RISING HOCKEY HEROES
Meet young talents to watch in 2024
It’s been a huge year of hockey for Queensland’s youngest brigade.
From national and state representatives to top talent at our grassroots clubs, the next batch of potential Olympians are playing on fields in every area.
Read on to learn more about the Gold Coast’s best up and coming hockey players, and scan the code to reveal the best from across Queensland.
WILL POWELL
Age: 17
Club: Hockey Burleigh Position: Midfielder Comment: Will has been an up and coming talent and a name to watch out for in the past couple of years. Following great success at club level, Will has been selected in the U21’s QLD team in 2023 that finished 3rd at the National Championships, also captained the QLD u18’s Boys team in 2023 and was added to the QLD Blaze Squad too. Only being so young, he is so talented and boasts the team in an instance.
TAMMIN AND TYLAH ANDREWS
Club: Hockey Burleigh Tammin made her debut into the u18’s Queensland team in 2022 after a solid year.
She was named in the U16’s school Girls QLD team and from there was named in the All Australian U16’s Schools Merit team.
Tylah followed her sister’s footsteps getting named in the U16’s Qld Schools Girls team this year along with also being named in the Australian school girls Merit team.
Both girls also were named in the Under 18’s Girls team this year (2023) and from that Tournament Tammin was named in the Futures Squad. Their most recent accolade sees both Tammin and Tylah achieving a remarkable milestone as they were selected for the U17’s All Australian Hockey team.
Currently, the duo is proudly representing their country in Kuala Lumpur, marking their debut on the international stage, showcasing their talents and dedication to the sport.
ASTON MERRELL
Age: 16
Club: Labrador Position: Defender
Aston is a formidable defender with an eye for reading play combined with a game changing drag flick.
After representing Queensland in both the U16 School Boys Championships and U18’s State Champs he is off to Malaysia to represent Australia in the U17 Mirnawan Cup.
JENSON MERRELL
Age: 13
Club: Labrador Position: Goal Keeper Jenson is a fearless keeper having represented Qld four times in the last two years. In 2023 he made his Div 1 Local debut facing some of the Gold Coasts toughest players and holding his own with confidence.
AURORA KOVACEVICH (RORY)
Age: 15
Club: Labrador Hockey Club Position: Striker
Aurora is a fast and agile striker with a penchant for scoring goals.
2023 has been a great year for her with selections in Queensland teams for both u16 Schoolgirls and u16 Hockey Queensland squad for 2024. She won a gold medal with the Hockey Queensland u15 team at the National Championships in Darwin in April. Her
year was topped off with being named player of the tournament for the u16 National Schoolgirls and earning a selection in the u16 All Australian Team. She plays locally for Labrador Hockey club in Division 1 and u18 girls where she topped the competition for juniors with a haul of 66 goals.
DANIEL EVANS
Age: 15 years
Club: Labrador Hockey Club Position: Striker
Daniel is a talented striker with incredible game skills and advanced analytic thinking. He has been very successful on both a club and national level and was recently awarded 2023 Gold Coast ‘Under 15’s Male player of the year’. Daniel has represented
Queensland on a national level for both indoor and field hockey since 2019 and this year was part of the Under 15’s Queensland team who won the Australian National Championships. Daniel played an integral part of playing striker for Queensland as a result he claimed highest field goal scorer in Australia.
He has an exciting future ahead with Gold Coast Hockey.
IVY MATTHEWS
Age: 18
Club: Hockey Burleigh Position: Goalkeeper Comment: Ivy is a talented goalkeeper who at the age of 16, became the Division 1 Women’s goalkeeper for the club.
She can make a mark on the game from the get go and always leads from the back. With these skills, Ivy has also been named in the Queensland U21’s team that came 2nd in 2023, and won the U18’s National Competition in 2022. Since then Ivy was also elevated to the Queensland Blaze Squad at the age of 18 is a huge and proud achievement. Ivy is an outstanding talent with huge success in the future.
CAMRYN MATHISON
Age: 17
Club: Hockey Burleigh Position: Midfielder Comment: Camryn has had one of the best years of her young hockey career.
At the age of 17, she was selected in the U21’s Queensland side that finished 2nd in 2023, won the U18’s National Tournament where she was named Player of the Tournament, she was then named in the U21’s Jillaroos side, and has also made her debut in the Queensland Blaze side in the HockeyOne competition.
With extraordinary skills and talent, Camryn is a superstar on the rise and a name to watch out for.