Waikato Hockey Homegrown Series

Teams have been named by Lincoln Churchill and Tony Hopping, two very strong squads for the inaugural WHA homegrown series.

The two matches will take place on Monday June 28th and Monday July 5th at the Gallagher Hockey Centre. The Home Side, in the absence of Ben Tanner, who is currently rehabbing an injury he sustained while rehabbing from another injury, the home side will be captained by Waikato legend Stu Pitu. Glenn Eyers has returned from his world tour to baluster the side. Former Junior Black Stick Reuben Andrews brings some razzamatazz to the midfield; along with former Junior Black Stick Daniel Scanlon, the ultimate home grown player, still yet to leave Hamilton, will be looking to make a big impact on the series.

The late addition of Black Sticks Goalkeeper Richard Joyce also set to turn a few heads as the young Casanova from the North of The Bridge is currently applying his trade on a dairy farm somewhere out the back of Te Awamutu. Despite the fact that Joyce was born and raised on the North Shore he still qualifies for the homegrown side because he now choses to identify himself as a Hamiltonian. Regarding his transition Joyce said “it’s been a long and tough journey but I’d have to say fully worth it now I feel like I am being true to myself”.

The Away side is led by South African born former Black Stick and Waikato Mens 2020 Lawn Bowls up-and-coming player of the year Matt Rees-Gibbs and features a number of unfortunate young men who have somehow wound-up living in Hamilton for one reason or another. Performance Network Players Tim Nield, Cam McClean and Garrick du Toit along with former Black Stick Cam Hayde make up a very strong midfield for the out of towners. Promising young player Luke Aldred also qualifies for the away side, his family having left England when he was young after realising New Zealand was better at cricket.

Another boost for the away side is the pleasing news that the talented drag flick exponent Conner Garner has managed to pry himself away the weights to feature in the matches. HSOB star Zach Lichfield is also available having been reported missing for a few months earlier this year before he was eventually discovered by his flatmate Garrick du Toit buried between the cushions on the couch.

Come watch these two teams play tonight, Monday 28 June at 7pm, Gallagher Hockey Centre.

Home Side
Richard Joyce (GK)
Stephen Atkinson (D)
Stu Pitu (D) Captain
Jai Fitzwalter (D)
Alex Deo (D)
Keelen Stafford (D)
Luke Aldred (D/M)
Glenn Eyers (M)
Brad Coxon (M)
Reuben Andrews (M)
Maks Wyndham-Smith (M)
Jacob Soo Choon (S)
Aodan Wyndaham-Smith (S)
Tai Waihare(S)
Daniel Scanlon (S)
Josef Holm (S)
Coach: Matthew Scoble

Out of Towners
Shirish Kumar Singh Rathore (GK)
Vance Harvey (D)
Conor Garner (D)
Zach Lichfield (D)
Quentin Smith (D)
Cam McClean (M)
Tim Nield (M)
Garrick Du Toit (D/M)
Cam Hayde (M/S)
Matt Rees-Gibbs (M/S)
Ricky Hayward (S)
Scott Richardson (S)
Tim Greenwood(S)
Silvan Pilsor (S)
Parth Thakur (S)
George Greenhill (S)
Coach: Tony Hopping