Top-ranked Australia ‘not solid yet’ for Games

Australia hockey coach Ric Charlesworth urged the world-beaters to take nothing for granted on Wednesday as he picked a blend of youth and experience to defend a perfect record at the Commonwealth Games. Veterans Liam De Young, Luke Doerner and Robert Hammond are all back after missing out on this month’s Champions Trophy triumph in Germany, while 11 of the 16-man team are Commonwealth Games debutants.

“We have had some great results over the past 20 months or so, however I still believe we are not solid yet and still have much to do,” Charlesworth said.

“I have full confidence in the team we have selected as it has a good amount of experience and youth, however we will not get ahead of ourselves.”

Top-ranked Australia will be strong favourites after clinching every title since hockey was introduced at the Games in 1998 with the loss of only one match.

“We are the number one ranked team in the world, but I think that can give teams a bit more incentive when they face us,” Charlesworth warned.

“England are very capable of beating us as we saw at the World Cup. India and Pakistan will be at home in the heat of Delhi, and with the reduced squad sizes makes things less predictable.”

Australia open their title defence against Scotland on October 6 and will also play India, Pakistan and Malaysia in the group phase.

Squad: Des Abbott, Nathan Burgers, Joel Carroll, Christopher Ciriello, Liam De Young, Luke Doerner, Jamie Dwyer, Robert Hammond, Fergus Kavanagh, Mark Knowles, Trent Mitton, Edward Ockenden, Simon Orchard, Matthew Swann, Glenn Turner, Jason Wilson.