But this is some of the commentary you can expect to hear when North East Roller Derby’s team NERD Kelly’s — as they are affectionately known — set Barr Reserve in Wangaratta alight in its third-place showdown with Bendigo’s Chiko Rollers this Saturday in the Statewide Stampede Roller Derby Tournament finals.
And among the NERD crew will be Sabotage and Frida Scarlo, though it’s their everyday personas — Benalla’s Sabrina Hallam and Tahleah Styles — you’d most likely recognise.
Both Hallam and Styles are the newest members of the skating team which also includes skaters from Albury and Myrtleford, with Saturday’s final their biggest challenge yet after coming to the club almost three years ago with no prior skating experience.
And it was a long road to competitive skating for the duo, as they spent 12 months learning and progressing their skills, and another six months training alongside the team, before making the leap to competitive matches.
"For me it took almost an 18-month period to progress from someone who didn't exercise and had zero skate skills to then be able to play competitive roller derby,” Hallam said.
Though Hallam said others had progressed faster to more competitive skating, she and Styles had supported each other along the way, learned at a similar pace and progressed their skills to each new level together.
“2019 is my first year playing full contact games and I’m excited to finally be able to take to the track at home so my friends and family can see me play,” Styles said.
And it’s this weekend’s showdown where the Benalla skaters will lay it on the line and attempt to take home their third straight win, having won back-to-back games over Otway Derby Dolls and South Sea Roller Derby last month.
And though Hallam admitted she had some nerves ahead of the finals, she said it was an exciting prospect to skate in front of a home crowd in north-east Victoria.
The Statewide Stampede Roller Derby Tournament finals will be held at HP Barr Reserve, Wangaratta, this Saturday, September 14, starting from 10am. There will be raffles, stalls and derby all day long, with entry fees $5 for adults, $2 for children and no charge for children under five years.
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