Reported by James Bresnehan
Like this season when a side refused to play on Bellerive Oval until the centre wicket area was rolled.
On another occasion, also this season, a Victorian team refused to sign-off on Aurora Stadium until it was supplied with two canisters of oxygen for its players.
As the Devils' team manager, Direen's role is to make sure the visiting sides feel at home, particularly given they have to officially "sign-off" on the venue before they agree to play on it.
"A lot of the clubs are no trouble at all, but some clubs make life a bit difficult," Direen said.
"We've got two of the top venues in the VFL with Aurora Stadium and Bellerive.
"The only one better is Skilled Stadium, which is a fantastic venue.
"But some VFL clubs have very ordinary facilities, so it always makes us laugh when they come down here demanding this and demanding that."
With the Devils to play Collingwood-aligned Williamstown at Bellerive Oval on Saturday -- their final match of the season -- Direen is bracing for more potentially difficult moments.
"We couldn't believe it when a team asked us to roll Bellerive -- apparently the centre wicket was higher than the grass," Direen said.
"Other teams have arrived here without any footballs, expecting us to provide them with footies to warm-up with. Others expect us to provide all their drink bottles."
In their time in the VFL, the Tasmanian Devils have faced some pretty spartan conditions while on duty interstate.
Some experiences: * Sub-standard surfaces -- "cow paddocks and mud pits" -- that make Aurora and Bellerive look like velvet carpets. * The Devils players have had to change in an opposition club's bar area and on a floor covered in a plastic sheet. * Players have had to take turns using a changeroom that was so tiny not all of them could fit at the same time. * They regularly have to get their medicinal ice from the local servo.
The Devils have learnt to be self-sufficient after seven years in the competition.
"When we travel interstate we're a self-contained unit," Direen said.
"The only thing we don't take is ice. If it isn't provided to us, we go to the nearest servo and get it ourselves."
