Hockey stars are on the rise

Rockhampton’s Tom Madden shows he can play good hockey in both the indoor and outdoor form of the game.

Allan Reinikka

ROCKHAMPTON looks to be on the verge of producing more Australian hockey stars.

Tom Madden, 17, and Dylan Plummer, 16, hope to follow in the footsteps of former Rockhampton players Jamie Dwyer and Mark Knowles to national success.

The dynamic duo joined the playing list in the Queensland under-18 men's team at Brisbane's Indoor Hockey National Championships last week.

Together the Rockhampton boys scored a total of eight goals leading up to the final, where Madden stroked the only goal for the Queensland side.

The Queensland representatives were at their attacking best, with their team winning four out of six round-robin games.

"The boys played really well throughout the carnival, which helped them to make the under-18s final against NSW," Rockhampton Indoor Hockey president Darrin Madden said.

"Unfortunately the boys went down, with a three to one score line," he said.

"In the second half Queensland created more opportunities but were unable to score the goals that mattered. Tom Madden played well in the final, scoring the only goal for Queensland.

"He was one of the better players for the Queensland side, moving from defence to midfield throughout the carnival."

Rockhampton's Caitlyn Alison represented Queensland in the under-18 women's side and was also recognised for her high level of playing skill throughout the carnival.

"Caitlyn was picked in the side as a defender. However, she was also moved up to midfield during the carnival. She played really well," Madden said.

Fellow Rockhampton player Brooke Andrews was also selected in the representative side, which defeated Tasmania and Western Australia in its round games.

Despite its losses the Queensland team made it to the semi-final, where it was unlucky to come up against the champion New South Wales team.

"The girls went down in their semi-final 10-0, but New South Wales had an incredibly strong side and went on to win the carnival," Madden said.

On the other side of Australia, eight under-15 Rockhampton players represented the state at the Indoor Hockey National Championships in Perth.

Douglas Buckley, Jackson Willie, Lachlan Wilson and Zachary Lawrence represented the under-15 Queensland side, which was not at its attacking best.

The Queensland side was unable to claim a win at the carnival but that didn't stop it from scoring points, leaving it in fourth place.

Joining the under-15 boys' side in Perth was the Queensland under-15 girls' team, which recruited four Rockhampton players.

Gabby Cook, Ainslee Deeth, Cassie Finlater and Demi Roser had a nail-bitting carnival, with many close games throughout the competition.

The girls, like the boys, played off for third and fourth against Western Australia.