Moving from Ireland to play hockey in the Australian summer was always going to be an adjustment for Canberra's new Emerald Isle recruits Katie Mullan, Roisin Upton, and Sarah Hawkshaw.
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While the Canberra Chill's team name is a reference to the capital's famously cool winter, the Hockey One season kicks off in the lead-up to summer, and for the Irish international trio, that meant taking necessary precautions.
"There's a few different cultural changes since moving here, as well as things like making sure we have the suncream with the factor 50 on," Mullan joked ahead of the Chill's clash with NSW Pride on Saturday afternoon.
The 29-year-old from Derry is grateful to be in Canberra with Upton and Hawkshaw, having grown up playing for Ireland together.
Though Upton is from Limerick and Hackshaw from Dublin, they've all bonded on and off the pitch over many years and that chemistry has travelled to the Chill.
"It's been fantastic so far," Ireland captain Mullan said.
"The girls are two of my closest friends. We've been having a lot of fun and you can see that in the way that we play."
Mullan said Ireland's national sport of hurling - also a stick and ball game, but played more in the air on a bigger field - had instilled a tough edge to their players.
Despite being new to the Chill, Mullan has shown that physicality for Canberra already this season, and she's getting more confident each week.
Against the Pride in round four at Lyneham, the Chill women will be searching for their third win, and Mullan is hoping another loud Canberra crowd cheers them on to victory.
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"I've no doubt that the NSW Pride will be a tough game, but it'll be great to have the home crowd," she said.
"It's just such an amazing atmosphere, and we aren't used to crowds as big as that at home in Ireland.
"To have the men's game and the women's game back-to-back is a fantastic initiative, and something that we should be consider in Ireland to grow the game."
Hockey One round 4
Women: Canberra Chill v NSW Pride, Saturday, 3pm, National Hockey Centre, Lyneham.
Men: Canberra Chill v NSW Pride, Saturday, 4.30pm, National Hockey Centre, Lyneham.
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Melanie Dinjaski
Melanie Dinjaski is an experienced sports journalist at the Canberra Times with a genuine love of all sports. She's covered every code from NRL to NFL. Melanie aims to bring Canberrans all the sports news they need to know. If you have a story worth sharing, get in touch!
Melanie Dinjaski is an experienced sports journalist at the Canberra Times with a genuine love of all sports. She's covered every code from NRL to NFL. Melanie aims to bring Canberrans all the sports news they need to know. If you have a story worth sharing, get in touch!
