Hockey: Auckland count on Aussie import to add finishing touch

Australian player Jamie Dwyer has high hopes of helping the Auckland team to the NHL title over the next nine days. Photo / Dean Purcell

Auckland will be hoping for an immediate pay-off from their high profile signing, Australian goalscoring legend Jamie Dwyer, when the national league resumes at North Harbour this weekend.

Defending champions Auckland, after a loss and a win on the opening weekend, play North Harbour and table-toppers Canterbury in a busy weekend of the NHL.

It is Dwyer's first visit to the league and he's clear on his key objectives.

"I just want to play good, consistent hockey, play my role for the team, whatever that may be and help the guys out. Obviously we want to win the tournament, that's the No 1 goal," he said.

Dwyer, five times world player of the year, and an Olympic, Commonwealth and World Cup winner during a glittering career, is here for theremainder of the NHL. It is a hectic time, with seven games in nine days, all at North Harbour, for all teams.

The 35-year-old from Rockhampton played 301 internationals and scored 206 goals for Australia. Whether his career is revived by new coach Graham Reid will depend on discussions when Dwyer returns home.

Dwyer was dumped for the Glasgow Commonwealth Games by coach Ric Charlesworth in what he calls "a weird situation".

"We went to the World Cup in The Hague in June and had a lot of success [Australia won the gold medal]. Five days after I got an email from Ric saying I wasn't in the Games team.

"He didn't really say any reason why. Then the next day he retired. I thought at least he could have told me face to face; even a phone call would have been enough."

Dwyer admitted two big tournaments in close proximity might have been a stretch for him. Still, no courtesy call didn't impress the all-time great.

He had been keen to come to the NHL before now "but the timing hasn't been right". He's doing coaching clinics in Auckland too.

Each team is allowed up to two overseas guest players during the NHL.

In the women's K Cup, Auckland play defending champions Midlands and North Harbour, while the early pacesetters, Canterbury and Northland, don't meet until the sixth round next Wednesday.

Teams have just two days off between today and next Sunday - Tuesday and Friday. Even allowing for the switch from two 35-minute halves to four 15-minute quarters, and greater scope for player rotation, the week will be a serious examination of player fitness.

Hockey League

NHL Round 3 (all North Harbour Stadium today)
Men: Midlands v Canterbury, 11am; Capital v Northland, 1pm; North Harbour v Auckland, 3pm; Southern v Central, 2pm
Women: Auckland v Midlands, 10.30am; North Harbour v Canterbury, 12.30pm; Northland v Capital, 2.30pm; Central v Southern, 4.30pm
Round 4 (all North Harbour Stadium tomorrow)
Men: Northland v Midlands, 10.30am; Auckland v Canterbury, 12.30pm; North Harbour v Central, 2.30pm; Capital v Southern, 4.30pm
Women: Midlands v Canterbury, 11am; North Harbour v Auckland, 1pm; Southern v Capital, 3pm; Central v Northland, 5pm.