Australian wheelchair rugby team suffer first Paralympic defeat in 13 years

Australia’s hopes of a Paralympic three-peat in wheelchair rugby have taken a big blow after a one-point loss to Denmark that head coach Brad Dubberley said had left the group feeling “gutted”.

The 54-53 defeat was Australia’s first loss at the Paralympics since 2008. Without a proper competition match since February last year, the group’s rustiness shone through in a match where they were chasing their tail.

Ryley Batt was Australia’s best player in a losing cause against Denmark. Credit:Getty

The Steelers led at half-time 25-23 but lost to a Denmark try with seconds remaining despite a brilliant performance by captain and flag bearer Ryley Batt, who scored 24 tries.

“I’m shattered,” Dubberley said. “We were rusty. I really feel for our players and everyone back home because we were having a fair crack and we just haven’t had the time together.

“Denmark were just better on the day. It makes it hard for the rest of the tournament. We just have to regroup and see what we can do [on Thursday] against France.

“We’ve got to dig deep and rebound because it is hard. I’m gutted. We just haven’t had the time we need.”

Australia used eight of their 12 players but left Shae Graham on the bench for a match where she was expected to become the first female to represent Australia in wheelchair rugby.

With the Steelers trailing Denmark for the majority of the second half, Dubberley was chasing the game and appeared to want his best players on the court, even if he may have been tempted to give Graham some court time.

Graham, who was involved in a serious car accident growing up, is often perplexed at the interest around her inclusion in Australia’s wheelchair rugby team.

“I find it really interesting that people find it interesting that I’m the only girl on the team,” Graham told the Herald before the match. “I’m not treated any differently. When it comes to games, no one cares that you’re a girl or a boy. They hit just as hard and you’ve got to work just as hard.”

Wheelchair rugby, which is known as “murderball”, is a full contact, mixed gender sport but only a handful of women around the world feature in their national sides.

Graham is tough. Bloody tough. Her worst injury from wheelchair rugby is a fractured finger, which she brushes off when compared to the traumatic injuries she sustained during a car accident while coming home from a Blockbuster Video shop as an 18-year-old.

Graham’s friend lost control of the car in a quiet street in Mackay.

The car smashed into the side of a house, leaving Graham in hospital for eight months with a fractured spine, fractured pelvis, brain injury and a ruptured bladder.

Her will to compete in non-able body sport was low. For nine years after her accident, Graham refused to play any para-sport.

She lost a bet and was coerced into trying wheelchair rugby. Within five years, she was on the Australian team competing at a Four Nations tournament in Alabama.

″⁣I’m not playing the sport to motivate people or to inspire people but, if that comes with playing the sport and gets people involved in the sport, that’s fantastic,” Graham said. “We need more females playing, so if anyone is watching and thinks ‘I can do that’, definitely get in contact and start playing.

“As a new player, often you see teams target the less experienced ones. I definitely felt that pressure being a newer player on the squad. I don’t think gender has anything to do with it.”

Graham wants to shatter the ceiling and has ambitions of being the best player in the world â€" male or female â€" in her category.

“I want to be the best at this sport and that’s going to take some time, and I’m willing to commit to that so I will be the best,” Graham said.

“I’m super happy with my life. If someone gave me three wishes and said ‘what would you wish for?’, there’s no way I’d change a thing. I’ve really enjoyed my journey, and it’s all worked out the way it was supposed to.”

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Tom Decent is a journalist with The Sydney Morning Herald

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