Pitch-perfect season for star duo
A YEAR focused solely on her playing career has propelled Nicole Geeves to her second Premier League women’s best and fairest award.
The DiamondBacks defender stepped down in 2018 after breaking new ground as the club’s senior men’s coach and collected 33 votes to claim the award she first won in 2006.
Geeves trailed Canterbury’s Hannah Richardson after 17 rounds before receiving best afield honours against Canterbury and North West Graduates in the following rounds to finish three votes clear.
“I have had a consistent and uninterrupted season, which has allowed me to concentrate on my individual game, work on areas for improvement and enhance my strengths,” Geeves said.
“I feel that also not coaching this year at a Premier League men’s level as also assisted me in solely focusing my attentions on the team I play in.”
Geeves, 35, is also hoping to extend her Tasmanian representative career to achieve a major milestone with the Tassie Tigers women’s inaugural Hockey One campaign in October.
“Hockey One is progressing well. We are training hard and are developing our skill sets which is building connections with players who we might not be too familiar with. Hopefully I get selected to represent Tasmania and achieve playing 150 games in senior state hockey.”
In the men’s competition, Derwent midfielder Ewan Vickery equalled the record for the youngest men’s winner but has quickly turned his attention to winning this Saturday’s 4pm grand final against North West Graduates.
The 17-year-old received 23 votes, four clear of Canterbury’s Ian McHugh with North West Graduates’ James Bourke another vote further back.
“The continued support and encouragement from the rest of my team and coaches has been a good motivator to work hard at my hockey, take on the game more and make the transition from halfback to midfielder,” Vickery said.
“Hopes are high going into this weekend’s grand final and I believe if the hard work is there and all the boys put together another solid performance than it should be a good day.”
Saturday’s women’s Premier League grand final between Derwent and OHA begins at 2pm.