Everything you need to know about the 2024 Hockey Premier League
From all the keys in and outs to your club’s rising stars, here’s everything you need to know about the 2024 Hockey Tasmania Women’s Premier League season.
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Last year’s women’s Premier League hockey top three have all recruited new coaches, culminating in a line-up that reads as a ‘who’s who’ of Tasmanian hockey royalty and ensures all three clubs enter the new season harbouring title aspirations.
Tassie Tigers men’s coach Stephen McMullen inherits a star-studded North-West Graduates squad seeking to defend last year’s premiership.
An outstanding performance from Louisa Jacobson helped guide Graduates to an emphatic 4-2 defeat of DiamondBacks on grand final day and the return of Emily Newbold (nee Lawson) will make them even more difficult to score against.
Newbold was an integral part of Graduates back-to-back title wins in 2016 and 2017, including being crowned the Premier League’s best and fairest in 2016 alongside Hannah Richardson.
Not to be outdone, runners-up DiamondBacks have re-signed former Hockeyroo Vanessa McDonald as coach and veteran defender Nicole Geeves, the last remaining player from their 2004 premiership side.
The Maroons will hope they can end a two decade wait and provide star Emily Donovan will a fitting send off, but much will still rely on star Philly Bridley’s goal scoring returns.
OHA have similarly pulled off a coup, with former Van Demons stars Susan Brooks and Sofie McLeod guiding a reshaped Ships squad, supported by 2021 Premier League leading goal scorer Julia Gunn’s return.
University looks to have taken a big stride forward, with last year’s successful import pairing of Belen D’Esposito and Pipi Martos joined by fellow Argentinians Nai Moreno and Martina Estevez.
After tasting Cup success last month, the Students have the firepower to put any side to the sword, as well as a glut of rapidly developing young talent hungry for more success.
Canterbury and Derwent continue their rebuilds with healthy squad numbers developing their craft and will be eager to clinch some early points to set up their campaigns.
With the season commencing with a split first round across Thursday, Friday and Saturday, Adam Clifford takes a closer look at the squad’s and gazes into his crystal ball to predict where each side will finish.
North-West Graduates
Last season: Premiers
Coach: Stephen McMullen
Key ins: Emily Newbold, Beth Dobbie, Maddy Rojan, Maddy Windsor, Wavey van Dorsselar
Key outs: Nil
Rising star: Lucy McMullen
Club says: “We’re excited to introduce some new styles and processes to the group that has an already solid defence bolstered by Newbold, while the inclusion of Beth Dobbie provides an exciting combination forward with Calvert, Arthur and Crowden.”
Mercury says: Survived a mid-season change in coach and ended a long-term finals drought to claim an emphatic grand final victory. Their list of astute recruits means they’ll again be the measuring stick.
Predicted finish: Premiers
OHA
Last season: Third
Coaches: Susan Brooks, Sofie McLeod
Key ins: Nellie Paynter, Julia Gunn, Julia Reid, Millie Smith
Key outs: Georgina Knapek, Maddi Brooks
Rising star: Millie Smith
Club says: “We have a great mix of youth and experience in the squad, with the experience of our returnees combined with the dynamic play of our young under-21 state representatives make us a force this year.”
Mercury says: Alongside University, they appear to have won the off-season and are well placed under the tutelage of two Tasmanian hockey legends to return as legitimate flag contenders. Taylor Brooks looms as a potential player of the season, out of the shadows of twin sister Maddi.
Predicted finish: Second
University
Last season: Fifth
Coaches: Rod Clifford, Warren Clarke
Key ins: Nai Moreno, Meah Leary, Martina Estevez
Key outs: Grace Irwin
Rising star: Phoebe Sproule
Club says: “The addition of quality recruits Nai Moreno and Meah Leary, combined with the impressive development of our young playing cohort, sees University enter the season with high expectation and great excitement.”
Mercury says: The State Club Cup winners ended a 40-year wait for silverware and with their combination of youth and star power, expect the ‘Stuies’ to drive towards not just qualifying for finals, but taking a scalp. Moreno looks a striker with an unbelievable ability to score from anywhere.
Predicted finish: Third
DiamondBacks
Last season: Second
Coach: Vanessa McDonald
Key ins: Java Vickery, Kara Gill
Key outs: Josie Short
Rising star: Stella Pritchard
Club says: “It’s been a solid pre-season where everyone has been working hard, so we’re looking forward to the season starting.”
Mercury says: Experienced pair Vanessa McDonald and Nicole Geeves return to the fold to boost the pre-grand final favourites from last year, but they’ll need to convert at a better rate than their rivals from penalty corners to go one better in September.
Predicted finish: Fourth
Canterbury
Last season: Fourth
Coach: Tom Beard, Blair Beard
Key ins: Alice Maddock, Evelien Graven, Maisy Sansom, Romani Kenworthy, Sadie Rogers
Key outs: Blair Beard, Zayna Jackson, Claire Van Breda
Rising star: Alice Maddock
Club says: “We’ve worked hard through the off-season to improve as a whole squad. We have also welcomed in some exciting young players who will bolster our line-up.”
Mercury says: Successfully return to finals action in 2023 with a consistent run of performances and will be a difficult proposition on any given week. The loss of Beard places much on the shoulders of Jemma Kenworthy to create from defence and convert set piece chances.
Predicted finish: Fifth
Derwent
Coach: Dale Punshon
Last season: Sixth
Key ins: Olivia Canning, Jessie Pankiw
Key outs: Lou Maddock, Beth Dobbie, Nat Bester, Maddy Windsor, Janelle Featherstone, Emily Rockefeller
Rising star: Emma O’Grady
Club says: “After an arduous 2023 we are looking for overall improvement. With the additions of Jessie Pankiw and Olivia Canning our squad gains experience after our departures. The squad is young, but it’s exciting to be involved.”
Mercury says: A mass exodus means Derwent will be competing for positive signs of improvement, as opposed to results often in season 2024, as they forge a new identity with their rebuild.
Predicted finish: Sixth
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