Fabulous five for Arafura
Volume 11, No. 55, November 02, 2006

Stretch: Sgt Phil Southern shows his winning form. Photo by Leut Stuart Cayzer

FIVE players from the ADF men’s and women’s hockey teams have been selected in Australian Country teams for the Arafura Games in Darwin from May 12-19 next year.

Those whose selection resulted from good performances at the recent Australian Country Hockey Championships in Bendigo were Capt Glenn Miller (1 Avn Regt), Midn Christie Underwood (ADFA), Sgt Phil Southern (ALTC), LS Talei Tuilawa (HMAS Larrakeyah) and Pte Tristan Hunt (APA Sydney).

ADF Hockey’s public relations manager Leut Stuart Cayzer said the selections were a public acknowledgment of the strength and depth of ADF hockey.

“[The] key players from the ADF teams can be recognised for their elite skill and performance during the country championships,” he said.

“Several other players were extremely unlucky not to be selected after very strong performances during the week.”

Sgt Southern reached a significant milestone in playing his 50th representative match for the ADF hockey team at the titles. First selected in 1998, he has been in the ADF squad every year since.

In his long representative career, 2001 was the only year in which he was unable to represent ADF Hockey.

He has played matches at the Australian Country Hockey Championships all around Australia, Arafura Games in Darwin and in England as part of the 2005 ADF hockey tour of Britain.

“Phil typifies ADF hockey at this level – skilful and passionate about the team’s success,” ADF coach Leut Andrew Bewick said.

ADF Hockey presented Sgt Southern with a photograph to mark the occasion, as it is the first time this feat has been achieved in men’s ranks for a considerable time.