Kookaburras coach Colin Batch is holding nothing again in his run to the Paris 2024 Olympics, naming a hotly contested 22-man squad to make a cost for the FIH Professional League Season 5 title in Europe.
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It’s the penultimate tour earlier than the largest choice of the yr and Batch admits his job is getting more durable, with simply two months remaining till Olympic choice.
“It’s all the time powerful, we’ve received a whole lot of depth, there are a whole lot of good gamers within the squad and a few good gamers are lacking out in order that’s changing into actuality and it’s powerful to get in and keep there so gamers must preserve performing.”
Tasmania’s Hayden Beltz will return to the squad for the primary time since competing within the FIH Professional League in Christchurch, NZ in April final yr, one month after he made his debut for the nationwide facet towards India.
“[Colin Batch] pulled me apart at coaching which was a little bit of a shock,” Hayden mentioned. “Usually prior to now, it’s been to inform me I haven’t been going! However this time he informed me I used to be chosen.
“It was an enormous shock and that’s to not say that I believe I’ve been far off the tempo, I simply suppose the standard of the squad in the intervening time is actually spectacular. I’m tremendous excited and actually grateful for the chance to play.”
He’ll re-join his brother Josh on the nationwide facet, with each admitting it’s a proud second for the Beltz household.
“Among the hardest matches I’ve had have been within the yard towards Hayden rising up! I’m clearly extremely happy with him and I believe he’s been enjoying nicely for a very long time, so I’m stoked he’s getting his alternative and it’s all the time enjoyable working on the market collectively,” Josh mentioned.
Batch agrees and mentioned his call-up displays the immense depth within the wider squad.
“Hayden’s a very good participant… He’s carried out nicely day in and time out in our DTE and he’s a very good participant who deserves his choice… We needed to broaden our alternatives for choice going ahead simply in case we returned from Europe with a couple of accidents, and we wish to have some up to date data on who’s selectable going ahead.”
With Lane Cove’s Tom Craig, Wollongong’s star striker Blake Govers and Queensland’s Tim Howard all getting back from minor accidents after lacking the Kookaburra’s 5-Take a look at clear sweep over India final month, the squad is match and primed to strengthen their spectacular run price of 11 wins from 12 matches this season.
Lithgow’s Lachlan Sharp is in line to carry up 100 matches for Australia, whereas Newcastle’s Ky Willott is about to achieve 50 in simply six matches.
The Kookaburras get the following leg of Season 5 of the FIH Professional League underway towards hosts Belgium in Antwerp on Might thirtieth, earlier than taking up Argentina, Nice Britain and Germany.
The Kookaburras sit in 2nd on the standings, 6 factors behind the Netherlands, who’ve performed an additional 4 matches within the 2023-24 season.
| Title | Hometown, State | Caps (Targets) | Junior Hockey Membership |
| Daniel Beale | Brisbane, QLD | 237 (60) | Business HC, Bulimba HC |
| Josh Beltz | Hobart, TAS | 112 (8) | Diamondbacks HC |
| Hayden Beltz | Hobart, TAS | 7 (0) | Diamondbacks HC |
| Tim Model | Chatswood, NSW | 91 (49) | Ryde Hunters Hill HC |
| Andrew Constitution (gk) | Canberra, ACT | 233 (0) | Central HC |
| Tom Craig | Lane Cove, NSW | 128 (71) | Ryde Hunters Hill HC |
| Matt Dawson | Killarney Vale, NSW | 203 (25) | Norths Newcastle |
| Johan Durst (gk) | Melbourne, VIC | 35 (0) | TEM HC |
| Nathan Ephraums | Keysborough, VIC | 65 (32) | Southern United HC |
| Blake Govers | Wollongong, NSW | 154 (143) | Uni of Wollongong, Albion Park HC |
| Jake Harvie | Dardanup, WA | 132 (8) | Boyanup Junior HC |
| Jeremy Hayward | Darwin, NT | 224 (184) | Waratahs HC |
| Tim Howard | Wakerley, QLD | 130 (3) | Japanese Suburbs HC |
| Eddie Ockenden | Hobart, TAS | 438 (77) | North West Grads HC |
| Flynn Ogilvie | Wollongong, NSW | 161 (52) | Uni of Wollongong HC |
| Lachlan Sharp | Lithgow, NSW | 94 (18) | Zigzag HC, Ryde Hunters Hill HC |
| Jack Welch | Hobart, TAS | 38 (14) | Diamondbacks HC |
| Corey Weyer | Biggera Waters, QLD | 56 (6) | Labrador HC |
| Jake Whetton | Brisbane, QLD | 271 (131) | Japanese Suburbs HC |
| Tom Wickham | Perth, WA | 101 (47) | Waikerie HC |
| Ky Willott | Newcastle, NSW | 44 (12) | Norths HC |
| Aran Zalewski | Margaret River, WA | 254 (56) | Margaret River HC |
