BACK AGAIN: Kylie Hilder (pictured in action) will “go round again” for the national mixed touch team after being awarded the Ron Hanson medal at the recent trans-tasman series held in Mudgee.
NATIONAL touch star Kylie Hilder has reconsidered retirement following a successful trans-tasman series as a member of the Australian Mixed Touch team in Mudgee.
“I thought it would be (my last time) but I got given the captaincy which was a massive thing and I also got given the flag-bearing duties which is massive as well,” Kylie said.
“I got a call from the coach (Mick Lovett) on Friday and he still thinks I’ve got something to offer the team so I said ‘ok if you think I’ve still got something to offer I’ll stick around’ so I’ll go around again. I’ve retired five times now,” she said with a laugh.
The conversation has given Kylie “the bug back” and she’s now targeting another trans-tasman series in February next year and she may even try to add a second world championship to the one she won with the national side at 2011 world cup.
“That (world cup) is two years away so I won’t commit to that but I will be part of the next trans-tasman and I’ll take it year by year after that.”
The Australian team’s victory in the series was hard fought going down to the wire in a decider.
“We won the first game pretty convincingly (8-5) and then they won the second (10-9) and then we won 10-8 in the decider which was exciting.”
The campaign had an added bonus for Kylie, who got to play in front of husband Troy and sons Ashton and Nate for the first time.
“That was a pretty special moment they hadn’t seen me play in national colours before so to have them there was good.”
The other special moment came for Kylie when, as part of her flag-bearing duties, she was awarded the Ron Hanson medal.
“Ron and Fran Hanson are locals here in Forster and Ron was the first captain of Australia in touch football so to get that award was a very special moment for me.”
