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Well,Nedlands are. Or may be it's their president, the redoubtable Hansie. Or may be it's their coaches, as Hansie, when pressured, is wont to suggest. Or may be it's something more sinister.
Whatever, the fact remains that Neddies are afraid to play night games, not with strange men, and not outside the confines of their bedrooms, in any event.
Nedlands won't play under lights.They argue it gives their opposition some mysterious kind of unfair advantage. Everyone but Neddies players, it seems, are born with cats' eyes, according to that argument, and to play under lighting which meets international standards for night contact sports might be alright for everyone else, but not for these cherubine, swaddled, rugby petals.
Never mind that they train under, and are used to, lighting so bad that it would challenge a lynx with night vision glasses. Never mind that they have a first grade team brimming with players who, before they were bought, cut their teeth playing provincial, national and international rugby under lights all their careers. Never mind their proud, if hollow, boast that they are the bestest, smartest most progressive and fantastical club ever, ever in the whole wide world...; they won't play in the dark.
After much discussion. consideration and introspection, I believe I've finally worked out why.
Trefor with an f Thomas.
Trefor, after many years of working hard for a crust, has finally made some dough, and is building his ginger bread castle on the brim of the vast expanse of the Nedlands foreshore, overlooking as it does the moon beamed fields of Palmyra across the river, glowing warmly and softly in the distance.
Trefor is an icon of the Nedlands club (and an even greater icon of Kalamunda and the other clubs he played for, but that's another story) and not a man to be trifled with.
Now Trefor would not want such an idyllic vista marred by the luminescence generated by any attempt by Nedlands to improve the standard of their ground lighting, and no doubt has made his views known in his usual endearing, yet emphatic manner.
No, better for Nedlands to train in the dark, than risk the wrath of Trefor's mighty right hook, seen so often by so many opposition players and supporters, yet, inexplicably, by so few referees.
So, no night games for Nedlands.
Geez, you're a selfish so and so, Trefor.