QLD SEEK TITLE WITHOUT SENIOR KOOKABURRAS
The OAMPS Queensland Blades will seek a second consecutive national hockey title in Sydney over the coming week without five of their injured star players, including Jamie Dwyer.
The Blades will depart today for the 2011 Australian Hockey League (AHL) Finals Week to be played in Sydney between this Saturday August 8 and next Saturday August 13.
Queensland’s players sidelined with injuries include four-time World Hockey Player of the Year Jamie Dwyer, Kookaburras' co-captain Mark Knowles, veteran Kookaburras’ midfielder Rob Hammond, ‘Comeback King’ Troy Elder, and Kookaburras’ Development Squad member Kris Glass.
Dwyer is out with a knee injury, Knowles is recovering from a foot injury, Hammond and Elder are nursing hamstring injuries, and Glass is taking time out after facial blow in round two of this year’s AHL.
On a positive note for the Blades, Kookaburras’ co-captain Liam De Young is making a return from injury to the side for Finals Week after missing the first two rounds of the tournament.
The OAMPS Queensland Blades are coached by Matthew Wells, who is also a recently retired Kookaburras’ defender and triple Olympian.
In his first season with the Blades in 2010, Wells led the Queensland team to their first national title since 2007.
Wells said he is confident the Queensland side have enough depth to be competitive at Finals Week, despite the absence of some key players.
“I believe we have a good enough group to go all the way at Finals Week,” said Wells.
“No players are there for charity – they’ve all earned their spots. It will be a great opportunity for younger players to step-up, “ he said.
“Our first match on Saturday against third ranked Victoria should be pretty telling in terms of how we will matchup with the top teams,” he concluded.
Wells said players such as Rockhampton’s Dale Gohdes, Toowoomba’s Brent Garske and Brisbane’s Ryan Gibbs are among the Queensland players who may not have got a run at Finals Week had there not been so many injuries in the squad.
The Blades will begin AHL Finals Week in poll position as the only team undefeated in the tournament so far.
The Western Australian Thundersticks will begin Finals Week in second position on the national ladder, while the Victorian Vikings and New South Wales Waratahs will begin in third and fourth positions respectively.
The Blades will play their last round matches against Victoria on Saturday and the Australian Capital Territory on Sunday, before classification matches begin on Monday.
The 2011 Australian Hockey League grand final will be played in Sydney at 3pm on next Saturday August 13.
