Friendly rivals’ ‘surreal’ clash

Hockey themercury.com.au

IT has been something of an unusual preparation as Derwent Premier League hockey players and teammates Josh Mardell and James Clifford prepared to face each other as opposition coaches.

Mardell is in charge of women’s Premier League leaders North-West Graduates, who face Derwent’s women’s side, coached by Clifford, from 1:15pm today.

“It’s a bit surreal really because I tackled him during training on Wednesday night, now I’ll be tackling him in a different sense on Saturday before we get around each other for our own game a few hours later,” Clifford said.

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Mardell says the pair are coy about their individual squad’s tactics and structures, but do talk about the women’s competition more generally.

The Graduates coach is sweating on the fitness of several players battling niggles and illness but feels his side’s recent form has been excellent.

“The girls know what they have to do to keep it up,” Mardell said. “Their workrate defensively and their mental preparation for the game have improved heaps.

“Once we get past this string of tough fixtures, then I will start to look ahead (to finals) but I don’t want to jump too far ahead in the season.”

Derwent welcomes back Jana van Bladeren to bolster its defence, after the Strikers led the shots-for and circle entries counts last week in a 3-0 loss to second-placed OHA.

“The girls were outstanding last week and just couldn’t buy themselves a goal, but we’ve done lots of attacking work at training and we’re ready to take our chances,” Clifford added.

OHA will be out to make it three wins on the trot when it faces bottom-side Canterbury from 2:45pm.

University, fresh off its first win of the season, against the Lions, last week, will not be without a hope of continuing its momentum if it can contain DiamondBacks’ Em Donovan and Philly Bridley from 4:15pm.