North-West Grads team to beat
ALL six Premier League men’s hockey captains have predicted OHA, North-West Graduates and University to make the top four when asked to pick which clubs other than their own will reach the finals. Five have tipped Graduates to make the grand final.
The skippers were unanimous in nominating University goalkeeper Jayden Pearson as the standout shot stopper in the competition but were split when selecting the Premier League’s player of the year.
OHA’s Oli Smith and University’s Ben Read both re- ceived two votes, while Gobind Gill (NWG), Sam McCulloch (Canterbury) and Kurt Mackey (OHA) were other selections. For most courageous player, Derwent’s Linden McCarthy and Torin Bester, University’s Will Mollross, Joe Scott and Ben Read, Canterbury’s Ian McHugh and DiamondBacks’ Richard Shelverton all polled one vote each.
OHA’s six-time leading goal scorer Sam McCambridge surprisingly received just one vote to claim another golden stick award, with North-West Graduates’ Jai Walker-Kidd and DiamondBacks’ Hayden Beltz each receiving two votes.
Defending champion OHA opens the Premier League season against a Derwent side fielding four debutants today at 1.30pm.
University and Canterbury face off at 3pm, while NorthWest Graduates take on DiamondBacks at 4.30pm.
The women’s opening round features the competition’s first Saturday night match under lights, with OHA taking on Derwent from 6pm.
The Ships welcome back Van Demons skipper Sarah McCambridge and former star Sofie McLeod, while Julia Gunn is set for a big year after recent selection in Hockey Australia’s Recognised Future Athletes squad.
DiamondBacks’ Phillida Bridley also has been picked in the 30-athlete squad but will have her work cut out to breach North-West Graduates’ defences when the teams meet at 3pm. Graduates are gunning for the three-peat and will unveil prized recruits Grace Calvert and Raeleigh Phillips, alongside returning midfielder Anne Woolford.
University meets Canterbury at 4.30pm in a replay of last year’s epic elimination final, in which Lions goalkeeper Kacee Ponting was the hero in a tense penalty shootout.