Australia women's national field hockey team

The Australia women's national field hockey team (nicknamed the Hockeyroos) are, as of August 2023, ranked second in the world.[2] Having played their first game in 1914, and their first Olympic game in 1984, they are one of Australia's most successful sporting teams, boasting three Olympic gold medals (1988, 1996, 2000), two World Cup gold medals (1994, 1998) and four Commonwealth Games gold medals (1998, 2006, 2010, 2014). The Hockeyroos have been crowned Australia's Team of the Year five times and were unanimously awarded Best Australian Team at the 2000 Sydney Olympic Games.

Australia
Nickname(s)Hockeyroos
AssociationHockey Australia
ConfederationOHF (Oceania)
Head CoachKatrina Powell
Assistant coach(es)Emma Murray
Hugh Purvis
ManagerMelissa Grey
CaptainJane Claxton
Kaitlin Nobbs
Grace Stewart
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 Steady (13 August 2024)[1]
Olympic Games
Appearances11 (first in 1984)
Best result1st (1988, 1996, 2000)
World Cup
Appearances12 (first in 1981)
Best result1st (1994, 1998)
Oceania Cup
Appearances11 (first in 1999)
Best result1st (1999, 2001, 2003, 2005, 2013, 2015, 2017, 2023)

A notable part of the Hockeyroos colourful history has involved Ric Charlesworth. Charlesworth was at the helm of the Hockeyroos from 1993 to 2000, where his reign as coach saw the team win the 1993, 1995, 1997 and 1999 Champions Trophies, 1994 and 1998 World Cups and the 1998 Commonwealth Games. Charlesworth took the Hockeyroos to the Atlanta and Sydney Olympic Games, where the team won back-to-back gold medals. The team was coached from 2011 by Adam Commens, who was replaced after the 2016 Summer Olympics, where the side failed to medal, by Paul Gaudoin.

Amid much turmoil, Gaudoin quit in March 2021 and was replaced by former player Katrina Powell.[3]

Given the extent of the Hockeyroos success, the team has consistently remained at the top of the world hockey rankings. From the late 1980s until 2000, the Australian team was ranked at number 1 in the world. Only once during this period, did the Hockeyroos fail to win a tournament, when they finished fifth.

Great Hockeyroos

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Rechelle Hawkes

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As part of the Olympic team in 1988, 1992, 1996 and 2000, Rechelle Hawkes is the most decorated Hockeyroo of all time. Such is her status in international hockey that she is among the most successful female players in the history of the sport. Hawkes is the only female hockey player to win three Olympic gold medals at three separate games. After 279 international matches, Hawkes retired following the Sydney Olympic Games where the Hockeyroos again won gold. In recognition of her contribution to Australian sport, Rechelle was inducted into the Sport Australia Hall of Fame in 2002. In 2018, Hawkes was made a Member of the Order of Australia for "significant service to hockey."

Alyson Annan

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Alyson Annan is also one of more prominent figures in the history of the Hockeyroos. Annan debuted in the Australian side at the age of 18 and became renowned for her prowess in front of goal, scoring 166 goals during her career. She was widely regarded as the sharpest shooter in international women's hockey during the 1990s which was acknowledged when she won the World Hockey Player of the Year in 1999. Annan represented Australia 228 times, and was part of the 1996 and 2000 Olympic Gold Medal-winning teams. Annan remains the Hockeyroos highest goal scorer.

Nikki Hudson

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As a highly recognised Hockeyroo, Nikki Hudson has become one of the most identifiable Australian athletes. Retiring in 2009, the striker was formerly the highest capped player in the history of the Hockeyroos, finishing on 303 games (at the time, being the only Hockeyroo to play over 300 games). Since her debut in 1993 at the age of 17, Hudson scored 99 goals in international competition. In 2008, she played in her third successive Olympic Games.

Madonna Blyth

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Following her debut in 2004, Madonna Blyth became one of the most prominent Hockeyroos in history. Retiring in 2016, the midfielder became the highest-capped player in the history of the Hockeyroos, finishing on 342 games, surpassing the record previously set by Nikki Hudson. During her career, she won three Commonwealth Games gold medals and two World Cup silvers. She was also the captain of the team from 2009 until her retirement in 2016, following the Olympic Games.

The Hockeyroos since 2016

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Australia vs Netherlands, Sydney 2000 Olympics.

Following the 2016 Summer Olympics, many of the Hockeyroos' core players retired, forcing the team into a development phase. In 2017, long-time player Emily Chalker was named captain of the team during this rebuilding phase. Following a disappointing Hockey World League campaign, the team won the Oceania Cup, sparking what would become a string of successes for the team.

The Hockeyroos played three major tournaments in 2018, winning silver medals at the Commonwealth Games and Champions Trophy. The team only failed to medal at the World Cup, where they finished fourth.

Following her return to the squad in 2018, Jodie Kenny was named as a co-captain of the team, along with Emily Chalker and Georgina Morgan. The team started 2019 with an historic 1–0 victory over world number one, the Netherlands in the FIH Pro League, this marked their first win over the Dutch since the 2009 Champions Trophy. At the conclusion of the group stage of the FIH Pro League, the Hockeyroos finished in third place, qualifying for the Grand Final and the FIH Olympic Qualifiers.

Tournament records

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World Cup[4]
Year Host city Position
1981   Buenos Aires, Argentina 4th
1983   Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia 3rd
1986   Amsterdam, Netherlands 6th
1990   Sydney, Australia 2nd
1994   Dublin, Ireland 1st
1998   Utrecht, Netherlands 1st
2002   Perth, Australia 4th
2006   Madrid, Spain 2nd
2010   Rosario, Argentina 5th
2014   The Hague, Netherlands 2nd
2018   London, England 4th
2022   Terrassa, Spain
  Amstelveen, Netherlands
3rd
Oceania Cup[5]
Year Host city Position
1999   Sydney, Australia 1st
2001   Auckland, New Zealand 1st
2003   Melbourne, Australia
  Auckland, New Zealand
1st
2005   Sydney, Australia
  Auckland, New Zealand
1st
2007   Buderim, Australia 2nd
2009   Invercargill, New Zealand 2nd
2011   Hobart, Australia 2nd
2013   Stratford, New Zealand 1st
2015   Stratford, New Zealand 1st
2017   Sydney, Australia 1st
2019   Rockhampton, Australia 2nd
2023   Whangarei, New Zealand 1st
Commonwealth Games[6]
Year Host city Position
1998   Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia 1st
2002   Manchester, England 3rd
2006   Melbourne, Australia 1st
2010   New Delhi, India 1st
2014   Glasgow, Scotland 1st
2018   Gold Coast, Australia 2nd
2022   Birmingham, England 2nd
2026 TBD Q
World League[7]
Year Round Host city Position
2012–13 Semifinal   London, England 1st
Final   San Miguel de Tucumán, Argentina 2nd
2014–15 Semifinal   Antwerp, Belgium 3rd
Final   Rosario, Argentina 6th
2016–17 Semifinals   Brussels, Belgium 5th
FIH Pro League[8]
Year Position
2019 Season One 2nd
2020–21 Season Two 5th
2021–22 Season Three Withdrew
2022–23 Season Four 3rd
2023–24 Season Five 6th
2024–25 Season Six Qualified
Olympic Games[9]
Year Host city Position
1980   Moscow, Soviet Union N/A
1984   Los Angeles, United States 4th
1988   Seoul, South Korea 1st
1992   Barcelona, Spain 5th
1996   Atlanta, United States 1st
2000   Sydney, Australia 1st
2004   Athens, Greece 5th
2008   Beijing, China 5th
2012   London, United Kingdom 5th
2016   Rio de Janeiro, Brazil 6th
2020   Tokyo, Japan 5th
2024   Paris, France 5th
Champions Trophy[10]
Year Host city Position
1987   Amstelveen, Netherlands 2nd
1989   Germany, West Germany 2nd
1991   Berlin, Germany 1st
1993   Amstelveen, Netherlands 1st
1995   Mar del Plata, Argentina 1st
1997   Berlin, Germany 1st
1999   Brisbane, Australia 1st
2000   Amstelveen, Netherlands 3rd
2001   Amstelveen, Netherlands 3rd
2002   Macau, China 4th
2003   Sydney, Australia 1st
2004   Rosario, Argentina 4th
2005   Canberra, Australia 2nd
2006   Amstelveen, Netherlands 5th
2007   Quilmes, Argentina 4th
2008   Mönchengladbach, Germany 5th
2009   Sydney, Australia 2nd
2010   Nottingham, England
2011   Amstelveen, Netherlands 6th
2012   Roasario, Argentina
2014   Mendoza, Argentina 2nd
2016   London, England 4th
2018   Changzhou, China 2nd
Champions Challenge I[11]
Year Host city Position
2002–2011 Did not Compete
2012   Dublin, Ireland 1st
2014   Glasgow, Scotland

Team

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2024 squad

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The following 20 players make up the Hockeyroos 2024 squad.[12]

Caps and goals are current as of 5 August 2024 after the match against China.

Head coach: Katrina Powell

No. Pos. Player Date of birth (age) Caps Goals Club
7 GK Aleisha Power (1997-01-01) 1 January 1997 (age 27) 33 0   Perth Thundersticks
19 GK Jocelyn Bartram (1993-05-04) 4 May 1993 (age 31) 113 0   NSW Pride

6 DF Penny Squibb (1993-02-09) 9 February 1993 (age 31) 62 6   Perth Thundersticks
13 DF Harriet Shand (2000-01-11) 11 January 2000 (age 24) 52 0   Adelaide Fire
15 DF Kaitlin Nobbs (captain) (1997-09-24) 24 September 1997 (age 27) 141 12   NSW Pride
17 DF Lucy Sharman (2003-05-24) 24 May 2003 (age 21) 15 0   Adelaide Fire
20 DF Karri Somerville (1999-04-07) 7 April 1999 (age 25) 59 0   Perth Thundersticks
22 DF Tatum Stewart (2002-02-22) 22 February 2002 (age 22) 34 9   Brisbane Blaze

1 MF Claire Colwill (2003-09-19) 19 September 2003 (age 21) 62 5   Brisbane Blaze
4 MF Amy Lawton (2002-01-19) 19 January 2002 (age 22) 85 4   HC Melbourne
5 MF Grace Young (2002-08-23) 23 August 2002 (age 22) 40 0   NSW Pride
8 MF Maddison Brooks (2004-09-23) 23 September 2004 (age 20) 36 7   Tassie Tigers
12 MF Greta Hayes (1996-10-17) 17 October 1996 (age 27) 51 2   NSW Pride
14 MF Stephanie Kershaw (1995-04-19) 19 April 1995 (age 29) 126 24   Brisbane Blaze

2 FW Ambrosia Malone (1998-01-08) 8 January 1998 (age 26) 114 33   Brisbane Blaze
3 FW Brooke Peris (captain) (1993-01-16) 16 January 1993 (age 31) 214 40   Adelaide Fire
11 FW Alice Arnott (1998-02-25) 25 February 1998 (age 26) 22 8   NSW Pride
24 FW Mariah Williams (1995-05-31) 31 May 1995 (age 29) 138 21   NSW Pride
29 FW Rebecca Greiner (1999-06-13) 13 June 1999 (age 25) 80 10   Brisbane Blaze
30 FW Grace Stewart (captain) (1997-04-28) 28 April 1997 (age 27) 130 37   NSW Pride

Recent call-ups

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The following players have received call-ups to the national team in the last 12 months:

Pos. Player Date of birth (age) Caps Goals Club Latest call-up
GK Zoe Newman (1999-07-28) 28 July 1999 (age 25) 10 0   Adelaide Fire v.   India; 17 February 2024

DF Renee Taylor RETIRED (1996-09-28) 28 September 1996 (age 28) 138 16   Brisbane Blaze v.   China; 5 August 2024

MF Jane Claxton RETIRED (1992-10-26) 26 October 1992 (age 31) 250 21   Adelaide Fire v.   China; 5 August 2024
MF Dayle Dolkens (2001-10-28) 28 October 2001 (age 22) 5 0   Brisbane Blaze v.   India; 17 February 2024

FW Abigail Wilson (1998-06-27) 27 June 1998 (age 26) 18 1   NSW Pride v.   China; 21 April 2024

Records

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Highest capped players[13]
Rank Player Games
1 Madonna Blyth 342
2 Nikki Hudson 303
3 Rechelle Hawkes 279
4 Karen Smith 271
5 Casey Sablowski 258
6 Emily Chalker 255
7 Katrina Powell 252
8 Jane Claxton 250
9 Jodie Kenny 235
10 Rachael Lynch 233
Highest goalscorers[14]
Rank Player Goals
1 Alyson Annan 166
2 Katrina Powell 141
3 Jodie Kenny 111
4 Jackie Pereira 109
5 Nicole Hudson 99
6 Emily Chalker 88
7 Jenn Morris 83
8 Michelle Andrews 74
9 Madonna Blyth 71
10 Ashleigh Nelson 69

Results

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Past results

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2024 Fixtures and Results

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2024 Statistics
Pld W WD D LD L GF GA GD Pts
26 13 1 2 1 9 54 42 +12 44

FIH Pro League – Leg 1

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4 February 2024 India Leg China   3–0   Australia Bhubaneswar, India
17:30 Yuan   37'55'
Yu   39'
Report Stadium: Kalinga Stadium
6 February 2024 India Leg United States   0–3   Australia Bhubaneswar, India
19:30 Report T. Stewart   7'
Kershaw   23'
G. Stewart   37'
Stadium: Kalinga Stadium
7 February 2024 India Leg India   0–3   Australia Bhubaneswar, India
19:30 Report G. Stewart   19'
T. Stewart   23'
Nobbs   55'
Stadium: Kalinga Stadium
9 February 2024 India Leg Netherlands   6–2   Australia Bhubaneswar, India
17:30 Veen   7'49'49'
Matla   9'
Jansen   20'39'
Report T. Stewart   28'
G. Stewart   52'
Stadium: Kalinga Stadium
14 February 2024 India Leg Australia   2–0   China Rourkela, India
17:30 G. Stewart   29'
Kershaw   57'
Report Stadium: Birsa Munda International Hockey Stadium
15 February 2024 India Leg Australia   4–0   United States Rourkela, India
13:30 Brooks   21'
Greiner   30'
Colwill   44'
Colwill   44'
Report Stadium: Birsa Munda International Hockey Stadium
17 February 2024 India Leg India   1–0   Australia Rourkela, India
19:30 Vandana   34' Report Stadium: Birsa Munda International Hockey Stadium
18 February 2024 India Leg Australia   1–3   Netherlands Rourkela, India
17:30 Kershaw   20' Report Jansen   2'13'14' Stadium: Birsa Munda International Hockey Stadium

International Festival of Hockey

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20 April 2024 Test Match Australia   1–0   Japan Perth, Australia
16:40 Williams   60' Report Stadium: Perth Hockey Stadium
21 April 2024 Test Match China   2–2   Australia Perth, Australia
16:40 Zou   22'
Chen Ya.   22'
Report Hayes   38'
Kershaw   53'
Stadium: Perth Hockey Stadium
23 April 2024 Practice Match Australia   4–0   Australia Development Perth, Australia
15:40 Williams   35'
Malone   50'
Brooks   58'
Colwill   60+'
Report Stadium: Perth Hockey Stadium
24 April 2024 Test Match Australia   2–3   China Perth, Australia
17:40 Malone   16'
Brooks   18'
Report Chen Yi   15'
Chen Ya.   46'
Zou   58'
Stadium: Perth Hockey Stadium
27 April 2024 Practice Match Australia Development   1–3   Australia Perth, Australia
16:40 Wilson   29' Report Hayes   4'
Peris   42'
Somerville   52'
Stadium: Perth Hockey Stadium
28 April 2024 Test Match Japan   0–3   Australia Perth, Australia
16:40 Report Colwill   12'
Malone   42'
Brooks   51'
Stadium: Perth Hockey Stadium

FIH Pro League – Leg 2

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29 May 2024 Belgium Leg Belgium   2–2
(3–2 p)
  Australia Antwerp, Belgium
16:30 Vanden Borre   19'
Gerniers   60'
Report Claxton   8'
Peris   57'
Stadium: Wilrijkse Plein
Penalties
Versavel  
Englebert  
Blockmans  
Ballenghien  
Breyne  
Englebert  
  Peris
  Kershaw
  Malone
  Nobbs
  Lawton
  Peris
30 May 2024 Belgium Leg Australia   0–5   Argentina Antwerp, Belgium
14:15 Report Antoniazzi   21'
Casas   41'
Granatto   46'
Trinchinetti   50'
Gorzelany   54'
Stadium: Wilrijkse Plein
1 June 2024 Belgium Leg Argentina   0–1   Australia Antwerp, Belgium
11:15 Report Squibb   47' Stadium: Wilrijkse Plein
2 June 2024 Belgium Leg Australia   1–2   Belgium Antwerp, Belgium
11:15 Arnott   17' Report Gerniers   28'
Bonami   50'
Stadium: Wilrijkse Plein
11 June 2024 Great Britain Leg Australia   2–3   Germany London, United Kingdom
17:45 Arnott   52'
Kershaw   56'
Report Stapenhorst   3'
Lorenz   36'
Nolte   39'
Stadium: Lee Valley Hockey and Tennis Centre

XXXIII Olympic Games

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28 July 2024 Pool B Australia   2–1   South Africa Paris, France
12:45 Kershaw   16'
T. Stewart   40'
Report De Waal   14' Stadium: Stade Yves-du-Manoir
29 July 2024 Pool B Great Britain   0–4   Australia Paris, France
17:00 Report Greiner   17'
Arnott   19'
T. Stewart   46'
G. Stewart   52'
Stadium: Stade Yves-du-Manoir
31 July 2024 Pool B Australia   3–0   United States Paris, France
13:15 Taylor   3'
Arnott   29'
Brooks   53'
Report Stadium: Stade Yves-du-Manoir
1 August 2024 Pool B Argentina   3–3   Australia Paris, France
20:15 Casas   10'
Sauze   10'
Granatto   50'
Report Nobbs   37'
Kershaw   45+'
Williams   60'
Stadium: Stade Yves-du-Manoir
3 August 2024 Pool B Australia   3–1   Spain Paris, France
12:45 Arnott   2'
Kershaw   55'
Nobbs   59'
Report Riera   43' Stadium: Stade Yves-du-Manoir
5 August 2024 Quarter-final Australia   2–3   China Paris, France
10:00 Stadium: Stade Yves-du-Manoir

2025 Fixtures and Results

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2025 Statistics
Pld W WD D LD L GF GA GD Pts
0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

FIH Pro League

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5 February 2025 Australia Leg Australia   v   Spain Sydney, Australia
19:30 Report Stadium: Sydney Olympic Park
6 February 2025 Australia Leg Australia   v   China Sydney, Australia
19:30 Report Stadium: Sydney Olympic Park
8 February 2025 Australia Leg Australia   v   Spain Sydney, Australia
19:30 Report Stadium: Sydney Olympic Park
9 February 2025 Australia Leg Australia   v   China Sydney, Australia
19:30 Report Stadium: Sydney Olympic Park
20 February 2025 Argentina Leg Argentina   v   Australia Buenos Aires, Argentina
21:30 Report Stadium: Venue TBC
21 February 2025 Argentina Leg Australia   v   Belgium Buenos Aires, Argentina
21:30 Report Stadium: Venue TBC
23 February 2025 Argentina Leg Argentina   v   Australia Buenos Aires, Argentina
21:30 Report Stadium: Venue TBC
24 February 2025 Argentina Leg Belgium   v   Australia Buenos Aires, Argentina
21:30 Report Stadium: Venue TBC
14 June 2025 Europe Leg Australia   v   India London, England
11:00 Report Stadium: Lee Valley Hockey Stadium
15 June 2025 Europe Leg India   v   Australia London, England
10:30 Report Stadium: Lee Valley Hockey Stadium
21 June 2025 Europe Leg Germany   v   Australia Berlin, Germany
15:00 Report Stadium: Ernst Reuter Sportfeld
22 June 2025 Europe Leg Germany   v   Australia Berlin, Germany
11:00 Report Stadium: Ernst Reuter Sportfeld

2024 Goalscorers

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2024 Goalscorers
Rank Player FG PC PS Total
1 Stephanie Kershaw 3 5 0 8
2 Alice Arnott 6 1 0 7
Tatum Stewart 0 5 2
4 Grace Stewart 5 1 0 6
5 Maddison Brooks 3 1 0 4
Rebecca Greiner 3 1 0
7 Ambrosia Malone 2 1 0 3
Kaitlin Nobbs 3 0 0
Brooke Peris 1 2 0
10 Jane Claxton 2 0 0 2
Claire Colwill 0 2 0
Mariah Williams 1 1 0
13 Greta Hayes 0 1 0 1
Penny Squibb 0 1 0
Renee Taylor 1 0 0
Total 30 22 2 54

Other programs

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National development squad

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In addition to the core 22 player squad, Hockey Australia also maintains a 20 player development squad. The 2024 squad is as follows:

Results

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In April 2024, the development squad will play Australia, China and Japan in the International Festival of Hockey.

International Festival of Hockey
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20 April 2024 Match 1 China   5–1   Australia Development Perth, Australia
14:40 Gu   8'
Huang   19'
Yang   32'
Zhou   33'
He   40'
Report Downes   12' Stadium: Perth Hockey Stadium
21 April 2024 Match 2 Japan   3–2   Australia Development Perth, Australia
14:40 Takashima   12'17'
Oikawa   45'
Report Smith   18'
Flynn   21'
Stadium: Perth Hockey Stadium
24 April 2024 Match 4 Australia Development   2–1   Japan Perth, Australia
14:40 Downes   27'
Cullum-Sanders   32'
Report Mori   55' Stadium: Perth Hockey Stadium
28 April 2024 Match 6 Australia Development   2–2   China Perth, Australia
14:40 Wilson   45'
Cullum-Sanders   57'
Report Dan   25'
Zou   60'
Stadium: Perth Hockey Stadium

See also

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References

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  1. ^ "FIH Outdoor World Hockey Rankings". FIH. 13 August 2024. Retrieved 13 August 2024.
  2. ^ "FIH RANKINGS — OUTDOOR". International Hockey Federation. Retrieved 7 June 2019.
  3. ^ "Olympics: Powell takes over Australia's 'Hockeyroos' after period of turmoil". Reuters. 30 March 2021. Retrieved 30 March 2021.
  4. ^ "Home – FIH".
  5. ^ "Oceania Cup". Hockey Australia. Archived from the original on 11 January 2017. Retrieved 5 October 2017.
  6. ^ "Home – FIH".
  7. ^ "Home – FIH".
  8. ^ "FIH confirms Spain men and Belgium women join Hockey Pro League". FIH.
  9. ^ "Home – FIH".
  10. ^ "Home – FIH".
  11. ^ "Home – FIH".
  12. ^ "Hockeyroos 2024 Squad". hockey.org.au. Hockey Australia. Retrieved 4 October 2024.
  13. ^ "Australian women's players". Hockey Australia.
  14. ^ "Australian women's players". Hockey Australia.
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