CT10 x BROWN x SCHUBERT x WALLPAPERS

With the Womens Champions Trophy well under way in Nottingham currently getting the attention of the hockey world, there’s another tournament gearing up.  Barely weeks after, Germany will hold the Mens version of this event. As the teams are announced it becomes interesting to see the makeup and intentions of the coaches and countries involved.

In the case of Australia, Five Gryphon players are making the trip to Germany (Patto, Carroll, Kavanagh, Mitton, Beggers).  This means that four of the world cup and previous Champions Trophy winners sporting Gryphon gear are taking a well-earned rest back home. While we are going to be talking a lot about the players in Nottingham and Germany these four Aussies staying home are going to get a little lime-light in the next few days here on G-Life.

As with the Womens CT10, Gryphon will have a series of posters for the men. Here’s the first two posters/wallpapers of the guys not jumping on the airplane.

We’ll kick off with Kiel Brown and Grant Schubert today, both current World Champions.

Stay tuned in the next few days for Brent “Disco” Dancer and Rob Hammond’s wallpaper downloads before we head into some of the Gryphon players that will feature in Germany.

Download the Bigger Shuby Poster version:  CT10_GRYPHON_SCHUBERT_POSTER (18)

Download the Kiel Brown Wallpaper: CT10_GRYPHON_BROWN_POSTER (9)

Photo: Daniel Carson | DCIMAGES.ORG

YOUNG GRYPHONS x AZLAN SHAH

The World Champion Kookaburras have no rest in sight with already the next squad being named for the Azlan Shah Cup in May this year.

Ric’s taken a small departure from the full senior squad with only a handful of players carrying over from the WC, including players Kiel Brown and Grant Schubert.

Brent “Disco” Dancer returns since winning gold at the Champions Trophy in Melbourne last year. Joel Carroll will make his return back from injury and with the addition of the youngest of Gryphon Guns Trent Mitton round off a very strong Gryphon representation in the squad.

2010 Sultan Azlan Shah Cup squad
George Bazeley (VIC), Ross Meadows (WA), Chris Ciriello (VIC), Brent Dancer (WA), Joel Carroll (NT), Matthew Swann (QLD), Kiel Brown (WA), Ian Burcher (WA), Glenn Simpson (VIC), Mark Paterson (NSW), Jonathon Charlesworth (WA), Tim Deavin (TAS), Kieran Govers (NSW), Grant Schubert (SA), Jason Wilson (QLD), Russell Ford (VIC), Trent Mitton (WA), Matt Gohdes (QLD)

THE ANATOMY OF KIEL BROWN x VIDEO INTERVIEW

In a open, frank and slightly serious interview, World Champion, Kiel Brown sits down and talks about the breakdown of his career, motivations in hockey and life as a World Champion now it’s all done and dusted.

The Story of Kiel Brown Video:

CONGRATS x GRYPHON WORLD CHAMPS

Well they’ve had a few days to let it sink.  Those of us that were watching on the TV, reading news reports and talking about the games here at Gryphon HQ would like to formally congratulate the latest and World Champion Ambassadors for Australia and Gryphon.

Kiel Brown (WA)

Graeme Begbie (WA)

Rob Hammond (QLD)

Fergus Kavanagh (WA)

Grant Schubert (SA)

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

WC10 x DAY9 x AUS v PAK x KAVANAGH/HAMMOND VIDEO INTERVIEW

Knowing that a win would take Australia into Top position of the pool, but more importantly a win would continue good form taking them to four straight going into the Semi Finals.

Pakistan had only one win and wanted to push themselves up the world rankings. No team here is playing a filler role. And the game went that way. Pakistan were completely ready for a big game and to push the Aussies.

As always the Aussies dominated controlled possession and like past games basically mounted attacking move after attacking move. The Pakistani defence and keeper were on high alert BUT were able to keep up to the task. The next part was the Pakistan counter-attack and didn’t overly look like a team that was down the bottom end of the pool.

It was the team in dark green and white, with some local support, that took the first goal to stun the Aussies.  The half time score was Pakistan 1 – 0 Australia.

In the second, you could put money that the Aussies wouldn’t stop working hard. Fergus Kavanagh and Kiel Brown down back had to keep finding a way to stop the Pakistan counter getting through.

Gryphon and Australian defender, Graeme Begbie moved himself up the ground on the overlap and started to become the magazine in the Australia machine gun. Time after time he would reload the Australian attack and place massive pressure on the Pakistani defence once again. And just like the first half, it was an Aussie shot domination but this time they broke through with a field goal to take the game to a draw.

A win was the only result enough to place the Aussies on the top of the table, and twenty minutes were left to pop in another goal. They used up all of the time allocated as in the last few minutes, the Aussies created an amazing build up and goal. A lob pass over the attacking circle found Gryphon’s Rob Hammond alone, who then smoothly nailed a flat a pass into the circle for a deflection by Des Abbott right on goal.

It was all that was required.  Australia had done it the hard way, but had done it 2 goals to 1.

Pakistan took everything inch they could and heavily worked the Aussies. But the final result placed Australia at the top of the pool and Pakistan down the lower end.

Australia and England will now have to wait till tomorrow to find out who they play in the Semis.

Fergus Kavanagh joined me for a chat about the game, future and some past moments already in the video below:

Rob Hammond uses up the last of his media time to tell us how he’s traveling so far in this campaign and the drive for gold in this video:

Photos: Daniel Carson | DCIMAGES.ORG

WC10 x DAY7 x AUS v SPN

In the game that would more than likely decided the semi-finalist, Australia and Spain both had a lot to play for. It was exceptionally apparent as both teams played an intense but at times nervous game.

The first half wasn’t pretty with  both teams holding a good share of the possession but the Australian defence headed by Graeme Begbie, Kiel Brown and Fergus Kavanagh was holding very strong keeping the penalty corners down to a minimum. Not none, but low-ish.

At the other end the Spanish kept the more mobile looking attack, with Grant Schubert looking more dangerous than before in this tournament, from the Aussies under control, but with the first Kookaburra short corner, they converted to make the only score of the half.

The second started the same as the first left off, back and forward and so on.

With around 15 minutes to go, the Aussies started to really get into the game holding, running and passing with more direction and purpose through players like Rob Hammond who worked exceptionally hard all game. They looked the most dangerous of the two teams and scored from a sweet set of passing moves to go 2 to 0 up.

The Spanish were able to win a few more short corners but the defensive bank was able to keep the clean sheet.

Australia 2 – Spain 1

Australia now are into the finals with their massive goal difference keeping them afloat with one more game to play against Pakistan.

With the top two teams pretty much locked in this pool now, Spain will need a miracle to progress after their last game against England.

Photos: Daniel Carson | DCIMAGES.ORG

WC10 – KIEL BROWN VIDEO INTERVIEW

Some people you just have to go and chase down to get a comment from.

Kiel is NOT one of those people.  Ask him for some time and he’ll happily stop whatever he’s doing and give you attention, or the camera, or the mic.

Today, after the Australia v South Africa game, I was able to catch up with KB at his hotel.

GRYPHON x ART x DC COLLABORATION x PART 4

Staff designer DC was let loose to create a GRYPHON ART SERIES for the coming Champions Trophy. The resulting collaboration is some of the coolest stuff we’ve seen in a while. Special note is that these are not computer generated images, they are all hand drawn by DC which makes ‘em all the more unique.

A selection of the GRYPHON ART SERIES will be made available in A3 size posters and will be given away at the 2009 Men’s Champions Trophy in Melbourne, Australia. We will be previewing one of these every week right here on G-Life in the lead up to the Trophy.

PART 4 captures the prodigious Kiel Brown in full flight. The talented defender / midfielder has had a meteoric rise through the ranks of Australian Hockey which was capped in 2008 with Olympic selection. He has continued to grow into one of the most promising utilities in the defensive line with the Kookaburras.

Download the Wallpaper: Art Series Wallpaper - Kiel Brown (112)

GRYPHON STAFF x MOVEMBER x POOL CLEANERS UNITE

Movember is all about changing the face of men’s health and the staff  and spono crew here at Gryphon HQ have thrown their upper lips behind this cause. Over the month of Movember (formally know as November) we’ll keep you all updated with the State of the Mo plus posts on the Gryphon Crew as they transforms themselves from clean shaven, self respecting employees and players to pool cleaners, rock stars, 70′s football icons and out-of-work actors, all for a great cause.

So, Where does the donation money go?  In Australia it goes to two main foundations. 1/ The Prostate Cancer Foundation of Australia and 2/ Beyond Blue. More information can be found on the official website and Movember is a global movement.

So why all the hype?

1 in 9 men will be diagnosed with Prostate Cancer in their lifetime

1 in 8 men will experience depression in their lifetime

If you want more info, click here to see our previous posts on Movember and the reasons behind the movement.

Ok, So now you’ve read up and are keen to support this MOvement. Here’s how you can get involved…

GROW THE MO

Jump onto the movember site, register and start growing. Want to join the Gryphon Team and represent? Click here to get on board the G-TEAM and MO like you’ve never MO’d before

DONATE

So you don’t want to grow, or you are a MO SISTER and want to support the boys in their quest to change the face of men’s health. Well, here’s how. Click on one of the G-TEAM members below and donate through their donation page, or donate to TEAM GRYPHON HOCKEY. Either way, you can sleep easy at night knowing that you’re making a difference!

Team

Gryphon Hockey

Staff

Daniel Carson

Yoshi Sashiki

Rob Hammond

Kiel Brown

Boys from preferred Spono Retailer WWW.F-H-E.COM

Daniel Ballantyne

Ben Ballantyne

G-TEAM

Matt Boyce :: Aust JWC

Lucas Judge :: Dutch Internationalist

Rob Hammond ::Aust Internationalist

Fergus Kavanagh :: Aust Internationalist

Kiel Brown :: Aust Internationalist

Brent Dancer :: Aust Internationalist

So everyone, dig deep and help the Movember movement to change the face of men’s health. Joining in? Well, either purchase tix’s or raise enough $$ and you can score free tix’s to the parte’ of the year.. Check out the ’07 celebration below.

MO FACT: A ONE MONTH OLD MOUSTACHE IS CAPABLE OF HOLDING APPROXIMATELY 30ML OF LIQUID OR AROUND 10% OF A POT OF BEER AT ANY ONE TIME BEFORE LEAKING IT’S CONTENTS DOWN THE FACE OF THE OWNER.

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