First impressions can be telling, or misleading … and with time, irrelevant. First impressions can also be lasting – as they will be for those who saw Lulu McGrath make her senior football debut.
Last year Lulu was running about with the Under 14s – while also training with the Urunga senior women 1sts.
The accelerated progression has been such that Lulu earned her place in the 1sts for the 2021 season opener – a corker contest pitting the two heavyweight outfits in Urunga and Boambee.
“I was very nervous before the game but once I got on the field I began to feel really good,” Lulu said.
“It was the first time in a defensive position (right wing, while in juniors she was a centre mid). But the team was just so supportive.
“It was definitely a big challenge but there was just so much communication on the field and there was not one bit of negativity in the game.”
The cherry on the top was a goal on her debut.
“It was more toward the end of the game and I just ran the ball up the line and kicked it and it went in – pretty much a fluke,” Lulu said.
Lady luck? No, don’t think anyone’s buying into that – certainly not those sideline nor those who have watched Lulu move through the ranks at Urunga from the MiniRoos to now the division one competition.