Eddie Ockenden calls time on his Kookaburras career

One of Australia’s greatest hockey players of all-time has announced his retirement after a stellar career. The Tasmanian legend reveals what’s next.

Eddie Ockenden has announced his retirement. Picture: Nikki Davis-Jones

Australian hockey champion Eddie Ockenden has brought an end to his stellar career.

The five-time Olympian’s retirement was confirmed in a statement from Hockey Australia on Thursday morning.

During his career he played 451 times for the Kookaburras.

He is now preparing to return to his hometown Hobart with his partner, Lou, and three kids.

“I’ve always wanted to move back to Tasmania and the kids are at a good age to move right now, they’re not too old and we just knew it was time to move home,” Eddie said.

“It feels like my whole career has gone by in a flash. There are so many great memories, with good friends and I just feel like I’ve been really lucky to be able to do what I love for so long.

“There’s always a lot of ups and downs in professional sport and when I reflect on my career it’s the overarching love for the sport which I realise is what kept me going.

“I learnt to love the difficult parts and to enjoy everything about it, including tough days at training, because it’s not all just winning. Success on the last game of the final day is rare and difficult to do.

“I just loved playing hockey and being a part of the Kookaburras, and I feel lucky I was able to do it at all really.”

Ockenden’s journey to wearing the green and gold started at the Tasmanian Institute of Sport when he was awarded a scholarship at age 13.

The 37-year-old revealed one of the keys to his long career was his ability to train without feeling too sore.

Remarkably, he said he never needed a sport massage.

“I tried it because everyone else was doing it in the Olympics or somewhere and they were saying ”it’s really good for your legs”, but I didn’t like it and I also wasn’t sore so I just thought to myself ‘Why am I doing this?’,” he recalled.

Ockenden was the Australian flag bearer for the Paris Olympics opening ceremony alongside earlier this year.

“There was a lot to like about 2024. I still can’t wrap my head around carrying the flag for Australia in Paris and at my fifth Olympic Games,” he said.

“Being able to represent the community and the sport that I love so much was a proud moment, even if unfortunately, it didn’t go well for us at the end of the Games.”