Tassie’s king Kookaburra

EDDIE HITS 300 MARK

TASMANIAN hockey star Eddie Ockenden will join a select club tomorrow when he becomes just the sixth man to notch 300 games for Australia’s national team, the Kookaburras.

The 30-year-old from Hobart will reach the milestone when he runs out for the men’s World League final match against Germany in India.

TASMANIAN hockey star Eddie Ockenden will join a select club tomorrow when he becomes only the sixth man to play 300 games for the national team, the Kookaburras.

The 30-year-old from Hobart will reach the milestone when he runs out for the men’s World League final match against Germany in India.

Ockenden will put his name alongside legends of Australian men’s hockey in Jamie Dwyer, Brent Livermore, Mark Knowles, Jay Stacy and Liam De Young in the 300-game club.

And he will be the first Tasmanian to reach the milestone.

“I’m very proud to represent Tasmania,” Ockenden said.

“Being the first Tasmanian to reach 300 games is pretty cool.

“We’ve had a really long his- tory with the Kookaburras and the Hockeyroos, so I’m proud to be Tasmanian and to represent the state and continue our proud hockey tradition.”

He made his senior debut for Australia in June 2006 against South Korea at the Sultan Azlan Shah Cup in Malaysia as a 19-year-old.

He now has two Olympic bronze medals, a Commonwealth gold medal, two World Cups and two Champions trophies to his name.

“When you’re young on debut I never thought I’d reach 10, 20, 100 or 300 games,” Ockenden said.

“It hasn’t been quick but it seems like it’s gone quickly.”

Ockenden said TIS mentor Andrew McDonald was a key influence over his journey.

Now 30, he said he had no plans to retire, but O’Dwyer’s record of 365 games was not in his sights