HOCKEY TASMANIA Online

More snow on the mountain to both delight and freeze the visitors.  Fortunately the new Clubrooms have magnificent viewing from the warmth of indoors. The teams continue to surprise us with a mixed bag of results today. Congratulations to winners today - Queensland, Victoria and South Australia.

Cold conditions didn’t deter players from warmer climates from playing great hockey with NT and QLD winners while the other two games being hard fought draws.

A cold blustery start to the day and some settling nerves saw patchy play in most games today but more importantly, also signs that the tournament will provide some great hockey over the next 11 days.  Congratulations to today’s victors Tasmania, WA & NSW.

The Kookaburras have claimed their ninth Champions Trophy title overnight, defeating Spain in convincing fashion during the final of hockey's last major tournament prior to the Beijing Olympics.

Kookaburras 4 Spain 1 (1-1 half time)
Goals - Aus Abbott 6m FG, Esp Ribas 13m PC, Aus Dwyer 52m PS, Aus Ockenden 60m FG, Aus Matheson 70m FG

After 140 minutes of hockey within six days, still nothing separates OHA and Canterbury in the Southern Women’s Hockey roster as both sides chase a top two finish and the all important finals double chance.

OHA and University made their positions in the top four more secure with impressive victories at the Tasmanian Hockey Centre yesterday.

Following selection trials, the initial Squad for the U15 Men's Team to compete in the Australian Championshgip to be held in Adelaide from 2 - 11 October 2008 was named.

Nominations are now being called for six (6) Selectors to attend the Australian Women’s Veterans Championship to be conducted in Brisbane, Qld. from 26th September – 4th October 2008.

The Under 15 Girls state squad was named today, at the conclusion of selections at the Hockey Tasmania annual Intrastate Series at the Tasmanian Hockey Centre in Hobart.

Day Three of the Hockey Tasmania Intrastate Series was played in very cold conditions but competition on the field was hot, in particular in the Under 15 girls competition. There was only one point difference between 1^st and 4^th placing at the end of the round robin matches, and the final between South Green and North West resulted in a 1-1 draw and a sharing of the trophy.

The Hockey Tasmania Intrastate Series continued today at the Tasmanian Hockey Centre, with wonderful weather conditions adding to a glorious day’s play. Round robin matches for under 13 boys and girls, and under 17 boys and girls were followed by finals in each age division. A feature of today’s competition was the strong display of umpiring from the panel of developing junior umpires, who are benefiting from receiving instruction from several of Tasmania’s senior umpires including Olympic umpire Minka Woolley.

The Kookaburras have selected a strong squad combining youth and experience for the upcoming Men's Champions Trophy tournament to be played in the Netherlands from June 21-29.

North West Graduates continued their strong recent form with a well deserved 2-2 draw against ladder leader Prince of Wales Wellington in the southern women’s hockey roster yesterday.