Hockey: League on too early in season says coach

By Terry Maddaford

North Harbour coach Suzette Eastmond is looking forward to the start of the new-look national hockey league but wonders whether it has come too early in the season.

"I love the format and the players are keen to get started," said Eastmond, "but I think it has come about two months too early with some teams struggling to get
the build-up they wanted."

With a number of retirements, including last season's co-captains Bronwyn Rees and Kerry Dempster, Eastmond has a relatively new, young squad but one she feels could do well.

She has three - of the allowed four - guest players in her side with Canterbury's Raijeli Walker joining Waikato's Megan Thomas and Emma Jensen in her 16-strong squad. Eastmond also has former Northland representative and now Rangitoto College sixth-former Lizzy Igasan to bolster the side.

Ranked fourth among the six teams in the Lion Foundation Hockey League, North Harbour face a testing opener against Wellington away on Saturday in the first game - men or women - of the new competition.

While happy her team is in the league, Eastmond is extremely disappointed and sad she is the only female coach involved. "I really could not believe it when I saw the list of coaches. I thought we were doing better than that. I was disgusted and almost gave up when New Zealand Hockey appointed a male coach who had coached male teams as the new coach of the national women's team."

In Sunday's games in the women's league, Manawatu are at home to Auckland while hot favourites Canterbury - led by New Zealand captain Anna Lawrence - are away to the combined Hawkes Bay/Wanganui side.

The North Harbour men, ranked sixth after winning the promotion-relegation play-offs at the end of last season, also face a tough first-up battle in their home game with perennial finalists Canterbury.

Led by former international Shane McLeod, North Harbour have international squad member Paul Woolford in goal, and current internationals Greg and Craig Russ to boost their ranks. Australian Sean Dancer is back for another season.

Top seeds, and favourites, Auckland, defending the title they won under the old tournament format last season, should be too strong for Midland Express (Waikato/Counties-Manukau combined) in their opener in Hamilton.

The Whangarei clash between Northland and Wellington - seeded third and fourth respectively - could be the game of the round.

In opting for quality rather than quantity, New Zealand Hockey has come up with what should prove a winning formula.