The run home and standout players for every Hockey SA Premier League club, including Emily Grist, Connor Richmond-Spouse, Paxton Silby
A thrilling Premier League hockey season is entering its final months before finals. We’ve looked at how each club sits and listed their star players for 2022.
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The business end of the 2022 Hockey SA Premier League season is here after last week’s round 12 games, and multiple clubs are still in the running to play finals come September.
While Adelaide and Seacliff remain the benchmark clubs of the competition this year, clubs like Port Adelaide – led by Scott Germein and Juliet Mallinson, and North East – led by Mitchell Dell and Holly Evans, remain strong contenders.
With finals just two months away, we’ve looked at what’s to come for each club, including their key fixtures and standout players.
ADELAIDE HOCKEY CLUB
Men’s position: First (10-1-1)
Standout player: Jack Holland
Women’s position: Second (9-2-1)
Standout player: Emily Grist
Adelaide is on the cusp of another grand final campaign in both the men’s and women’s competitions after a sensational year so far.
The men’s side put together a remarkable 11-game unbeaten run to start the season before losing to rival Seacliff 4-1 in round 12.
Jack Holland has been a revelation, sliding into a defensive midfield role and also scoring eight goals.
“He’s been huge and such a high performer for us,” coach Tom Cleghorn said.
“I think we’ve been bearing the fruits of player development this year which has allowed for better rotations and result.”
Captain Emily Grist has yet again been a star for the women with 12 of her team’s impressive 67 goals in 11 appearances, leading her club to second spot so far under Seacliff.
Key fixtures: The women will meet Port Adelaide in round 16 and Seacliff in round 18, games which will most likely be key in determining how the season ends for the side.
The men will face Port Adelaide, North East and Seacliff between rounds 16-19 as they aim to avenge last year’s grand final loss to the latter.
ADELAIDE UNI
Men’s position: Eighth (0-0-12)
Standout player: Max Bail
Women’s position: Fifth (4-0-8)
Standout player: Lauren Johnson
It has been another challenging season for Adelaide Uni in the Premier League men’s competition – the team managing only eight goals and conceding 69 so far in a winless first three months.
Max Bail has been a positive however, creating multiple chances for his teammates and keeping opposition defenders on their toes.
Uni’s women’s team sits a spot outside the finals picture after 12 games and looks unlikely to make the cut but has not lost any admirers over the journey.
The team started the season with three straight wins against Grange, Forestville and Burnside and has lost four games by two goals or less.
Lauren Johnson has scored four goals in eight appearances and would be looking to produce more of the same in the final two months.
Key fixtures: The men would be aiming for wins against Grange (round 15) and Burnside (round 17) while the women would have to beat North East in round 14 and again in the season’s final round if they want to make finals.
BURNSIDE
Men’s position: Seventh (3-2-7)
Standout player: Brodie Kosonen
Women’s position: Eighth (2-0-10)
Standout player: Samantha McKenna
Burnside has been competitive in the men’s competition and while the club sits bottom in the women’s, it is only a win off of sixth.
Brodie Kosonen remains a star player for the club, turning in strong performances in goal each week and ensuring his team stays competitive.
The men have won two games against Adelaide Uni and produced their best display of the season so far to beat Grange in round nine.
The women’s team snapped a seven-game losing streak in round 10 to win its second game of the year, defeating Adelaide Uni 1-2 but there have not been many highlights otherwise.
Samantha McKenna’s play has been at a top level, the forward threat scoring six goals and setting up multiple others.
Key fixtures: An intriguing matchup with sixth spot Forestville looms this Sunday for the men, as well as with Grange in round 16, while the women could also snatch victory against Forestville this Sunday and Adelaide Uni in round 17.
FORESTVILLE
Men’s position: Sixth (3-2-7)
Standout player: Dylan Holland
Women’s position: Seventh (2-1-9)
Standout player: Michaela Gallie
Forestville looks too far behind to make finals in Premier League men, and while the women seem set to compete in the bottom half, adding multiple wins in the coming weeks is not unrealistic.
Dylan Holland has been dominant for the club up front, especially in wins against Adelaide Uni and Grange, scoring seven goals in nine appearances.
He would be aiming to stay on the park for the rest of the season after already missing three games.
Michaela Gallie has been one of the few positives for the women, who put two wins together from rounds six to nine but would be eager to get back in the winner’s circle during the remaining fixtures.
Key fixtures: Burnside (round 13) and Adelaide Uni (round 16) are both beatable for the men, while the women will be looking to top North East in round 15 after drawing with them earlier in the year.
GRANGE
Men’s position: Fifth (6-0-6)
Standout player: Paxton Silby
Women’s position: Sixth (3-0-9)
Standout player: Annalise Abbott
Finals is close to impossible for Grange’s women’s side this season, but the men sit just one point below fourth-placed Port Adelaide with nine games remaining.
Royals superstar Paxton Silby has lived up to his billing again this year, scoring seven goals in 11 appearances and setting up teammates through the middle.
Annalise Abbott has been the standout for Grange’s women, always reliable in possession and leading her team to a thrilling 2-1 win over Forestville in round 12.
Key fixtures: The men are on a three-game winning streak and still have it all to play for.
Big tests against Seacliff and Adelaide over the next two games could either make or break the side’s season.
The women would have games against Adelaide Uni (round 15) and Burnside (round 16) marked down as possible wins.
NORTH EAST
Men’s position: Third (6-2-4)
Standout player: Mitchell Dell
Women’s position: Fourth (6-2-4)
Standout player: Holly Evans
North East was one of the surprises of the early season and it has maintained its strong form to sit right in the finals discussions for both the men’s and women’s competitions.
Six wins in seven games had the men’s side laughing at the start of the year, with top scorer Mitchell Dell (12 goals) in brilliant form.
The women won their last two games against Grange and Burnside to jump back into the top four, playing-coach Holly Evans leading the way through the centre with six goals.
“We went back to basics with the girls, focusing on the quality of passing and receiving and we’ve definitely improved our ability to link together this year,” Evans said.
“We’re certainly the underdogs of the top four but we have a solid bunch of experienced and eager players so I think we can go far if we continue to work hard on the track.”
Key fixtures: The men haven’t won in five games and a huge game against Port Adelaide this weekend is a chance to not only grab a win but further separate themselves from the teams fighting for fourth.
Evans and her team would also love a win against Port Adelaide this weekend, and would be eager to test themselves against Seacliff and Adelaide in rounds 16 and 17.
PORT ADELAIDE
Men’s position: Fourth (6-1-5)
Standout player: Scott Germein
Women’s position: Third (9-1-2)
Standout player: Juliet Mallinson
Port Adelaide’s quest to return to the top is still in progress, with both the men and women in strong form this year.
Captain Scott Germein has again been the inspirational leader his team has needed throughout 2022, turning in solid displays in the middle and defensively.
Coach Mark Victory said a new game style would also pay dividends during the later season.
“We definitely had some early challenges with Covid and injuries but positives are it gave a lot of guys experience,” he said.
“We have adopted a new game style including playing some experienced guys through different lines which has also been refreshing and I think we’re capable of challenging for the flag if we can find consistency in that lineup.
“Seacliff and Adelaide have been the benchmark but anyone is capable of an upset.”
The women have also been strong, with star player Juliet Mallinson scoring a remarkable total of 19 goals in 12 games.
The team has lost just two games and won its last three.
Key fixtures: Seacliff and Adelaide in rounds 15 and 16 are the big games for both men and women as they continue on their road to finals.
SEACLIFF
Men’s position: Second (10-0-2)
Standout player: Connor Richmond-Spouse
Women’s position: First (10-0-2)
Standoutplayer: Leah Welstead
Seacliff dominating in both competitions comes as no surprise after a terrific 2021 season in which it won the men’s flag and came runner-up in the women’s grand final – both against Adelaide.
Coach Matt Morton believed both of his teams had been completely locked in throughout 2022 so far.
“We’re so focused on improving each week and hopefully giving ourselves the best chance come September,” Morton said.
“With such a long season you never know but that’s the aim and hopefully we can gather momentum heading into a September finals series where anything can happen.”
Connor Richmond-Spouse has again starred for Seacliff, scoring multiple goals and playing an important role around the park.
Leah Welstead has also been strong for the women’s side and will be a key creative player once finals rolls around.
Key fixtures: Both teams will be eyeing off their fixture against Adelaide in round 19 – a game which could be a precursor of what’s to come in September.
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