Stingers v Thundersticks Wrap Up

Stingers season came early!

The Territory is back

Hockey has been played in the Northern Territory since 1948 and has a proud history of Territory players representing Australia on the international stage and of competing at the top level Nationally. Pioneers such as Lee Campbell, Nova Peris, Stephen Holt and Mark Hickman pathed the way for Heather Langham, Elizabeth Duguid, Joel Carroll, Desmond Abbott and our current representation of Brooke Peris and Jeremy Hayward. These players had the opportunity to represent the Territory at Under 21s level as a key stepping stone on their way to the international stage. For the first time in 5 years a Territory Team was represented at this year’s 2022 Australian Championships with the U21 men competing back on this stage.

The journey for many of these Under 21 players started in Melbourne in 2013, playing in the Under 13 Australian Championships. Back then they were lucky enough to train with and be mentored by the Territory Stingers our Australia Hockey League (AHL) team during these championships.

Nine years later, this group of talented young men represented the Territory at the U21 Australian Championships. These championships were played in Perth in July and the boys played some sensational hockey. The core of this team will also still be eligible to represent the Territory in the 2023.

The Territory was part of the Australian Hockey League from 1998—2018 through the Territory Pearls and Stingers. Hockey is the only Territory sport that has played in the top National League in Australian sport with both their men and women competing consistently well at this level across the last few decades. In 2019 the format changed to Hockey One and unfortunately the Territory hasn’t been represented since then. With support from Hockey WA, the Territory Stingers came back together to play against the WA Thundersticks on the 28th July. This team was formed with ten debutants and a handful of experienced Territory Stingers such as Adrian Lockley (129 AHL caps) and stalwart Rob Duguid.  Eight of the Territory Under 21s players played that night in front of a full crowd and got a taste of what it means and feels like to represent the Territory in one of the best domestic competitions in the world.

The match was lived streamed with the expert commentary of ex Hockeyroo Ash Nelson.  “It really put the Stingers back on the map again in the Northern Territory as far the hockey community is concerned. Tonight is all about giving experience to the players and making it an aspiration to get back to Hockey One” Nelson said.

Territory Hockey will be represented through the Adelaide Fire Hockey One in 2022. Our Technical Director Jason Butcher has been named the Head Coach of the Adelaide Fire women, with 8 Territory players named in the Adelaide Fire Squads. These players are Jonathan Peris (Nightcliff Tigers), Jye Clark (St Mary’s), Nathan Hochman (Easts), Zach Rakkas (Waratahs) Kirralee Pavy (Banks), Stacey Luck (Commerce Pints), Shanelle Adams and Jacqui Downey (Waratahs).

Please see the wrap up attached below.