The 2026 East Gippsland Hockey Association season commenced last Saturday with Orbost making the trek to the Gippsland Tegional Sporting Complex to play Sale.
There were plenty of positives for Orbost before the matches even started, with the impressive number of young debutantes donning the green and gold for the very
first time.
Orbost hockey further enhanced its reputation for being a sport for the whole family – with numerous players taking to the field alongside their siblings and/or parents, which in four particular cases saw the impressive achievement of three members of the same family playing together in the same grade.
First into the fray were the under 10s who travelled to Sale with no less than 16 players, so many in fact that two informal scratch matches were staged against the hosts in place of the traditional fixture.
Among the Green and Gold’s youngest brigade were a host of newcomers – Matilda Kuyper, Jett Findley, Toby Gilmour and brothers Jude and Steel Perry – all of whom impressed with their keenness around the contest and emerging stick work, a credit to the efforts of the HookIn2 Hockey program that ran through the early autumn in Orbost.
Many of the visitors’ second-year players also shone on the blue turf, with Evie Crofts and Sophie Perry showing plenty of midfield endeavour, Sadie Lindfield and Grace Reddy displaying their speed in attack, and both Zoe Griebenow and Lyla Gilmour defending with a real tenacity when under pressure on their own goal line.
The day of firsts continued in the under 12 match, one which saw debutants Teddy Kuyper and Sophie Findley impress with their skills and can do attitudes, and many of last year’s under 10 team getting to experience full field hockey and the positional play that it requires for the first time.
On the defensive side new goalie Darius Mathews made a couple of nice saves, while in front of him Jaxon Murray made a number of important tackles and Savannah Lindfield was regularly called upon to clear the ball effectively to safety.
Further up the field Izzy Palmer was in the thick of the midfield action, supported by Bella Healey, who showed plenty of attacking intent, and the combination of Joe Millward and Demi Murray were always looking the drive the ball past defenders and into Sale’s ‘D’. On the whole this was an encouraging opening to the season for the Green and Gold, with only a trio of late goals by their opponents taking the gloss off a performance that bodes well for the challenges ahead. Sale took the match 4-0, with Orbost already focused on its next match. Orbost’s first official victory of the season followed in the under 14s encounter (4-2), a match which saw plenty of action around both goalmouths, but was ultimately settled by the visitors’ striking ability. With Kitty Millward leading the backline with authority, Alex Kenny blasting the ball to safety on multiple occasions, and Cohen Mathews intervening with his stick at just the right moment in the ‘D’, the Green and Gold were able to minimise Sale’s shots on goal and keep them down to just two scores, one of which came long after the outcome had been settled. It was the passing, running and strong teamwork of Asha Farley, Savannah Lindfield, Jaxon Murray and Lily Crofts from midfield into attack that really made the difference however, with all combining to keep the pressure up on the hosts throughout, and crucially helping to create the defensive holes that Jasper Anderson was able to fully exploit with his hard running and power hitting, scoring all four of his team’s goals. The under 16 contest saw the Green and Gold youngsters take on an experienced Sale outfit that was very comfortable playing in their home surroundings, and even though the final scoreline (10-2) didn’t favour them, they nevertheless kept battling hard throughout and were rewarded with a pair of welltaken late goals. Goalie Jack Scott used his reflexes and big boots to make a trio of strong saves, while both Alex Kenny and Mia Martin chipped in with crucial tackles in the ‘D’, and Sarah Gladstone and Leni Millward worked tirelessly to try and relieve the heavy pressure on the visitors’ backline.
Lily Crofts and Joe Millward (both playing their first under 16 games) went close to converting crosses from the hard-running and influential Campbell Edlington, before Jasper Anderson found the back of the cage after a strong individual run and neat finish.
Chloe Findley weaved through traffic to convert a shot from a very tight angle in the final minute. The final game of the day saw the two women’s teams in action, one in which teenage goalie Sarah Gladstone impressed early and often with a string of brave saves against a well-organised Sale attack.
Lisa Murray’s timely interventions in her own ‘D’ plus Kerryn Volk’s determined clearance work helped to keep Orbost in the contest for the first three quarters. The strong linking play of Misty Anderson and Phoebe Findley ensured that the Green and Gold were able to apply pressure of their own at the opposite end of the field.
Chloe Findley’s enterprise through the centre, together with the attacking efforts of Aster Anderson and Leni Millward, all served to create a trio of opportunities for Casey Findley to score at the post, unfortunately coming to no avail on this particular day. Sale winning the competitive contest 3-0.
With no hockey taking place next week due to ANZAC Day, Orbost Hockey Club will next be in action on Saturday, May 2, playing at home against Swan Reach.
