The halfway mark of the Liberty Hockey One group stage is here this weekend! It’s all on the line for our teams as they race to make the Road to Hobart Finals Series.
Here’s your fourth-round preview for all of the action.
Every match of the Liberty Hockey One League 2024 Season is LIVE and free on 7plus.
Memberships and tickets for all matches are available now at Intix.
HC MELBOURNE v NSW PRIDE
Friday, 6.30pm AEDT (Men) 8.00pm AEDT (Women)
State Netball and Hockey Centre, Melbourne
A spot on the Road to Hobart Finals Series is at the forefront of the minds of our teams as the League reaches the halfway mark of the group stage this weekend. HC Melbourne and NSW Pride women sit in 4th and 5th on the standings after both fell to a loss in the last match they played. Hosts HC Melbourne are going into the match unchanged after last weekend’s 2-6 loss to the Thundersticks, but they’ll be buoyed by some big news out of the NSW Pride camp. After a bye in the third round, NSW is returning without two huge names, Hockeyroos stars Alice Arnott and Grace Stewart. Instead, all eyes will be on NSW development national players Madii Smith and Alana Kavanagh who will be filling big shows in Melbourne.
A spot in the top four is also on the line when the men face off in the later match of the evening, with hosts HC Melbourne returning home fresh off a disappointing 4-5 loss to Perth despite having held a 4-1 lead just after the half. NSW Pride are coming off a third-round bye and will be hoping to build on their win over the defending champs, Brisbane, in the second round. Both sides have made three changes to their starting lineup, as they welcome the return of their powerful U21 Burras talent, who are back after claiming silver at the Sultan of Johor Cup in Malaysia. Melbourne teammates Nye Roberts and Liam Henderson will line up facing their NSW Burras teammates Toby Mallon and Dylan Downey this weekend.
HC Melbourne Women v NSW Pride Women
HC Melbourne
1. Sophie Taylor, 2. Aisling Utri, 3. Kary Chau, 5. Kristina Bates, 6. Josie Lawton, 7. Ciara Utri, 8. Hannah Cotter, 10. Emily Hamilton-Smith, 11. Rene Hunter (gk), 12. Charlotte Stapenhorst, 14. Laura Barden, 15. Olivia Downes, 20. Zali Ward, 25. Hannah Gravenall ©, 27. Rachael Lynch (gk), 31. Evie Stansby
NSW Pride
4. Kendelle Tait, 6. Ella Carr, 8. Makayla Jones, 10. Hannah French, 11. Emma Scriven, 12. Greta Hayes, 14. Emmalee Croker, 16. Alana Kavanagh, 17. Estelle Hughes, 18. Lucinda Preeo, 19. Jocelyn Bartram (gk), 20. Madii Smith, 23. Abby Wilson, 24. Mariah Williams ©, 32. Grace Young, 88. Emma Leighton *EGK
HC Melbourne Men v NSW Pride Men
HC Melbourne
2. Peter Scott, 3. Jonathan Bretherton, 4. Liam Henderson, 5. Douglas Buckley, 6. Damon Steffens ©, 8. Kade Leigh, 9. Oliver Will, 10. Brad Marais, 11. Cooper Burns, 12. Connar Otterbach, 14. Rana Waheed, 15. Josh Simmonds, 18. Johan Durst (gk), 20. Nye Roberts, 22. Ben White, 27. George McGeoch (gk)
NSW Pride
5. Ash Thomas (gk), 7. Richards Daine, 8. Nathanael Stewart ©, 9. Nathan Czinner, 11. Dylan Downey, 14. Dylan Martin, 15. Miles Davis, 16. Joshua Gregory, 17. Nicholas Mcewen, 18. Toby Mallon, 20. Ky Willott, 21. Luke Noblett, 23. Ryan Woolnough, 32. Callum Mackay, 34. Thomas Miotto, 88. Ed Arnold *EGK
TASSIE TIGERS v BRISBANE BLAZE
Saturday, 3.00pm AEDT (Women) 4.30pm AEDT (Men)
The Tasmanian Hockey Centre
The Tassie Tigers are sitting pretty on the standings as they celebrate the halfway mark of the group stage at home in Hobart with a huge match-up against the defending champs, the Brisbane Blaze and it’s been a massive 2024 for the Tigers women, who have made arguably the turnaround of the year to sit in third on the standings. It’s remarkable, given Maddi Brooks’s side failed to earn a point all season in 2023. They head into the match against the unbeaten, second-ranked Blaze unchanged, and they’ll need a strong defensive performance to halt the striking capabilities of the Blaze. Savannah Fitzpatrick will be looking to extend her lead in the goal-scoring stats in the tournament, while her sister Madison returns to Brisbane’s lineup after having a week off last weekend.
A big clash follows in the men’s match, as the 2nd ranked Tassie side come up against the defending champion Blaze, who are yet to record a win this season. All pressure is on Brisbane this weekend and they’ll be without their skipper Daniele Beale, when they take on Joshua Beltz’s side in Hobart. In good news, Kookaburra Jacob Anderson returns for the Blaze and they also benefit from the return of their U21 talent, Noah Fahy, Daykin Stanger and Hayden Pease. It’s a similar story for the Tigers, who welcome the return of their Burras, Oliver Stebbings, Lachlan Rogers and goalkeeper Magnus McClausland.
Tassie Tigers Women v Brisbane Blaze Women
Tassie Tigers
1. Sarah McCambridge, 2. Jemma Kenworthy, 3. Fiona Crackles, 4. Maddison Brooks ©, 5. Taylor Brooks, 8. Ruby Harris, 9. Holly Hunt, 10. Louisa Jacobson, 13. Phillida Bridley, 14. Gitte Michels, 15. Lucy Cooper, 18. Kacee Ponting (gk), 19. Sarah Robertson, 20. Beth Dobbie, 23. Holly Gilbar 25. Evelyn Dalton (gk)
Brisbane Blaze
1. Savannah Fitzpatrick, 2. Rosie Malone, 3. Kendra Fitzpatrick, 4. Claire Colwill, 5. Morgan Gallagher ©, 6. Camryn Mathison, 8. Dayle Dolkens, 9. Casey Dolkens, 10. Madison Fitzpatrick, 11. Morgan Mathison, 12. Jade Smith, 13. Karissa Van der Wath, 21. Renee Taylor, 22. Britt Wilkinson, 88. Jordan Bliss (gk)
Tassie Tigers Men v Brisbane Blaze Men
Tassie Tigers
1. Magnus McClausland, 4. Hayden Beltz, 6. Joshua Brooks, 7. Joshua Mardell, 9. Jeremy Edwards, 11. Eddie Ockenden, 13. Joshua Beltz ©, 14. Jack Welch, 15. Oscar Pritchard, 17. Oliver Pritchard, 18. Grant Woodcock (gk), 19. Tim Deavin, 20. Ehren Hazell, 22. Oliver Stebbings, 26. Oliver Smith, 28. Lachlan Rogers
Brisbane Blaze
2. Shane Kenny ©, 4. Noah Fahy, 5. Tyler Spry, 6. Kyle Jeffrey-Prestwich, 8. Adam Imer, 9. Jacob Anderson, 10. Daykin Stanger, 11. Michael Francis, 13. David Hubbard, 15. Jayden Atkinson, 17. Scott Boyde, 19. Luke Randle, 24. Diarmid Chappell, 25. Hayden Pease, 32. Mitchell Nicholson (gk)
PERTH THUNDERSTICKS v ADELAIDE FIRE
Sunday, 5.30pm AEDT (Women) 7.00pm AEDT (Men)
Perth Hockey Stadium, Curtin University
The Perth Thundersticks women are on fire, cementing themselves as the front runners of the competition, and they’ll be wary not to rest on their laurels this weekend as they come up against the winless Adelaide Fire. It’s a must-win match for the Fire, who have recorded close results in 2024 but haven’t been able to secure a win and trail at the bottom of the ladder. WA hero Hockeyroo Penny Squibb returns to the captaincy position as they attempt to continue their unbeaten season in front of a home crowd in Perth.
The Perth Thundersticks men delivered when they needed to with a thrilling last-minute come-from-behind win over HC Melbourne last weekend. They hold onto a two-match winning run heading into this clash at home, but their results have been less than convincing at times, and they’ll be looking to turn that around against Adelaide. The Fire, meanwhile, are in a desperate position at this stage in the tournament as they, too, remain last on the standings and are yet to record a win. They’ll welcome the return of Lucas Toonen to their lineup and will no doubt be looking to their prolific goalscorer, Landon Morley, to extend on his six goals in three-matches. Perth has suffered one big loss, with Kookaburra James Collins out and Max Freedman in.
Perth Thundersticks Women v Adelaide Fire Women
Perth Thundersticks 1. Phillipa Morgan, 3. Neasa Flynn, 5. Courtney Schonell, 6. Lexie Pickering, 7. Penny Squibb ©, 10. Jesse Reid, 12. Liné Malan, 14. Elizabeth Duguid (gk), 15. Belle Ramshaw, 17. Annie Gibbs, 18. Kaitlin Nobbs, 19. Aleisha Power (gk), 20. Karri Somerville, 24. Eva Drummond, 28. Georgia Wilson, 33. Candyce Peacock
Adelaide Fire 1. Bridget Laurance (gk), 3. Sherilyn Cass, 4. Teyiah Abell, 5. Holly Evans, 8. Miki Spano, 9. Britney Desilva, 10. Tyler Pedley, 11. Lucy Sharman, 13. Hattie Shand ©, 15. Beatriz Monger-Molowny, 16. Casey Crowley 19. Julia Van de Heuvel, 22. Zara Pelham, 23. Margot van Geffen, 24. Shona McCallin
Perth Thundersticks Men v Adelaide Fire Men
Perth Thundersticks 3. Brayden King, 4. Jake Harvie, 5. Tom Wickham ©, 8. Coby Green, 9. James Day, 11. Tom Harvie, 13. Samuel Ashton, 14. Chaz Davies, 15. Matthew Bird, 16. Brodee Foster, 18. Ben Rennie (gk), 21. Christian Starkie (gk), 22. Max Freedman, 23. Campbell Geddes, 24. Matthew Willis, 25. Fraser Heigh
Adelaide Fire 1. Jed Snowden (gk), 2. Luke Anderson, 3. Lucas Toonen, 5. Trent Symss, 7. Geoff Abbott, 8. Seb Foster, 9. Fred Gray ©, 10. Thomas Wycherley, 12. Lachlan Arneil, 16. Hugh Snowden, 17. Bryce Hammond, 19. Tom Brown, 20. Daniel Sibbald, 25. Landon Morley, 33. Mitchell Dell
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