Hockey One: Comm Games gold medallist Josh Simmonds preps for relaunched national competition with Hockey Club Melbourne
He won Olympic silver and then claimed gold at the Comm Games and now Kookaburra Josh Simmonds’ gears have shifted to the relaunched national hockey competition.
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Kookaburras’ defender Josh Simmonds has had the year of his life.
The 26-year-old is back in Melbourne this week to prepare for the long-awaited return of the Hockey One national competition, following a dominant Commonwealth Games where he was part of the undefeated Australian team.
Simmonds and the Kookaburras backed up their Olympic silver medal in Tokyo by demolishing India 7-0 in Birmingham final to take a seventh straight gold.
“The silver medal in Tokyo was unbelievable but, at the same time, bittersweet, because you obviously want gold,” Simmonds said.
“And then, in Birmingham, we’ve always matched up pretty well against India, we’ve always had success with our style against them, so we definitely went in with confidence and knew exactly what we needed to do — but we didn’t expect it to be 7-0.”
After a two-week holiday with his partner in Italy, Simmonds’ focus has now shifted to a leadership role with Hockey Club Melbourne.
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He says it’s good to finally get back to the national competition, after it was ravaged by Covid in 2020 and 2021.
The revamped competition had launched in 2019 and the early signs were positive, but it’s back to square one following the two-year Covid-enforced hiatus.
He returns to Hockey Club Melbourne as one of its key players and feels a responsibility to bring on the next generation of players.
“I’ve played 50 games for Australia but there’s players who have played 200 or more, so I’m not as experienced as them internationally, but when you come back into a Hockey One environment you’re seen more as a leader who can give advice and someone the younger guys look up to more, just like I look up to someone like (Kookaburras’ legend) Eddie (Ockenden),” he said.
“It’s a different mindset and more responsibility.
“I made my state debut at 19 and had people like (HCM captain) Russell Ford and (former Kookaburra) Chris Ciriello who took me under their wing,” the Ringwood local, who plays his club hockey for Victorian Premier League side Doncaster, said.
“It’s a natural process. It’s now my turn to help a young guy who is still learning their craft and growing as a player.”
Hockeyroos’ young gun Amy Lawton headlines the women’s squad, with star veteran goalkeeper Rach Lynch, who recently retired from international competition, to lead.
“It has been a tough few years for our Victorian athletes and we’re excited to get these players back out on the pitch, playing in a high performance environment,” women’s coach Phil Burrows said.
“There’s some great competition in the Hockey One league and we’re looking forward to the challenge.”
Simmonds earmarked a quartet of young guns, as well as fellow Birmingham gold medallist Nathan Ephraums as men’s players to watch.
“Midfielders Jake Sherren and Max Hendry are in the national system and Connor Otterbach is the next young gun defender coming through Victoria,” he said.
“Liam Henderson, he’s made the U21 Australian squad and he’s 18 and he’s a very, very good striker — young athletic, can score a goal from anywhere.
“And then obviously we’ve got Nathan Ephraums, he was in Birmingham and scored plenty of goals, he’ll definitely be one to watch.”
Men’s coach Lachlan Anderson: “We made some really tough selection calls but I’m proud of the group we’ve put forward and believe it’s a great mix of talent from national players to the top players in our Victorian premier league teams,” Anderson said.
HCM plays its season openers against NSW Pride on September 29 at its home in Parkville.
Full Squads
Women
Megan Alakus, Footscray, DEF
Krissy Bates, Camberwell, MID
Hannah Cotter, Hawthorn, STR
Olivia Downes, Essendon Hockey, STR
Gracie Geddis, Mentone, DEF
Hannah Gravenall, Hawthorn, MID
Emily Hamilton-Smith, Southern United, DEF
Nicola Hammond, Doncaster, MID
Carly James, Footscray, DEF
Bridget Laurance, Hawthorn, GK
Amy Lawton Southern United, MID
Josie Lawton, Southern United, DEF
Rach Lynch (C), Greensborough, GK
Anna Moore, Melbourne University, MID
Joanne Peeters, Camberwell, MID
Madi Ratcliffe, Doncaster, STR
Ciara Utri, Essendon Hockey, MID
Ash Utri, Essendon Hockey, STR
Rosario Villagra, Footscray, STR
Zali Ward, Essendon Hockey, MID
Men
Kiran Arunasalam, Doncaster, STR
Josh Bretherton, MCC, MID/DEF
Jonno Bretherton, MCC, DEF/MID
Doug Buckley, MCC, DEF
Cooper Burns, Altona, STR
Eden Davis, Camberwell, MID/STR
Johan Durst, Hawthorn, GK
Nathan Ephraums, Southern United, STR
Russell Ford (C), Doncaster, STR
Liam Henderson, Camberwell, STR/MID
Max Hendry, Camberwell, MID/STR
Craig Marais, Southern United, STR
Connar Otterbach, Altona, DEF
Jayshaan Randhawa, Doncaster, DEF
Jake Sherren, Camberwell, STR/MID
Josh Simmonds, Doncaster, DEF
Jed Snowden (GK), Essendon Hockey, GK
Damon Steffens, Waverley, DEF
Lachlan Steinfort, Waverley, DEF/MID
Trent Symms, Southern United, DEF
Originally published as Hockey One: Comm Games gold medallist Josh Simmonds preps for relaunched national competition with Hockey Club Melbourne
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