Hockey One Round 5 Full Card: Grand Final Rematch in Melbourne, Pride v Chill in Sydney, Perth Host Brisbane
Round 5 is where Hockey One’s season starts to separate, and this one has a headline act on Friday night before the weekend even begins.
It starts in Melbourne on Friday 6 November, when HC Melbourne host the Tassie Tigers at 6:30pm AEDT at the State Sport Centres. This is the Grand Final rematch. Melbourne are the team to beat right now: four wins from four, 12 points, 28 goals scored, and Nathan Ephraums leading the league’s scoring chart on 10 goals after his burst against Canberra last Friday, when Melbourne won 10-2 on the road. The Tigers are right behind them on nine points with three wins from four, their only loss that 4-3 defeat to Canberra in Hobart. The women’s game follows at 8:15pm AEDT on the same night, another double-header.
Saturday 7 November brings two more double-headers. NSW Pride host Canberra Chill at Sydney Olympic Park, the men’s game at 2:45pm AEDT after the women’s at 1:00pm. Both sides sit on nine points, so the winner goes clear in the top four race and the loser gets dragged back toward the pack. Then in Perth, the Thundersticks host Brisbane Blaze at Perth Hockey Stadium, men at 4:15pm AWST after the women’s at 2:30pm. Perth are fifth on six points after Sunday’s 6-3 home win over the Melbourne Cobras, while Brisbane are sixth on three points despite scoring 17 goals in four games, including that 10-1 demolition of Adelaide. Brisbane can score. They just have to stop conceding.
Sunday 8 November closes the round in Bendigo, where the Melbourne Cobras host Adelaide Fire at Bendigo Hockey Centre, men at 2:45pm AEDT after the women’s at 1:00pm. Both sides are still looking for their first win: the Cobras are seventh on zero points from four games, the Fire eighth, also winless, with just three goals scored and 29 conceded. Somebody’s season gets its first spark on Sunday. Somebody else’s stays stuck.
The standings going into the round tell the story: HC Melbourne 12, Tassie Tigers 9, Canberra Chill 9, NSW Pride 9, Perth Thundersticks 6, Brisbane Blaze 3, Melbourne Cobras 0, Adelaide Fire 0. With the top four reaching the medal round at the Gold Coast finals on 5-6 December, every point from here on matters. Friday night in Melbourne is the one to watch first.
