By LEUT Stuart Cayzer
A strong all-round display was enough to capture a major award for LS Talei Tuilawa at the recent Australian Country Hockey Championships in Bendigo.
She was voted the players’ player for consistent performances in defence and solid injections into attack.
MIDN Christie Underwood and SMN Jenessa Schonrock were among the best in the ADF women’s team for the tournament.
Navy LS Steve McWilliams and LEUT Stuart Cayzer turned in solid performances for the men in a hectic schedule of fixtures.
The teams gathered in Melbourne for a week before the titles and were based at Watsonia Barracks to prepare, train and play practice matches.
The men’s team, rebuilding for the past few years after retirements by several key players, produced some strong results against the best the country had to offer.
It now has a core of players such as CPL Adam Spry (1 CER), LEUT Cayzer (HMAS Kuttabul) and LAC Nelson Parlett (RAAF Richmond), who led the team into the championships. After two days of training, the men were edged 2-3 in a practice match against one of Melbourne’s top State League One teams, Doncaster, with strong passages of play and against well-trained and drilled opposition.
The draws against regular competition cellar-dwellers South Australia (2-2), host Victoria (1-1) and traditional rival and tournament favourite Queensland (1-1) were not beyond the scope of ADF winning.
