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Subscriber only HAVING made the Australian under-21 squad for the first time, Zac Profke knows he has a huge challenge ahead. That is to promote his name up the list of 44 hockey players chosen for a week-long national training camp at the Gold Coast starting on Sunday. Being one of the newcomers, the Ipswich sharpshooter has a chance to show what he can do with a goal of representing Australia at the FIH 2021 Junior Hockey World Cup scheduled for later this year. Profke, who turns 20 in August, is realistic about his prospects. He understands other players vying for national team spots have been in contention for longer.
The Tolova a siblings are Norths juniors. Charalambous played his first A-Grade match for the club in the second row after previous stints with West End and in England. Masson-McKlaren s effort at hooker off the bench was creditable after he broke his leg two years ago. The debutants had more important roles after Norths lost vice-captain Ethan Page to a shoulder injury at halftime. Leading 16-6 at the break, Norths got the job done. We dropped more ball (in the first half) than what we would have liked but defensively they were really strong, Williamson said. They all stepped up in the second half and basically dug deep knowing the fact that Pagey wasn t going to be there for the last 40.