Australia:
The Hockeyroos have pulled off a double victory over Great Britain, on their home turf in London, this time with a 3-2 result to sign off on their FIH Pro League season.
Head coach Katrina Powell said it’s a confidence-boosting victory, given it’s their last international match before the big dance in Paris, where they’ll also face Great Britain in their pool.
Having gone down 3-0 to the Hockeyroos in the opening match, Great Britain came out with a point to prove and they got on the scoreboard early with a brutal penalty corner stroke inside the first five minutes.
The equaliser for Australia came a while later in the second, after a few missed opportunities from either side, with Player of the Match Grace Stewart’s lovely run before a solid strike saw her claim the goal.
The Hockeyroos carried that momentum and heaped the pressure on Great Britain with a relentless counter-attack. Mariah Williams coming so close to re-taking the lead just a minute later.
But it wouldn’t matter and the Hockeyroos would claim the lead they were seeking through a great penalty corner that saw Tatum Stewart fire an almighty ball towards the left post, where Brooke Peris was poised following the push in to finish it off.
“I celebrated like I won the tournament!” Brooke said post-match.
“Goals are always good and of course it’s good to get practice and these tough games against them.”
The Hockeyroos took a 2-1 lead into the halftime break and as the sun set over Lee Valley Hockey Stadium and on Australia’s FIH Pro League campaign, they came out ready and firing to seal the victory.
Great Britain was still in the hunt and eager to ensure they wouldn’t lose again and when they earned a penalty corner nine minutes later, you could tell this was a crucial moment they needed to capitalise on.
With a low powerful stroke, Great Britain’s Tessa Howard kept her team in the game, levelling the scores in a quarter that would largely go England’s way.
In the fourth, the Hockeyroos defended five penalty corners in five minutes to keep Great Britain from taking the lead, with WA’s Karri Somerville once again starring on defence.
“She really drove every line from the back and that just shows her leadership. She’s so talented, she brings this excitement and she gets the girls going and that’s what we love to all to see and that’s the passion that she brings and she just brings everyone up with her,” Brooke said.
Australia’s persistence paid off as they would score off their one penalty corner in the quarter with Tatum Stewart once again delivering a rocketing ball down the middle for QLD’s Rosie Malone to finish off.
“I’m very proud of the girls, it’s been our very last tournament before the big Olympics and that’s always a rollercoaster and we just came out today and focused on ourselves and our individual skills and what we bring to the team and it shows when we’ve got the win today,” Brooke said.
“Our back line, midfield and striker line was incredible and I couldn’t be prouder.”
With Season 5 of the FIH Pro League for the Hockeyroos and Kookaburras complete, both teams will return home to Perth tomorrow and then take a week off before resuming training ahead of the Paris Olympics.
The Hockeyroos and Kookaburras squads to contest the Paris 2024 Olympics will be named on Monday, July 1.
Match Details
Hockeyroos v Great Britain
Hockeyroos: 3 (Grace Stewart 20′ (FG), Brooke Peris 30′ (PC), Rosie Malone 52′ (PC))
Great Britain: 2 (Grace Balsdon 5′ (PC), Tessa Howard 39′ (PC))
At Lee Valley Hockey & Tennis Centre, London
Hockeyroos: 1. Claire Colwill, 2. Rosie Malone, 3. Brooke Peris (c), 4. Amy Lawton, 6. Penny Squibb, 11. Alice Arnott, 14. Stephanie Kershaw, 19. Jocelyn Bartram (gk), 20. Karri Somerville, 21. Renee Taylor, 24. mariah Williams, 5. Grace Young, 7. Aleisha Power (gk), 13. Hattie Shand, 15. Kaitlin Nobbs, 22. Tatum Stewart, 29. Rebecca Greiner, 30. Grace Stewart
