Kookaburras Look The Goods To Break Their Gold Hoodoo
Sun Herald
Sunday March 10, 2002
EVERY four years, for 46 years, hockey lovers have been asking themselves a question: could this be the team to win Australia's first Olympic men's gold medal. The answer has always been no.
In the past few days, as a result of events to our north, the question has been asked again. Many times bitten, most have been too shy to answer yes. But this can be said: the new-look Kookaburras have appeared the goods in Kuala Lumpur.
Early this morning, Australia and Germany were doing battle for their sport's second most prestigious prize the World Cup. Win or lose, many observers like what they have seen. Australia were undefeated in seven round matches and scored a stunning 4-1 victory over reigning Olympic and World Cup champions the Netherlands in the semi-final.
The psychological significance of that victory was profound. Australia and the Netherlands have met in a semi-final of the last two Olympic Games (1996 and 2000) and the last two World Cups (1994 and 1998). The Dutch won each time. Now, with a team largely unrecognisable from Sydney 2000 the average age is 23 compared to 27 the Kookaburras have shaken what they call the ``semi-final hoodoo" and have their sights set higher.
After the despair of another bronze at the Sydney Olympics, four-time Olympian Jay Stacy set himself for the World Cup only to find new coach Barry Dancer did not want him.
These days, aged 33, the flame-haired goliath, who once terrorised opponents, markets orange juice. ``I am rapped for the boys," Stacy said. ``They are travelling beautifully. They look very good, in attack and defence."
Stacy said young forwards such as Michael McCann, who learned his hockey at Chester Hill, in Sydney's west, and Queenslander Jamie Dwyer were ``real finds", while ``old hands" such as midfield general Brent Livermore and captain Paul Gaudoin appeared ``rejuvenated" for the road to Athens.
National High Performance manager Ray Dorsett said that Australia were in the easier of the two pools and, having come from a Perth summer, were better equipped than the Europeans to cope with the heat and humidity of Malaysia.
``What this tournament has given us is a great confidence that the young players are ready and we have two or three 16 to 18-year-olds who are not in the team but who will play in Athens. Our depth is great," he said.
Midfield general Livermore agreed. ``Our performance here proves we are a good team. We are younger, much fitter. We have the game to be the best in the world. Only pressure will beat us," Livermore said.
© 2002 Sun Herald