A hat-trick from Queechy’s Kieron Arthur wasn’t enough to secure victory for the Tasmanian Tigers in their opening match of this year’s Australian Hockey League.
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The penalty corner specialist converted strokes in the 12th, 45th and 48th minutes to put the Tigers ahead and then pull them back level after Dylan Wotherspoon and a Joel Rintala double had put Queensland in control.
However, just two minutes after Arthur completed his hat-trick, Robert Bell struck the winner to secure the points for a Queensland side coached by Tasmanian Olympic gold medallist Matthew Wells.
Coached by Glenn Freeman with assistance from Tasmanian Institute of Sport coach Andrew McDonald, the Tigers are seeking to repeat their historic maiden triumph of 2014.
They are captained by four-time player of the tournament and triple Olympian Eddie Ockenden with West Australian Tristan Clemons in goal while Kookaburras Joshua Beltz and Jeremy Edwards add class to a solid line-up.
Sam McCulloch and Linden McCarthy made their debuts against Queensland while tricky young striker Jack Welch is being billed as their player to watch.
“Welch is a quietly spoken youngster but is starting to mature and this year’s AHL could be his breakout tournament,” Hockey Australia said on its website this week.
Keen to make amends having missed last year’s semi-finals, the Tigers next face a South Australian side thumped 8-2 in its opening game against Victoria.
Despite not possessing any Hockeyroos, the Tassie Van Demons will look to the experienced Nicole Geeves to lead a side with potential stars such as Madeleine Hinton, Ashleigh Arthur and Ruby-Rose Haywood.
The side is coached by Ilene Carr with assistance from Phil Marshall and seeking to improve on its poor scoring record of just six goals in seven games which led to an eighth-placed finish.
Talented young DiamondBacks goalkeeper Ruby-Rose Haywood was part of the 2015-16 national junior development squad and is likely to play a pivotal role.
Inspired by the class of Hockeyroos captain Emily Smith, NSW inflicted a 2-0 defeat in the Van Demons’ opening fixture on Thursday.
A 25th-minute field goal from Emily Smith and 52nd-minute Abigail Wilson penalty corner did the damage. Tasmania next faces South Australia on Friday night.
In addition to the state’s senior men’s and women’s teams, Tassie is also represented by both genders in the under-13 tournament which is being run alongside the seniors, also in Perth.
Tasmanian men’s squad: Jayden Pearson (gk), Hayden Beltz, Ian McHugh, Kurt Mackey, Jeremy Edwards, Linden McCarthy, Eddie Ockenden (c), Samuel McCulloch, Joshua Beltz, Jack Welch, Kieron Arthur, Jai Walker-Kidd, Tim Deavin, James Bourke, Ben Read, James Dick, Sam McCambridge, Tristan Clemons (gk)
Tasmanian women’s squad: Nicole Geeves, Molly Haas, Jemma Kenworthy, Madeleine Hinton, Fiona Cock, Blair Patten, Ashleigh Arthur, Catherine Webster, Louisa Jacobson, Tanya Britz, Tayla Britton, Sarah McCambridge, Layla Eleison, Teisha King, Michelle Harvey, Ruby-Rose Haywood (gk), Merinda Sainty
U13 boys: Magnus McCausland, Richter Marx Joshua Hine, George Oliver, Luke Palmer, Kiah House, Oscar Pritchard, Lachlan Rogers, Joe Short, Mac Winch, Jaxon Sproule, Jack Pritchard, Liam Armstrong (gk), Hugh Dwyer, Milo Gee, Daniel Draschkowitz-Wade
U13 girls: Ashley Demarco, Emma Fennere, Victoria Fish, Cecilia Hutchinson, Taylor Brooks, Maddison Brooks, Isabelle Kruimink, Hollie Siegemund, Beth Dobbie, Felicity Wilson-Haffenden, Amelia Duffy, Lola de Kramer, Stella Bale, Emily Rockefeller, Giselle Fernandez, Madison Clark
Rob Shaw
Heralding the impact of Tasmanian sport without saying "punching above its weight" is not as easy as it sounds.
Heralding the impact of Tasmanian sport without saying "punching above its weight" is not as easy as it sounds.
