KEY POINTS:
Women
Kevin Towns will not spend too much time reflecting on the stunning 1-0 win "his girls" scored over Australia in Buderim's sunshine on Sunday.
That win has had implications - for both teams. The Black Sticks moved in the right direction while the Hockeyroos dropped a
place to fourth on the latest international rankings.
In leaping four places to seventh, New Zealand are now in line to challenge for a place at the 2010 World Cup - two years after the Oceania rivals will play the Beijing Olympics.
The victory could not have been more timely in funding terms, with the next round of Sparc applications due at the end of next week.
Hockey New Zealand chief executive Ramesh Patel hopes the performance enhancement grants, lost after the dismal showing at the Champions Challenge in Azerbaijan this year, will also be reinstated.
Coach Towns has an ambitious programme planned, including a centralisation stint for his players from early next year. Funding is a must.
He took 18 players to the Oceania qualifiers on the Sunshine Coast and Hong Kong for preceding matches but can name only 16 for the Olympics.
"The players who were in Australia and Hong Kong are by no means guaranteed places in the Olympic team," said Towns.
Given that Stacey Carr was due back from injury, at least three players would miss out, maybe more.
Towns says either he or one of his co-selectors Paul Durham, Chris Leslie and former international Sandy Hitchcock (nee Bennett) will be at every women's league game and players at the national tournament in Christchurch (from September 24-29) would also be looked at.
Unlike the men, all members of the national squad, with the exception of goalkeeper Anita Wawatai, who is to undergo surgery, are expected to play in the NHL.
"There will be a focus on goalkeepers during the NHL," said Towns. "Anita and Beth Jurgeleit have done a really good job but we have not spent enough time looking for younger 'keepers who will need to step up at some stage."
The NHL will again be keenly contested. North Harbour, surprise winners in Wellington last year, will have home advantage in defending their title. Much will depend on how many games Black Sticks captain Lizzy Igasan is able to play given her work commitments.
A replay of last year's Harbour-Canterbury final is on the cards, with both teams again boasting several internationals.
Central, bronze medallists last year, will again be contenders.
Midlands could be the dark horse.
Beaten in the play-off for third after leading the field through their seven round-robin matches, Midlands have gone offshore to recruit Dutch players Fleur van Dooren and Kiki Collot d'Escury. They will join former internationals Di Weavers and Robbie Matthews, current national squad member Kate Mahon, guest players (from Auckland) Lorene Brake and Rebekah Williams and national development squad members Gemma Flynn and Lymarah Wharerau.
Wellington and Auckland disappointed in finishing seventh and fifth last year. They should do better this time but need to lift their game.
Men
Peter Miskimmin makes no apology as he again looks across the Tasman to bolster his Wellington team in pursuit of back-to-back national titles.
In winning the Challenge Shield twice in the past four years, Wellington have had tremendous input from Australian legend Brent Livermore.
While some have expressed concerns at the influence such "imports" have on the NHL and in denying local players places, there are just as many who see guest players as being good for the game.
"Brent Livermore is a lot more to Wellington hockey than just being a player," said coach Miskimmin. "The work he does with our young players is tremendous."
It is this long-established relationship between the association and Livermore which swayed Australian coach Barry Dancer to again agree to allow him to play in the league. While other associations looked to bring current Australian players across the Tasman, Dancer blocked such requests. He has allowed Livermore to play only the last three rounds (of seven) and the play-offs.
Even without the class Livermore brings, Wellington should get through those early rounds and then be well-placed to defend their title.
Miskimmin dismisses suggestions his team are, if not hot, at least very warm favourites to repeat.
He has lost last year's top goalscorer Umesh Parag (retired) and international midfielder James Nation (to Auckland) but has plenty of cover from a number of younger players.
Black Sticks coach Shane McLeod agrees with Miskimmin that guest players have a role to play "but only if done correctly and if they offer more than simply turning up to play".
McLeod, who played his representative hockey at Waikato and, in the first year of the NHL, North Harbour, says he understands the guest player role as he has done that in Europe.
With the Olympic qualifiers looming, McLeod, fellow selectors John Christensen and Keith Rowley and with input from his assistant coach, Greg Nicol, will take a close watch on NHL matches with a view to naming a national squad of 24.
"Those players will train from mid-November with a view of reducing the squad to 18 for the Olympic qualifiers," said McLeod. "The areas we are keen to strengthen are centre-half, looking for our next forward and cover at fullback."
McLeod is looking for more international exposure for his players after the NHL and before February's Olympic qualifiers with hopes of a tri-series in Australia in late November involving Champions Trophy-bound Australia and Korea.
A home test series against Japan in January is likely to provide the final tune-up.
