NSW Pride and Brisbane Blaze have been head and shoulders above the rest this season and will fittingly square off in a mouth-watering showdown that will feature 12 current members of the world number one ranked Kookaburras and a host of outstanding local talent.
Tickets are available through Ticketek and both matches will be broadcast LIVE on Fox Sports 503 and Kayo.
The Pride head into the big dance attempting to cap off a remarkable season. Unbeaten in their seven matches having amassed 38 goals and conceding only seven in their road to the Grand Final, Brent Livermore’s team has shown no signs of letting up and head into the clash with an unchanged line up, brimming with confidence and knowledge that they defeated the Blaze 5-0 in Brisbane only a fortnight ago.
There was some uncertainty how the Pride would cope when star Kookaburras forward Blake Govers was ruled out for the season after suffering an injury in Round 6, but their potency up front continues to fire.
Tom Craig, Kurt Lovett, Ky Willott and Tim Brand have all been regulars on the score sheet and will be a handful for the Blaze to contain, while defensively the Pride have been well structured and tough to break down.
While their heavy defeat to the Pride is sure to still be in the back of their minds, Brisbane Blaze know that their best is certainly enough to cause the Pride problems.
The Blaze enter the Grand Final after an impressive 7-1 trouncing of an in form Tassie Tigers in the semi finals, their only blemish for the season coming in the loss to the Pride.
Similarly to their grand final opponents, the Blaze have just as many attacking threats and an ability to score heavily and quickly. Jake Whetton, Jacob Anderson have both been lethal in front of goal, while drag flick specialist Joel Rintala and the Wotherspoon brothers, Blake and Dylan, only need half an opening to strike.
It augurs for an intense high quality showdown between two exceptional sides and bitter State of Origin rivals on the field, while the battle in the coaches box will be just as fascinating, with former Kookaburra greats Livermore and Blaze Coach Matthew Wells coming up against each other.
Sultana Bran Hockey One League 2019 Men’s Grand Final
NSW Pride v Brisbane Blaze
Saturday 16 November 2019
State Netball and Hockey Centre, Melbourne
Match Start: 2:00pm AEDT
Tickets: Click here for ticketing details
Broadcast: LIVE on Fox Sports Chanel 503 and Kayo
Join the conversation on Twitter using the hashtags #NSWvBBZ #HockeyOne #H1Finals
NSW Pride Men’s team: 1.Lachlan Sharp, 2.Tom Craig, 5.Ash Thomas (GK), 6.Matthew Dawson, 8.Nathanael Stewart, 12.Kurt Lovett, 18.Tristan White, 19.Jack Hayes, 20.Ky Willott, 22.Flynn Ogilvie, 23.Ryan Proctor, 24.Dylan Martin, 28.Sam Gray, 29.Timothy Brand
Brisbane Blaze Men’s team: 2.Shane Kenny, 3.Corey Weyer, 5.Scott Boyde, 7.Joel Rintala, 9.Jacob Anderson, 10.Robert Bell, 12.Jake Whetton, 15.Justin Douglas, 16.Tim Howard, 19.Blake Wotherspoon, 23.Daniel Beale, 26.Dylan Wotherspoon, 27.Jared Taylor, 32.Mitchell Nicholson (GK)
In: 27.Jared Taylor
Out: 4.Hugh Pembroke
How they got there…
NSW Pride Men’s Team (Finished 1st)
Rd 1 v Adelaide Fire (H) W 2-1 (Hazell 42’, Govers 45’)
Rd 2 v Canberra Chill (A) W 7-0 (Craig 30’, Govers 42’/58’, Lovett 51’/51’, Brand 56’/56’)
Rd 3 v Tassie Tigers (H) W 4-2 (Govers 5’/25’/29’/33’)
Rd 4 BYE
Rd 5 v HC Melbourne (H) W 6-1 (Lovett 10’/10’/27’, Govers 37’/37’, Ogilvie 52’)
Rd 6 v Perth Thundersticks (A) W 8-1 (Govers 5’/5’/25’, Willott 30’, Brand 36’/43’/43’, Dawson 45’)
Rd 7 v Brisbane Blaze (A) W 5-0 (Sharp 2’, Willott 45’/45’, Craig 60’/60+’)
Semi v HC Melbourne (H) W 6-2 (Stewart 3’, Lovett 38’/44’, Brand 41’/41’, Willott 43’)
Brisbane Blaze Men’s Team (Finished 2nd)
Rd 1 v Canberra Chill (A) W 4-1 (Rintala 20’, Douglas 41’/41’, Anderson 52’)
Rd 2 v HC Melbourne (A) W 4-2 (Whetton 14’/14’, Boyde 47’, Taylor 49’)
Rd 3 v Adelaide Fire (A) W 5-1 (Weyer 5’, Rintala 10’/30+’/45’/58’)
Rd 4 v Tassie Tigers (H) W 7-0 (Beale 1’, Rintala 17’, Weyer 25’, D.Wotherspoon 36’/36’/38’/38’)
Rd 5 v Perth Thundersticks (H) W 5-1 (Weyer 15’, Rintala 26’, D. Wotherspoon 29’/29’, Beale 54)
Rd 6 BYE
Rd 7 v NSW Pride (H) L 0-5
Semi v Tassie Tigers (H) W 7-1 (Whetton 4’/4’, Anderson 6’, Rintala 25’, B.Wotherspoon 43’, D.Wotherspoon 55’/55’)