Hockey One 2023: Kate Allman’s likes and dislikes from Round 6

The NSW Pride could be on track for historic back-to-back premierships for both the men and women’s competitions. See all the likes and dislikes from Round 6 of Hockey One.

NSW Pride are mounting attacks on back-to-back premierships for both men and women in 2023. Picture: Supplied

NSW Pride are mounting attacks on back-to-back premierships for both men and women in 2023.

A former Hockeyroo is Canberra’s unlikely hero, the Fire in Adelaide refuses to die, and 2022 minor premiers Melbourne face a do-or-die seventh round clash this Friday.

These are the biggest talking points of Hockey One after six rounds.

NSW the Pride of Hockey One

The NSW Pride men are on the verge of a historic undefeated season and the elusive threepeat premiership with one round of Hockey One to go.

The Pride men downed last year’s runners-up the Perth Thundersticks 3-1 in a rematch of the 2022 grand final in Perth on Sunday afternoon. The first half was a 0-0 arm wrestle, but NSW gathered momentum on the back of Tim Brand brilliance to feed fellow Kookaburra Flynn Ogilvie in front of goal. Drag-flicking powerhouse Blake Govers duly found the net after denting the crossbar on a prior attempt.

The Thundersticks posed the last major stumbling block before the Pride look set to sail through the final round at home against the Adelaide Fire.

If NSW win, they head to the finals weekend in Canberra over 25-26 November as minor premiers and will play the fourth-placed-finisher of the regular season in the major semi-final.

The NSW Pride mens side are on the verge of an elusive threepeat, as their undefeated season continues. Picture: Supplied

One spot left in women’s finals

The Pride women also have a shot at back-to-back premierships, after mounting a lion’s effort to beat the previously undefeated Perth Thundersticks women on their turf on Sunday.

Flight delays forced NSW to cancel their pre-game training session the day prior. But the notorious high press of the Pride, backed up by midfield connections of Hockeyroos Mariah Williams, Greta Hayes and Grace Young stunned the home side to snatch a 3-1 win.

The result means NSW women join the Thundersticks and Brisbane Blaze at the finals weekend, leaving one spot open for either Hockey Club Melbourne or Canberra Chill, who play each other this Friday night.

The do-or-die clash will be played without key young guns including Hockey Club Melbourne’s Amy and Josie Lawton, as Australia’s under 21 Jillaroos fly to Chile for the Junior Women’s World Cup this week. It presents a golden opportunity for Canberra Chill to send the 2022 minor premiers into fifth place and secure a final in front of home crowds.

The NSW Pride women are also closing in on back-to-back premierships. Picture: Supplied

Cometh the moment, Commerford

She’s been out of Australian selection conversations for two years, but midfielder Kalindi Commerford is the talk of Hockey One after keeping the door to finals open for the Canberra Chill women through rounds one to six.

She is the league’s second top-goal scorer and on Friday night was the game-changer for her side in an underdogs’ win against the Brisbane Blaze. Moments after half time, she gobbled up an errant ball in the D with a one-touch smash at full pace.

Her conversion plus a goal by Irish import Katie Mullan was enough to send the Chill to a shootout, which Canberra goalkeeper Hunter ensured they won.

Commerford missed selection for the Tokyo Olympics and was among a handful of former players tossed out with the bathwater when former coach Paul Gaudoin was forced out by an independent review into allegations of a “toxic culture” in 2021. Her performances in Hockey One over 2022 and 2023 consistently refute the feedback she received when she was dropped from the national squad – that she is unable to achieve outcomes in the circle.

With one round left there’s not only a chance for a home final for the Chill, but possibilities of an Olympic dream at stake.

Fire won’t be put out

Meanwhile, the Adelaide Fire men refuse to let the spark of a finals chance go out in 2023. After winning a first historic Hockey One game in round two, Adelaide have snuck into fourth with an upset 3-1 win over the Tassie Tigers over the weekend.

The Snowden brothers orchestrated the win with a rocket goal on the reverse from Hugh Snowden at the front, and player of the match Jed Snowden staunchly defending the goals at the back.

The Fire will need others’ results to go their way as they prepare for the undefeated NSW Pride in round seven. The third-placed Tigers, meanwhile, have a nervous wait for results through their bye week in round seven.

Conversions rule

The Hockey One conversion rule was introduced to encourage hockey away from penalty corners, into higher-scoring regions than the defensive arm wrestles of international matches.

A handful of teams have been exposed for their reliance on penalty corner drag flicks this year – including the Canberra Chill men, Perth Thundersticks men, and Hockey Club Melbourne women, all of whom are eliminated or on the brink of it in this weekend’s do-or-die final round.

Brisbane Blaze men, however, made the most of the rule to maintain their second ladder position with a hectic come-from-behind win against Canberra on Friday night in round six.

The Chill led 4-0 in the fourth quarter and would have been home and hosed under international rules. But two field goals by a fired-up Blaze quickly evened the ledger. Needing an outright win to remain in finals contention, the Chill pulled their goalkeeper with two minutes to go, allowing the Blaze to clock another converted goal on the open net, winning 6-2.

All eyes remain on the women of Canberra to qualify in round seven.