Another milestone for Eddie

EDDIE Ockenden will break the Australian record for most inter-national games played when he takes the field against Olympic champions Argentina in Perth tonight.

The 32-year-old Kookaburras co-captain equalled the 365-game record of Australian hockey legend Jamie Dwyer last night, but will eclipse that mark and send the record into new territory from 9.30pm.

The North-West Graduates Hockey Club product grew up in Moonah before his Kookaburras debut as a 19-year-old in June 2006. His now 14-year international career has him on course to attend his fourth Olympics later this year, to go with two World Cup winning teams and three Commonwealth gold medal winning teams among other major tournament successes.

Former national teammates have been quick to toast Ockenden ahead of the record describing him with terms such as “GOAT” and “star”. “He’s a star. He … must be considered when talking about the greatest of all time,” says former Kookaburras teammate Simon Orchard. “He’s one of the only guys I played with who could win a game off his own stick.”

Former Kookaburras defender and fellow Tassie Tigers teammate Tim Deavin says he’s so proud of Ockenden’s milestone, for he’s not been a person that has let his success change him.

“Ed is the greatest of all time [GOAT]. He has won the AHL best and fairest more times than I’ve had Sultana Bran, the most successful Tigers captain we’ve had, dominated in World Cup and Olympic medal game,” Deavin said.

The match will be telecast live on KayoSports.