The Australian 16-woman Olympic squad was named this week and is currently ranked fourth in the world and will enter the Olympics as a big wildcard given their lack of internationals in the 18 months leading up to the Games. The recent four-match series in NZ, in which the girls won 1-0 with three draws, was their first taste of national team action in 15 months.
The Hockeyroos will lock horns with NZ again in Perth later this month, with the Olympics to come shortly after. While most of Australia’s main rivals have enjoyed a far busier lead-in competing at the EuroHockey Championships. Although that has given them a much better preparation in terms of getting match hardened against a variety of opponents, the team’s coach, Katrina Powell, says the lack of international exposure could play into their favour: “I think the advantage is in our court with a new coach coming in, a new way of playing, a new outlook,” Powell said. “Training and being under that cloak of COVID means that we get the advantage of them not knowing how we’ll show up. We have very high expectations going in. We are aiming to play the sixth of August (when the medals are decided), and to make sure we are there at the pointy end of the competition.”
