HOCKEY: With Dutch goalkeeper Jaap Stockmann seemingly impenetrable in the final, it was always going to take something extraordinary for the Kookaburras to win the Champions Trophy.

It came from Wollongong attacker Govers - a thunderous shot off his reverse stick on instinct.

It sealed Australia's men's hockey team a record fifth successive Champions Trophy victory.

"I don't know why I went to the backstick. I was going to crack it on the forestick, but I decided to shoot on the backstick and luckily it went in the back corner," Govers said.

The 2-1 victory echoed the Kookaburras' finest hockey moment - Jamie Dwyer's golden goal strike against the Dutch at the Athens Olympics.

It prompted Dwyer to jokingly declare the 24-year-old "the king of Wollongong".

But it was a winner which looked destined never to come as Stockmann produced save after save to keep The Netherlands in the game.

He stopped a Dwyer penalty stroke and blistering shot in the first half, then made five more sensational saves in the second half to deny Australia.

Govers was one of a batch of heroes for the Kookaburras as they made history and partial amends for missing a gold medal at the London Olympics.

Acting coach Graham Reid said London wasn't directly spoken about in the lead-up to the game.

It didn't need to be.

Players admitted it was well and truly on their minds during the tournament.

"It was pretty important for me," Kookaburras star Jamie Dwyer said of winning the tournament featuring the world's top eight nations.

"I guess after London we had a few doubts going through our heads, both individually and as a team.

"To come out, and play like we did this week and not give the opposition many chances, and enjoy it as well, it's great."

Conceding just three goals for the tournament, Australia's defence was exceptional - Mark Knowles a colossus and ably supported by Joel Carroll and goalkeepers George Bazeley and Andrew Charter.

The busy Matthew Swann and Jacob Whetton buzzed around like zinc cream-coated Energizer bunnies.

Swann played a variety of roles well and 21-year-old Queensland striker Whetton showed his undoubted potential.

For acting coach Reid, it was the perfect job audition should he put his hand up for the top job when head coach Ric Charlesworth retires.

Reid was given match-day duties for the tournament as Charlesworth took a backseat in the stands.

A former Kookaburras player himself, Reid's message before extra-time was simple and uncomplicated, and vital to players with the meltdown of London still fresh in their minds.

"Patience, persistence. Things will come for us. We're making the chances. We just need to put it away."

Eventually Govers put his chance, and the Dutch, away.

AAP