NSW the Pride of Australian hockey
Darren Walton |
NSW Pride have claimed Australian hockey bragging rights with a pair of thrilling men’s and women’s One League grand final triumphs in Bendigo.
The Pride women completed an amazing turnaround with a dramatic extra-time shootout win over over defending champions Brisbane Blaze.
Hockeyroos goalkeeper Jocelyn Bartram was the hero, producing three world-class saves in a tense shootout after the scores were locked at 2-2 at fulltime on Sunday.
The Pride finished deserving winners after out-scoring the Blaze with two field goals to one only to miss both conversion attempts and then watch heart in mouths as rising star Grace Young’s gallant last-ditch attempt sailed across the face of the goal with 12 seconds left on the clock.
No matter, though, as Bartram stepped up to deny Claire Colwill, Rosie Malone and Hannah Cullum-Sanders with three consecutive saves as Grace Stewart, Greta Hayes and striker Mariah Williams all scored for NSW.
The victory came after the Pride finished second-last in 2019 before state border closures wiped out the 2020 and 2021 leagues.
“It’s so, so exciting,” said Williams, who was crowned player of the match.
“We’re really happy and stoked with the win. Our keeper’s awesome and she did amazing in there.”
The Pride had trailed 2-1 after contentious Hockeyroos discard Savannah Fitzpatrick converted her slapped-home goal to cancel out skipper Abby Wilson’s 22nd-minute “tomahawk” backhand reverse strike.
But a diving deflection equaliser from the league’s leading scorer Stewart early in the second half set up an exhilarating finish in a free-flowing affair.
Despite Brisbane’s defeat, the Blaze still produced a spirited title defence.
They only scraped in to the semi-finals in fourth place after winning just one of their first four games.
Yet the Blaze went painfully close to winning the grand final despite being without a host of Hockeyroos including Europe-based stars Steph Kershaw and Madi Fitzpatrick and the injured Renee Taylor.
HC Melbourne’s Amy Lawton was announced as the Hockey One League’s MVP of the year.
NSW Pride then completed a rousing state double with a 2-0 win over the Perth Thundersticks in the men’s grand final to retain their crown from 2019.
Striker Ky Willett’s spectacular tomahawk effort just before halftime, followed by his successful field-goal conversion, proved the difference in an equally exciting affair.
“It’s so good. It shows what NSW hockey can do with their development and all the young ones coming in,” Willett said of NSW’s domination.
“It’s so good for hockey and for NSW as well.”
AAP
