‘Childhood dream’: Townsville hockey star Mitch Nicholson debus for Kookaburras

Townsville’s Mitch Nicholson made his national debut for Australia’s hockey team last week, completing a childhood dream 23 years in the making. Find out more about his whirlwind week.

Townsville junior Mitch Nicholson (holding pin) with Queensland players Corey Weyer, Tim Howard, and Jayden Atkinson. Picture: Andrew Wiseman (Instagram: @wisemansport).

Townsville’s Mitch Nicholson made his national debut for Australia’s hockey team last week, completing a childhood dream 23 years in the making.

The 27-year-old Brisbane Blaze goalkeeper became Kookaburra No.448 last Wednesday in a 2-1 defeat to Spain before toppling reigning Olympic champions the Netherlands 4-2 in just his second appearance.

Nicholson said it was a dream come true to run out for his country.

“It was probably the most fun I’ve had on a tour. I didn’t really know what to expect going into it, but I was really, really excited to make my debut for the Kookaburras,” Nicholson said.

“It’s everything I’ve been working for ever since I started playing when I was four.

Townsville junior Mitch Nicholson made his national debut for the Kookaburras against Spain. Pictured being presented his player pin by Max Diamond also a Townsville junior and Kookaburra No. 310. Picture: Townsville Hockey Association Facebook

“I’ve put in a lot of work now to finally make my debut when I’m 27, going up against nations like Spain and the Netherlands – the Dutch just won the Olympics and Spain came fourth.

“So some really, really tough competitors and nations to go up against for my debut, but I was just going out there to just play and live my childhood dream to play for the Kookaburras.

“It was a surreal feeling. I loved it, and hopefully I get more opportunities to play.”

Spain’s Marc Reyna (R) dodges Australia’s goalkeeper Mitch Nicholson to score a goal during a shootout in the men's field hockey match between Australia and Spain in the FIH Hockey Pro League in Sydney on February 8, 2025. (Photo by Saeed KHAN / AFP)

The Kookaburras finished the Sydney mini-series with two draws that ended in shootout defeat, with Nicholson suiting up for the shootout against Spain.

The Townsville Brothers junior – who also spent time playing for Parks – wasn’t always a goalkeeper.

He first pulled on the pads as a tiny 10-year-old, joining Townsville’s under-13s representative side in a grand final-winning state championships campaign.

Nicholson is now vying with NSW goalkeeper Ash Thomas to be named Australia’s second-choice goalkeeper when the 2025 Kookaburras squad is named in early March.

Spain’s Pepe Cunill (R) dodges Australia’s goalkeeper Mitch Nicholson to score a goal during a shootout in the men's field hockey match between Australia and Spain in the FIH Hockey Pro League in Sydney on February 8, 2025. (Photo by Saeed KHAN / AFP)

Townsville’s Joel Rintala was unavailable for selection due to a stress fracture in his shin.

Nicholson will be 34 when the Olympics come to Brisbane in 2032 and he said playing on the greatest stage of all on home soil would be as good as it gets.

“That would be unreal. If you could play in front of your friends and family, at home in Brisbane at the Olympics, that would probably be the best thing you could do,” Nicholson said.

“It’s one thing to play in front of them, but the Olympics is the pinnacle for hockey and words couldn’t describe what I’d feel if I was given the opportunity to do that.”

Townsville punches well above its weight on the hockey field, producing some of Australia’s best players of the last few decades including Hockeyroos champion Steph Kershaw.

Mitch Nicholson, Elliot Dale and Joel Rintala. Picture: Supplied.

Nicholson said the extra barriers to success regional athletes face meant the players who do make it are going to be strong, tough and resilient.

“Regional players have to face a lot of adversity, and they have to have some sort of resilience to pursue hockey,” he said.

“Everything seems to be a lot further away down in South East Queensland for you to succeed. There’s a lot of travel involved and a lot of money and sacrifice that you have to go through in order to make it with hockey.

“I think people coming from regional centres have that extra bit of resilience and can push through a lot of adversity before breaking, which creates a lot of good players.”

Kookaburras coach Mark Hager said settling on his final squad for 2025 would be a difficult task.

“Picking the final seven players for our squad was always going to be tough. The ones that were here in Sydney showed they are capable of playing at this level,” Hager said.

Originally published as ‘Childhood dream’: Townsville hockey star Mitch Nicholson debus for Kookaburras