WWC10 x GAME 2

Game 2 v India – 6-3 Win..

The weather was not nice… windy, freezing and wet would best describe it. On the pitch it was fine once you got going, but for the Aussie support crew they had to resort to dance moves and cheering to help keep them warm.

The game wasn’t played as planned, but in the end we came through with the goods and got the 3 points we were after. India gave us a good run for our money and didn’t lay down easy. The first half saw a pretty even contest and we struggled to break their defence. However the second half saw us come out much stronger and we started to get a run on which created some good goal scoring opportunities that we were able to put away.

Today was our rest day… recovery, debrief and homework has been done. Tomorrow sees us playing a powerful Dutch team that has had a couple of convincing wins in their first two matches of the tournament. They are in pretty good form and we will need to be on the top of our game to match them. It is always a good challenge playing a quality team like the Dutch, so I am looking forward to it. There is some doubt that we might not play due to the weather, but we are still preparing as we normally would. Game on!

xo T

WWC10 x DAY4 x AUS v IND

Driving rain. Gale force winds. Icy.

You ever noticed what these players actually wear to play hockey?  It’s tailored for summer, not what we have here. These girls braved the elements to play hockey for their country.

Fi Johnson would have been happy to be taking the game off in a nice warm tracksuit. Maybe some room service?

This cold made for a sluggish start without much time and space to get running, so there was low intensity on foot and the skills of both sides not quite up to standard.

Australia were trying both the short pass game and the long, but what seemed to work was the long hit, which Kate Jenner hit her target a few times causing panic in the Indian defence.

On the other side, India were looking at the short game and when it worked they made it pay and scored. A 2 to 1 lead to Australia was what we had at the break and it looked needed in this weather.

Funny enough, coming out of the change rooms in the second netted a great push in intensity and suddenly a goal fest erupted. It came from both sides but suddenly Australia took off and used run and the short pass game coupled with forward pressure and took the game on.

Finally the score was Australia 6 goals to India 3.

COMMONWEALTH GAMES 2010 x AUS SELECTION

The Australian Men’s Hockey Commonwealth Games Team has been announced today by Hockey Australia. The team see’s the inclusion of 4 Gryphon ambassadors, Rob Hammond, Fergy Kavanagh, Joel Carroll and Trent Mitton. This will be Hammond’s 2nd Commonwealth Games and while its the 1st for Carroll, Kavanagh and Mitton. Mitton will make his major tournament debut also. Gryphon’s Brent Dancer, Kiel Brown and Mark Paterson have been named as emergencies, and their experience and youth will be invaluable should they be called upon.

Notable exclusions include the tough defender Graeme Begbie (WC10, CT10, CT09) who is out for 10 months with a knee reconstruction and legendary striker Grant Schubert (CT03, OG04, CT05, CG06, CT06, WC06, CT07, CT08, OG08, CT09, WC10) who tore is groin in last weeks AHL competition.

The Australian Team has won all three previous Gold Medals at the Commonwealth Games since hockey’s inception in 1998 where they defeated Malaysia in Kuala Lumpur. In 2002 they beat New Zealand in Manchester and 2006 they won over Pakistan in Melbourne, Australia.

Master Coach and Gryphon Legend Ric Charlesworth had this to say about the team and tournament:

“We have had some great results over the past 20 months or so, however I still believe we are not solid yet and still have much to do. I have full confidence in the team we have selected as it has a good amount of experience and youth, however we will not get ahead of ourselves,” said Charlesworth.

“We have great squad depth which is obviously what we are building towards, however it means that players need to make the most of their opportunities and the Commonwealth Games will give these players a chance to do that on a very big international stage,” said Charlesworth.

“We are the number 1 ranked team in the world, but I think that can give teams a bit more incentive when they face us. England are very capable of beating us as we saw at the World Cup. India and Pakistan will be at home in the Heat of Delhi and with the reduced squad sizes makes things less predictable,” said Charlesworth.

ACGA Chief Executive Officer Perry Crosswhite said, “We have high expectations for our 2010 Commonwealth Games men’s hockey team just as we have had at all three previous Games where the sport was played.

“It will not be easy but we know that if they do their best, as they did in 1998, 2002 and 2006, the 2010 Games tournament will be their hat trick for the year.”

The Delhi 2010 hockey competition will be held at the Major Dhyan Chand National Stadium from October 4 – 14, 2010. This is the same stadium that the Aussie’s triumphed in their World Cup Victory over Germany in February earlier this year. They have also won the 2010 Champions Trophy so a win at the Commonwealth Games will make it a clean sweep of the major’s for the Aussies in 2010.

The Australian women’s hockey team will be announced in mid-September following their World Cup campaign in Argentina

The Australian men’s hockey team Delhi 2010 schedule is:

Date	Delhi time	AEDST time	Opposition
Wednesday 6 October	8:30am	2:00pm	Scotland
Thursday 7 October	4:00pm	9:30pm	India
Saturday 9 October	10:30am	4:00pm	Pakistan
Sunday 10 October	4:30pm	10:00pm	Malaysia
Tuesday 12 October	11:00am	4:30pm	Semi Final One
	5:30pm	11:00pm	Semi Final Two
Thursday 14 October	9:00am	2:30pm	Bronze Medal Match
	11:30am	5:00pm	Gold Medal Match

WC10 INDIA x DC’s TAKE x PART 2

Part 2 of my Post-India Blog deals with some of the India experiences, an aspect that the players didn’t have the luxury of exploring as much.

Part 1 can be read here and is about the Hockey and Security around the event.

The World Cup in 2010 was in New Delhi, India. Personally I have always wanted to go to India and experience from what I have heard as exceptionally unique. Delhi has a population of around 17 million, which is not all that far off the entire population of Australia, and around 9 times that of my city, Perth. So you imagine the chaos and wonder that such a city offers.

Let’s face it. Our western diets and hygiene don’t prepare us for what a place like India and its brilliantly famous tasty food allow for. It took only one day before my first “Delhi Belly” kicked in, and as quickly as I got over it, the second round hit. The second was much harsher with fever, chills, etc… It was time to break the Anti-biotics.

Once I was over this hinderance, it was time to walk, hit the markets, culture and the unbelievable food. Eating from little restaurants buried deep in the city and its sidewalks as well as a stall or two is always the best way to experience the real food culture. India doesn’t disappoint. The vegetarian options are more common that meat and, well better.  The “Sweets” trade appears to be a massive obsession for the food culture, and entire areas are dedicated to a myriad of different varieties.

On the first Monday, it was a public Holiday in India, ummm called… well.  HOLI day.   True story.  It basically means the Festival of Colours or Spring Festival.  It has a religious basis and a great story. What makes it amazing for someone like me is that it’s about colour.  Throw colour everywhere, on anything and anyone. It’s incredibly beautiful.

Monument and Tombs – A massive part of what we as foreigners see of India.  The Taj Mahal being the big one.  In Delhi, India Gate is the main central place and monument right in the centre.

India Gate is a massive park with a monument. This is a war memorial that commemorates the lives of soldiers that died for the British Empire during World War 1.   What it seems excel at now is cricket.  The entire area around the gate have been turned in literally dozens if not into the hundreds of make-shift and proper cricket pitches.  People of all ages come to have a hit and play a social game.  In actual fact it’s chaos with the pitches being barely 10-15 meters away from each other.  It’s also a great place to hang out in general and see the youth of India, something which you don’t tend to see in central built up New Delhi.

Taj Mahal.   The big one.  One of the Wonders of the World.  Getting there for sunrise is supposedly the thing to do.  So at 1am another photographer and I took a 5 hour taxi trip to Agra, where the Taj is situated.  There’s not a lot to say except it was worth it!   We were there for sunrise and the Taj put on a show for us.

Throughout the trip numerous walks and trips around Old and New Delhi were made to get out of the confines of the Hotel and Security. From markets to food stalls, to further monuments it was all a learning experience and all it does is add to the huge and amazing tournament that the World Cup of Hockey brings.

WC10 INDIA x DC’s TAKE x PART1

Well, I’m back in Perth and recovering from an amazing 17 days in India, and one brilliant night.

I know I’m not an elite Hockey player and maybe what I have to write is not interesting for you, but I think some of you out there may like to see and hear what the World Cup in India 2010 was like from someone outside the teams

My roles in the World Cup are many with the primary directives being within official Media, mainly as a photographer but as well as to some of the guys in the teams as “that damn guy with the camera who’s not cooped up in the hotel!” My ability to have more freedom than the players gives me a different outlook on the event away from the fact that I’m not an elite hockey player giving everything I have for the World Championship.

Part 1 of my post-World Cup blog will be about the event itself and the security and controls that went with it.  I am also open to people commenting here with questions for me to answer and hopefully add more insight to what goes on around the Hockey world’s largest tournament.

The Stadium in New Delhi is a totally revamped existing structure. Personally I have never seen anything like it for Hockey. A place that over 16,000 people can cram themselves into and scream for their team in Hockey is nothing short of awe inspiring and unique in my experience. The amazing thing is how quickly the stadium fills, and without notice. One minute you are looking at a game and about 1/3 of the seats are full, then you turn around to check why your ears are hurting and the place is packed with flags, face paint and screaming.

The Hockey itself?  I am hoping that many of you were able to watch some of the games, listen to broadcasts, watch some highlights or just read about it.  It’s a long tournament with each team playing between 6-7 games each in a period of 13 playing days. Funny enough on the surface it would appear less taxing than say a Champions Trophy where the teams play 5-6 games in 10 days. A big difference is that there are 12 teams in the World Cup, that’s a lot more organising, a lot more team preparation, a lot more of everything and from what I saw it took its toll on the teams.

In my personal opinion on a whole, the quality of hockey in Melbourne was more exciting and faster, better for the neutral spectator than this World Cup. Of course when the event burrowed down to the final few games the level increased, but I think there is something about having the best 6 teams in one place, in one concentrated time. That said, a highlight game for me England v Germany in the Semis where I believe we saw some great hockey and classic “sport” emotions.

Security, what was that like?

Going into this World Cup, a lot was said, done, discussed, debated, acted upon, speculated, joked about regarding the security issues of the event. Having a directly targeted threat on the India World Cup was not what it needed only days before the first game. It was to be expected that the security would be pretty high, and well it was.

The official hotels were fortresses. The player’s hotel from the front looked like a prision with high walls, razor wire, a billion cameras and sniper nests. I’d loved to have taken photos but early on I was threatened to have my camera confiscated by the police taking a photo of a building.

To get into any World Cup venue (hotels, stadium, etc…) you’d need to have your car checked with underbody mirrors, all boots and bonnets opened and gizmos with noises waved over the contents. Once through there, you personally had to get through something like an airport security checkpoint more than once, all surrounded by many army or private security with large guns.

To get into the Stadium as Media, I had to pass through 4 metal detectors, be frisked 4 times, pass through 1 x-ray screen, have my bags opened and manually checked 1 to 2 times, be tested for explosive residue finally have my credentials read over, and double checked 5 times while all the time passing commandos and sniper nests.

The hotel I was in wasn’t too much different and as an Aussie I had two armed men at the front of my corridor at all times. 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. My room was checked every day by experts and the staff were overseen when doing the room service.  It all was a little overwhelming to start with, but once you got used to it, it became welcoming and you could really see that the organisers really thought about the issues coming to India very strongly.

Where does it leave the event for me?

It’s the World Cup.  Everything worked eventually and smoothly.  Good and great Hockey was played and it was a safe event.  Really what else can you ask for. We were there to cover the Hockey and that was done.  The players were there to play, and that they did.

Part 2 will be about what I was able to do and see outside of the Hockey specifically, things that many of the players were not able to.

Thanks for reading and stay tuned, and remember feel free to comment and ask questions.

DC

AUSTRALIA WORLD CUP 2010 CHAMPIONS

There’s not a lot to write when so much emotion pours out through a group of players who have put so much into this one night. This one day. This one game.  This one moment.

One moment in time. One moment when the final whistle is blown.

Australia wins the World Cup in Two Thousand and Ten.

They defeated the youngest team in this tournament but also the team that has stopped them in their tracks two World Cups previous. This time the Kookaburras achieve what Ric set out to do. Grant Schubert keeps his promise to win the Cup.

It’s over.  Australia 2.  Germany 1.

DC

Photos: Daniel Carson | DCIMAGES.ORG

WC10 x 5-6TH PLAYOFF x SPN v S.KOREA

A battle of the “unlucky” is what was in place for us for the last game of the night and last non-medal play-off.

Spain came home strong in their pool by beating England and missing out of the Semi Finals narrowly. They weren’t as close to making the Semis as their opponents in South Korea, who missed on a goal difference.

Both teams won their last games and South Korea started to look the team that makes them so feared in hockey tournaments. They looked fresh, cool calm and ready to go.

Looking ready isn’t enough, cause you need to move with that look and Spain broke out of the blocks and scored in 40 seconds of the first whistle.  It was stunning. Simple.

Spain controlled the first half completely and totally. The typical run of the Koreans was taken away from them by very close man marking at the back. No space was allowed to any Korean player and the Spanish backed their player’s skill one on one.

Before the half time break, Spain scored once again to take a 2 to 0 lead.

The second half was a different game. The Koreans are a team that is too disciplined to hang their heads and started to take control of the ball.  Their signature counter wasn’t there, but they tried their hand at a more structured game plan.

The Koreans had a lot of control of the ball but no matter how many chances they would take into the circle, they weren’t able to convert. In actuality Spain was able to release their forwards and Gryphon striker Juan Lainz Abaitua was found free on more than one occasion creating some genuine chances.

There was no more score added to the final scenario.

Spain finished the tournament well with 5th, but ranked 3rd before the World Cup.

South Korea ends up 6th, very close to their world rank of 5th.

Tonight was also the swan-song of Spain Xavier Ribas, who played his last international game and was able win captaining his side to a win in the World Cup 2010.

Photos: Daniel Carson | DCIMAGES.ORG

WC10 x 7-8TH PLAYOFF x ARG v IND x VIDEO INTERVIEW

Play-off Final number two of the day placed two teams playing above their rankings. The winner of this game finishes the World Cup 2010 in 7th place and loser 8th.

Coming into the World Cup Argentina were ranked 14th and India 12th.

The form of Argentina is on a consistent upwards curve through the progression of the tournament. India, even though they have had a good start and great crowd following in their own cauldron, their form hasn’t been overly convincing.

Cauldrons of the past week was not present tonight for the home team, although a great crowd can still be found and their voice as loud as any. It would be the last time we’d see the home crowd chanting in their own way for their own team.

Argentina was able pressed the “silence” button in the 28th minute to take the lead which would be held into the half time break.

India’s game plan of forcing a turn-over and then run, run, run sprint and run towards goal was not deviated from.  The Indian team has many brilliant individual players with skill that you’d have to witness with your own eyes to comprehend.

It was from this skill and forward push that the Argentinians were not able to deal with properly legally and gave the home team a Penalty Stroke cooly converted.

That was the 42nd minute.

We were amazingly treated to a flurry of goals as Argentina banged home a completely dominant three goals in three minutes. Gryphon Legend of the game, Mario Almada was instrumental in all of the goals scored.  You’d never know he was thirty-four years of age as he carved up the Indians through his run and delivery into the circle. The final of the three was a brilliant run to the baseline by Almada who then flicked it for a quick deflection for the team’s 4th.

India was able to pop in a goal only three minutes later, but that was the end of the goal-fest and Argentina defeated India, the hosts 4 – 2.

Argentina lead by previous Man of Match, Almada, finishes 7th, a clear five places over their world ranking.

India falter at the line and end up 8th, but still better than their 12th ranking.

Mario, the humblest of men, tried his best to answer my stupid questions in English. I really need to learn Spanish before the Women’s World Cup.

Personally it was a serious pleasure to have a quick chat to Mario.

Photos: Daniel Carson | DCIMAGES.ORG

WC10 x 9-10TH PLAYOFF x NZ v S.AFRICA x VIDEO

It was the first of the tournament and maybe not the last. Tonight we went to Strokes to find out the difference between two teams.

South Africa on the up as the World Cup progressed while New Zealand, a higher ranked team, has looked a little lost in the last few games. This game decided 9th and 10th placings.

The Gryphon studded team of South Africa wasted very little time in opening their account through Gryphon defender and flicker, Justin Reid-Ross. It came from a Corner in the fourth minute, and like many other games the South African’s were out of the blocks faster than their opponent.

That was the first half’s only score with SA 1 and NZ 0.

Stanza number two was full of a lot more in the way of goals, and in reality lax defense from both sides. New Zealand piled on two goals in two minutes at the restart but only a blink of an eye later the score was levelled.

South African, and Gryphon, speedy striker Lloyd Norris-Jones used all his skills and speed to slot home a field goal to make the game 2 all.

The game was then tit-for-tat as one goal went in, the other team would copy alike until the  final buzzer sounded. It was 4 goals all and extra time was required.

South Africa has been here before and made it count but on this occasion no real chances were offered by either team in the extra 15 minutes.

Unenviably the game would go down to Strokes. After the full five round, it was even. The next step was taken to a sudden death stroke play-off.

It didn’t last long and finally New Zealand would come out victorious with the win. A win that they really needed for a team of their stature. That said, no one like to loose on penalties and South Africa played an exceptional tournament.

South Africa finish the World Cup 10th.

New Zealand end up 9th.

I was able to catch up with New Zealand striker and Gryphon lad Priyesh Bhana after the game for a quick video chat.  Nice guy this Priyesh.

Photos: Daniel Carson | DCIMAGES.ORG

WC10 x SEMI FINAL x HOL v AUS x VIDEO INTERVIEW

Two semi finals and two intense games that, well could go either way.  Those in who normally wear Orange were in white tonight. The Kookaburras haven’t move off their gold uniform for the whole tournament, and they were looking a little used.

I digress…

Oh and Gryphon’s Grant Schubert won a motorbike!!!  Check the video below to see why.

The past few games between these two team head to head have finished with the Aussies comfortably winning each one. This time the Dutch looked ready to try and break this trend but the past must have been playing on the player’s minds.

Game plan for Holland was to sit a lot of players back inside their circle and release one to two players on the break. This was so extreme that the Dutch multiple times launched the ball with an over-head into the Aussie circle making the keeper come up. Much the same tactic that saw Gryphon’s Fergus Kavanagh score that amazing goal in the Champions Trophy final in Melbourne.

This tactic lead Australia to have 13 chances on goal in the first half alone.

Australia was eventually going win a Corner or a goal, and in the 27th minute the Aussies won a Corner and converted first time to take the lead.

Both teams were fantastic in defence, very rarely conceding a free hit in their 25 let alone a corner.

First half ended with Australia on top with all levels of the game including the score 1 – 0.

Into the second half the Dutch kept the same game plan but took it to an extreme. It forced the Aussies into the deep the corners of the circle, not having straight chances.  That said they did have quite a few clean strikes.  Man of the Match Grant Schubert was fantastic with his run, diving and leading.  I highly rate diving as a photographer…

Kavanagh, Brown and Begbie were heavily worked on the run with their tackles. Begbie was a serious standout with his tackles saving more chances to the goals at full tilt than you could keep track of.

Eventually the Aussie pressure had to break the wall and in the 55th a brilliant field goal was scored putting the men in Gold up 2 to 1.

The game looked a little like it was over. Not so true.  The Dutch kept to their game plan and won a Corner which was dealt with, but on a video referral it was changed to a Stroke which was cleanly taken in the 58th minute.

12 minutes of hockey at it’s must tense then followed. Dutch were full of run trying to create chances. Australia making tackles in their 25 over and over then releasing their midfielders Hammond an Co. to then push the ball again into a dangerous position.  It was back and forth attacking hockey at it’s best and intense.

Luckily the game ended as I would say the players and the crowd would eventually succumb to a medical condition.

Australia win 2 goals to 1 and now face Germany in the Gold Medal final… again!

Holland play England and would fancy themselves.

I was able to grab Grant Schubert and Rob Hammond after the game for a surprise interview on level:

Photos: Daniel Carson | DCIMAGES.ORG

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