Kookaburras / Australian Men win Commonwealth Games Field Hockey Gold Medal

Team Roster

STARTING - Daniel Beale, Kiel Brown, Andrew Charter, Kieran Govers, Mark Knowles, Trent Mitton, Eddie Ockenden, Simon Orchard, Andrew Philpott, Matthew Swann, Aran Zalewski,  

USED SUBSTITUTES - Chris Ciriello, Matt Gohdes, Fergus Kavanagh, Jake Whetton, Tristan White

A third consecutive cup final hat-trick from Chris Ciriello helped the Australian men’s hockey team, the Kookaburras, to a fifth Commonwealth Games title, maintaining their record as the only team ever to win the gold medal at Games.

Six weeks after his hat-trick helped Australia to a 6-1 win over the Netherlands in the World Cup Final, the 28 year-old’s treble laid the foundation for a 4-0 win over India in Glasgow. 

Tasmanian Eddie Ockenden followed up with Australia’s fourth goal to make certain of the result after unselfish build-up play by Kieran Govers.

The result sent the Aussie men to the top step of the podium less than 24 hours after their female counterparts stood atop the rostrum following a dramatic shoot-out win over England.

Ciriello broke the deadlock in the 13th minute, after Jake Whetton had already gone close on the back post. The Victorian defender’s powerful flick split defender and goalkeeper on the line to give Australia a deserved lead.

Perth-born Trent Mitton saw his shot deflected over the top before, at the other end, Kieran Govers showed good composure to bat the ball away on the goal line from India’s only penalty corner of the game. 

Ciriello doubled his and Australia’s tally six minutes before the break from another corner, this time going to the other side – the goalkeeper’s right – to put the Aussies in control.

It might have been more with Whetton, Aran Zalewski and Simon Orchard all going close before half time.

Ciriello completed his hat-trick with a powerful top corner flick 13 minutes after the restart and just four minutes later Eddie Ockenden slid in at the back post to complete the scoring from Kieran Govers’ unselfish pass across goal.

Three hours after picking up his third Commonwealth Games gold medal, Australian captain Mark Knowles was named as Australia’s flag bearer at the Games closing ceremony.

Knowles' fellow Rockhampton product, Matt Gohdes, made his 100th appearance in the match. 

Original article by Shevaun Sly at http://hockey.org.au/