Cyclone postpones Malone’s big night
THE remnants of Cyclone Joyce put a dampener on the Australian Hockeyroos debut of Gold Coast teenager Rosie Malone on Monday night.
The 19-year-old from Molendinar was named for the Hockeyroos in the first of five internationals against Spain in Perth but had the rug pulled from underneath her when the game was called off because of torrential rain.
The cancellation only served to delay Malone’s Aussie debut by 24 hours because she was due to run out with the Hockeyroos for the first time last night (Perth time).
“As much as I would have loved to have played it would have been a very crappy game in that weather anyway,” was how Malone described the postponement of her debut.
Malone was due to play two games for the Hockeyroos and is hoping she will be given another run because the opening international was likely to be rescheduled to next week.
“I’m flying home on Monday so I think they may play me in the Thursday match or on Saturday,” she said.
The diminutive forward – she stands at 158cm tall – said as much as she was rapt to have been called up for her Hockeyroos debut, the “moment” did not really kick in until Monday afternoon as the game neared.
“I was definitely excited, like saying to myself ‘this is my moment, something I’ve worked pretty hard for and now to be able to say I am a Hockeyroo is something very special’.”
There was no rest for the wicked, though.
When the international was called off the Spaniards headed back to their hotel. Not so for the Aussies, they were put through a decent conditioning drill out in the rain.
Border product Savannah Fitzpatrick, from Cabarita, was also due to have played on Monday night.