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211343
Wed, 10/05/2011 - 13:05
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https://www.oananews.org//node/211343
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Young Hockeyroos claim underdog tag
SYDNEY (AAP) - Oct 05 - An inexperienced Hockeyroos side is the underdog heading into the Oceania Cup against New Zealand, according to coach Adam Commens.
Australia take on New Zealand in the three-match series, which starts in Hobart on Thursday, their first meeting since the Kiwis' upset win at the Champions Trophy.
Fiji's withdrawal from the tournament means both are assured of a place at next year's Olympics, but Commens says the team will be out to avenge the loss, which pushed New Zealand's ranking to sixth in the world - one place ahead of the Hockeyroos.
"You don't like to be below the Kiwis in any sport, and certainly it's some sort of motivation, but we need to focus on the processes we put in place," Commens told AAP.
Commens said the Black Sticks winning the last two Oceania Cups should have them as favourites to win the tournament.
"We're ranked below them, so we probably have to be the underdogs," he said.
"But we're definitely confident of getting the victory over them. We've done enough work to ensure that we can."
The Hockeyroos' preliminary 19-woman squad includes four players aged 20 or younger, and Commens suggested he may blood a few more youngsters before the Olympics.
"It's difficult to say how much people will improve in the next 12 months, and a great example of that is (19-year-old) Emily Smith - she's making the team now, but at the start of the year she wouldn't have been in the top 30 or so players," he said.
"I think there might be any number of girls who could do that in the next 12 months."
Hockeyroos captain Madonna Blyth makes a welcome return to the team after overcoming a hamstring strain suffered several weeks ago.
In the Kookaburras' camp, coach Ric Charlesworth said he was making no promises about selection for the Olympics or the Champions Trophy later this year.
"We've still got half a dozen players who aren't fit - hopefully by the end of October they'll be ready," he said.
"There's a lot of competition for spots, so a good performance is going to be a key factor when we name the Olympic squad at the end of the year.
"There's 28 spots in the Olympic squad - how many of them are assured of a spot, really no one is. In the end, they've got to be playing well and fit."
The Kookaburras go into their clashes with New Zealand as overwhelming favourites, holding the No.1 ranking on the back of two Champions Trophies, a World Cup win and gold at the Commonwealth Games last year.
Four-time World Player of the Year Jamie Dwyer returns to a squad still missing star striker Des Abbott and Olympian Rob Hammond.
But Charlesworth said he was only focused on the players in the squad.
"That's just background noise, there's always going to be injuries," he said.
Oceania Cup Squads:
Kookaburras:
Nathan Burgers (QLD), Andrew Charter (ACT), Kiel Brown (WA), Fergus Kavanagh (WA), Matthew Swann (QLD), Brett Dancer (WA), Matthew Butturini (NSW), Chris Ciriello (VIC), Liam De Young (QLD), Mark Knowles (QLD), Eddie Ockenden (TAS), Simon Orchard (NSW), Jamie Dwyer (QLD), Mark Paterson (NSW), Glenn Simpson (VIC), Glenn Turner (ACT), Jason Wilson (QLD), Russell Ford (VIC), Kieran Govers (NSW).
Hockeyroos: Rachael Lynch (VIC), Toni Cronk (NSW), Anna Flanagan (ACT), Jodie Schulz (QLD), Kobie McGurk (WA), Jayde Taylor (WA), Kate Jenner (NSW), Stacia Joseph (VIC), Madonna Blyth (QLD), Fiona Boyce (WA), Holly Evans (SA), Megan Rivers (NSW), Casey Eastham (NSW), Kellie White (NSW), Georgia Nanscawen (VIC), Ashleigh Nelson (WA), Claire Messent (VIC), Jade Close (NSW), Emily Smith (NSW) (one to be omitted).
Australia take on New Zealand in the three-match series, which starts in Hobart on Thursday, their first meeting since the Kiwis' upset win at the Champions Trophy.
Fiji's withdrawal from the tournament means both are assured of a place at next year's Olympics, but Commens says the team will be out to avenge the loss, which pushed New Zealand's ranking to sixth in the world - one place ahead of the Hockeyroos.
"You don't like to be below the Kiwis in any sport, and certainly it's some sort of motivation, but we need to focus on the processes we put in place," Commens told AAP.
Commens said the Black Sticks winning the last two Oceania Cups should have them as favourites to win the tournament.
"We're ranked below them, so we probably have to be the underdogs," he said.
"But we're definitely confident of getting the victory over them. We've done enough work to ensure that we can."
The Hockeyroos' preliminary 19-woman squad includes four players aged 20 or younger, and Commens suggested he may blood a few more youngsters before the Olympics.
"It's difficult to say how much people will improve in the next 12 months, and a great example of that is (19-year-old) Emily Smith - she's making the team now, but at the start of the year she wouldn't have been in the top 30 or so players," he said.
"I think there might be any number of girls who could do that in the next 12 months."
Hockeyroos captain Madonna Blyth makes a welcome return to the team after overcoming a hamstring strain suffered several weeks ago.
In the Kookaburras' camp, coach Ric Charlesworth said he was making no promises about selection for the Olympics or the Champions Trophy later this year.
"We've still got half a dozen players who aren't fit - hopefully by the end of October they'll be ready," he said.
"There's a lot of competition for spots, so a good performance is going to be a key factor when we name the Olympic squad at the end of the year.
"There's 28 spots in the Olympic squad - how many of them are assured of a spot, really no one is. In the end, they've got to be playing well and fit."
The Kookaburras go into their clashes with New Zealand as overwhelming favourites, holding the No.1 ranking on the back of two Champions Trophies, a World Cup win and gold at the Commonwealth Games last year.
Four-time World Player of the Year Jamie Dwyer returns to a squad still missing star striker Des Abbott and Olympian Rob Hammond.
But Charlesworth said he was only focused on the players in the squad.
"That's just background noise, there's always going to be injuries," he said.
Oceania Cup Squads:
Kookaburras:
Nathan Burgers (QLD), Andrew Charter (ACT), Kiel Brown (WA), Fergus Kavanagh (WA), Matthew Swann (QLD), Brett Dancer (WA), Matthew Butturini (NSW), Chris Ciriello (VIC), Liam De Young (QLD), Mark Knowles (QLD), Eddie Ockenden (TAS), Simon Orchard (NSW), Jamie Dwyer (QLD), Mark Paterson (NSW), Glenn Simpson (VIC), Glenn Turner (ACT), Jason Wilson (QLD), Russell Ford (VIC), Kieran Govers (NSW).
Hockeyroos: Rachael Lynch (VIC), Toni Cronk (NSW), Anna Flanagan (ACT), Jodie Schulz (QLD), Kobie McGurk (WA), Jayde Taylor (WA), Kate Jenner (NSW), Stacia Joseph (VIC), Madonna Blyth (QLD), Fiona Boyce (WA), Holly Evans (SA), Megan Rivers (NSW), Casey Eastham (NSW), Kellie White (NSW), Georgia Nanscawen (VIC), Ashleigh Nelson (WA), Claire Messent (VIC), Jade Close (NSW), Emily Smith (NSW) (one to be omitted).
