Optimism Otago men can shine National Hockey Championship

WE may never see the fab four back playing for Otago again.

But while Black Sticks Kane Russell, Hugo Inglis and Blair Tarrant are overseas playing professionally, Nick Ross will arrive in Dunedin tomorrow and bolster what is a rather decent Otago team.

The foursome grew up playing hockey in Dunedin and all went on to forge impressive international careers.

Ross is taking a spell from the national side to focus on his new role as a dad. But he has also freed up the week to play for Otago.

After two failed attempts to get the National Hockey Championship under way — thanks, Covid — the tournament will burst into life in Dunedin on Sunday.

It will be a fullon week. Otago has men’s teams entered in tier 1 and tier 2.

The tier 1 team has been drawn in a tough pool. The side will open its campaign against Canterbury at the McMillan Centre on Sunday afternoon.

Canterbury is among the favourites to win the title, so it

Devanand Bhikha, Ezekiel Buschl, Malachi Buschl, Benji Culhane, Connor Hoskin, Zach Mason, Felix McIntosh, James Nicolson, Kieran O’Connor, Maxwell Rasmussen, Nick Ross, Dylan Thomas, Johnny Thorn, Craig Turner, Hamish van Dyk, Jordan Ward, Finn Ward, Patrick Ward. Sunday: Monday: Tuesday:

v Canterbury, 2.30pm v North Harbour, 5.45pm v Hawke’s Bay, 2.45pm * will be a good test for the home side.

It plays North Harbour the following day and Hawke’s Bay on Tuesday.

Otago will likely need to win two of those three to progress to the top four pool and have a chance of making the final on September 17.

Veteran coach Dave Ross was optimistic about his side’s prospects.

A good chunk of the team is from just three families. Ward brothers Finn, Patrick and Jordan join Ezekiel and Mala

Olivia Allan, Bayley Anderson, Tegan Buchanan, Tessa Buschl, Ellie Duncan, Keita Elliot, Ella Greenwood, Georgia Hall, Olivia Hall, Macka Harvey, Tessa Jopp, Rachael Lecky, Ella McCall, Victoria Methven, Rose Parkinson, Maddie Peel, Annabelle Schneideman, Lucy Simpson. Sunday: Monday: Tuesday:

v Auckland, 4pm v North Harbour, 2.45pm* v Hawke’s Bay, 5.45pm

All games at McMillan Hockey turf, except those marked with an asterisk will be played at King’s High School.

chi Buschl, and Dave is Nick’s father.

Half the squad has come through the King’s High School programme, so they can lean on combinations that have been in place for years.

‘‘That is the thing about this team — the players have been together for a long time,’’ Dave Ross said.

‘‘About eight or nine of them come from King’s High School, so basically I’ve had them from Hatch Cup.

‘‘We have not necessarily got the stars. But this team is really the same team which I had a couple of years ago at the under21 tournament and they got the bronze medal there.

‘‘It is a good group and they’ve been working hard . . . and they play good team hockey.’’

The Otago women are at longer odds, and cocoach Hymie Gill has more modest expectations.

The goal is to reach the top four, but that would mean upsetting either Auckland or North Harbour and beating Hawke’s Bay.

That could be a challenge, although Otago will be able to call on the services of Black Sticks midfielder Tessa Jopp, and Victoria Methven will bolster the defence.

‘‘Auckland will be the team to beat and Harbour will be up there,’’ Gill said.

‘‘And Hawke’s Bay will be experienced, so there will be no easy game.

‘‘It would be nice if we can be in the top four. Are we a chance? Maybe.

‘‘We’d have to knock off either Auckland or North Harbour, but that is not insurmountable.’’

Otago B men have been drawn in pool A of tier 2 and open their campaign against the New Zealand Defence Force, who do not represent a province like the other teams — unless they have taken over one?

Otago Country and Southland have teams in pool B.

Central Otago will contest the women’s second tier competition. Southland has a team in that grade as well.

Teams play a round robin from Sunday to Tuesday.

Wednesday is a rest day for most teams, and on Thursday the tournament enters a type of playoff phase.

The top two teams from each pool will play the top two teams from the other pool. Points will be carried through and the top two teams will play in the final.

Teams that do not make the top two will play for the minor placings.

The top team from the second tier has the option of replacing the bottom team in tier 1 the following season.

There is a caveat, though. An association cannot have two teams in tier 1, so if Canterbury B was to win the men’s second tier competition, the promotion spot would go to the next best team.