Hockey: Anxious times for elite

By TERRY MADDAFORD

The pressure will be on - off and on the field - when the sixth national league hits off tomorrow.

Players have a golden opportunity to impress national selectors who must quickly come up with squads to prepare for forthcoming Champions Trophy tournaments.

For the administrators there is the anxiety of seeing if they have made the right call in introducing Southern and Central teams for the first time.

Five new teams - Southern (men and women), Central (men and women) and Midland (women) - will play for the first time.

Not surprisingly, Southern have called on guest players to bolster their ranks, but that might not be enough to make them competitive.

Waikato/Bay of Plenty-based Midlands have also looked to imports, calling on six, including Australian Seyi Onitri, who will shore up their defence or take the vital centre-half role.

Wellington, chasing three straight titles and their fourth in six years, will be one to watch, even if they will play the early rounds without their Olympians.

Astute coach Peter Miskimmin has brought top Australian Brent Livermore back for a second season.

His influence will ensure Wellington, who start without Phil Burrows, Mitesh Patel, Umesh Parag and James Nation but have Patel and Parag back for the business end of the season, will be competitive.

Livermore, who played at centre-half in leading Australia to gold in Athens - after a 4-1 win over New Zealand first up - will be the key.

He will be joined in midfield by Hitesh Patel and Jamie Schaefer, with Andrew Phillips taking the defensive responsibility.

Given their pre-season form, Canterbury and Auckland figure as the teams who are most likely to challenge Wellington.

Even without Ryan Archibald, Dion Gosling, Wayne McIndoe and Dean Couzins, new Auckland coach Ian Woodley has a wealth of experience to call on.

Internationals past and present - including Paul Woolford, Brett Leaver, Sunil Unka, Casey Henwood, Umesh Hari and Dharmesh Puna and development squad member Sanjay Patel - will ensure Auckland chase a second successive final.

Canterbury, with Andrew Hastie as coach, must fancy their chances.

With Hayden Shaw putting his stick away in favour of a contract with Canterbury Cricket this summer, Hastie has found the ideal replacement.

Dutch international Taeke Taekema is a renowned drag-flick expert. His seven goals at the Olympics are testimony of that.

Canterbury have been the underachievers in the past decade. They last won the national title in 1995 but have built a team capable of challenging for their first league crown.

They have current international striker Gareth Brooks to spearhead their attack. He will be joined by former international Peter Stafford and development squad members Brad Shaw and Hugh Copland.

Newcomers Central Mavericks could surprise.

They are coached by the respected Dan McAleese and have Australian Nicolas Tremayne to boost their midfield. They have called in Murray Yeoman, Adam Wilson and Daniel McClay from Canterbury and Kishan Patel (Auckland) and North Harbour's Jayesh Kalidas.

North Harbour remain a top-four contender despite their youth.

New coach Darren Smith has gone with homegrown talent - apart from Argentine goalkeeper Julian Dapena, who played his club hockey in Auckland - with internationals Blair Hopping, Bryce Collins, David Kosoof and Lloyd Stephenson expected to play key roles.

Runners-up last year, Canterbury look set to go one better in winning the women's title for the third time in six years.

Stacked with internationals, although they are without last year's player of the year, Di Weavers, the Paul Derham-coached side should be too strong.

Defending champions Wellington do not have the same firepower. Much will depend on Black Sticks striker Niniwa Roberts-Lang's availability.

Auckland have the talent but will struggle to improve on last season's fifth. North Harbour or Central might be a better top-three bet.

Harbour will have Olympians Lizzy Igasan, Jaimee Provan and Leisen Jobe, as well as academy players Kate Mahon, Sally Rutherford and goalscorer Connie Igasan.

Central have rising internationals Tara Drysdale, Kayla Sharland and Emily Naylor and international experience in Caryn Paewai, Anita Wawatai and Moira Senior.

Central's first-up clash with North Harbour in Levin tomorrow could be a pointer to both team's chances.