A hat-trick from one of Australia’s best players has helped HC Melbourne win the Liberty Hockey One League for the very first time in its history, beating Canberra 5-2 in Hobart this afternoon.
Heading into the Finals second on the standings behind Canberra, the Grand Final was set to be a thriller between the two top teams in the League.
Canberra started the match on top of the standings and ready to secure the perfect fairytale send-off for their captain, Andrew Charter, and Chill veteran Gary Backhus. Having achieved a remarkable turnaround in 2023, where they placed seventh, Canberra had beaten every team in the League in 2024, except HC Melbourne, who was driven to make amends for their grand final loss last year.
It wasn’t long before returning Kookaburras star Nathan Ephraums took charge of the final, delivering a fine field goal just after the first quarter break to put Melbourne ahead.
Back from playing overseas after the Paris Olympic Games, he quickly continued to make his mark delivering a fine hattrick in the third quarter to hand his side a commanding 3-0 lead.
But Canberra’s Ben Staines, who has had a stellar 2024 Liberty Hockey One League season, soon kept the League toppers in with a chance as he put away a solid penalty stroke.
In the same minute, Jesse Absolom clawed back the deficit to one with his penalty conversion before Melbourne’s big game experience carried through until the final five minutes, where Connar Otterbach and Josh Simmonds’s goal and conversion finalised the scores to claim a 5-2 win and their first-ever title.
Earlier, the defending champion Brisbane Blaze upset the Perth Thundersticks in a tight 4-3 win to claim the League’s bronze medal.
LIBERTY HOCKEY ONE LEAGUE FINAL RESULTS
MEN’S GRAND FINAL
HC MELBOURNE: 5 (Nathan Ephraums 16″, 33″, 33″ (FG, FG, FC), Connar Otterbach 54″ (FG), Josh Simmonds 54″ (FC))
CANBERRA CHILL: 2 (Ben Staines 38″ (PS), Jesse Absolom 38″ (FC))
MEN’S BRONZE MEDAL MATCH
BRISBANE BLAZE: 4 (Scott Boyde 15″ (FG), Corey Weyer 17″ & 17″ (FG & FC), Tim Howard 27″ (PC))
PERTH THUNDERSTICKS: 3 (Coby Green 7″ (PC) Brodee Foster 34″ & 34″ (FG + FC))
Hockey One
