The group rounds of the new-look Australian Hockey League (AHL) wrapped up on Saturday, and the teams will now head to the Gold Coast to take part in the finals series.
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The ACT’s men’s and women’s sides finished second and third respectively in their pools, and both will travel to Queensland for the finals, which begin on October 25.
Both the Lakers and the Strikers feature a number of prominent Goulburn players among their squads, including Glenn Turner, Aaron Kershaw, Jake Staines, Ben Staines, Naomi Evans, and Sassie Economos (who plays for Tuggeranong but lives in Goulburn).
Former Kookaburra and Lakers stalwart Glenn Turner said that he was very pleased with the improvement shown by the ACT in their latter two rounds, against Queensland and NSW.
“We definitely made positive strides each game,” Turner said.
“The first game I think we had eight debutants, and it’s AHL so it’s a new level and they probably found it a little bit daunting.
“To their credit, we had some good meetings and then they came out against Queensland and they played really well.
“We played, I thought, some of the best hockey that I’ve been a part of for the Lakers.”
The team’s most recent win, on Saturday against NSW, was particularly satisfying due to the perennially competitive relationship between the states.
“It’s always very difficult, we haven’t had too many wins [against] New South because it’s sort of like a big brother-little brother thing,” Turner said.
“We held our own actually, I thought we were the better team on the day.”
Turner added that the 3-1 victory, in which he scored twice, gave the Lakers significant confidence ahead of their first finals fixture against South Australia.
Although Tasmania and Western Australia proved to be the teams to beat in the pool stages, Turner said that it is impossible to tell who will rise to the top in the finals.
“Some of the teams have had their Australian players away,” he said.
“So I think once the Australian players come back, it changes things a little bit.
“I still think Victoria, although they lost to WA in one of the games, they’re still a really good chance of winning it for the third time.”
Turner also praised the strength of the Lakers’ backs, where Kershaw, James Day, and Japanese captain Manabu Yamashita play.
“Our back four, I believe, is nearly the best in the competition,” Turner said.
Both ACT sides will play South Australia in their quarter finals. The matches will take place from 2.45pm on October 25 at the Gold Coast Hockey Centre.