Paris 2024: Kookaburras young gun Joel Rintala’s incredible rise to join partner Shayna Jack at Olympics

Just 12 months ago, Joel Rintala was battling a debilitating injury. Now, an incredible rise has him in the mix to join partner Shayna Jack in Paris. This is their story.

The Australia and New Zealand teams pose for a picture after their match.

It was the hat-trick heard around the hockey world that heralded Joel Rintala’s arrival in Kookaburras colours.

In just his second international start, the 26 year old struck three goals in 21 minutes to sink New Zealand in Christchurch on Anzac Day and announce himself as a bolter for the 2024 Olympics.

Two and a half thousand kilometres away in Brisbane, his girlfriend, swimming superstar Shayna Jack, was hard at work training to realise her own Olympic dream.

“(Our anniversary) was Tuesday; Anzac Day. Seven years with Shayna,” Rintala revealed.

“She’s back at training, back home in Brissy. She couldn’t get over (to watch).”

Shayna Jack Joel Rintala with their dogs Hugo and Willa. Picture: David Kelly

Rintala was poolside for Jack’s long-awaited swimming return last year and will no doubt be there if and when she swims for gold in Paris.

But now, after his incredible breakout performance against the Black Sticks, the Kookaburras forward can start drawing up his own Olympic dream.

One game does not a Paris berth make, but it was a fine outing for a player who only 12 months ago was battling a debilitating injury, wondering if and when his time would ever come.

“I had (a) bone stress (injury) in my left shin,” Rintala revealed.

“I had it at the start of (last) year and I rehabbed it, went over to Perth for six weeks and got it again when I went back to Brissy. But I’m fully fit now and ready to go.

After breaking into the Kookaburras squad last year, the Queenslander was finally rewarded for his efforts with a place in the team for the FIH Pro League miniseries against Great Britain and New Zealand in Christchurch this week.

“It’s been a bit of a long slog to get here,” Rintala said.

“I just kept going and always saw the light at the end of the tunnel. I just kept putting in the (hard) yards.

“Coming off a lot of injuries last year to then carry into this year and make my debut in Christchurch is pretty special.”

Rintala starred against New Zealand. Picture: Simon Watts/www.bwmedia.co.nz

And he might be joining his girlfriend Jack in Paris. Picture: Tertius Pickard/AFP

A man who knows Rintala better than most is fellow Queenslander, Daniel Beale.

The midfielder had front-row seats to the first-half hat-trick that helped the Kookaburras snap a two-game FIH Pro League losing streak.

“He’s worked extremely hard and been through some adversity to find his way into this squad,” Beale said.

“He’s done all the right things, gotten his body right and he just brings a freshness and excitement (to the team). He’s a bit raw but sometimes we don’t mind that in our strikers.

“He’s obviously a world-class drag flicker and he’s been given the opportunity (in Christchurch) because we don’t have Jeremy Hayward and Blake Govers, who are generally our go-to guys from the top of the circle.”

A rematch with Great Britain beckons on Saturday, before the Kookaburras close out the miniseries with another clash against New Zealand the following day.

Team GB came from behind to pip Australia 2-1 last Sunday.

“I felt like we had enough chances to score (against Great Britain) and I think we still have some tidying up to do from the New Zealand game,” Beale said.

“We’re creating enough chances, we just need to find a way to convert more of those chances and I think we’ll be all right.”

If Rintala can put himself on the end of said chances a few more times before the Christchurch tour concludes, it would go a long way to keeping him in the mix for the Olympic qualifiers later this year.

“Any opportunity that comes along you have to take it with both hands,” he said.

“Right now I’m just trying to enjoy my hockey.”

FIH Pro: Kookaburras and Hockeyroos defeat Kiwis

A first-half hat-trick from Joel Rintala propelled the Kookaburras to a comfortable 3-0 FIH Pro League victory over New Zealand in Christchurch on Tuesday.

In just his second international cap for Australia, the Queenslander struck home from a penalty corner in the second minute and repeated the dose twice more before the main break to blow the trans-Tasman clash wide open.

The visitors had a host of chances to extend the lead when New Zealand went down to nine men in the final six minutes, including a shot that rattled the frame of the goal, but were unable to add to Rintala’s tally.

It marked a 12th-straight win for the Kookaburras over the Black Sticks and 30 matches since New Zealand last tasted victory against Australia, dating back to November 2016.

The Kookaburras extended their winning streak over New Zealand.

The Kookaburras entered the clash on a two-game losing streak and needed to fire against the Kiwis, with both sides languishing near the bottom of the FIH Pro League standings.

Asked what he thought the difference between the two sides was, player of the match Rintala joked: “The goals on the scoreboard, I think.”

“It’s pretty pleasing to get the job done and score a few in the first few games (for the Kookaburras),” he added.

Next up is a rematch with Great Britain on Sunday.

The Kookaburras will be eager to exact revenge after surrendering an early lead in a 2-1 defeat to Team GB last weekend.

Earlier, the Hockeyroos survived an almighty scare to see-off New Zealand 2-1 courtesy of a late strike from young gun Abigail Wilson.

HT | It was the Joel Rintala show in Christchurch, the rookie with a magnificent first half hat-trick in just his second game.

LIVE now on FOX Sports 506 & Kayo.
🇳🇿0-3🇦🇺 #NZLvAUS#FIHProLeague#AnzacDay2023pic.twitter.com/mrg6qCnOgX

— Kookaburras (@Kookaburras) April 25, 2023

The Kiwis took an unlikely early lead when Olivia Shannon deflected a penalty corner past Hockeyroos ‘keeper Jocelyn Bartram inside six minutes.

It was a goal against the run of play, with New Zealand otherwise struggling to break through a high Hockeyroos press.

Australia continued to dominate the scoring opportunities but were repeatedly repelled – Black Sticks ‘keeper Grace O’Hanlon twice turning away gilt-edged chances late in the second quarter.

The Hockeyroos struggled to crack a resolute Kiwi defence until Maddison Brooks made the breakthrough in the 48th minute.

An honour and a privilege to be able to play on #AnzacDay against our trans Tasman rivals.

It’s a sellout in Christchurch. #NZLvAUS LIVE now on FOX Sports 506 & Kayo. #FIHProLeaguepic.twitter.com/tXqOHsoVe4

— Hockeyroos (@Hockeyroos) April 25, 2023

With the scores locked at 1-1, Wilson – in just her ninth national cap – bobbed up to turn home from close range and put Australia ahead for the first time inside the final three minutes.

“The two girls who got the goals are new (to the team) and that’s just amazing to see the potential that we have – and we have so much more to give,” player of the match Hannah Cullum-Sanders said.

“I think our press … our aggression, especially when we play New Zealand, we want to give it our best shot and we just went forward with aggression and that’s what worked for us.”

The win keeps the Hockeyroos in second on the points table, five points behind Argentina, ahead of Friday’s clash with Great Britain.

KOOKABURRAS v BLACK STICKS MEN

Australia 3 (J. Rintala 2’, 21’, 23’ PC) def. New Zealand 0

HOCKEYROOS v BLACK STICKS WOMEN

Australia 2 (M. Brooks 48’ FG, A. Wilson 57’ FG) def. New Zealand 1

(O. Shannon 5’ PC)