Hockey Australia has put plans in place for the Northern Hockey Centre at St Leonards to host Test hockey for the first time in 2019 as a part of a circuit of the proposed new Global Hockey League.

Chief executive Cam Vale has penciled in a men’s Kookaburras and women’s Hockeyroos double-header for the historic occasion.

Dwyer, who played Tests on six continents and in every Australian capital city, has commended the latest development to spread the game further.

“I think it’s such a really awesome idea – so, I would definitely do it if I was in Cam Vale’s shoes,” he said.

“But I would, but not just in Tasmania. We last played in Hobart in 2015 and we definitely then should have gone up to Launceston for one or two games.”

Only a congested men and women’s Australian schedule for the next two years prevented Hockey Australia considering Launceston for a Test venue sooner.

Dwyer, a record five-time world player of the year, believed Launceston could open the gateway for hockey hot spots such as Geelong, Wollongong, Rockhampton, Townsville and Bunbury to hold more international fixtures in the future.

“Really, it should be all about spreading the game,” Dwyer said.

“I think it would be great if there was a game in Launceston – or two or three, really.

“Just to play a quality game there would be great for the city.

“To be honest, I think this is what we should have been doing for a number of years now because I can say the players actually really love it.”

Dwyer said the game’s ethos was not driven by the commercial factors, adding that Test hockey in regional centres could be the point of difference from rival sports.

The Rockhampton product that was capped 326 times for his country could recall the rare occasions when the Kookaburras played out of the cities, including on one occasion in his hometown. 

“I remember playing in Rockhampton in 2006 against Korea and we had over 5000 people watch that Test,” Dwyer said.

“They were loud and it was such a great feeling.

“It was quite amazing for the players.

“You see from the fans how much they enjoy it and they really think it’s special.

“Whereas when you go to the big cities like Sydney and Melbourne, who have Test match cricket, AFL and NRL like every week, they’re sort of spoilt for choice.”

Dwyer said he will talk up Launceston to Hockey Australia to push the issue further on his return from coaching clinics at the Northern Hockey Centre on Thursday and Friday.

The 37-year-old whose swansong ended at last year’s Rio Olympics will mentor players aged from eight years and above.