Being a junior reporter for the Macarthur Bulls was an amazing opportunity and definitely a night to remember. I got to step onto the field and even touch the goals before the game.
After that, I had a tour of the change rooms and got to meet Nathan Paul and Coach Sasa Ognenovski. It was so exciting to be somewhere that most fans never get to see.
During the experience I got to ask questions to the coaches, players and fans. I arrived early, which meant I could explore around the stadium before the crowd came in. One of the coolest things I got to do was change the score on the scoreboard to 25–0! I also got to speak on the microphone and use the zoom camera from high up in the stadium. It made me feel like I was really part of the match-day team.
The game itself was really exciting, even though there weren’t any goals. In the first half, the Wanderers thought they had scored after about ten minutes, but the goal was ruled offside by VAR. Both teams had chances and the ball was going from one end of the field to the other, but it was still 0–0 at half-time.
In the second half, the Bulls made some substitutions and the team looked full of energy. Ryan Fraser came on and made an immediate impact, helping create a number of chances. The Bulls worked hard and I thought we were the better team for most of the second half, but we just couldn’t find the back of the net. In the end, the match finished as a 0–0 draw and both teams took home a point.
After the final whistle, I got to interview our captain, Liam Rose. My favourite question was asking what Halloween costume he would choose for trick-or-treating. He told me that when he was in America he dressed up as Michael Myers and would probably choose that costume again. I thought that sounded pretty scary!
I also got to talk to Apostolos Stamatelopoulos, who was really friendly and great to speak with. Musa Toure even grabbed some lollies from my Halloween bucket. All of the players were so kind to me and made me feel welcome. It was really special being able to stand on the field and chat with them.
Later, I went into the media room where I had another chance to ask Coach Sasa Ognenovski a question. I asked what the team needed to do next week to get a win. He said we needed to make the most of our chances and score when opportunities came our way. I thought that was a pretty good answer and I agreed with him.
Overall, it was an incredible experience to be so close to my team. I’ve been a foundation member of the club since I was very young, so growing up alongside the Bulls has been really special. Being a junior reporter for the night is something I will never forget.
