Graduates top the tipping
NORTH- WEST Graduates are the pundits’ tip to celebrate their 70th anniversary season in perfect style by claiming the men’s Premier League grand final against defending champions OHA this afternoon.
Six out of eight local hockey players interviewed selected Graduates to press on from their minor premiership to lift the silverware, with Canter- bury defender Ian McHugh most confident, predicting a three-goal win.
University goalkeeper Jayden Pearson (3-1), DiamondBacks Jack Welch (3-2), Derwent’s Angus Boulton (4-2) and Australian Masters goalkeeper Peter Gaggin all sided with the Bulldogs.
The tipsters cited Graduates’ well-rounded team and the fact that they arrived in September with lots of in-form players as key factors in their decision.
University coach Paul Ancher masterminded his side’s 5-1 defeat of Graduates a month ago but believes they have all the tools to win.
“North-West win it 4-2 for me with James Bourke to be best on. They’ve simply been the best team all year and deserve to be the frontrunner,” Ancher said. “The key will be how they deal with OHA’s pressure because if there’s one weakness to North-West, it’s that they can get pretty sloppy under pressure.”
DiamondBacks and Kookaburras defender Josh Beltz (3-2) and University skipper Ben Read (4-2) backed OHA but neither would be surprised to see Graduates take the title.
“I think OHA’s experience in big games over the past few years will help them get over the line but if North-West score early it could other way,” Beltz said.
Read added: “With Jeremy Edwards back in midfield, it will take the absolute best that North-West have got in order for them to get over the line. In saying that, if Jai Walker-Kidd can find his range from penalty corners, it will make for an interesting and most likely highscoring contest.”
While Graduates enjoyed a week off and a healthy squad, go the OHA lost striker David Woolford in the semi-final and set piece specialist Toby West is trying to regain fitness from a hamstring injury.
It shapes as a fiery encounter, with the state’s two largest clubs sure to pack the Tasmanian Hockey Centre.
The men’s First Grade grand final between Graduates and Derwent starts at noon, with the men’s Premier League grand final at 4pm.