Hockey Australia boss Cam Vale has pencilled in the Northern Hockey Centre for a maiden berth to stage possibly both the men’s Kookaburras and women’s Hockeyroos national teams. 

“I’m really confident that Launceston and, Tasmania in general, will be a key part of our plans for the global league for 2019 onwards, but the planning will occur in 2017 and early 2018,” he said.

The International Hockey Federation plans to implement an historic first home-and-away competition for up to the top 10 playing nations. 

Launceston could well hold a back-to-back men’s and women’s double-header on the same day or Tests over split days of the weekend.

But Vale said broadcast considerations could also factor in the final schedule.

“The best opportunity to really take international hockey to Launceston is for us going to be through the Global League where we look for multiple venues,” he said.

Vale expects to announce playing dates and visiting teams in 12 to 18 months. But plans are the revolutionary league will be slotted from February to May each year.

“It’ll be fair to say trying to play in the warmer months for Launceston and possibly miss clashing with the football on face value would make sense,” Vale added.

Vale said a tight schedule during the next two years had prevented Launceston being considered even sooner, but expects “opportunities will open up” following hockey’s involvement in the 2018 Commonwealth Games.