NSW Bring Home Silver & Bronze After Memorable U21 Nationals Campaign

The 2026 Under 21 National Championships in Canberra proved to be another memorable campaign for NSW, with both our Men's and Women's teams stepping up on the national stage and proudly representing the state throughout the whole week. 

The Men progressed through to the Semi Finals after defeating South Australia in the Quarter Final before suffering a narrow loss to Western Australia. Determined to finish strongly, the group responded with a gritty 1-0 win over Queensland in the Bronze Medal Match to secure a place on the podium. 

What unfolded in the Bronze Medal Match was a defensive masterclass from the NSW side. Queensland controlled large portions of possession and repeatedly attacked the NSW circle, but the team stood tall under pressure. Goalkeeper Tim Arthur delivered a player of the match performance, producing a series of crucial saves to deny the relentless Queensland attack. At the other end, Downey once again stepped up with a decisive penalty corner drag flick, proving the difference in a tense low-scoring battle and sealing Bronze for NSW.

Our Women also put together an outstanding campaign, building momentum from the opening rounds with strong wins over ACT and South Australia. The team impressed with their composure, defensive structure, and ability to deliver in big moments. 

Their first challenge came against Queensland in the Quarter Finals, where the girls suffered their first defeat of the tournament, going down 4–0. After a much-needed rest day, the side regrouped and returned determined to make the most of their second chance in the Semi Finals against Victoria.

What followed was one of the moments of the tournament. Locked at 1–1 after full time, the Semi Final was sent to shootouts where goalkeeper Emma Davidson stepped up with a crucial save during Victoria’s fourth attempt. Moments later, Victoria were timed out on their next opportunity, sealing a dramatic NSW victory and sending the Women through to the Gold Medal Match for a rematch against Queensland.

The Gold Medal Match proved a fitting end to the campaign. Coming up against the tournament favourites once again, NSW delivered a far more composed and determined performance. Strong defensive efforts and disciplined hockey shut down much of Queensland’s attacking flair, keeping the game within reach throughout. Trailing 1–0 heading into the fourth quarter, Lara Drennan stepped up with a drag flick penalty corner equaliser to ignite the contest. Queensland would eventually respond with the deciding goal, claiming a 2–1 win, but NSW walked away with Silver medals after a resilient and courageous finals campaign.

Hockey NSW would also like to acknowledge the contribution of our NSW officials at the championships, including Umpire Manager Scott Evans and umpires Annemijn Flokstra, Niamh Blake, Sarah Willis, Gilbert Gough-Fuller and Toby Power for their efforts across the week.

Thank you to Hockey ACT, Hockey Australia, volunteers, supporters, families, coaches, staff, and officials for helping deliver another fantastic Under 21 National Championships.

The Teams:

NSW Men

Ashley Dimmock (GK), Sebastien Griffith, Lewis Gifford-Cock, Oskar Smith, Bayden Smith, Brayden Sutherland, Lachlan Lidbury, Coady Stone, Edward Hunt, Kurt Walters, Justin Murray, Tim Arthur (GK), Dylan Downey (C), Henry Tyree, Kye Sutherland, Jared Findley, Toby Collins, Jack Marshall. Head Coach: Liam Cole. Assistant Coach: Matthew Wark. Team Manager: Paul Baxter.

NSW Women

Molly Robinson, Zara Pelham, Grace Jones, Emmalee Croker (C), Chloe Holmes, Lara Drennan, Lola Dorman, Tori Adamson, Emma Davidson (GK), Dakota Drennan (GK), Eliza Berrick, Summer Tancred, Bella Croker, Amalia Patterson, Hannah Baxter, Lahni Woodger, Grace Healey, Matilda Woolnough. Head Coach: Tom Brown. Assistant Coach: Laura Reid. Team Manager: Corrine Rochester.

Final Results:

Full results and statistics can be found on Altius. 

NSW Men

NSW Women