THERE will be a strong Warrnambool flavour at the Australian masters men’s and women’s hockey championships this year with five players from the city making their respective state teams.
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Anna Dyson, Therese Burke and Kyme Rowe will line up together in the same Victorian team for the second time, having been selected for the over-45s side that will compete at the women’s championships in Newcastle.
Two years ago, they were in the same over-40s team which competed in the championships at Hobart.
Rowe and Burke, both 44, will join Anna in the older age group this time around, while Rosie Ballard – who missed last year’s championship through injury – has again been named in the over-35 team.
Chris Thompson, a regular at the national titles, will line up for Victoria’s over-60s men’s division two team.
The seasoned campaigner has made a dozen appearances at the national championships since 2000, earning selection in the old Victorian Country team seven times and, when country teams were phased out five years ago, has earned a spot on the state team every year since.
Thompson said his natural position is as a half-back, but he has played a variety of roles over the past five years and expects to line up in the midfield.
“That’s my ace up the sleeve,” he said. “In relative terms – compared to others in my age group – I’m pretty fit. Once I get started, I can motor up the field reasonably well. That’s why they would look at me in the midfield.”
My whole season revolves around trying to get into the state side.
- Chris Thompson
The 64-year-old was part of one championship-winning team and two runner-up outfits with the Victorian Country side.
While Burke and Rowe travel down to Melbourne to compete in a women’s veterans competition on weekends, Thompson said his playing opportunities were limited as the men’s competition runs on weekdays.
“My whole season revolves around trying to get into the state side, and that’s about all the hockey I can play,” he said.
“In trials, the selectors know them (the metropolitan players) well, because they see them week-in, week-out – the country guys only get one chance to impress.”
The men’s national championships run from September 23 – October 7 in Hobart, while the women’s championships are from September 29 – October 7 in Newcastle.