach the new women’s contact team but seems he is concerned about getting flattened by his players.

SEAN ‘Dimples’ GEORGET – injuries in some strange places this year, and they all appeared to be self-inflicted, obviously resulting from fear of being out-partied by his dad.

BRUNO ‘Horse’ VERGNES – could be so named because he has impressive pace out of the starting barrier, but he’s not.

HARRY ‘Houdini’ WANG – great straight line runner, magician at getting out of tight spots.

JOHN ‘Red Card’ MUNRO – averaged at least one shoulder charge per game in ’08 – old habits are hard to break, opposition players not so.

JUNO ‘Diplomatic Incident’ CID – more likely to run around you than any other Nomad, which is surprising given his attachment to the smokes. Coming soon to anembassy near you.

JAN ‘Mr Sari-sari’ MEES – has been noticeably quieter off the pitch this year, must have been selling sweets, waiting for a big M10’s weekend.

DANNY ‘Davies’ WILLIAMS – welsh wizard, can convert from anywhere… except there are no placekicks in this game. Bugger. Lightening quick when sees some space.

MARK ‘Young Blood’ WOODHEAD – only knows one way to go – hard and straight, and has a stellar future.

GUILLAUME ‘Cape’ BRETON – latest member of our French mafia, big enough to play in the forwards but likes to keep his looks to impress the ladies so sticks outside.

ERIC ‘Hollywood’ IBARRA – left us to go to acting school, but returns bulked up a-lá Arnie, and thankfully hasn’t gone soft like fellow thespian Wolffie.

JAMES ‘Apron’ JOHNSON – gave up any pretensions to the hard man title last year by donning the apron, but promises to be back fit and ready to go in March – we’ll see if he can fit rugby into the schedule too.

CRAIG ‘Thriller’ WISLANG – promising to turn up and play, though keeps pulling heartstrings just before big games. You’ll figure out his nickname if he does show up, or if you google him.

And finally – SAM ‘Capt Speedy’ CHITTICK – still not.

And of course – ROMAIN ‘Wild Thing’ BARBERIS – turned 40, took a year off. Hasn’t forgotten how to party, nor how to inspire the boys from the sidelines. Secret recipefor the intensity available on request.