Decider honours shared
THE 2021 Premier League Hockey season came to a stunning conclusion at the Tasmanian Hockey Centre as OHA and Derwent each split the grand finals.
OHA claimed their 29th women’s title by going backto-back, with a 2-0 win over a luckless Derwent side with Ships defender Isabelle Kruimink crowned Player of the Final.
An early goal to Ships forward Eloise Crombie settled OHA’s nerves before the title was sealed by leading markswoman Julia Gunn at the death.
The midfield battle was full of non-stop attack and impressive elimination skills, with Amelia Spence and McCambridge leading the show with their blistering speed and aerobic capacity.
Derwent were ultimately left to rue failing to score from fourteen penalty corners, with OHA defenders Kruimink and goalkeeper Evie Dalton exceptional.
In the Men’s match, Derwent survived constant twists and turns to claim the premiership in a dramatic sudden death penalty shootout win.
Having led 2-0 at quarter time, the Strikers advantage evaporated to find themselves trailing 3-2 with seven minutes remaining.
Player of the Final Vaughn Bowen sent the match to penalties with an exceptional individual goal that ignited an electric crowd.
In the penalty shootout, both goalkeepers showed their class to take it deeper and set the stage for Derwent’s Josh Mardell to convert a winner.
Newly arrived Tasmanian Institute of Sport head hockey coach Tim Strapp was in attendance for the first time since taking up his new role and kickstarted celebrations that will continue long into the week.
Having been locked down in Melbourne since June, Strapp was keen to cast his eye over Tasmanian hockey’s elite competition and was impressed by what he saw both on and off the field.
“I thought the standard of both games was excellent and the atmosphere down at the ground with the crowd was amazing,” Strapp said.
“I thought the intensity of the men’s match was great and it was great to also see some high pressing and a good level of basic skill execution.”
“The girls final was end to end and very close, and I thought either team could have won that game.”
With the Premier League’s conclusion, the local hockey scene will wrap up next Saturday October 2 with the inaugural State Club Cup finals.
Both OHA and Derwent will return for more silverware, with the Ships women facing South Launceston Suns and the Strikers men facing Preliminary Finalists Canterbury to be crowned State Cup Champion.