NSW Pride star Abby Wilson became the first woman to reach the 25 goal mark in Hockey One history as her side defeated the Tassie Tigers on their first home matchday of the new season.
The Macarthur Hockey Complex witnessed 23 combined goals scored across the Men’s and Women’s games in Round 2 of the One Active Hockey One league, as the NSW Pride played their first home matches of the new season. The NSW Pride Men lost their match 4-6 in spectacular fashion against the Tassie Tigers, conceding in the final minute, while the NSW Pride Women had a few tense moments but managed to comfortably outscore Tassie 8-5 to maintain their perfect start to the season.
But it was the Abby Wilson show that proved to be the main attraction, as the rising star of the Hockeyroos and world hockey scored a hat-trick inside the opening 3 minutes of the Women’s match, notching up career goals numbers twenty-five, twenty-six, and twenty-seven in just 32 games of Hockey One. Wilson is the first woman to reach the milestone of 25 career goals and is the Women’s League’s top all-time goal scorer as a result.
On reaching the milestone Wilson remained humble, saying it was the result of strong team play and that, with the conversion rule in Hockey One, the numbers can get a little inflated.
“It was a pretty fast start. My first goal was with my first touch, so that was a bit surreal,” she said. “I had to then take the one-on-one, and that was my first carry of the game, so it was nice to be on the end of a goal in the beginning,” Wilson said.
NSW Pride Women Head Coach Scott Barker was effusive in his praise for Abby Wilson and her record-setting efforts.
“What more can we say? She’s a world-class striker. Most of our game plan is to find ‘Abs’ [Wilson] in the circle and she’ll score,” he said.
The win sets the Pride Women up nicely, pushing them to the top of the Hockey One ladder early in the season with maximum points from their opening two games.
The NSW Pride Men suffered a late defeat to the visiting Tigers despite establishing an early lead and going into the half-time break 3-1 up. Dylan Martin scored from a penalty corner rebound and Blake Govers added two more with a converted field goal before Tigers star Jack Wwlch pulled on back in the final seconds of the half to keep Tassie in touch.
A tense third quarter resulted in no additional score from either team, but Tassie goalkeeper Max Larkin appeared to be struggling with a hamstring strain and, with no reserve goalkeeper in the travelling squad, was spectacularly substituted during the final break with 41 year-old former Kookaburra Tim Deavin donning the pads for the final quarter.
Welch converted a penalty corner soon after the resumption of play, but Blake Govers re-established the Pride’s two-goal buffer almost immediately, beating Deavin at his near-post as the fill-in goalkeeper was no match for the goal-nous of the Pride’s leading all-time goalscorer.
However, goals to Welch and Ehren Hazell in the final minutes drew Tassie level at 4-4, and Welch capped an imperious individual display by scoring a field goal and the resultant conversion in the last 30 seconds to deliver the Tigers a thrilling come-from-behind win and break NSW hearts.
NSW Pride Men Head Coach Kieran Govers said he was disappointed with the result but said it will be a good experience for the team to learn from.
“We probably went away from the game plan a little bit,” he said, “but it’s still unacceptable.”
“It’s a harsh learning. More frustrating, to be honest. As I said [to the team] at half time and three quarter time, I can’t fault the effort of the boys, but I want to use our energy in attack – not defence,” Govers said.
Attentions now turn quickly to Friday night, when the NSW Pride host the visiting HC Melbourne at the Newcastle International Hockey Centre. Expectations are for a big crowd to turn out to see the Men’s defending champions, who currently sit top of the Hockey One ladder with a perfect record from their opening two games, come up against the Pride Men at home, while the Pride Women will be a drawcard of their own – also sitting 2 from 2 on top of the Women’s ladder with Abby Wilson likely to draw increased interest from fans keen to see the in-form striker in action on home soil.
Results – Saturday, 18 October 2025 at the Macarthur Hockey Complex, Narellan, NSW
Men
NSW Pride 4 – 6 Tassie Tigers
Goal scorers
19’ Dylan Martin (NSW)
30’ Blake Govers (NSW)
30’ Blake Govers (Conversion) (NSW)
30’ Jack Welch (TAS)
47’ Jack Welch (TAS)
49’ Blake Govers (NSW)
53’ Jack Welch (TAS)
55’ Ehren Hazell (TAS)
60’ Jack Welch (TAS)
60’ Jack Welch (Conversion) (TAS)
Women
NSW Pride 8 – 5 Tassie Tigers
Goal scorers
2’ Abby Wilson (NSW)
2’ Abby Wilson (Conversion) (NSW)
3’ Abby Wilson (NSW)
12’ Phillida Bridley (TAS)
12’ Phillida Bridley (Conversion) (TAS)
16’ Jenna-Rae McIntyre (NSW)
16’ Jenna-Rae McIntyre (Conversion) (NSW)
42’ Chelsea Holmes (NSW)
45’ Roos Swann (TAS)
45’ Roos Swann (Conversion) (TAS)
47’ Makayla Jones (NSW)
47’ Makayla Jones (Conversion) (NSW)
52’ Phillida Bridley (TAS)