Australia men's national field hockey team

The Australia men's national field hockey team (nicknamed the Kookaburras) is one of the nation's most successful top-level sporting teams. They are the only Australian team in any sport to receive medals at six straight Summer Olympic Games (1992–2012). The Kookaburras placed in the top four in every Olympics between 1980 and 2012; in 2016, the Kookaburras placed sixth.[3] They also won the Hockey World Cup in 1986, 2010 and 2014.

Australia
Nickname(s)The Kookaburras
AssociationHockey Australia
ConfederationOHF (Oceania)
Head CoachColin Batch
Assistant coach(es)Robert Hammond
Anthony Potter
David Staniforth
ManagerMelissa Gey
CaptainAran Zalewski
Most capsEddie Ockenden (414)
Top scorerJamie Dwyer (244)
Team colours
Team colours
Team colours
Team colours
Team colours
Home
Team colours
Team colours
Team colours
Team colours
Team colours
Away
FIH ranking
Current 5 Increase 1 (12 March 2024)[1]
Highest1 (2005, 2010–2011, 2014 – January 2017, December 2017 – July 2018, June 2019 – January 2020)
Lowest6 (2023)
First international
New Zealand  5–4  Australia
(Palmerston North, New Zealand; 27 September 1922)[2]
Biggest win
Australia  36–0  Samoa
(Stratford, New Zealand; 24 October 2015)
Biggest defeat
Australia  1–12  India
(Melbourne, Australia; 17 August 1935)
Olympic Games
Appearances16 (first in 1956)
Best result1st (2004)
World Cup
Appearances14 (first in 1971)
Best result1st (1986, 2010, 2014)
Oceania Cup
Appearances11 (first in 1999)
Best result1st (1999, 2001, 2003, 2005, 2007, 2009, 2011, 2013, 2015, 2017, 2019, 2023)

The Kookaburras' inability to win an Olympic gold medal despite their perennial competitiveness, led many in the Australian hockey community to speak of a "curse" afflicting the team,[4] finally broken in 2004 with the win in Athens. However, they failed to win Gold after that after losses in subsequent Olympics including a loss to Belgium in the Gold Medal Match of 2020 Tokyo Olympics - the Kookaburras instead won the silver medal.[5]

History edit

Australia's first men's team competed in an international match in 1922.[6]

The first major competition won by the national team was the 1983 World Championships held in Karachi.[7]

Participations edit

Australia's first men's team competed at the Olympics in field hockey at the 1956 Summer Olympics.[7]

Australia did not medal at the 1984 Summer Olympics[8] or the 1988 Summer Olympics.[9] At the 1992 Summer Olympics, Australia earned a silver medal, losing gold to Germany.[10] At the 1996 Summer Olympics, Australia finished third, earning a bronze medal.[11]

The team won their first Olympic gold medal at the 2004 Summer Olympics. Barry Dancer coached the side.[12]

Should Australia win the gold medal at the 2012 London Olympics they will become the first national team in field hockey history to hold all four international titles available to them simultaneously. They would hold titles in the 2012 Olympics, 2010 World Cup, 2011 Champions Trophy and their continental championship (2011 Oceania Cup) at the same time. Along with those four titles Australia also holds the Commonwealth Games title from the 2010 championships.

Tournament records edit

Olympic Games[13]
Year Host city Position
1908   London, United Kingdom
1920   Antwerp, Belgium
1928   Amsterdam, Netherlands
1932   Los Angeles, United States
1936   Berlin, Germany
1948   London, United Kingdom
1952   Helsinki, Finland
1956   Melbourne, Australia 5th
1960   Rome, Italy 6th
1964   Tokyo, Japan 3rd
1968   Mexico City, Mexico 2nd
1972   Munich, Germany 5th
1976   Montreal, Canada 2nd
1980   Moscow, Soviet Union Boycott
1984   Los Angeles, United States 4th
1988   Seoul, South Korea 4th
1992   Barcelona, Spain 2nd
1996   Atlanta, United States 3rd
2000   Sydney, Australia 3rd
2004   Athens, Greece 1st
2008   Beijing, China 3rd
2012   London, United Kingdom 3rd
2016   Rio de Janeiro, Brazil 6th
2020   Tokyo, Japan 2nd
2024   Paris, France Qualified
2028   Los Angeles, United States TBD
2032   Brisbane, Australia TBD
World Cup[14]
Year Host city Position
1971   Barcelona, Spain 8th
1973   Amsterdam, Netherlands Withdrew
1975   Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia 5th
1978   Buenos Aires, Argentina 3rd
1982   Bombay, India 3rd
1986   London, England 1st
1990   Lahore, Pakistan 3rd
1994   Sydney, Australia 3rd
1998   Utrecht, Netherlands 4th
2002   Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia 2nd
2006   Mönchengladbach, Germany 2nd
2010   New Delhi, India 1st
2014   The Hague, Netherlands 1st
2018   Bhubaneswar, India 3rd
2023   Bhubaneswar, India
  Rourkela, India
4th
Champions Trophy[15]
Year Host city Position
1978   Lahore, Pakistan 2nd
1980   Karachi, Pakistan 3rd
1981   Karachi, Pakistan 2nd
1982   Amstelveen, Netherlands 2nd
1983   Karachi, Pakistan 1st
1984   Karachi, Pakistan 1st
1985   Perth, Australia 1st
1986   Lahore, Pakistan 2nd
1987   Amstelveen, Netherlands 3rd
1988   Lahore, Pakistan 3rd
1989   Berlin, West Germany 1st
1990   Melbourne, Australia 1st
1991   Berlin, Germany 4th
1992   Karachi, Pakistan 2nd
1993   Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia 1st
1994   Lahore, Pakistan 4th
1995   Berlin, Germany 2nd
1996   Madras, India 6th
1997   Adelaide, Australia 2nd
1998   Lahore, Pakistan 3rd
1999   Brisbane, Australia 1st
2000   Amstelveen, Netherlands 5th
2001   Rotterdam, Netherlands 2nd
2002   Cologne, Germany 5th
2003   Amstelveen, Netherlands 2nd
2004   Lahore, Pakistan Withdrew[16]
2005   Chennai, India 1st
2006   Terrassa, Spain 4th
2007   Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia 2nd
2008   Rotterdam, Netherlands 1st
2009   Melbourne, Australia 1st
2010   Mönchengladbach, Germany 1st
2011   Auckland, New Zealand 1st
2012   Melbourne, Australia 1st
2014   Bhubaneswar, India 3rd
2016   London, United Kingdom 1st
2018   Breda, Netherlands 1st
World League[13]
Year Round Host city Position
2012–13 Semifinal   Rotterdam, Netherlands 2nd
Final   New Delhi, India 4th
2014–15 Semifinal   Antwerp, Belgium 1st
Final   Raipur, India 1st
2016–17 Semifinal   Johannesburg, South Africa 3rd
Final   Bhubaneswar, India 1st
Pro League[17]
Year Host city Position
2019   Amstelveen, Netherlands 1st
2020–21 Home & Away 2nd
2021–22[18] Home & Away 2nd^
2022–23 Home & Away 7th

^Australia and New Zealand originally withdrew from matches due to the COVID-19 global pandemic and subsequent international restrictions on travel.[19] In the lead up to the postponed 2020 Tokyo Olympic games, Australia and New Zealand played two matches as part of the 2020-21 Pro League[20] in Perth.

Commonwealth Games[13]
Year Host city Position
1998   Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia 1st
2002   Manchester, England 1st
2006   Melbourne, Australia 1st
2010   New Delhi, India 1st
2014   Glasgow, Scotland 1st
2018   Gold Coast, Australia 1st
2022   Birmingham, England 1st
Oceania Cup[21]
Year Host city Position
1999   Brisbane, Australia 1st
2001   Melbourne, Australia 1st
2003   Christchurch & Wellington, New Zealand 1st
2005   Suva, Fiji 1st
2007   Buderim, Australia 1st
2009   Invercargill, New Zealand 1st
2011   Hobart, Australia 1st
2013   Stratford, New Zealand 1st
2015   Stratford, New Zealand 1st
2017   Sydney, Australia 1st
2019   Rockhampton, Australia 1st
2023   Whangarei, New Zealand 1st
Sultan Azlan Shah Cup[22]
Year Host city Position
1983   Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia 1st
1985   Ipoh, Malaysia Did Not Compete
1987   Ipoh, Malaysia Did Not Compete
1991   Ipoh, Malaysia Did Not Compete
1994   Penang, Malaysia 3rd
1995   Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia Did Not Compete
1996   Ipoh, Malaysia 2nd
1998   Ipoh, Malaysia 1st
1999   Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia Did Not Compete
2000   Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia Did Not Compete
2001   Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia 3rd
2003   Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia Did Not Compete
2004   Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia 1st
2005   Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia 1st
2006   Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia 2nd
2007   Ipoh, Malaysia 1st
2008   Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia Did Not Compete
2009   Ipoh, Malaysia Did Not Compete
2010   Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia 3rd
2011   Ipoh, Malaysia 1st
2012   Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia Did Not Compete
2013   Ipoh, Malaysia 1st
2014   Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia 1st
2015   Ipoh, Malaysia 2nd
2016   Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia 1st
2017   Ipoh, Malaysia 2nd
2018   Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia 1st
2019   Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia Did Not Compete
2020   Ipoh, Malaysia Cancelled due to COVID-19
2021   Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia Cancelled due to COVID-19
2022   Ipoh, Malaysia Did Not Compete

Team edit

Current squad edit

The following 24 players were named in the Kookaburras squad for the India Leg of the FIH Pro League in Bhubaneswar and Rourkela, from 11–25 February.[23][24]

Head coach: Colin Batch

All caps and goals current as of 22 February 2024, following the match against Ireland.

No. Pos. Player Date of birth (age) Caps GoalsClub
8 GK Johan Durst (1991-03-18) 18 March 1991 (age 33) 30 0   HC Melbourne
30 GK Andrew Charter (1987-03-30) 30 March 1987 (age 37) 232 0   Canberra Chill

3 DF Corey Weyer (1996-03-28) 28 March 1996 (age 28) 48 3   Brisbane Blaze
4 DF Jake Harvie (1998-03-05) 5 March 1998 (age 26) 125 5   Perth Thundersticks
6 DF Matthew Dawson (1994-04-27) 27 April 1994 (age 29) 196 13   Amsterdam
10 DF Joshua Beltz (1995-04-24) 24 April 1995 (age 28) 107 5   Tassie Tigers
16 DF Timothy Howard (1996-06-23) 23 June 1996 (age 27) 129 2   Brisbane Blaze
26 DF James Collins (2000-02-25) 25 February 2000 (age 24) 23 0   Perth Thundersticks
32 DF Jeremy Hayward (Captain) (1993-03-03) 3 March 1993 (age 31) 217 111   Den Bosch

1 MF Lachlan Sharp (1997-07-02) 2 July 1997 (age 26) 89 18   NSW Pride
2 MF Thomas Craig (1995-09-03) 3 September 1995 (age 28) 126 41   Klein Zwitserland
11 MF Eddie Ockenden (Captain) (1987-04-03) 3 April 1987 (age 37) 432 72   Tassie Tigers
12 MF Jacob Whetton (1991-06-15) 15 June 1991 (age 32) 265 77   Brisbane Blaze
15 MF Jayden Atkinson (2001-07-09) 9 July 2001 (age 22) 15 0   Brisbane Blaze
17 MF Aran Zalewski (Captain) (1991-03-21) 21 March 1991 (age 33) 247 35   Perth Thundersticks
20 MF Ky Willott (2001-03-15) 15 March 2001 (age 23) 39 11   NSW Pride
22 MF Flynn Ogilvie (1993-09-17) 17 September 1993 (age 30) 157 28   NSW Pride
23 MF Daniel Beale (1993-02-12) 12 February 1993 (age 31) 234 34   Brisbane Blaze

5 FW Thomas Wickham (1990-05-26) 26 May 1990 (age 33) 95 45   Perth Thundersticks
7 FW Nathan Ephraums (1999-06-09) 9 June 1999 (age 24) 60 31   HC Melbourne
9 FW Jacob Anderson (1997-03-22) 22 March 1997 (age 27) 64 21   Brisbane Blaze
13 FW Blake Govers (1996-07-06) 6 July 1996 (age 27) 153 142   Dragons
21 FW Jack Welch (1997-10-26) 26 October 1997 (age 26) 34 13   Tassie Tigers
29 FW Timothy Brand (1998-11-29) 29 November 1998 (age 25) 83 30   Klein Zwitserland

The remainder of the 2023 national squad is as follows:[25]

Pos. Player Date of birth (age) Caps Goals Club Latest call-up
GK Ashleigh Thomas (1995-07-21) 21 July 1995 (age 28) 4 0   NSW Pride v.   France; 25 June 2023

FW Craig Marais (2002-05-28) 28 May 2002 (age 21) 14 1   HC Melbourne v.   New Zealand; 30 April 2023
FW Joel Rintala (1996-07-24) 24 July 1996 (age 27) 4 7   Brisbane Blaze v.   New Zealand; 30 April 2023

Recent call-ups edit

The following players have received call-ups to the national team in the last twelve months.

Pos. Player Date of birth (age) Caps Goals Club Latest call-up
GK Benjamin Rennie (1990-09-28) 28 September 1990 (age 33) 12 0   Perth Thundersticks v.   India; 12 March 2023

DF Dylan Martin (1998-01-12) 12 January 1998 (age 26) 28 0   NSW Pride v.   France; 25 June 2023
DF Anand Gupte (1998-09-04) 4 September 1998 (age 25) 8 0   Canberra Chill v.   New Zealand; 30 April 2023

MF Davis Atkin (2001-02-17) 17 February 2001 (age 23) 8 0   Canberra Chill v.   France; 25 June 2023

FW Hayden Beltz (1997-09-08) 8 September 1997 (age 26) 7 0   Tassie Tigers v.   New Zealand; 30 April 2023
FW Benjamin Staines (1997-07-13) 13 July 1997 (age 26) 7 1   Canberra Chill v.   Great Britain; 29 April 2023

Notable players edit

Results edit

2024 Fixtures & Results edit

2022 Statistics
Pld W WD D LD L GF GA GD Pts
13 11 1 0 0 1 50 27 +23 35

FIH Pro League (Leg 1) edit

11 February 2024 India Leg Spain   3–4   Australia Bhubaneswar, India
17:30 Miralles   29'
N. Álvarez   36'
Cabré-Verdiell   37'
Report Sharp   8'52'
Whetton   19'
Govers   25'
Stadium: Kalinga Hockey Stadium
13 February 2024 India Leg Australia   5–0   Ireland Bhubaneswar, India
17:30 Craig   17'
Hayward   22'
Willott   25'57'
Ephraums   43'
Report Stadium: Kalinga Hockey Stadium
15 February 2024 India Leg India   4–6   Australia Bhubaneswar, India
19:30 Harmanpreet   12'20'
Sukhjeet   18'
Mandeep   29'
Report Govers   2'2'
Zalewski   40'
Sharp   52'
Anderson   55'
Welch   58'
Stadium: Kalinga Hockey Stadium
16 February 2024 India Leg Netherlands   4–5   Australia Bhubaneswar, India
17:30 Telgenkamp   6'
Bijen   12'22'
Janssen   56'
Report Govers   33'53'
Hayward   40'48'
Brand   60'
Stadium: Kalinga Hockey Stadium
21 February 2024 India Leg Spain   1–4   Australia Rourkela, India
17:30 Amat   2' Report Ogilvie   4'
Ephraums   8'
Hayward   25'
Brand   44'
Stadium: Birsa Munda International Hockey Stadium
22 February 2024 India Leg Ireland   1–4   Australia Rourkela, India
17:30 O'Donoghue   44' Report Govers   33'52'
Ephraums   40'
Welch   56'
Stadium: Birsa Munda International Hockey Stadium
24 February 2024 India Leg India   2–2
(0–3 p)
  Australia Rourkela, India
19:30 Report Stadium: Birsa Munda International Hockey Stadium

International Festival of Hockey edit

6 April 2024 Match 1 Australia   5–1   India Perth, Australia
16:40 Report Stadium: Perth Hockey Stadium
7 April 2024 Match 2 Australia   4–2   India Perth, Australia
16:40 Report Stadium: Perth Hockey Stadium
10 April 2024 Match 3 Australia   2–1   India Perth, Australia
17:40 Report Stadium: Perth Hockey Stadium
12 April 2024 Match 4 Australia   3–1   India Perth, Australia
17:40 Report Stadium: Perth Hockey Stadium
13 April 2024 Match 5 Australia   3–2   India Perth, Australia
16:40 Report Stadium: Perth Hockey Stadium

FIH Pro League (Leg 2) edit

29 May 2024 Belgium Leg Belgium   v   Australia Antwerp, Belgium
19:00 Report Stadium: Wilrijkse Plein
30 May 2024 Belgium Leg Australia   v   Argentina Antwerp, Belgium
16:30 Report Stadium: Wilrijkse Plein
1 June 2024 Belgium Leg Argentina   v   Australia Antwerp, Belgium
18:30 Report Stadium: Wilrijkse Plein
2 June 2024 Belgium Leg Belgium   v   Australia Antwerp, Belgium
16:15 Report Stadium: Wilrijkse Plein

XXXIII Olympic Games edit

27 July 2024 Pool B Australia   v   Argentina Paris, France
13:15 Report Stadium: Stade Yves-du-Manoir
29 July 2024 Pool B Ireland   v   Australia Paris, France
10:00 Report Stadium: Stade Yves-du-Manoir
30 July 2024 Pool B Australia   v   Belgium Paris, France
19:45 Report Stadium: Stade Yves-du-Manoir
1 August 2024 Pool B New Zealand   v   Australia Paris, France
10:30 Report Stadium: Stade Yves-du-Manoir
2 August 2024 Pool B Australia   v   India Paris, France
13:15 Report Stadium: Stade Yves-du-Manoir

Family edit

Barry Dancer/Brent Dancer and Ric Charlesworth/Jonathan Charlesworth are two pairs of father as coach and son as player while both were affiliated with the national team in those positions.[12][26]

Recognition edit

References edit

  1. ^ "FIH Outdoor World Hockey Rankings". FIH. 12 March 2024. Retrieved 12 March 2024.
  2. ^ "History of Hockey in Australia". Retrieved 22 February 2022.
  3. ^ ABC (15 August 2016). "Rio 2016: Australia's Kookaburras and Sharks knocked out of men's hockey and water polo". Australian Broadcasting Corporation. Retrieved 26 December 2017.
  4. ^ "Kookaburras ready to toss the monkey". The Sydney Morning Herald. 26 August 2004. Archived from the original on 27 July 2009. Retrieved 14 June 2012.
  5. ^ "Wagga Wagga's Olympic debutant Dylan Martin helps Kookaburras win hockey silver medal - ABC News". Australian Broadcasting Corporation. 5 August 2021.
  6. ^ Epstein, Jackie (21 October 2009). "Dwyer breaks free of Holland binds – Australia always comes first". Herald Sun. Melbourne, Australia. p. 76. Retrieved 15 March 2012.
  7. ^ a b Department of Sport, Recreation and Tourism; Australian Sport Commission (1985). Australian Sport, a profile. Canberra, Australia: Australian Government Publish Service. pp. 177–178. ISBN 0644036672.
  8. ^ Dorling Kindersley Limited. (1999). The Olympic Games. St. Leonards, N.S.W.: Dorling Kindersley. p. 320. ISBN 1864660635. OCLC 57337092.
  9. ^ Dorling Kindersley Limited. (1999). The Olympic Games. St. Leonards, N.S.W.: Dorling Kindersley. p. 327. ISBN 1864660635. OCLC 57337092.
  10. ^ Dorling Kindersley Limited. (1999). The Olympic Games. St. Leonards, N.S.W.: Dorling Kindersley. p. 335. ISBN 1864660635. OCLC 57337092.
  11. ^ Dorling Kindersley Limited. (1999). The Olympic Games. St. Leonards, N.S.W.: Dorling Kindersley. p. 343. ISBN 1864660635. OCLC 57337092.
  12. ^ a b Petrie, Andrea (18 October 2009). "Sons a chip off the old stick – HOCKEY". The Sunday Age. Melbourne, Australia. p. 19. Retrieved 14 March 2012.
  13. ^ a b c "Fédération Internationale de Hockey | Official Website". International Hockey Federation.
  14. ^ "World Cup – FIH". International Hockey Federation.
  15. ^ "Champions Trophy". FIH.
  16. ^ "Australia pull out of Champions Trophy". 12 October 2004.
  17. ^ "FIH confirms Spain men and Belgium women join Hockey Pro League". FIH.
  18. ^ 2020-21 FIH Hockey Pro League (M)
  19. ^ "Hockeyroos and Kookaburras home Pro League matches postponed".
  20. ^ "Hockeyroos and Kookaburras confirmed for Pro League matches".
  21. ^ "Oceania Cup". Hockey Australia. Archived from the original on 11 January 2017. Retrieved 1 June 2018.
  22. ^ "Other". FIH.
  23. ^ "Squad Announcement: Full strength Kookaburras embark on Olympic campaign in India". hockey.org.au. Hockey Australia. 5 February 2024. Retrieved 18 February 2024.
  24. ^ "Team Details – Australia". tms.fih.ch. Retrieved 18 February 2024.
  25. ^ "Batch names strong 2024 Kookaburras squad ahead of Olympic year". hockey.org.au. International Hockey Federation. 6 December 2024. Retrieved 18 February 2024.
  26. ^ Department of Sport, Recreation and Tourism; Australian Sport Commission (1985). Australian Sport, a profile. Canberra, Australia: Australian Government Publish Service. p. 116. ISBN 0644036672.
  27. ^ a b c "Australian Sports Awards". Confederation of Australian Sport. Archived from the original on 8 February 2015. Retrieved 8 February 2015.
  28. ^ "Rabbitohs, Fearnley, Fox win top ASPAS". Australian Sports Commission News, 11 February 2015. Archived from the original on 11 February 2015. Retrieved 11 February 2015.

External links edit