WAIS Hockey Athletes in International Action in Hobart
WAIS hockey athletes have been in action at the Hobart International Challenge representing the Kookaburras and Australia A in matches against Pakistan and Korea.
As the Kookaburras continue to add to their depth of talent, the senior squad and Australia A teams were blended over the first two matches, in order to create opportunities for the next wave of Australian representative test players.
In the opening round, the Kookaburras recorded a 6-0 win over Pakistan, with WAIS scholarship holders; Chris Bausor, Kiel Brown, Tyler Lovell and Trent Mitton featuring.
Mitton was on the score sheet in the 35th minute, whilst Brown added the sixth goal for Australia on 58 minutes.
World Cup winner and WAIS athlete Aran Zalewski represented the A squad in their match with Korea, which the Aussies won 3-1, with Zalewski adding a goal. Fellow WAIS athlete Triston Clemons also played in the match, whilst former scholarship holder Graeme Begbie made a welcome return to representative hockey following a long international lay-off in which the classy defender has been cruelled by injury.
The Kookaburras faced Korea in their second match – recording a comprehensive 7-0 win. Zalewski was back in the senior fold, whilst Lovell featured as a substitute.
The Australia A side made it a double in their last outing for the International meet, earning a 3-1 result over Pakistan, in a match that featured Bausor, Mitton, Brown and Clemons.
Following the trial matches, the Kookaburras selected a trimmed down squad for their remaining matches with New Zealand, Korea and Pakistan, with Kiel Brown, Tyler Lovell, Trent Mitton and Aran Zalewski retained.