Bout Report: Flog on the Tyne!

Thanks to Von Sleaze from the NRG for this terrific report!

The Newcastle Roller Girls have been together for just over a year, they’ve bouted up and down the country and gained themselves a reputation as hard hitting ladies with horse like stamina.

So it’s not entirely surprising that their first home bout, held on March 5th at The Lightfoot Centre in Walker was a victorious outing for them.

They played some bruising broads from up North, the Granite City Roller Girls (from Aberdeen). A team known for hard hits, scary face paint (think KISS meats Crusty the Clown), and an appetite for after parties.

This was the first time the two team had met on track, although some skaters had previously met whilst guest skating for other leagues.

The theme of the bout was Flog on the Tyne, with images of iconic Tyne legends across the sports hall walls, the room was filled with battle music, and the odd Geordie classic including the NRG’s skate out song, Let’s Get Ready to Rumble by Ant and Dec.

On track it was hard to see which team had the upper hand, roller derby is a sport for all shapes and sizes, and it’s that mix that really makes a team. The slimmer girls tend to be the jammers, whizzing around the track and picking up points, and the big-bottomed girls tend to hang back and give the rest of the pack hell.

The first jam started with NRG gaining a lead instantly, and the crowd witnessing the beginning of the fight for victory.

GCRG’s jammers were nimble, but for every pass and four points scored, they were also fighting hard to get past the NRG, who had the defensive upper hand. NRG’s jammers were left to their own devices whilst the pack tried to push that point lead as far as it could go.

By half time, it was almost neck and neck at 62 – 38 in NRG’s favour, time for the teams to recoup, rehydrate, and get their game plans regigged for the second half.

Keeping the crowd entertained was Frayed Knot, a circus performance duo. Oh, and a bucket load of home made cakes from the NRG kitchen. Oreo cupcakes, Matchmakers cake and gingerbread men, all made by the fair hands of the NRG team.

The bout day also marked the anniversary of one of the NRG skaters losing her sister to cancer, so the team decided to raise money for Cancer Connections at the bout, a charity close to NRG’s hearts. They passed around a donation bucket during half time, and agreed to match any donations made - in the end Cancer Connections were given £125.

The close of half time was called and the skaters returned to the track. GCRG were fired up to take home the win, but with friends and family watching NRG weren’t willing to let that happen.

Clinically Wasted from the GCRG was by far their best jammer, leaping about the track, until she was ejected from the bout for taking too many trips to the sin bin. NRG had their own hot jammer though, Marie Bayonet who ran around the track more than skated. She also jumped a group of fallen GCRG girls, and earned the award for crowd pleaser for it.

The best bit about this sport is seeing how much the girls will battle on track, and hug each other off it. As the final whistle goes, sounding NRG the winners with 113 – 63, both teams ran to each other and hugged. Team photos were taken, and the girls talked about what they’d be wearing to the after party, proving that what happens on the track stays on the track.

As one GCRG girl said: “We like you guys, because you’re nearly Scottish”.

GCRG will host NRG in 2012 for a return bout.

NRG will be hosting their next home bout, once again at the Lightfoot Centre, on May 7th against the Dolly Rockit Rollers. For more information on this, and other games, go to newcastlerollergirls.co.uk.