After winning the title in 2022 for the first time in over a decade, NSW were very keen to defend the title they fought so hard to win.
Starting off with a match against WA was a daunting first match as WA had been absent from the Australian titles for some years, and as such were relatively unknown. It was expected they would be a tough team to beat at home, and although the score line of 5-1 doesn't suggest it, they were a formidable opponent.
NSW struggled against WA Country. Played at Melville on a slower turf, the field suited WAC as it slowed down the NSW style of play. WAC played well but were eventually subdued by NSW and beaten 3-1.
Sadly, there weren't enough teams to have a 40's Division B competition, so the two divisions were merged. This meant there were a few mis-matches. Queensland 2's were gallant but were no match, conceding 10 goals without troubling the scorer in return.
Thankfully, as the NSW 2's conceded fewer goals than the WA Country 2's, we did not meet our other side in the quarter finals. NSW matched up against WA Country 2's. Despite fighting hard, WA Country 2's were defeated 8-0. Let's hope in future years, more states can enter additional teams to make a B Division a viable prospect.
Sadly, we had been advised that the company providing the streaming services had gone into liquidation and our final two matches would not be streamed. A massive blow for hockey in Australia and we were the first tournament to be affected.
In a 2022 grand final rematch, NSW met Victoria in the semi-final and ultimately beat them 4-2, although a late goal when Victoria had pulled their keeper made the score flattering. A two goal margin didn't reflect how close the match was.
With WA defeating Queensland in the other semi-final, the gold medal would be decided between NSW and the home team, WA. Although WA excerpted pressure throughout the match, NSW never really looked troubled and took home the Australian title with a 4-0 win in front of a parochial WA home crowd.
Back-to-back Australian champions in the Over 40's Division!
