Miss Harmon, the music teacher, had A LOT to answer for. She’d lent Highpants a speaker and a mic. When the Jets hit the pitch during the lunchtime break, Highpants (who’d read a sports blog about inspirational music) took it upon himself to sing ‘Eye of the Tiger’. Except he didn’t do the classic version, he chose Katy Perry’s ‘Roar’. At the point where Highpants got on all fours to do tiger snarls, CJ ‘accidently’ kicked the ball to knock the mic out of his hand.

‘Sorry!’

It was the WEIRDEST TRAINING SESSION EVER. As they practised, Highpants watched from the sidelines and regularly got on the speaker relating everything back to a song. Which was pretty bizarre in itself, but it also didn’t seem natural to see the snooty man so happy.

As CJ led the Jets’ goal-kicking practice, Highpants sang, ‘Don’t Stop Belieeeeving!’

Charlotte then got the team working on their dribbling, and Highpants sang a bit from The Black Eyed Peas’ ‘Let’s Get It Started’, ‘Runnin’, runnin’, keep runnin’, runnin’!’

Highpants had a song for everything, even when Benji fell and ended up with grass all over him, their singing coach sang, ‘Shake it off! Shake it off!’

And for one brief moment when Lexi and Saanvi practised their goal celebrations, Highpants burst into JT’s ‘Can’t Stop The Feeeeling!’ His falsetto REALLY upset the chickens.

Halfway through the session, Garlic ran onto the pitch. Immediately, Highpants started singing ‘Who Let the Dogs Out’. Charlotte tried to shoo Garlic away but CJ turned it into a drill.

‘Start dribbling. See if you can out manure Garlic!’

‘Don’t you mean manoeuvre?’ asked Charlotte.

‘Yeah. Probably,’ said CJ. ‘If you can out manoeuvre Garlic, you can out manoeuvre anyone!’

CJ and Charlotte were the obvious choice for strikers. Charlotte thought Benji’s foot skills might make him handy for weaving the ball through the midfield. Lexi and Saanvi took great delight in trying to tackle CJ whenever he had the ball, so the two of them seemed a good fit for defence. As Charlotte and CJ worked out the other players’ positions, the Paulveriser sat himself down on the goal line.

‘Keeper,’ said the Paulveriser, pointing to himself.

It was hard to argue, especially given he took up half the goal.

By the end of lunch CJ slumped onto the swing for a breather.

‘Good session, CJ,’ said Charlotte, joining him. ‘We didn’t get into my game plan ideas though.’

CJ grit his teeth.

‘What?’

CJ stopped himself from blurting out what he really thought about Charlotte’s game plan and how confusing it was. ‘Nothing. Let’s go through them with everyone tomorrow.’

Charlotte smiled at CJ. ‘Y’know, this might actually work.’

‘If we can survive Highpants’ version of “I Will Always Love You” we can survive anything.’

After school, Charlotte – who rearranged her schedule especially – and Lexi met CJ in his front yard for some last minute prep. However CJ’s idea of last minute prep was he and Charlotte on the trampoline, competing for headers thrown in by Lexi (who refused to mess up her hair).

‘Why is she like this?’ whispered CJ. ‘Cos her dad won Mr New Zealand or whatever it was?’

‘Partly. Plus, mega messy brothers.’

Lexi assumed the throw-in pose and gave another one of her perfect smiles as she looped the ball over the trampoline’s safety fences. CJ and Charlotte bounced high inside the trampoline to be the one to head the ball out again. Charlotte was taller and won the challenge way too often for CJ’s liking. Especially given CJ shared a tip about improving her heading – use your hairline as the sweet spot.

CJ decided to take a run-up. He SLAMMED himself into the trampoline and bounded into the air.

Unfortunately, he SMACKED into Charlotte and they both flew into the side. Then the whole trampoline toppled over and started rolling … towards the cul-de-sac.

‘Stop us!’ cried Charlotte. ‘Lexi, help!’

‘But, but … my hair!’

The trampoline bounced over CJ’s dad’s flowerbed and slammed into the footpath. Round and round they spun, like they were inside a washing machine.

‘Car!’ yelled Charlotte. CJ glimpsed it as well. They were going to roll straight into its path.

Then the trampoline stopped.

‘OOF!’

Lexi had propped herself up against the lamppost to stop the trampoline. She was panting and covered in leaves. ‘I had to fight my way through the petunias to get to you guys in time!’ she said. ‘You better thank me cos my hair’s a mess!’

‘Thanks, Lexi!’ said Charlotte.

‘This is so NOT what they mean by the natural look,’ complained Lexi, as she picked leaves out of her hair.

‘Ha! Pays to get your hands dirty sometimes,’ said CJ. It was meant to be a compliment.

‘Well, it won’t happen again!’ snapped Lexi and she stormed off home, trying to fix her hair.

‘Maybe that’s enough training for today,’ said Charlotte.

CJ woke at 4 am. His brain was buzzing about the big match. He’d even gone to bed in his Jets uniform. Plus, it was difficult to relax in a room that reeked of mouldy carpet.

CJ tiptoed into the living room and flicked on the telly. He stumbled across a replay of a recent A-League game. Victory were dominating Melbourne City in the derby. Just the way he liked it. Besart Berisha was a goalscoring machine. The first ever A-League player to score 100 goals. CJ hoped a little Bes magic might inspire him against the Hammerheads in a few hours’ time.

CJ arrived at the pitch an hour before kick-off. Charlotte was already there, she was dribbling around her bag and jacket, then shooting for goal.

‘The big day!’ said CJ, his excitement outweighing his tiredness.

‘Uh-huh. It’s funny, we come to this pitch every day, but on game day it feels totally different. Like there’s magic in the air!’

The other Jets arrived soon after. CJ ripped the tag off Benji’s brand new green and gold jersey. ‘Looks good on you, mate. Although I’ll miss having a mascot.’

‘Don’t worry I’ve organised a fill-in for half-time,’ said Benji.

‘Sweet,’ said CJ. But Benji didn’t stick around to joke with his best friend like he usually would have, instead he wandered over to Fahad and Lexi. Maybe he was still miffed by what CJ said a couple of days ago.

The Hillside Hammerheads started arriving. Jindaberg Primary’s arch rivals. The bad blood dated back OVER A HUNDRED YEARS. Probably due to some kid stealing another kid’s penny-farthing or something.

Then a face they all recognised turned up wearing a Hammerheads jumper.

‘What the?’ exclaimed CJ.

‘Did you know about this?’ asked Charlotte.

‘No,’ said CJ, suddenly on edge.

Arriving on the pitch was none other than … LENNY LINCOLN. The Jets boys’ team’s FORMER CAPTAIN. He was playing for the OPPOSITION!

Lenny locked eyes with CJ. He ran his fingers through his mohawk and grinned like a crocodile.

‘Hi guys!’ he called. ‘It’s good to be back.’