The Chronicle

Kookas and Roos overhaul line-ups

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The Kookaburra­s have made seven line-up changes, while injury and form have prompted five for the Hockeyroos for their Pro League clashes against Great Britain in Perth today.

After a 4-2 win over Germany in Hobart, the world No.2 Kookaburra­s face the seventhran­ked and unbeaten Brits.

A player rotation policy means Daniel Beale, Tom Craig, Aaron Kleinschmi­dt, Trent Mitton, Josh Simmonds, Matthew Swann and Corey Weyer have been included.

Josh Beltz, Blake Govers, Jack Hayes, Tim Howard, Lachlan Sharp, Jack Welch and Dylan Wotherspoo­n make way.

“We always viewed the start of the FIH Pro League as about finding out about our players and their formt,” coach Colin Batch said.

“We had six changes from the team for Melbourne to Hobart.”

West Australian Aran Zalewski will be the sole skipper for the first time since joining Eddie Ockenden as co-captain.

The Hockeyroos take on the Rio Olympic champions without injured defenders Jodie Kenny and Madison Fitzpatric­k.

Georgina Morgan returns, along with Jocelyn Bartram, Kalindi Commerford and Penny Squibb, with Kristina Bates, Hayley Padget and Ashlee Wells making way.

The Pro League is the biggest shake-up to the internatio­nal hockey calendar in more than a decade, with a weekly home-and-away format instead of the centralise­d tournament­s that have traditiona­lly dominated fixture lists.

Nine women’s and eight men’s teams play each other at home and away, before the top four nations assemble in Holland in June for the finals.

 ?? Photo: Getty ?? LEADERSHIP DUTIES: Australia’s Aran Zalewski.
Photo: Getty LEADERSHIP DUTIES: Australia’s Aran Zalewski.

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