KEY POINTS:
Auckland hockey is hurting. Big time.
While their whipper-snapper cousins across the bridge played for gold in the men's and women's National Hockey League finals last weekend, the Auckland teams played for fifth (men) and seventh (women).
When the dust settled, the Auckland men finished fifth - the
first time in NHL history they failed to reach the semifinals - and their women, former champions but outside the top four since 2002, an inglorious eighth (and last).
That North Harbour won the men's title for the third time in eight years and their women just failed to defend the title they won a year ago, made Auckland's dismal efforts even more unpalatable for the players and their faithful supporters.
"If you want the gold medal it takes hard work," said long-time Auckland representative Dion Gosling. "I wonder whether the players were prepared to go the extra distance to give themselves that chance."
Gosling, who played 169 internationals and 151 times for Auckland between 1990 and 2005, rarely missing out on playing the final, is full of admiration for what the North Harbour Association has achieved.
"Compared to North Harbour, who are one of the strongest associations in terms of organisation and setting goals and invoking their high-performance programme, Auckland have been battling, especially financially.
"The association has done well in turning that around but I feel their emphasis has been more on growing the game than working with their players."
Gosling tried to get a team together to play in last month's national tournament in Christchurch but struggled to get enough players interested and had to admit defeat.
"I understand Auckland will host that tournament next year so they will have to find the players and prepare them properly," said Gosling. "The key, I feel, is getting a worthwhile high performance programme in place and take full advantage of the Coach Force programme.
"The bad results this year will hopefully kick the whole thing in the guts and lead to some positive action."
There can be no excuses.
The Auckland men's team boasted eight past or present Black Sticks, with five named this week in the national side for forthcoming tests with Korea. The team, coached by Manoj Daji, also has five players in in the Junior Black Sticks squad preparing for the 2009 Junior World Cup.
In Simon Child, Auckland had the NHL's leading goal scorer. They also fielded top New Zealand goalkeeper Paul Woolford.
The Auckland women too were well-served by talented players.
Krystal Forgesson, Katie Glynn and Kim Noakes have subsequently been named in the Black Sticks, although Glynn is recovering from injury. Four of their team are among the six Auckland players named in the junior World Cup squad.
While Gosling did not want to comment on respective selections, he said he felt the association's policy of staying with home-grown, rather than imported (either from other New Zealand associations or offshore) players might have been to their detriment.
"I still believe Auckland Hockey has a great opportunity to create a good, winning, atmosphere," said Gosling. "Unlike many North Harbour players who have to travel great distances to play, Auckland is well-served with turfs across the city."
Gosling is keen to develop an inter-association club event with teams from North Harbour, Northland and Midlands joining Auckland's best.
"The NHL results were awful. Auckland and Canterbury, for so long powerhouses of the game are struggling," said Gosling. "It was good to see a fifth men's team [Midlands] being competitive."
Where to now for Auckland?
"Things are in motion but, sadly, that motion is very slow. I hope these results will really kick-start things," Gosling said. "North Harbour have shown the way. It hasn't happened overnight.
"But they have got it right. Good people in key coaching and administrative roles have laid the foundation and left Auckland to play catch-up."
- Terry Maddaford