This year, the Canberra Chill has experienced record crowds and record membership and are on top of the ladder in the men’s Hockey One League at the end of the regular season. Photo: Canberra Chill Facebook.
After finishing last in 2023, the Canberra Chill men’s hockey team has undergone somewhat of a renaissance in 2024, finishing the regular season on top of the Hockey One ladder heading into this weekend’s finals in Hobart.
The Chill has only lost one game so far this season, a 2-1 defeat at the hands of Melbourne a fortnight ago.
They finished the regular season with a 3-2 victory over the NSW Pride in Goulburn, but now the real action begins with the Chill facing the reigning champions, the Brisbane Blaze, in Saturday’s semi-final in Hobart.
The Chill defeated Brisbane 2-0 earlier this season, but the Blaze lineup has been significantly bolstered since that encounter.
Brisbane scraped into the finals with a 2-0 win over Adelaide. It will boast no less than seven Australian representatives in their side, including the returning three-time Olympian Jake Whetton.
Whetton will slip comfortably into a team that includes the likes of fellow Kookaburras Tim Howard and Corey Weyer.
The Blaze side also features New Zealand and Brazilian representative players, bringing the number of internationals to nine.
Because of this, in the eyes of many, the Canberra Chill will start as the rank outsiders in Saturday’s semi-final.
But the Chill, under the coaching of Seyi Onitiri, have defied the odds by racking up five wins, with much of the success put down to near-impregnable defence.
Canberra Chill players are prepared for the finals. Photo: Canberra Chill Facebook.
That defence is led by a player regarded as the leading goalkeeper in world hockey, Andrew Charter, and defender, Anand Gupte. Together, they have frustrated many attacking raids this season.
At the other end of the field, Goulburn’s Ben Staines has capitalised on the defensive frustration presented by the Chill to score plenty of goals, the highlight being four against Tasmania in Round 5.
The Chill lineup, while it doesn’t boast nine internationals, is a team of young players on the verge of higher honours, with Staines being an obvious example. The side also includes a Spanish, Japanese and French international.
The mountain they face this weekend, though, is formidable, not just because it’s a Kookaburras-laden team in the semi-finals. There is also the imposing hurdle of history.
No Canberra team has won the National Hockey League title. They have made the finals in both the men’s and women’s but are yet to secure the championship.
Hockey ACT CEO Rob Sheekey says a victory in the semi-final, followed by a win in the grand final on Sunday, would be remarkable.
“After finishing last in 2023, a title in 2024 would be an incredible achievement. Most people would view us as the underdogs with the least number of Australian representatives in the men’s Hockey One League.”
And what would it mean to Canberra hockey to win the title?
Sheekey says, “It showcases the hard work that has taken place behind the scenes. We are the smallest association in the Hockey One League. This year, we have had record crowds and record memberships. Victory this weekend would mean so much to hockey in Canberra. There is also the possibility of more local players securing selection in the national squad. It’s all very positive for the sport in this region.”
Back-to-back victories this weekend, resulting in the Hockey One title, would surely rank as one of the more significant achievements by a Canberra sports team.
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