Aussie hockey squads revealed for inaugural FIH Pro League

The first-ever Kookaburras and Hockeyroos squads for the inaugural FIH Pro League matches have been named, featuring eight athletes from the NSW Institute of Sport.

Australia will play their first matches against the Netherlands and Belgium in the world-first FIH Pro League which pits the world’s best nations against each other on a weekly home-and-away basis.

The world number two Kookaburras will play last month’s World Cup runners-up Netherlands (ranked third) and World Cup winners Belgium (ranked first). Four NSWIS athletes – Timothy Brand, Tom Graig, Blake Govers and Lachlan Sharp – have been named in the men’s squad.

The world number three Hockeyroos will take on the world number one Dutch, who won the World Cup and Champions Trophy in 2018, and 13th-ranked Belgium. Four NSWIS athletes – Emily Chalker (nee Smith), Kaitlin Nobbs, Grace Stewart and Mariah Williams have – have been named in the women’s squad.

Both Australian sides will be seeking revenge on Saturday, with the Kookaburras knocked out in the World Cup semis by the Dutch in December, while the Netherlands defeated the Hockeyroos in November’s Champions Trophy final and August’s World Cup semis on penalties.

Saturday’s matches against the Netherlands will be LIVE on FOX SPORTS 507 from 3pm AEDT, while Sunday’s matches against Belgium will be delayed on FOX SPORTS and live on kayosports.com.au.

Saturday 2 February 2019 – State Netball & Hockey Centre, Melbourne
Kookaburras v Netherlands – 3pm, Hockeyroos v Netherlands – 5pm

Sunday 3 February 2019 – State Netball & Hockey Centre, Melbourne
Kookaburras v Belgium – 3pm, Hockeyroos v Belgium – 5pm

Kookaburras 20-member team:

• Jacob Anderson
• Daniel Beale
• Joshua Beltz
• Timothy Brand (NSWIS)
• Andrew Charter
• Tom Craig (NSWIS)
• Johan Durst
• Blake Govers (NSWIS)
• Jake Harvie
• Jeremy Hayward
• Tim Howard
• Aaron Kleinschmidt
• Trent Mitton
• Eddie Ockenden
• Lachlan Sharp (NSWIS)
• Joshua Simmonds
• Matthew Swann
• Corey Weyer
• Jake Whetton
• Aran Zalewski

Hockeyroos 18-member team:

• Kristina Bates
• Edwina Bone
• Lily Brazel
• Emily Chalker (NSWIS)
• Jane Claxton
• Madison Fitzpatrick
• Savannah Fitzpatrick
• Jodie Kenny
• Rachael Lynch
• Ambrosia Malone
• Kaitlin Nobbs (NSWIS)
• Hayley Padget
• Brooke Peris
• Grace Stewart (NSWIS)
• Sophie Taylor
• Ashlee Wells
• Mariah Williams (NSWIS)
• Georgia Wilson