Canberra Chill men’s coach Seyi Onitiri. Photo: Martin Keep/Getty Images (supplied by Hockey ACT).
The Canberra Chill men’s story is quite a remarkable one if player statistics are anything to go by.
The Chill has just one senior men’s Australian player in their squad, veteran goalkeeper Andrew Charter.
This compares with the Kookaburra-laden teams the Chill are facing in the Hockey One series.
Yet through three rounds, Canberra is undefeated, including a 2-0 win over last year’s champions, Brisbane. The team is now sitting on top of the ladder with three games remaining before the finals.
As a testament to Charter’s importance to the Chill, the team has only conceded five goals in three rounds.
The champion goalkeeper missed last season and the Chill finished on the bottom of the ladder.
Canberra coach Seyi Onitiri says his return has been significant.
“The return this season of two of our best players, Andrew Charter and Anand Gupte, has been enormous. Andrew is a world-class goalkeeper, and Anand is one of the best defenders in the country. Having them out last year hurt us.”
This year, the Chill has grown in confidence, having both back in the team.
Onitiri, who was part of the Canberra Lakers team in the late 1990s, an outfit that included the likes of Australian players Michael York and Andrew Deane, believes the depth this year has been a significant contributing factor to the Chill’s success.
“This is the most complete team I have been involved with. I haven’t seen depth like this since we made the final as the Lakers in 1998. We have 25 people who are genuine National League players, many of whom can go to a higher level.”
While the players deserve plenty of kudos, Seyi Onitiri’s development as a top-level coach has been just as significant.
Now, in his third season as the Chill head coach, Onitiri played over 100 games for the Lakers, for the junior Kookaburras and Australia A, and for the Australian Indoor team.
He continues to play for the Old Canberrans Hockey Club, stretching the number of first-grade games he’s played for the club to 475.
On top of his hockey commitments, he is also father to a two-year-old and a nine-year-old, is one of Canberra’s leading commercial litigation and insurance barristers, and also a water polo player for the Dragons Club.
“I’m pretty organised. I’ve made a point at work and hockey to surround myself with very efficient and capable people.”
His temperament and management skills have been crucial in ensuring the Chill are grounded as they prepare for three final games against the Tassie Tigers, Melbourne and NSW.
A Canberra title in the Hockey One men’s competition would be a significant moment in the city’s sporting history, especially considering where the side finished in 2023.
Want to catch the Chill’s next home game? Get down to the National Hockey Centre on 15 November when they take on HC Melbourne. Get your tickets at Intix.
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