Australia Smash Canada
12th August 2008
The sight of key Kookaburra Jamie Dwyer being stretchered from the field would usually sink any winning hopes of past Australian men's hockey teams.
Especially after skipper Bevan George had come off injured earlier in the match.
But Kookaburras coach Barry Dancer paid tribute to his side's new-found resolve after a Des Abbott hat-trick fueled a 6-1 romp over Canada in their Beijing Olympic opener.
The Kookaburras had to endure an Olympic curse for almost 50 years before breaking through for their first Games gold at Athens thanks to Dwyer's match winning goal.
Cynics would have been forgiven for thinking it had struck again when Dwyer - considered the world's best player - was stretchered from the field.
He appeared to be in agony when he went down minutes before halftime following a heavy collision with a Canadian opponent.
But Dwyer played down the injury, all but confirming his availability for their next game against South Africa on Wednesday.
"It's okay, I just got a cork on the hip. I thought I was going to throw up (when he was taken off)," Dwyer said.
"We will just see how it is tomorrow and hopefully I can play against South Africa.
"It was nothing too serious. Apparently it happens in rugby league and union a lot - but I am not as big as those guys unfortunately."
The Kookaburras would have been entitled to panic after Dwyer's departure came 16 minutes after George laboured off the field with rib and ankle complaints.
Instead the Kookaburras found another gear to show exactly why they are the team to beat at Beijing - much to Dancer's delight.
Tasmanian rookie Eddie Ockenden was inspirational in the second half stepping up in the absence of his mentor Dwyer, scoring one goal and feeding excitement machine Abbott.
"It was those players with less experience in the team that stood up," Dancer said.
"The pleasing thing was that in the absence of Jamie Dwyer and Bevan George we saw the level of group that we had.
"Some of the less experienced players were able to stand up right through the game.
"Eddie (Ockenden) clearly in the second half ... was clearly one of those players." While Dancer joked that George "did a good job on himself", the skipper and Dwyer will not be reassessed until tomorrow.
Abbott chose hockey over AFL as a child in Darwin - and Dancer was glad he did.
The 22-year-old gave the Kookaburras a dream start by bagging a double on Games debut by the 16th minute, using sublime finishing to find the net twice in barely 60 seconds.
Ireland-born midfielder Fergus Kavanagh capitalised on a Canadian turnover inside the circle in the 22nd minute to ensure a 3-0 halftime lead.
Canada's Peter Short caught the Kookaburras napping early in the second to reduce the damage but normal service soon resumed.
Ockenden helped himself to a goal in the 48th minute before setting up Abbott's third six minutes later.
Grant Schubert completed the rout when he pounced on a deflection off the Canadian goalkeeper in the 57th minute.
(Article courtesy of Yahoo.com.au)
Article by Hockey South
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