Kookaburras coach Mark Hager has announced an exciting mix of powerful new talent and returning Olympians in his first 22-man squad for the FIH Pro League’s return to Sydney.
In what is the start of a new era for the national men’s hockey team, nine Olympians, five returning Kookaburras, and eight in-form new debutants complete the squad that will launch the Kookaburras FIH Pro League title defence in Sydney against Spain and the Olympic champion Netherlands.
Nine athletes from the wider Kookaburras squad will get their opportunity to impress and stake their claim for one of the last seven positions in the full-time 2025 squad, which will be decided in early March.
Victoria’s Cooper Burns, Liam Henderson, Connar Otterbach and Ben White are all in line to make their debut in green and gold, just three months after starring in HC Melbourne’s maiden Hockey One League victory.
It’s been a rapid rise for Victoria's incoming number one pick goalkeeper Jed Snowden, who will fill the boots of Australia’s recently retired most capped goalkeeper ever, Andrew Charter, after an unstoppable Hockey One League season.
“I feel incredibly lucky to get a home debut in front of friends and family,” Jed said.
“On the day I was expecting the email to see if I had been selected, I was at work with the boys and I was just stressing the whole time, not a lot of work was done! I was just over the moon when the email finally came in around midday and I saw I had made the full-time squad. It’s a massive opportunity.”
Jed will become the second Snowden to guard the goal for Australia, following in the footsteps of his uncle Neil Snowden who played for the Kookaburras in the eighties.
Also cementing their name in the Kookaburras’ legacy is WA’s Harvie brothers, after Tom Harvie received his long-awaited call-up to join his experienced brother Jake and make his debut for Australia.
It’s a dream come true for the inseparable brothers who have grown up since the age of two and four playing hockey in regional WA, years after their grandad Gordon Pearce became a three-time Olympian playing alongside his four brothers for the Kookaburras between the 1950s and ’60s.
“Playing for the Kookaburras has always been a lifelong dream,” Tom reflected.
“Receiving the email that said I had been selected was a huge relief more than anything. There have certainly been some tough nights and some long conversations with Mum and Dad about whether I was going to get my opportunity or not.
“It was cool to be in the senior leadership group alongside Jake in the Perth Thundersticks in the Hockey One League last season and now for two brothers to play alongside each other for Australia is another level of rare.
“I’m so grateful and especially grateful I’m getting the opportunity to debut on home soil."
“It’s surreal and a dream come true for us,” Jake added.
“I’m really proud of Tom for all the hard work that he’s put in. He’s had to wait a lot longer than some players to get this opportunity, and not everyone gets it either, so the fact he’s hung around and been a good servant to the sport and gone about things the right way, he’s now being rewarded with an opportunity that he really deserves and I just can’t wait.”
The Kookaburras begin their campaign in Sydney against Spain on 5 February before taking on the Olympic gold medallists, the Netherlands in a hotly-anticipated rematch of the Paris Olympic quarter-final on 6 February. The Kookaburras will face both teams twice.
