News
NRG Expo Night Wednesday 29th February!
Well hello there!
Had enough of hearing your friends/relatives/colleagues bang on about roller derby? Have no idea what it is?? Come and find out!!
NRG are holding an expo night to help celebrate the reopening of the Lightfoot in all its fancy refurbed glory and to show the locals exactly what it is we do there twice a week.
We want everyone who loves us, who loves the game, and even has a sneaking desire to join in whether it be as an NSO (non skating official) or a ref, or to even check if the sport for sisters on skates is for you ahead of our fresh meat intake in March, to come on down.
We want to expand the NRG family, and we want YOU!
- 6.30pm – 9.30pm
- First hour will be drills
- Last two hours will be a mixed game with the opportunity to try some NSO jobs on for size, helping to track scores and penalties, and timing those naughty skaters in the sin bin!
- No age limit!
- Male or female!
If you have any questions you can email media@newcastlerollergirls.co.uk
Bear and Gin and Sonic hold back Harlot and Team England player El Viscious
NRG came home without the win on 11th February, from their very exciting first bout of 2012 against Nottingham’s Hellfire Harlots.
It was the most tactical game Newcastle have ever played and really shows how much the standard of play in the UK is picking up. NRG capatain Brie Larceny said: “It was a really tough game, the Harlots have some great players, and we always knew it was going to be a tough line up. We’ve played the same teams as them in the past and had similar scores from those games so we expected it to be close.Of course we’re disappointed that we didn’t win but we have learnt so much from playing them and are looking forward now to our first home game of 2012 Daylight Slayings!”
After closing the points differential to within 15 at the start of the second half, a lot of official time outs and successive lead jammer calls to the Harlots meant that Newcastle lost 162-95.
You can check out the pics with all the action here
And even this super amazing video too, all by Graeme Wharton!
Dark Matter showing off his jamming skills
Congratulations to our brothers in Tyne and Fear for their win against Inhuman League from Sheffield. In a 30s themed extravaganza, TAF took the lead early on. The match turned into a nail biter in the second half which saw Inhuman League closing the gap, but TAF’s defence, saw them take the win with just ONE point in it!! Final score 110-109 to Tyne and Fear.
You can check out the photos from the game from the always excellent Jason Ruffell of Facebook.
The Newcastle Roller Girls are thrilled to announce their newest sponsors… The Ware Rooms and Euro Hostel Newcastle.
read more…
That’s right, our limited edition gold glitter shirts of our original logo, are on sale for only £8.50. Click here to be transported to our merch page *click*
Our brother league Tyne and Fear took home their first team win at the weekend, against New Wheeled Order from Manchester. The final score was 206-113. It was the first time that Tyne and Fear have played a full team, although they did have two guests in the form of Jerry Attric and Crash Matt, close friends of the team. Although due to unforseen circumstances Tyne and Fear were actually two men down on bout day!
Rev Limiter was line up, with Kalamity James as bench.
If you want to know more about Tyne and Fear, you can visit their website: www.tyneandfear.co.uk
All photos below are copyrighted to Shirlaine Forrest
Reanimated Gif squares up against the New Wheeled Order jammer
New Wheeled Order take a tumble at the skates of Jerry Attric, Crash Matt and Rubba Duk
Da Little Waster racked up some huuuge jams during the game
In the thick of it with James T Kirk, Markoleptic, and Da Little Waster
Tyne And Fear jostle with New Wheeled Order for control of the jam line
Jackknife Jane jams for the Christmas CrackHers
The day was Saturday. The weather was unpleasant. The head was fuzzy. The Lightfoot Centre in Walker was still an insane-looking seventies contraption. Except about 25 degrees colder than the last time I’d been there. The reason for my voluntarily leaving the house on a cold, drizzly weekend afternoon, when I would otherwise have been reclined on my sofa taking in the day’s football news with a variety of savoury snacks? There could be only one: the latest Newcastle Roller Girls home bout.
Festive punnery abounded in the bout, cunningly titled ‘While Zebras Watched Our Blocks’. It would see two teams from Newcastle taking one another on in the opening ‘B’ team bout before the main event: a clash between Newcastle’s Canny Belters and Edinburgh’s ARRG Cannon Belles (yes, the two names are similar. Yes, I did get confused on occasion. My notes, full of abbreviations as usual, made little sense when I realised after half an hour that both teams were the ‘CBs’. I digress…)
Elizadeth Benhurt booty blocks Ellie Mental jamming for the Slay Belles
It had been a while since my brief foray into the brave new world of roller derby, and bearing in mind that foray had been, well, a bit pants really, bearing in mind it consisted a great lumbering oaf (me) trying to remain upright on four wheels, I was chomping at the bit to see the professionals in action. The atmosphere was jolly and the day started with a reminder of the rules of the sport which was a welcome relief as I’d gone a bit blurry on them if I’m honest, but I quickly remembered they involved women crashing into other women, women creating moving walls, women using one another as weapons, and similar such fun.
And so to the B team bout, which was to whet the appetite for the Christmas feast on offer that afternoon. I’d like to state how impressed I was from the outset. There is a real depth to the NRG squad now, which becomes apparent when you see they have enough skaters for two credible sides to take one another on before you even get to the main team. Also the quality of the second string skaters compared to the last time I was in attendance has vastly improved.
Sleigh Belles vs Christmas CrackHers. Just out of shot, Santa has been spotted. Naked.
- A celestial Miss Wired has seen the jamming light!
That said, it was still delightfully mental. There was a lot of squawking, and some exceptional crashes and pile-ups, but aside from the odd one being caused by a person tripping themselves up, they generally came off the back of an excellent check or block, so well done those girls. Uberschnell in particular did some good jamming (check my technical terminology) picking up bucketloads of points for her team. I spent some time trying to figure out penalties but didn’t do very well. For some reason it always seemed as though the person who was wronged was sent to the sin bin rather than the aggressor. Perhaps my eyes just weren’t quick enough to register the myriad things that were going on at any one time. Or maybe roller derby takes a dim view of people tripping and getting in the way. How very dare they!
Aside from that I felt more comfortable with the rules, although I must say there was an odd-looking starting position which I didn’t quite understand, the four blockers from one team kneeling down on the start line in formation, as if they were about to have a team photo taken. It wasn’t very effective as the jammer nearly always broke loose immediately, skipping over the collection of sluggishly arising blockers and making her way to some points. The bout ended with an injury but it didn’t look too serious; the victors were the Christmas CrackHers (ba-dum tshhh) narrowly beating the Sleigh Belles. There was a bit of a love-in and then we were on our way to the main event, which followed a ‘surprise game’ involving wrapping up audience members like Christmas presents – well why not.
Bear 4CE1, Von Sleaze and Sniper Viper form an inpenetrable wall
We opted for ground level viewing, protected from the action by nothing more than a wooden barrier – it was to be like trench warfare, with glitter. The skaters from NRG took to the track to warm up looking fierce, and exceptionally thin I might add, and received a Hollywood-style introduction which was no less than they deserved. The Cannon Belles did a sort of group chant/ raindance/ meditation. The atmosphere built and we were underway.
It was a cagey start, the two teams ranked 6th and 14th respectively (the Scottish team the higher ranked) feeling each other out early on (oo-er). But there wasn’t much time on the clock before GG Fox and vice captain Von Sleaze picked up the Canny Belter’s first points, the latter taking advantage of the ‘team photo’ start adopted by the Cannon Belles, similarly ineffectual as it had been in the prior bout.
They’re canny. They’re beltin’. And oh my, are they fabulous. Hollywood entrance by the NRG girls.
GG Fox makes a break for it
I daydreamed about how cool it would be to be a jammer. I defy you to watch roller derby and not want to be one. It’s the roller skating equivalent of being head cheerleader. Or the one at karaoke who can actually sing. I mean, seriously. You get to wear a star on your helmet, and if you’re faster than your opposite number, you get your very own referee skating around the inside of the track pointing at you with his arm in the air. Your very own man telling you ‘you’re the best! Yeah!’ whilst you zoom serenely around the track, protected by a bevy of lovely ladies, picking up points for your team and making everyone cheer.
And with a wistful sigh, I’m back in the room. I’ll simply never be that cool.
The bout was noticeably more tactical than the B team affair had been, with lots of very slow starts and tense exchanges between blockers and jammers. And penalties, boy were there a lot of those! Some of them were self-explanatory, for example Von Sleaze tripping the opposition jammer when she was clean through and about to start picking up points – the equivalent of a trip in the box in football. Lucky there’s no red card. She came on and proceeded to get sent straight back off again. In fact the vice captain appeared to be carrying out some kind of bet as she amassed at least six penalties that I can recall. I wonder if she won the bet? She’s a dirty girl, nonetheless.
She’s quick, she’s hard, she’ll drop you on your arse, Von Sleeeeeaze! Von Sleaze!
Bettie BasHer takes a tumble at the hands of ARRG
Aside from all the misdemeanours there was rampant point-scoring going on, GG Fox picking up some more along with Bettie Basher, who was living up to her name and throwing some quality hits, and the Canny Belters streaked into the lead (oo-er). But shortly after, Kaos Moss picked up a bucketload of lovely points for the Cannon Belles and the visiting side clawed their way back into the bout. Then there was another intriguing blocking tactic in which the Canny Belters performed a kind of limbo. This was much more effective than ‘team photo’ start as the opposing skaters all fell over.
Captain Brie Larceny jammed her way to another couple of points and the home side crept back into the lead. In the early part of the first period the scoreline remained tight, the two teams trading the lead for a while, until the turning point came, with some minutes left in the first period (I was far too enthralled to be looking at any damn clock – there were scantily clad sportwomen zooming past my very eyes for crying out loud!), when GG Fox picked up a staggering 17 points on the powerjam to take the Canny Belters leaping into the lead by the halfway point.
Gin and Sonic up to jam
The second period was delayed due to Big Smack and Fries having some helmet trouble (oo-er). This time was passed pleasantly by the girls; there was singing and dancing on the start line and generally being friendly and such. I don’t know if it’s a case of too much ice hockey but I do wish they’d be a bit more aggressive at times. Even during altercations they remain pally and well, you know, a bit of a strop and a punch in the arm wouldn’t go amiss once in a while, know what I mean? Okay it’s official, I watch too much ice hockey. I’ll try to stop myself from yelling ‘bench clearance’ next time. Although I’m willing to bet that Von Sleaze would be up for it.
That’s not to say there isn’t physical contact. Oh no, there’s plenty. Hip checks and shoulder barges are the order of the day, and I definitely spotting some mounting going on early in the second period. Anywaaaay. Oh yes, the action. I knew I was supposed to be doing something other than talking about sporting violence and making childish euphemisms.
The Canny Belters had a commanding lead as they entered the second and the imperious GG Fox picked up even more points early on (what did they put in HER Lucozade?), followed by Bettie Basher in her incredible gravity-defying top, almost – but not quite – displaying more than just her bodacious jamming skills. Hot on her heels, Von Sleaze burst from the traps like a bullet from a gun to collect more points, taking the NRG girls’ score to over double that of their opposition and place them firmly in the driving seat (oo-er. Oh wait, that one wasn’t rude. Double entendre fail).
CAUTION: Mounting may occur at any moment. Stand well clear.
Big Smack clears the path for Bettie BasHer
The Cannon Belles’ key jammer, Kaos Moss, finally managed to chalk up a few more, despite looking a bit on the tired side (I’ll be honest, she looked wrecked, but she was being used heavily by her team so it’s hardly surprising), before NRG’s fabulous Miss Wired came into her own. Probably the best skater on the team, to these novice eyes at least, with amazing poise and speed and mind-bending balancing skills, she made fools of the opposition, FOOLS I say, to pick up 10 points in one jam and a smattering of points across a number of other jams. She’s so dreamy.
Fittingly, Captain Brie Larceny took the NRG score past the 100 mark and there looked to be no way back for the visitors. Then things started to stretch out as skaters tired; there were powerjams aplenty (remember, they’re when one team is a man down so the other has a better chance to pick up points. Nothing to do with concentrated strawberry preserves OR a rocking guitar practice session) and these seemed to change hands constantly as skaters came and went from the penalty box, keeping the seats warm (it was bloody freezing in there) and causing a constant shift of power from one team to the other. The visitors used these valuable opportunities to rack up a few more points and an unlikely comeback could have been on the cards, but even as the thought was considered the score swung back in the Canny Belter’s favour, Von Sleaze, Miss Wired and Marie Bayonet picking up enough points to surely take the contest out of reach. A last gasp opportunity for the Cannon Belles arose as three Canny Belters found themselves warming one another’s cocklese in the Sin Bin (oo-er) and a strong final jam for Kaos Moss picked up an additional 9 points but it was too little too late. The bout was over, the score confirmed at 117-84.
Beer Time!
And so it was over. It had been a journey. A deeply stylish, warm and fuzzy journey. With added innuendo. And elbows. And to the victors, the spoils. The girls and their baying fans made their way to the after party for copious amounts of festive cheer in liquid form. Here’s to a great win and another cracking afternoon’s entertainment – now onwards and upwards for the Newcastle Roller Girls.
PS Did I mention that Sniper Viper was mint? Because she so is.
Katy Parles
Taken from her blog: http://mypetsteedtangent.blogspot.com/2011/12/very-merry-rollin-christmas.html
All photos courtesy of Idene Roozbayani
Canny Belters vs. ARRG Cannon Belles - Brie Larceny attacking ARRGs wall
NRG were excited to unleash some of our newer skaters on the world with a fantastic warm up intraleague match, the Christmas Crack Hers vs. the Slay Belles, & they didn’t disappoint. A final score of Slay Belles 53 – 70 Christmas Crack Hers really got the Canny Belters in the mood.
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Juicy Lucy rocks NRG logo at the World Cup
Congratulations to everyone on Team England who showed that us Brits are a derby force to be reckoned with, third place, well done girls!!
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Chemic-Al keeps a close eye on Bettie
You lucky people! We have not 1 but 2 match reports for you on our recent historic away bout against the Wakey Wheeled Cats.
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Juicy Lucy jamming for London Brawling against the USA's Sioux Falls
NRG are delighted to announce that they will be sponsoring the north east’s own pocket rocket, Juicy Lucy in her bid to help secure a Team England win at the Blood and Thunder Derby World Cup this week!
read more…
Sniper modelling the gold on black vest
After picking up a brand new logo earlier in the year, designed by the very talented Joanna Hall a local tattooer, our shirts are now available to buy online! That’s right, no more waiting for home bouts (or away bouts!) in order to get your NRG goodies, they are available all year round.
read more…
Merby? Indubitably!
Santa’s little elves (Manchester Roller Derby branch) will be preparing you for the run up to Christmas with an action packed festive double header:
Saturday 17th December 2011
NRG’s brave boys, Tyne & Fear, are in full tilt training frenzy for this, their first ever bout, as they take on Manchester’s mighty New Wheeled Order. This promises to be a monster merby mash-up!
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NRG is proud to announce their new sponsorship partner Rudechix – They like it derby!
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The Newcastle Roller Girls(NRG) are the newest addition to the UKRDA family, forged when like minds, athletic ability and a desire to do something different collided with an imported all-girl American sport.
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Zombie Big Smack and Zombie Bayonet smell Hot Wheel brains...
Want to hear all about our recent nail biter of a bout against Hot Wheel Roller Derby? Course you do.
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Kalamity and Brie - Stars of Facebook
Brie Larceny & Kalamity James now have their very own fan pages on Facebook! Keep up with all the latest news, photos & words of wisdom direct from skaters themselves:
- NRG Rookie Boot Camp 2011
Newcastle Roller Girls are pleased to announce their first ever bootcamp on Saturday September 17.
This bootcamp is aimed at skaters in their first flush of derby love. If you’re yet to pass your minimums or are passed your minimums but yet to bout, this is the bootcamp for you!
There will be two tracks and five hours of on-skates sessions, all coached by Newcastle Roller Girls coaches and bouting skaters.
read more…
- Thwack To The Future: NRG v Sheffield Steel Roller Girls
Yo Dudes and Dudettes!
Newcastle Roller Girls have a radical bout in store for you guys with their latest event on home turf, “Thwack to the Future”.
Set your flux capacitor to Saturday, September 3, up your speed to 88mph, and let us travel through time to a fantastic double header of roller derby skills.
If my calculations are correct, you’ll see the warm-up bout at 12.30pm, as the Newcastle Roller Girls’ Whippin Hinnies take on the Sheffield Steel Rollergirls B Team.
read more…
Skate fast, turn left
Earlier this year, we were approached by media student Mai Ngo asking if she could make a film about us as part of her course. Why the devil not, we thought. So Mai came to some practices, recorded some interviews, stalked some skaters & filmed a couple of bout. The result was Skate Fast, Turn Left & you can see it on YouTube.
Still from Skate Fast, Turn Left
- Kalamity James, sponsored by The Funky Butt Club
The Newcastle Roller Girls are pleased to announce that The Funky Butt Club at the Cumberland Arms in Newcastle is sponsoring Kalamity James for our next bout, facing off against Liverpool Roller Birds, in Crouching Blocker, Hidden Jammer!
The bout, on Geordie soil, will see the NRG hitting the track to try and get a hat trick of home wins.
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- Crouching Blocker, Hidden Jammer poster
Your local, all-girl roller derby team – the Newcastle Roller Girls – have risen victorious from their May win against Leicester’s Dolly Rockit Rollers, and are set to battle against the Liverpool Roller Birds.
The duel between two sides alike in honour is named Crouching Blocker, Hidden Jammer, and will take place on Saturday 11 June 2011, at The Lightfoot Centre, Wharrier Street, Newcastle starting at 1pm.
As always with roller derby expect to see the theme take on a world of its own, with the hall decorated as a Chinese paradise, themed skate outfits and halftime entertainment, as well as plenty of cakes and crafts on sale, making this a fun day for the family.
read more…
Sweet Home Alajammer poster
Hey y’all!
Newcastle Roller Girls are pleased to announce their next home bout, Sweet Home Alajammer will take place on Saturday 7th May at a sweet lil’ ranch named The Lightfoot Centre in Walker.
The rootin’ tootin’ Newcastle lassies will be taking on those Dolly Rockit city-slickers from Leicester, for a grudge match back on Geordie soil.
Roll up at 1pm, the opening brawl will begin at 1.30, with the main shoot out at 2.30. Then join us to wet your whistle and hang up your spurs at our hoedown at Mr Lynch from 5pm!
So mount up, cos ready or not, we’re gonna skate.
Tickets £6, under 12s are FREE in, and all under 16s MUST be accompanied by an adult.
By Von Sleaze
Rollers Of The Lost Arc poster
Rollers of the Lost Arc
2nd April 2011
Glasgow’s Maiden Grrders v NRG’s Canny Belters
Arc Sports Centre
Glasgow
We’re packing the bus & hitting the North for maybe our toughest bout yet, as NRG take on Glasgow’s mighty Maiden Grrders. The Arc Sports Centre on Cowcaddens Road will be shaken to its foundations as these two tough teams of brawling bruisers battle it out.
Buoyed by their recent scorching home win against Granite City Roller Girls of Aberdeen, can Newcastle take it over the border score their 1st victory on Scottish soil? Or will they be dashed against the Maidens’ legendary walls of steel?
Get yourself to Glasgow for the clash of Clyde vs Tyne.
Keep up to speed with all our super skate shenanigans with Rollin’ News, the UK Roller Derby news site.
This extensive resource on all the UK derby juice already boasts a fabulous Flog on the Tyne bout report written by our very own Von Sleaze.
Roll on over there & enjoy.
- Media Darlings
NRG have been all over the local press promoting our 1st home bout. Our press team have gone into overdrive to spread the word about Flog On The Tyne on 5th March 2011:
Tickets available for £7 on the door on the day.
Bayonet makes a break for it
NRG v GCRG, March 5, 2011, Lightfoot Centre, Newcastle
NRG 113 – GCRG 63
In the run up to the bout NRG were in training overload, the panic of a first home bout in front of friends and family meant that we worked super hard, got faster, got better, and became a solid team of battling beauties.
We took on GCRG, a team similar to us, a team that we would have to work damn hard to beat, and a team that we knew wouldn’t give us an easy home win (even if we asked them REALLY nicely). The GCRG girls wore red, and wore lots of face paint. NRG wore black and lots of sparkly gold.
read more…
and that's why Brie's captain
Jingle Belter
December 18, 2010, Lightfoot Centre, Newcastle
Radgies 67 – Tits Magees 53
Festive spirits were running high at NRG’s first intra-league bout just before Christmas.
What started as a fun idea quickly developed into a fully-fledged, action-packed drama as the self-proclaimed Radgie Rollers and Tits Magees battled it out for the crown of 2010′s last bout.
The Tits Magees started strong with a bumper line-up in the first few jams of super blockers and experienced jammers, making it hard for the Radgies to get a foot, or wheel, in a game that lasted only 45 minutes with no half time.
But as the jams added up, the Radgies came out fighting hard, their jammers really setting the track on fire, which left the Magees struggling to keep the upper hand.
The score was tight all the way through as the teams were deliberately evenly matched but the Radgies very deservedly won it in the end with a final score of 67-53.
It all set us off nicely for the Christmas party later on the evening at Hoults Yard – what a belter day it was!
By GG Fox
"We wish you a merry Christmas..."
Northern Roll
NRG V NUTS Home bout, Lightfoot Centre, Newcastle
NRG 102 – NUTS 81
Newcastle Roller Girls’ first ever home bout vs Northern United Team Skaters (with members from Middlesbrough Milk Rollers, Liverpool Roller Birds and Manchester Roller Derby) saw the Canny Belters pick up their second consecutive win with a final score of NRG 102 – NUTS 81. Although it was a closed bout the atmosphere was electric and the stakes still as high as ever.
NUTS were off to a great start as fans screamed from the balcony, and the half time score was 43-49 with NUTS in the lead.
The second half was ours though, with some awesome power jams seeing NRG skate out in front and take first place.
This was a particularly special win for NRG as it was the first time we have fielded a team of entirely our own players – we do love our guests, but it made the victory even sweeter. Our awesome GG Fox took home the bout’s MVP certificate for her amazing jamming skills, and for NUTS it went to MMR’s Oompah Thump-Ya!
By Big Smack and Fries
Sicily Suplex fends off MVP Oompah Thump-ya
- Great Yorkshire Showndown poster
Great Yorkshire Showdown
24th October 2010
Huddersfield Sports Centre.
Leeds Roller Dolls v Whippin’ Hinnies
The Great Yorkshire show down was a great opportunity for newer skaters to get some bouting experience.
read more…
Block The Casbah poster
Block the Casbah
25th September 2010
Parklands Leisure Centre, Leicestershire
Dolly Rockit Rollers 68 =v= 79 Canny Belters
Playing against the Dolly Rockit Rollers in Leicester, the DRR held their own and the fight was a tough one. With only a handful of points between the two teams for most of the bout, it was a real nail biter, but the Canny Belters brought home their first win!
read more…
Those lovely folks over at BBC Tyne have featured us and interviewed our Captain, Brie Larceny.
Warming up for Smashdance, in Sheffield
NRG article on BBC Tyne
July 24th 2010, at Ponds Forge in Sheffield.
Final score: SSRG 150 – NRG 73
Smashdance poster
Smashdance post bout group photo!
Ditching heels for wheels
The Journal published a lovely double page article us this week.
Read all about it.
2 whole pages
NRG Expo Night Wednesday 29th February!
