TABOO DEKODA x CT10 SIGNATURE EDITION x ON SALE NOW

To commemorate the amazing success of the Australian Mens Hockey team, winning three straight Champions Trophies, Gryphon and Premium retail partner F-H-E have joined for a special stick offer indeed. We’ve got the Gryphon Guns that were a part of that third Gold Medal team to come to Gryphon HQ and sign a limited stock of 25 Taboo Dekoda sticks. And now thanks to F-H-E, they are available for sale right now.

This deal is great value in three amazing ways:

1/ You get a stick signed in gold pen by Fergus Kavanagh (Australian Captain during this last campaign), Mark Paterson, Joel Carroll and Graeme Begbie.

2/ A massive $175 discount on the price!

FHE are taking $175 off the price of the normal Dekoda making this Taboo only $250 which includes the signatures!

3/ Limited to 25 sticks only

To buy simply go to www.f-h-e.com.au  or  click here for the direct product link.

Go through the usual process of the online shopping system, to get the special price at STEP 2 of 3 during the CHECKOUT process enter the COUPON CODE: 3xChampions

This offer is only valid for a limited time so hurry to secure your piece of history!

From all of us at Gryphon we would like to congratulate the guys for their amazing achievement and we hope that now you can be a part of that with this limited edition stick.

CT10 x PHOTO MONTAGE VIDEO

The Gryphon guns that played during the Champions Trophy in Mönchengladbach this year have been compiled into a short video montage. These are photos taken during the event from angles that you the TV tends not to get of the player, their emotions, actions frozen in time. That mid-air leap to the ball or the strain shown on their face to make the perfect pass.

Enjoy.

Photos: Daniel Carson | www.dcimages.org

CT10 x FINAL x ENG v AUS TRIPLE CHAMPIONS

The result may not be a surprise. The way it happened may not shock you. The players that stood up when it counted may not be news.  Story is in what.

What did Australia do?

They won the Champions Trophy in 2010. They won the World Cup in 2010. They won the Champions Trophy in 2009. They won the Champions Trophy is 2008. Today they beat England, the European Champions and a team that defeated Australia in the World Cup rounds. In today’s win, the what is the achievement with a young group. A new crop of players against the best in the World.

Having won all 6 games in this tournament including the final they go into the record books for a clean sweep.

Fergus Kavanagh adds his third straight Champions Trophy Gold Medal to the pool room. Also in the squad include Greame Bebgie (world champion) with debutants in this tournament including Joel Carroll, Mark Paterson and Trent Mitton.

Australia controlled the game from start to finish. England never looked like breaching the incredibly strong defense bolstered by Begbie’s return. Up front Pato was in sparkling form creating space where there was none at all.

England had no answers. Injuries crept in due to the extra effort exerted, but it just couldn’t stop the controlling hand guiding them in this match.

A three to nill half time score was what needed to be pondered for some time as the heaven opened up and Monchengladbach flooded. The pitch couldn’t handle the deluge and the break was much longer than usual. Funny enough when the game resumed the sun was shining. And so were the Aussies. Another goal to the tally and the game was won.

Four goals to zero and Australia take home the gold tonight and that very very heavy trophy back to Australia.

Photos: Daniel Carson | www.dcimages.org

CT10 x FINALS x HOL v GER

Warm weather has left us. Now we have grey skies and an Australian winter here. Perfect conditions for two western European sides to battle for the bronze medal here at the Champions Trophy. They played yesterday and the Dutch exposed the Germans but only managed a one to nil win.

Today it was a chance for the home side to counter and stamp their world number two ranking on Holland.

Reversed.

Holland came out like the world number two and germany looked like they were struggling. Matter of a few short minutes and the home crowd was done. The visiting people in orange were dancing and jumping around. Orange was back. Their attacking style was working both with field play and generating short corners. Their backs strong and keeping the Germans at bay.

In short, a whitewash. Holland outplayed Germany in every respect. An amazing turn around for both teams in this short tournament. Germany finishing second at last year’s CT and also at the World Cup this year have finished fourth. Holland take the Bronze.

It was a pleasure to see the Dutch style of play come together and only good things will come from this and their young team.

Holland (bronze) 4, Germany (4th) 1

Photos: Daniel Carson | www.dcimages.org

CT10 x BOSCO x VID INTERVIEW

Bosco Perez-Pla de Alvear, a young and upcoming defender for Spain stops to have a talk about his game and the future of Spanish Hockey, after their win over New Zealand.

CT10 x FINALS x NZ v SPN

If you thought that the game for 5th and 6th was a non-event, you’d be wrong. Both New Zealand and Spain yesterday were fighting for a place in the Final but as this is an exceptionally tight tournament they fight for relegation avoidance.

Fiery. Intense. Fast. Vocal. All these words can be used to describe this game. New Zealand broke early and looked likely the run the Spanish off their feet, creating a heap of field goal and corner chances. Against play the Spanish tied the game and the large crowd was left none the wiser at half time.

Relegation is a powerful motivator in its ability for a deterrent. Spain took control of the game and scored with efficiency. All this did was spark more NZ attack, but what looked like a growing confidence in this event was stifled over and over with great Spanish defense until Simon Child once again broke through scoring to make more tension around this game.

Spain saw the rise of tempo from New Zealand and countered with everything they could to stop them, using the video referral system time and time again with success.  In the end time slipped away from a very frustrated New Zealand but very happy Spain, who with another young team, could have easily gone further in this tournament. Spain survive, only just, for next years Champions Trophy but New Zealand will be relegated once more to the Champions Challenge.

New Zealand 2 (6th), Spain 3 (5th)

Want to hear Bosco’s take on the game and tournament? Watch on..

Photos: Daniel Carson | www.dcimages.org

CT10 x DAY5 x AUS v SPN

The Aussies are on form. Beat all comers in this Tournament so far and in the Final no matter this result. Spain are safe from relegation but with Germany losing to Holland they require a win still to progress to the Final to play Australia again.

As per usual the Aussies played fast, skilled and attacking hockey. Beggers and Pato were both resting today so the team was a little down on personelle. It took a while for the goals to come, but two happened five minutes before half time, with Spain’s coming from a field goal with 3 seconds on the clock. Not what the Aussies would like to take into the change-rooms.

Supposedly the Octopus with physic powers had channelled a German fan and said Australia would score more in the second. This German also giggled like an cartoon villain  everytime the ball came to the Australian attack.

He was right and Australia took control of the game to stamp an amazing 5 straight wins in the Champions Trophy. A clean sweep! They have beaten all comers and that has to give them a lot of confidence into tomorrow’s Final against England.

Australia 3, Spain 1

Will we see Graeme Begbie tomorrow come into the defense for the Aussie’s and use his telescopic tackling powers against England’s sharp-shooter James Tindall?

Final Standings after the round robin stage see an AUS v ENG final, GER v NED for third place and ESP v NZ fighting to avoid relegation for the CT2011

Photos: Daniel Carson | www.dcimages.org

CT10 x DAY5 x HOL v GER

Round two of the open final and relegation contest is this game. Germany has the the fate in their tent. They cannot go into relegation and the result from England / New Zealand doesn’t hinder the Germans. If they win they go through to play Australia. This also means Holland is in danger of the relegation zone.

A big Holland win due to the result of England’s win over New Zealand puts them still in a mathematical chance of the final if Australia beat Spain.

That equation came into fruition. Holland played their new open style and pushing the ball forward creating field goal and corner chances a plenty. This style is becoming much more attractive as they play it and refreshing contrast their previous styles and that of Germany. The Germans got sucked into the open and running style of game but it was evident that they couldn’t match the skill and speed of Holland.

The Dutch scored the only goal of the game from a PC. It was all we saw go in the net. The Dutch defense consisting of Gryphon’s Wouter Jolie and Sander Baart stood too tall (although these two are not the tallest players on the pitch). It wont be enough to put them in the Final but it means that now these two teams will play once again tomorrow for the bronze medal.

Final: Holland 1 – Germany 0

Photos: Daniel Carson | www.dcimages.org

CT10 x DAY5 x TINDS VID INTERVIEW

Jame Tindall scored two great goals today…  He’s confident that they will have a chance to play Australia in the Final, he let’s us know if they can beat the Aussies.

CT10 x DAY5 x NZ v ENG

It’s on. Today’s the last day of the round matches. Every team still has a chance to make the final game. A unique situation. If Germany lose to Holland in the second match then it’s all in the open. Each team’s future is in their own hands.

New Zealand and England are both on 4 points. A LOT to play for, not forgetting the relegation battle is also as equal as a the final chance.

England/Gryphon’s James Tindall opened the game within a minute of the start with a streaking goal to put the pressure into the already fraught game. It was quick and evident that players on both sides that they were going to get desperate. Careful to avoid cards, but wanting to physically stamp authority on the game the two teams went hard at this game.

New Zealand played the short corner tactic while England full of run. The New Zealanders scored through their worked penalty corners but James Tindall again scored to keep England alive.

The men in black (from NZ) kept the verbal/physical and more short corner pressure on throughout the game and took themselves into a strong position. It was emotional stuff as each goal was celebrated with vigor. It was barely minutes before the end that England scored to take the final winning lead.

The win for England puts them second on the table on 7 points (one above Germany). Providing both Germany and Spain lose they will progress to play Australia. New Zealand look destined to now play for 5th – 6th in a relegation playoff.

England 4, New Zealand 3.

Photos: Daniel Carson | www.dcimages.org

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