Hockey One 2023: All the likes and dislikes from Round 1
While Brisbane looked unstoppable against Adelaide, Canberra and Melbourne struggled to finish in their season openers. See all the likes and dislikes from Round 1 of Hockey One.
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The Brisbane Blaze look unstoppable after dousing opponents Adelaide Fire in a goal fest on Sunday afternoon.
Canberra’s loss to Perth was soured by flight delays, and a rising star in goals almost shut down 2022 minor premiers the HC Melbourne women.
Kate Allman reveals her likes and dislikes from the opening round of Hockey One.
ROUND 1 LIKES
Peaking at the right time
Anyone worried about Australia’s Olympic preparation being hampered in recent years by withdrawals from international competitions due to border closures need not be concerned.
The depth of emerging talent on display across the opening weekend of Hockey One was impressive, headlined by rising star Evie Dalton in goals for the Tassie Tigers on Friday. Dalton, 22, fended off a barrage of shots by 2022 minor premiers HC Melbourne. Only one goal slipped though.
Head coach of the Hockeyroos Katrina Powell confirmed the depth of young female talent competing for a ticket to Paris is almost subterranean.
“We have had 35 different athletes play for the Hockeyroos this year [11 players take a hockey field],” she told News Corp.
“This season of Hockey One might be the most exciting as it’s the lead-in to the 2024 Olympics.”
Trade wins
Hockey One clubs have previously been somewhat parochial in their team selections, a legacy inherited from the former state association-based Australian Hockey League. But the first week of season three saw exciting off-season movement having immediate impacts.
Former Canberra Chill favourite James Day headlined the Saturday clash in a lightning debut for his new club, the Perth Thundersticks. Day stepped straight into the role of drag flicker number one, firing home a hat-trick against his old club in Perth’s 4-1 win, and earning player of the match.
On the other side of the scorecard, the Canberra Chill debuted Indian hockey royalty to fill the gap left by Day. Dual Olympian Rupinder Pal Singh brings his 194cm frame, powerful flick and almost one million social media followers to the nation’s capital club. His presence couldn’t prevent the Chill’s capitulation to Kookaburra-heavy Perth this week. But glimpses of genius in his overhead passes and ability to direct play from the back look promising for weeks to come.
Goal fest
Goals. Fans love watching them and Sunday’s double header between Brisbane Blaze and Adelaide Fire was not short of them.
Goal magnet Cale Cramer was up to his old tricks, finishing the first for Brisbane men within two minutes of the first quarter. He notched a hattrick by halftime.
“He just can’t stop scoring, can he?” was the call from the commentary box.
Dual Olympian and Hockeyroo veteran Jodie Kenny clunked the final goal in the women’s match after the full-time whistle, on her return to the Blaze after a season off. It was a joyous sealer for her side’s 4-0 victory.
The shoe Fitz
The trio of Fitzpatrick sisters are back playing together for the first time since 2019 and it’s delightful to watch. Madison and Kendra missed last season while playing in Europe but on Sunday combined with their sister Savannah in frequent attacking chances for the Brisbane Blaze against Adelaide Fire. A flawless penalty corner push out by Savannah to Madison, who flipped it behind her back to set up a penetrating drag flick by Tatum Stewart, was one of the goals of the round.
ROUND 1 DISLIKES
PC flicks a drag
Friday’s double header between the Tassie Tigers and HC Melbourne saw zero open field goals, and five of the total six goals come from drag flicks. The sixth was a penalty stroke by Kookaburra and Tassie Tiger Jeremy Hayward. In the women’s match, HC Melbourne earned 13 penalty corners but converted just one for a frustrating 1-0 win.
Even Melbourne captain Hannah Gravenall admitted her team will need to learn to finish better.
“We had a lot of opportunities up front and a lot of penalty corners, so we’ll go back and work on that during the week,” Gravenall said.
Flight risks
The five-hour flight and three-hour time difference between Perth and the east coast is not ideal for player fatigue. But when airline delays turned it into a 17-hour schlep for the Canberra Chill, winning the away match became a taller ask.
In a seven-week season in which teams play their opponents once, every result has major ramifications. Half the clubs make the journey west, while three lucky ones host the Thundersticks at home.
The Canberra Chill were underdogs on paper but their travel nightmare no doubt assisted the Thundersticks’ dual wins on Saturday.
RESULTS:
Friday
Tassie Tigers vs. HC Melbourne
Women: HC Melbourne win 1-0
Men: HC Melbourne win 4-1
Saturday
Perth Thundersticks vs. Canberra Chill
Men: Perth win 4-1
Women: Perth win 4-1
Sunday
Brisbane Blaze vs. Adelaide Fire
Women: Brisbane win 4-0
Men: Brisbane win 10-2
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