Stix to take it to arch rivals
LABRADOR coach Darren Fowler is adamant his Tigerstix can reverse the result in their inaugural Memorial Cup despite going down to Easts by four goals the last time the two sides met in Round 7 of the Brisbane Hockey League.
The teams went head to head in a top of the table clash late last month with Labrador matching it with Easts until after half-time when defensive lapses saw the visitors surge.
“The intensity of Easts is up there,” said Fowler.
“We seem to manage it against other teams but Easts are the benchmark of the competition so we have to sustain our effort for the whole game.
“We competed really well last time but then mentally gave it up in the third quarter and they got three or so goals.”
Fowler said that the Tigerstix would try to limit the influence of Easts playmaker and former Australian captain Mark Knowles.
“He’s too good a player to shut down,” Fowler said.
If the Tigerstix are to defeat the ladder leaders tomorrow afternoon, they will have to do it without a number of star players.
Olympians Dylan Wotherspoon, Adam Imer and Brent Livermore will all be missing along with captain Joe Reardon and emerging star Will Mathison, on tour in Europe with the Australian schoolboys side.
Brad Hughes will play his second game back after returning from Scotland while Joey Sandor returns from injury.
“We could use it as an excuse and say we’ve got lots of players out but we’re not going to do that,” said Fowler.
“Hughes is a good edition to the squad and Sandor is another striker we get back so he’ll help our firepower.”
Labrador and Easts will go head to head tomorrow at 3.45pm at the State Hockey Centre in Brisbane.
In the Gold Coast Division 1 hockey league, Capri tomorrow will play Labrador, Kingscliff take on Burleigh and Mudgeeraba face off against the Roosters.