Commonwealth Games 2022: Men’s Hockey final, Australia v India, start time, updates, scores

They are Australia’s heat-seeking missiles in Birmingham and the Kookaburras are armed and ready to defend an untouchable record with all-out attack.

Australia bashed, crashed and smashed their way into the gold medal match – but it hasn’t always been like this.

With 29 goals through their undefeated pool stage, and a gripping 3-2 win over England in Saturday’s semi-final, the Kookaburras have established themselves as not only one of the most feared teams on the planet – but the most exciting.

Australia have won men’s gold at every Commonwealth Games since hockey was introduced at Kuala Lumpur in 1998, a tradition they want to continue in Monday’s final (9.30pm AEST) against India.

Don’t be fooled, though. The Birmingham 2022 edition is a different beast.

Kookabura Jacob Anderson on one of Australia’s many attacking moves against England in the semi-final. Picture: Getty Images

To borrow a phrase from Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp, they are Heavy Metal Hockey.

Klopp coined the moniker Full Metal Football for his attack-minded Reds, who embraced the German gegenpress and turned it into an all-out offensive that demanded goals above all else.

“Just wave after wave after wave… If the first three doesn’t get it, the next three will and you just keep rolling around,” explains Kookaburras assistant, and mad Liverpool fan, Anthony Potter to News Corp.

Australia isn’t specifically inspired by Klopp, but their methodologies – including a vibrant, counter-attacking style that delivers an electric attacking style – remains true.

“It sounds similar to us. Heavy metal hockey? I like the sound of that,” Australia’s Jake Whetton, owner of two goals in this tournament, tells News Corp.

The commitment to holistic attacking approach isn’t something that has come spontaneously. It’s the product of a five-year strategy from the Kookaburras’ three-pronged coaching staff.

And while it is Potter who looks after the ‘with ball’ nature of their play, fellow assistant Rob Hammond’s focus is on what the Kookaburras do without the ball – specifically, how to get it back. And head coach Colin Batch who oversees everything, while writing up Plans A, B, C and D.

Australia’s three-pronged coaching staff has the team covered for what to do with the ball, how to get it back and plans A, B,C and D. Picture: Getty Images

And Potter can also see the similarities, pointing not only to Liverpool’s team-wide cultural buy-in, but their adaptability in addition to their dedication to playing attacking football.

“If you can’t defend, we can’t attack because we don’t have the ball. So we defend well,” Potter explains.

“What we’ve done over five years, we’ve developed many ways of playing. When we all started, we said, ‘this is our vision to be a great hockey team - what do you think?’ ‘Yeah, let’s do it.’

“So the next question from us to the group was, ‘well, we need to upskill you to play different ways’. And then there was silence because the players are thinking ‘but we’re ranked two in the world. We’re pretty good!’

“Well, no. Because we think you can be better. A lot better.

“Because (at the time) we played with a lot of power and a lot of passion, but you play one way. And we wanted to play five or six ways in the moment.”

It was on full display against England in a tense semi-final win, in which Australia fell behind 2-0 early only to recover to snatch the winner with just 10 minutes to play.

“We were fighting tooth and nail…we didn’t play our best but you can win ugly as well and that’s a good sign for us,” said striker Blake Govers.