Biggest talking points from round three of the Hockey One series
A hidden gem previously overlooked by one state is flourishing with a rival while another player has battled past walking pneumonia in order to give her side a chance in round three of the Hockey One series. Discover the biggest news from the weekend here.
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A hidden gem previously overlooked by one state is flourishing with a rival while another player has battled past walking pneumonia in order give her side a chance in round three of the Hockey One series.
The weekend was full of drama for each state’s men’s and women’s teams who are edging towards the halfway mark of the season.
Discover the biggest news from round three below.
CANBERRA CHILL
Olympian and German import Emma Davidsmeyer has bravely shrugged off severe illnesses that left her bedridden for three weeks in an attempt to push the Canberra Chill women’s team towards a Hockey One title.
Chill coach Matt Cook has opened up about Davidsmeyer’s secret battle on the back of the side’s 4-2 loss to reigning champions Brisbane Blaze at the Queensland State Hockey Centre.
Davidsmeyer was riddled with infections throughout her body when arriving into Australia at the end of September and was diagnosed with walking pneumonia.
She missed the first round of the Hockey One season, was on modified minutes in round two and was meant to play limited time again on Friday against Brisbane.
But injuries to teammates and fellow midfielders in the space of five minutes resulted in her playing nearly the entire third quarter and the whole of the fourth.
Taquira McGrath broke her finger when struck by a ball while Mikaela Patterson was forced off after being struck in the knee by an opponent’s stick and required stitches.
“In the back part of the game we didn’t have a recognised midfield rotation so we had some who played significant minutes,” Cook said.
“We were at the hospital until about 3am with Taquira and Mikaela. Taquira will hopefully be back within 10 to 12 days but at this stage it doesn’t look as optimistic with Mikaela. We have to wait and see. It could be doubtful that she is back this season.”
The injuries added to a horror lead-in for the Chill who lost Olivia Martin, another midfielder, to illness a day before the game.
Canberra still managed to lead 2-1 at halftime despite the challenges. Goalkeeper Sarah Steinhardt a wall in defence while Davidsmeyer was inspirational in the middle of the ground before the Blaze came back to win.
In the men’s a double from Jake Stains in the last four minutes of the game led Canberra to a 2-0 over Brisbane.
Canberra had multiple players carded throughout the game, with Davis Atkin, Xavi Gispert, Ben Staines and Jay Macdonald all receiving green cards while Hayden Dillon was shown yellow in the fourth quarter.
The Chill remain undefeated for the season with three straight wins.
BRISBANE BLAZE
A shift into the midfield has revived Rosie Malone’s elite hockey career and shapes as a key factor in Brisbane’s Hockey One title defence.
Malone has shifted down the pitch from her traditional position at striker for Brisbane’s opening two games of the season, the latest a 4-2 win over Canberra at the Queensland State Hockey Centre on Friday in round three of the season.
The 26-year-old was sensationally overlooked for Australia’s Paris Olympic team and failed in her bid to have the decision overturned in a review.
Now in her first foray back into elite hockey Malone, who competed at the 2020 Tokyo Olympic Games, is thriving in a new role.
“Every game she is getting better and better there (in the midfield),” Blaze women’s coach Nikki Taylor said.
“Her speed on the ball, ability to change direction and skills allows her to eliminate the opposition midfield and set up our strikers. She is loving it.”
Brisbane remain the favourites to win a second straight Hockey One title after winning its first two games of the season but Taylor is adamant there is more improvement to come from the Blaze.
“There was lots to like again but there are still some areas where we can get better,” Taylor said.
“From last week to this week our opportunities in the circle increased and we had better outcomes or shots on goal.
“We still need to work on our consistency. There have been good quarters and some that are not as good. We also need to work on our penalty corners in both attack and defence.”
Meanwhile, the Blaze men’s team was left to rue missed opportunities after falling 2-0 to Canberra in the final four minutes of the game.
“We just couldn’t finish and put any scoreboard pressure on from our chances,” Blaze coach Darren Fowler said.
“We probably had four penalty corners and half a dozen shots. We had enough to capitalise on and missed a penalty stroke so it was disappointing. The young guys improved but we are not happy not winning.”
TASSIE TIGERS
Tassie men’s Hockey One coach Ben Read has declared Tigers star Eddie Ockenden has the capacity to reach a sixth Olympics and should be the first Kookaburra picked when Australia crowns its next international coach.
Colin Batch’s replacement at the helm of the Kookaburras is yet to be announced and a new coach could instigate a period of change to Australia’s squad.
Ockenden, 37, is the most capped Australian hockey player of all time with over 450 appearances for the Kookaburras, the second most in international hockey.
He recently went to the Paris Games and was arguably the best on the pitch in Australia’s quarter-final loss to Holland.
Ockenden scored twice in Tassie’s 4-3 win over the Adelaide Fire in round 3 of the Hockey One series on Sunday at South Australia’s MATE Stadium, prompting Read to say he must retain his place in the national team under a new coach.
“He is a freak who has been so good for 16 years internationally and he carved up (against Adelaide). I think he could easily go to another Olympics. I’m not sure what his plans are or what the new coach will do but he is a generational talent.
“He would be the first name on the team sheet if I was the new Australian coach.”
The Tigers were down 3-0 at halftime of Sunday’s clash but scored four goals in the third quarter to change the tide of the game and secure the win.
Tassie’s women’s team beat Adelaide 2-0, lifting the club to third on the Hockey One ladder with seven points, the most the club has ever had.
“To put together a win is pleasing. We have proven we have the capacity of going further in this competition,” Tassie coach Susan Brooke said.
“We focused on our structure and making sure we played an attacking game while being close defensively.”
ADELAIDE FIRE
Landon Morley has been overlooked by the NSW Pride’s Hockey One side in recent years but now leads the tournament’s goal scoring tally after being plucked from local hockey by the Adelaide Fire.
Morley has scored six goals in three games, including a hat-trick in the side’s 4-3 loss to the Tassie Tigers on Sunday at MATE Stadium.
It’s an incredible feat considering the 31-year-old has been unable to break into the NSW team.
Morley is a key figure in Sydney’s local hockey leagues. He has won seven premierships for Moorebank-Liverpool Hockey Club, has been the leading goal scorer in the competition for several years and has been named MVP on numerous occasions.
Now he is dominating for the Fire in South Australia.
“He is one of the guys we highlighted while having conversations about who to bring to Adelaide,” Fire coach Jethro Eustice said.
“In our initial conversations we had with him he said he hadn’t felt much love in a while so when the opportunity came up to come in to Adelaide he jumped at it.
“He is doing what he is meant to do and has shown the quality player he is.”
Adelaide were leading 3-0 at halftime on the back of Morley’s efforts but a third-quarter shutout Tassie led to a 4-3 loss.
Adelaide’s women’s team suffered the same fate, losing to the Tigers 2-0 in an arm-wrestle.
“Our inability to take the most of our opportunities and finish is what hurt us,” Fire coach Mark Victory said.
“To the Tigers credit they were placed well defensively and finished two penalty corners. We can still take a hell of a lot out of it to be honest.
“Winning is a habit and we need to have high standards and not be satisfied with playing well. We need to take the points.”
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Originally published as Biggest talking points from round three of the Hockey One series
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