South Hadley’s Ethan Roy, left, and Cadyn Laramee, center, congratulate teammate Charles Anischik on the second of the sophomore attack’s seven goals against Northampton in the Tigers’ 16-7 road win over the Blue Devils on Thursday. Northampton freshman defenseman Teddy Gavin, left, is pressured by South Hadley sophomore attack Charles Anischik in the first quarter of the Blue Devils' 16-7 loss to the visiting Tigers on Thursday, May 13, 2021, in Northampton. South Hadley junior attack Cadyn Laramee, right, shoots past Northampton senior defenseman Colin Morini in the first quarter of the Tigers’ 16-7 win over the host Blue Devils on Thursday in Northampton. at left are Northampton defensemen Colin Morini (10) and Teddy Galvin (obscured). South Hadley freshman midfielder Caleb Bradley, second from right, challenges Northampton sophomore defender Parker Aimi-Starkoski (25) and senior midfielder Ryan O’Connor, right, for a loose ball in the first quarter of the Tigers’ 16-7 win over the host Blue Devils on Thursday, May 13, 2021, in Northampton. Laramee scored five goals for the Tigers. South Hadley attacks Charles Anischik, left, and Cadyn Laramee, celebrate the fourth of Anischik’s seven goals against Northampton in the Tigers’ 16-7 road win over the Blue Devils on Thursday. Soon Declan will have to choose between the career he loves and the man he wants, and Simon has never been known to make things easy-for himself or for others.Northampton sophomore attack Vincent Fahey, center, gets through pressure from South Hadley junior defenseman James Couture, left, and junior midfielder Joe Cigal in the second quarter of the Blue Devils’ 16-7 loss to the visiting Tigers on Thursday in Northampton. This year, the public is taking Declan to task for suffering injuries outside his control, so Simon’s support is a bright spot.īut as Simon and Declan fumble toward a relationship, keeping Declan’s homosexuality a secret from well-meaning friends and an increasingly suspicious media becomes difficult. There, players are treated like gods-until they do something to fall out of public favour. Like his entire family, Simon revels in living in Melbourne, the home of Australian Rules football and mecca for serious fans. In that first awkward meeting, neither man has any idea they will change each other’s lives forever.

Then his best friends drag him to a party, where he barges into a football conversation and ends up defending the honour of star forward Declan Tyler-unaware that the athlete is present.

His friends despair of him ever meeting someone, but despite his loneliness, Simon is cautious about looking for more. The most important things in Simon Murray’s life are football, friends, and film-in that order.

Tigers and devils by sean kennedy