Tasmanians at opposite ends of the experience spectrum are among those entrusted with continuing one of the most formidable records in Commonwealth Games history.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
Australia's all-time appearance record-holder Eddie Ockenden will be attending his fourth Commonwealth Games as Josh Beltz debuts with the Kookaburras chasing a seventh consecutive gold medal.
Also ranked number one in the world, the Australian men have won every gold medal since hockey was introduced in 1998 and Ockenden is aware of the burden of responsibility having savoured victory in New Delhi, Glasgow and the Gold Coast.
"To be selected for my fourth Commonwealth Games is an honour," said the 35-year-old with 387 international appearances to his name.
"I love playing hockey for the Kookaburras and I love representing Australia, so we will be doing everything we can to continue our proud history of success at the Games.
"Our focus every day as a Kookaburras group is to constantly push each other to improve and be the world's best hockey team, so we are excited about getting to Birmingham and performing for our country.
"The Commonwealth Games hold a special place for me and I have some fantastic memories from them."
Ockenden joins Mark Knowles as only the second Australian hockey player to compete at four Commonwealth Games.
A four-time Olympian with bronze medals from Beijing and London and a silver from Tokyo, Ockenden has also won two World Cups (2010 and '14), six Champions Trophies (2008-12 and '16) and two World League Finals (2015 and '17), having been named world young player of the year in 2008.
With four players gracing their third Commonwealth Games and five backing up from 2018 on the Gold Coast, Beltz is among eight making their debut.
The 27-year-old joined fellow Hobartian Ockenden in Tokyo where they were only denied gold by a penalty shootout loss against Belgium.
However, an untimely quad strain denied Jack Welch the chance to make it a trio of Tasmanians in the squad for Birmingham, the striker having been ruled out of a recent series against New Zealand.
The selections take Tasmania's Birmingham contribution to 13 with athletics yet to be announced.
Ockenden and Beltz join swimmers Ariarne Titmus and Jake Templeton (S13), triathletes Jake Birtwhistle, Erica Burleigh (vision impaired) and Hayden Armstrong (para guide), track cyclists Georgia Baker and Josh Duffy plus Nicola Carey (T20 cricket), Sam Fox (mountain biking), Rebecca Van Asch (lawn bowls) and Emily Meaney (diving) on the Australian team.
The Kookaburras begin their campaign against Scotland on Sunday, July 31 (6pm AEST) and also face New Zealand, South Africa and Pakistan in their pool.
A total of 54 hockey matches will be played at the University of Birmingham venue, including 40 group games, six classification matches, four semi-finals and four medal finals.