KEY POINTS:
Hit hard by the loss of key players, North Harbour National Hockey League coach Brent Edwards has come up trumps in his offshore search for replacements.
While Australian, and occasionally European players have turned out in various league teams, Edwards has broken new ground in attracting experienced Trinidad
and Tobago captain Kwan Browne for the September 19 to 28 league at Auckland's Lloyd Elsmore Park.
Browne, a 205-cap veteran, led his team to fifth in February's Olympic qualifying tournament, showing out as player of undoubted ability.
"I'm sure he will add something to the league," said Edwards. "If we had not lost so many players _ at last count 11 I would have used were unavailable _ I wouldn't have looked offshore but in getting Kwan I'm sure the team and the league will benefit."
Losing star defender Blair Hopping tipped it for Edwards. Hopping, rated among the world's best, is taking a break after the Beijing Olympics to focus on work and prepare for his January wedding.
North Harbour have also lost Olympians Dave Kosoof and Ben Collier to European clubs.
Kwan, 30, played his first senior international 15 years ago and has since played for Den Bosh, helping them win in the Dutch League and European Cup. He played for six years in England where he was player of the year in 2000.
He jumped at the chance to return to New Zealand.
"I really enjoyed my time in New Zealand for the Olympic qualifier. The level of play by the New Zealand team was superb and I'm looking forward to playing alongside some of those players," said Browne. "I love the idea of playing in a competition as intense as the national league.
"I do not know much about the level of club hockey in New Zealand but I did play against New Zealand at the Commonwealth Games in Kuala Lumpur in 1998."
Of that team, only captain Ryan Archibald played in Beijing.
Edwards will use Browne, who has captained his national side for the past 12 years, in a defensive role but is not sure how his preference to play as a "libero-free central defender" will fit into his game plan.
Asked what his preferred position is, Browne, who is the Hockey Youth Development Technical Director in his homeland, said: "well, as a teenager right midfield, then as central striker and for the past six years I have played as a defender."
While playing here earlier this year, Brown showed out with his pace, his aerial passing game and drag-flicking _ all attributes Edwards and his players will welcome.
Browne will be joined in the North Harbour side by New South Wales striker Ben Poulton, 22, as its second guest player.
Midlands coach Darren Smith also looked across the Tasman and added 200-test veteran fullback Matthew Wells and fellow Olympian David Guest to an already strong lineup.
While most overseas players will not join local sides until just before the league, the North Harbour, Auckland, Midlands, Central and Wellington teams (men and women) have a three-day pre-season tournament in Taupo which started yesterday.