Kookaburras Fit For Long Haul
Newcastle Herald
Friday August 8, 2008
THE Australian men's hockey team are confident their ability to handle the debilitating mixture of heat, humidity and dense smog will give them a significant advantage in their gold medal defence.
Australian coach Barry Dancer said his team's capacity to finish matches strongly as the opposition wilted would be a major asset after the Kookaburras demonstrated their renowned edge in fitness by scoring two late goals to beat Germany 2-1 in a 50-minute practice match yesterday. "I think a game like today, to finish as we did in the last 15 minutes, gives us a good idea about where we are physically," Dancer said. "We pride ourselves on our ability to be the best in the world in that regard." Goals in the final 10 minutes gave the Australians a confidence-boosting win over one of their main rivals.
© 2008 Newcastle Herald