Not content with having led his state to a historic Australian Hockey League title in 2014 and being named player of the tournament four times and leading scorer once, triple Olympian Eddie Ockenden is spearheading another campaign in the inaugural Hockey One competition.

The Tigers head into Saturday's semi-final against Brisbane Blaze with McDonald privileged to have Australia's second-most-capped international player calling the shots.

"Generally, I do the team briefing before the game but then hand over to Ed. Why wouldn't you let the national captain say what he thinks?" he said.

"I remove myself and give him the final say.

"I give him air time because he's champing at the bit to give them direction and generally what he says is a different insight to a coach and it affects what those players do on the pitch.

"He's really driving the players about what our expectation is."

McDonald said the 32-year-old father-of-two, who has won two World Cups, two World Leagues, a Pro League, three Commonwealth Games and seven Champions Trophy tournaments in more than 350 appearances with the Kookaburras, is driven to share another domestic title with Tasmania's next generation of hockey stars.

"There are more talented youngsters coming through and he wants them to have something.

"It's a new national competition and that's something he would be driving. He just wants to win everything."

While leading his side to four wins from six fixtures in the new competition, Ockenden has also found time to help out with Luke Doerner's women's team and spent a whole day with the state under-13s during their tournament in Hobart.

McDonald believes the former world player of the year nominee follows the example of Matthew Wells - another Tasmanian hockey pioneer and national captain who was also a multiple Olympian and AHL player of the tournament.

"In the short time when Ed is off the field he is quite animated on the sidelines," McDonald said.

"He is into the other players telling them what needs to be done and is so engaged, it's really quite infectious."

(Both games on Saturday)