Great results for our Premier League sides yesterday with both teams getting the points.
Our Premier League Men started the season with a solid performance over OHA winning 2-0 off the back of a massive preseason. Aiden Van Standen and Gobind Gill both getting result for hard work and consistency with a position in the leadership group alongside James Bourke for the 2019 season. With the both George Wilkinson and Robbie Chapman leaving the group for the mainland, we welcomed Aaron Jacobson back and competition superstar Lewis Short coming to the club to record his first victory in 2 seasons.
Aiden Van Standen and Julian Vittorio were both extremely solid from the back and seemed to be able to move the ball with freedom.
But the highlight of the game was a serious ‘goal of the year’ contender from Gobind Gill, who picked the ball up from the defensive 25 yard line and carried the ball with skill and pace through the midfield to score a ridiculous goal from the base line into the roof of the goals. Only to then be dragged by the coaching panel for shooting from a ‘no shoot zone’…
Ollie Arnold then continued his form from his 2018 Best and Fairest year to also score.
We didn’t capitalise on as many scoring opportunities but there is a lot of promising signs and exciting hockey ahead!
With the women it was a very new look team, with a host of 2018 Premiership players missing including Annie Scutt, Ruby Brothers, Raeleigh Phillips, Grace Calvert, Emily Divin, Anne Dunk, Camila Diaz Guzman and Sofi Viarengo, it left plenty of opportunity for a new look 2019 team.
In the 2018 Grand Final rematch we got over the line again with a composed 1-0 victory over OHA.
With some new inclusions including Meah Leary and Charlie Vandenberg and the return of legend striker Lottie Jago, the girls absorbed pressure throughout the entire game and lead by the experience of Loui Jacobson and Anne Woodford.
Young star Charlie Vandenberg scored in her first Premier League game off some great work from Maddy Rojahn to turn the ball over in our attacking circle.
Chloe Cooper has stepped up in the absence of some key players to show she is a player to watch for the future at half back. Clare Rojahn and Ash Aruther were both crucial in the midfield also.
We can’t wait to see what this team can produce this season! 4-peat?
A fascinating start to the 2019 Winc-Toshiba Premier League season yesterday, with Derwent, Canterbury, and North West Grads all recording perfect starts to their years across the Women's and Men's competitions.
There was a final quarter flourish of goals when Derwent Hockey Club fought from 1-0 down to win 4-1 against DiamondBacks Hockey Club. It was a close contest for three quarters before Phillida Bridley broke the deadlock in the first minute of the final quarter, whipping in a well-struck tommahawk.
But the celebrations were short-lived, as the Strikers combined to slam home four unanswered goals in the final 15 minutes to justify the pre-season hype. Superstar Molly Haas scored the equaliser from close range before Lauren Canning scored two solo goals in quick succession to stun the DiamondBacks. Sophie Rockefeller then completed the rout with a cool reverse-stick finish after getting on the end of a brilliant Jessica Tremayne circle entry.
Canterbury Hockey earned an impressive 3-0 victory over Tasmanian University Hockey Club to start their new era under new coach Sarah Birch. It was all even 0-0 at half time as both sides forced the opposing 'keepers to make strong saves, but it was the Lions who opened up the scoring in the second half with a rejuvenated Josie Crowden tucking away a predatory effort after strong approach play by Hannah Richardson.
Crowden then turned provider, of sorts, with a thumping initial shot drawing a fantastic leg save from Students' 'keeper Georgia Ferguson before the rebound fell to Sian Powderly for a simple tap-in. Powderly would then get her second of the match, getting a deflection on a Maddison Curtis chaos-cross to seal the three crucial early-season points.
In the Grand-Final replay it was a triumphant return to the Premier League of 2017 All-Star Madeleine Rojahn, winning a crucial turnover inside the circle and setting up youngster Charlotte Vandenberg to score on her Premier League debut to deliver North West Hobart Graduates Hockey Club an important 1-0 win over close rival O-H-A Hockey Club.
In the Men's competition Canterbury took three crucial premiership points off last year's beaten grand finalists University, the Bulldogs defeated defending premiers OHA, and Derwent thumped DiamondBacks.
