When Abby Wilson runs out with the NSW Pride on Saturday afternoon to face the Brisbane Blaze in the semi-finals at the Tasmanian Hockey Centre, she’ll likely be buoyed by a fond memory.
Her eye-watering Hockeyroos debut against Argentina on a sunny March afternoon in Hobart last year, as she scored alongside Tassie local Maddi Brooks to help the national side to a 2-0 win.
The Lithgow striker went on to play 17 international matches for the Hockeyroos before missing out on selection for the 2024 Squad, but she returns to Hobart in career-defining form, having had a record-setting season with her most recent hat-trick sending the Pride into the finals.
“We’re coming into this Final Series in really good form, in fact I would say we’re finding our peak now, after a rocky start to the competition,” she said.
Finding her peak in round four, in her fourth season with the Pride, Abby’s record-setting five-goal epic against Melbourne saw her awarded Liberty Player of the Round and Player of the Match before she impressed with another MVP performance over Canberra last weekend.
Having scored nine goals in six matches with an average of 1.5 goals a game, Abby sits second on the leading goal scorers tally ahead of their semi-final against Brisbane on Saturday.
“Personally I’ve been trying to enjoy hockey a little bit more.
“It’s down to the girls I have around me on the pitch. I feel like I can play with freedom, I know that everyone is doing their own job and it’s allowed me to play with my own creative flair. It’s the same with our front group as well, we’re trusting each other and the girls around us.”
Abby believes that trust can lead to dethroning Brisbane to claim back their title.
“When we won two years ago we had a sense that we had been building for a little while and we were peaking at the right time and we feel that again.
“Brisbane have a fast attacking style of play and we know we can’t fall into that style… We are feeling that exciting buzz again, we know what our strengths are and we have confidence in those. We just feel like it’s coming and hopefully, it leads to us winning in that semi-final.”
As a tough semi-final looms against the in-form defending champions, so does national selection for the 2025 Hockeyroos squad, and Abby admits impressing enough to make a full-time return to the top level hasn’t been out of mind.
“I have definitely thought about it… It’s obviously there but it’s not necessarily at the forefront. I just want to play well and play well for the team and that’s my main focus.”
Another MVP performance on the main pitch on a happy hunting ground at the Tasmanian Hockey Centre on Saturday afternoon could go a long way to becoming a full-circle opportunity for the 26-year-old.
The NSW Pride take on the Brisbane Blaze on Saturday afternoon at 4.00pm AEDT in Hobart.
You can watch every Liberty Hockey One League match live and free on 7Plus, or head to Intix to get your match day tickets now.
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