By Kate Allman
Young guns will be blooded against international stars, and reigning premiers face fired-up underdogs, as NSW go on the road to meet Adelaide Fire at MATE Stadium tonight.
The Women of the NSW Pride are hunting their first win of the 2022 season in round three of the Sultana Bran Hockey One League. They come off a bye last week and a 5-3 loss against HC Melbourne in round one.
The Adelaide Fire women’s team is lurking mid-ladder – clocking a clinical win against the Tassie Tigers last week and showcasing supreme team play after a round one loss to in-form side the Perth Thundersticks.
This match promises a tense battle in both attacking quarters, with Hockeyroos Grace Stewart, Mariah Williams and Greta Hayes (NSW Pride) lining up against their Australian captain Jane Claxton and in-form Gabi Nance (Adelaide Fire).
The Pride will test its young spine in fiery midfielder Grace Young, plus scoring weapons Abby Wilson and Emma Scriven. Three debutants will also don the gold and red for the first time in Sydneysiders and under 21s teammates Julia Bradley, Alana Kavanagh and Zoe Newman.
Tickets are available through Ticketek.
Catch all the action LIVE on Kayo.
In the Men’s game, a win is becoming crucial for the maligned Adelaide Fire.
A third loss in a row could scorch the Fire’s finals chances as they lean on the home crowd advantage to swing their fortunes.
It will be a tough ask against defending champions the NSW Pride. The men went undefeated in Season One and looked slick in their win against HC Melbourne in round one of 2022, despite missing a handful of key Kookaburras players who are due to return for the back half of the season.
The midfield duo of Ky Willot and Daine Richards (NSW Pride) will seek to penetrate the defensive wall of Alistair Oliver, Tom Cleghorn and goalkeeper Christian Starkie (Adelaide Fire). Oliver scuttled several penalty corner opportunities last week with his brave runs in defence.
Young Northern Territory striker Zach Rakkas (Adelaide Fire) will be put to the test by Tokyo silver medallist and rangy defensive man Dylan Martin (NSW Pride).
Last time these teams met, honours were split. The Fire women won 2-1, while the NSW Pride men reversed the score winning 1-2.
Adelaide Fire v NSW Pride
Friday 14 October 2022
MATE Stadium (SA)
Match Start: Women’s 6:00pm local (6:30pm AEDT), Men’s 7:30pm local (8:00pm AEDT)
Broadcast: LIVE and exclusive on Kayo #ADLvNSW #HockeyOne
Umpires: Michelle Farnill & Rhiannon Murrie (Women’s), Jim Unkles & Tim Sheahan (Men’s)
Adelaide Fire Women’s team: 1.Linzi Appleyard, 4.Chloe Carter, 5.Kelsey Bing (gk), 8.Holly Evans-Gill, 9.Lucy Holland-Smith, 10.Carly Hoffmann, 11.Lucy Sharman, 13.Sarah Harrison (c), 15.Jane Claxton, 17.Siennah Cowles, 19.Gabi Nance, 20.Hattie Shand, 21.Miki Spano, 23.Izzy Gill, 30.Julia King
In: 1.Linzi Appleyard, 9.Lucy Holland-Smith
Out: 16.Jet Mallinson, 18.Erin Cameron
NSW Pride Women’s team: 2.Sarah Johnston, 6.Estelle Hughes, 7.Grace Stewart, 8.Alana Kavanagh, 9.Zoe Newman (gk), 10.Greta Hayes, 11.Emma Scriven, 18.Julia Bradley, 19.Morgan Blamey, 20.Maddi Smith (c), 23.Abigail Wilson, 24.Mariah Williams, 30.Makayla Jones, 31.Emma Spinks, 32.Grace Young
In: 8.Alana Kavanagh, 9.Zoe Newman, 10.Greta Hayes, 18.Julia Bradley
Out: 1.Jocelyn Bartram (gk), 3.Hannah Kable, 4.Kendelle Tait, 13.Tamsin Bunt
Adelaide Fire Men’s team: 1.Tom Cleghorn, 2.Connor Richmond-Spouse, 5.Jack Holland, 6.Angus Fry, 7.Geoff Abbott, 8.Brodie Gleeson, 9.Fred Gray, 12.Mitchell Dell, 15.William Abbott, 18.Alastair Oliver, 19.Glyn Tamlin (c), 20.Matthew Magann, 21.Michael Doan, 22.Christian Starkie (gk), 23.Cameron White
In: 15.William Abbott, 21.Michael Doan
Out: 11.Cameron Joyce, 17.Zach Rakkas
NSW Pride Men’s team: 1.Lachlan Sharp, 7.Daine Richards, 8.Nathanael Stewart, 9.Nathan Czinner, 14.Dylan Martin, 15.Miles Davis, 16.Robbie MacLennan (gk), 19.Tom Brown, 20.Ky Willott, 23.Ryan Proctor, 25.Jack Hayes (c), 26.Ehren Hazell, 28.Sam Gray, 32.Callum Mackay, 35.Rory Walker
In: 1.Lachlan Sharp, 16.Robbie MacLennan (gk)
Out: 5.Ash Thomas (gk), 34.Tom Miotto