NSW Pride stamped their claim as outright and deserved title favourites after dismantling the previously unbeaten Brisbane Blaze away from home, Tassie Tigers continued their impressive run, and bottom placed Adelaide Fire gave HC Melbourne an almighty scare.
And the semi finalists for the inaugural Sultana Bran Hockey One season have been decided following a final round of matches that threw up some intriguing and surprising results.
Tassie Tigers enter the finals on the back of a third successive win as they comfortably accounted for the Perth Thundersticks 4-0 at the Tasmanian Hockey Centre.
All of the goals came in the opening 20 minutes, Josh Beltz opening the scoring in the 4th minute, Sam McCambridge continuing his impressive season with a quick fire double before Gobindraj Gill knocked in a fourth in the 19th minute to kiss any outside hopes the Thundersticks had of sneaking into the top four good-bye.
The top of the table clash between NSW Pride and Brisbane Blaze pitted two undefeated teams looking to send an early finals statement. The talk in the build up was on which team would be able to cover better for their absent Kookaburras stars – Blake Govers missing for the Pride and midfielder Matt Swann absent for the Blaze.
The Pride answered that question in comprehensive fashion with another outstanding hockey display under the guidance of Head Coach Brent Livermore.
Kookaburra Lachlan Sharp stunned the home crowd when he provided the deftest of touches to open the scoring after just two minutes. Ky Willott then cracked home a field goal and scored the subsequent conversion opportunity in the shadows of three quarter time to make it 3-0, before Tom Craig sealed the result with a first class solo effort and finish.
The 5-0 result gave NSW Pride the minor premiership and sent out a warning to the other contenders that they will take some stopping.
One of those contenders, who the Pride will meet in the semi finals, is HC Melbourne. The Victorians finished in fourth spot after escaping with a 6-5 win over bottom placed Adelaide Fire in their last regular season match.
The 11-goal thriller had Adelaide Fire head into half time 3-1 in front courtesy of a field goal and conversion double to Kota Watenabe and a Cameron Joyce drag flick.
But when Aaron Kleinschmidt and then captain Russell Ford both scored field goals and their one-on-one conversion opportunities a two goal deficit was suddenly a two goal lead for the hosts.
Joyce’s second goal kept the Fire well and truly in the game but drag flick specialist Josh Simmonds responded again for HC Melbourne on the stroke of three quarter time.
Despite Joyce completing his hat-trick in the 52nd minute, the Fire would fall just short of claiming a last round scalp as HC Melbourne’s focus turns to their sudden death semi final encounter with the Pride.
All four semi finals will be broadcast LIVE and exclusive on Kayo with the Grand Finals to be shown LIVE on Fox Sports.
Sultana Bran Hockey One 2019 Season – Round 7 Results
Tassie Tigers 4 (J.Beltz 4’, McCambridge 8’/8’, Gill 19’)
Perth Thundersticks 0
Saturday 2 November 2019
Tasmanian Hockey Centre (TAS)
Tassie Tigers Men’s team: 2.Nicholas Leslie, 4.Hayden Beltz, 11.Eddie Ockenden (c), 12.Sam McCulloch, 13.Josh Beltz, 14.Jack Welch, 15.Kieron Arthur, 19.Tim Deavin, 20.James Bourke, 21.Ben Read, 23.Henry Chambers (GK), 27.Gobindraj Gill, 29.Sam McCambridge, 32.Jeremy Hayward
Perth Thundersticks Men’s team: 1.Brayden King, 4.Jake Harvie, 5.Frazer Gerrard, 7.Tyler Lovell (GK), 8.Coby Green, 9.Dane Gavranich, 10.Tom Wickham, 14.Liam Flynn, 19.Daniel Robertson, 23.Matthew Fisher, 24.Alec Rasmussen, 25.Trent Mitton (c), 26.Brandon Gibbs, 27.Marshall Roberts
Brisbane Blaze 0
NSW Pride 5 (Sharp 2’, Willott 45’/45’, Craig 60’/60+’)
Saturday 2 November 2019
State Hockey Centre (QLD)
Brisbane Blaze Men’s team: 2.Shane Kenny, 3.Corey Weyer, 4.Hugh Pembroke (c), 5.Scott Boyde, 7.Joel Rintala, 9.Jacob Anderson, 10.Robert Bell, 12.Jake Whetton, 14.Luke Tyne, 16.Tim Howard, 19.Blake Wotherspoon, 23.Daniel Beale, 26.Dylan Wotherspoon, 32.Mitchell Nicholson (GK)
NSW Pride Men’s team: 1.Lachlan Sharp, 2.Tom Craig, 5.Ash Thomas (GK), 6.Matthew Dawson (c), 7.Daine Richards, 11.Hayden Dillon, 12.Kurt Lovett, 19.Jack Hayes, 20.Ky Willott, 22.Flynn Ogilvie, 23.Ryan Proctor, 24.Dylan Martin, 26.Ehren Hazell, 29.Timothy Brand
HC Melbourne 6 (Ephraums 2’, Kleinschmidt 33’/33’, Ford 37’/37’, Simmonds 45+’)
Adelaide Fire 5 (Kota 9’/9’, Joyce 15+’/42’/52’)
Sunday 3 November 2019
State Netball and Hockey Centre (VIC)
HC Melbourne Men’s team: 1.Craig Marais, 2.Max Hendry, 3.Simon Borger, 5.Andrew Philpott, 7.Will Gilmour, 9.Nathan Ephraums, 10.Russell Ford (c), 12.Connar Otterbach, 14.Jonathan Bretherton, 15.Josh Simmonds, 18.Johan Durst (GK), 21.Jake Sherren, 25.Aaron Kleinschmidt, 29.Oscar Wookey
Adelaide Fire Men’s team: 1.Fraser Bowden, 3.Lachlan Busiko, 7.Scott Germein, 9.Fred Gray, 11.Cameron Joyce, 15.Andy Leat, 18.Al Oliver, 19.Glyn Tamlin (c), 22.Chris Wells, 23.Cameron White, 24.Hirotaka Zendana, 25.Kota Watenabe, 26.Liam Alexander, 29.Edward Chittleborough (GK)
Sultana Bran Hockey One League – Men’s Semi Finals
NSW Pride v HC Melbourne
Saturday 9 November 2019
Sydney Olympic Park Hockey Centre (NSW)
Match Start: 1:00pm local (1:00pm AEDT)
Brisbane Blaze v Tassie Tigers
Saturday 9 November 2019
State Hockey Centre (QLD)
Match Start: 6:30pm local (7:30pm AEDT)