Roller hockey reps are ready

The Wanganui players in the New Zealand roller hockey teams who will play Australia on September 26-27 are Blair Dench (left), 17, Roland Mead, 15, Joseph Zinsli, 37, Carlin Barry, 31, and Brodi Skedgwell, 17. PHOTO/BEVAN CONLEY

They have either started young or played for nearly their entire adult lives, and the Wanganui players in the New Zealand roller hockey teams cannot wait to wear the Silver Fern against the Australians at Jubilee Stadium this month.

The New Zealand senior and under-20 squads had their final full-squad training sessions at the stadium on Saturday, ahead of their respective three-test series with their Aussie counterparts in Wanganui from September 26-27.

Wanganui teenagers Blair Dench and Brodi Skedgwell, both 17, and Roland Mead, 15, are all following family traditions into the sport.

Goalie Skedgwell has been involved for only six months, but has followed rink hockey through his aunts and uncles.

Dench grew up in the sport as his father started at 14 and still plays, while Mead's stepfather also played.

"It's a quick, fast-paced sport, enjoyable and fun," Mead said.

"It can go from one team's game to the other team's game - got to think on your feet," said Dench.

Their teammates come from Papatoetoe, New Plymouth and Wellington, and while an international game is a rare chance to meet new faces in their code, the three youngsters said transtasman rivalry "definitely" took priority.

"We're in there to win," said Dench.

Compared to in-line, ice, and field hockey, the roller skating variety can see swift changes in momentum which often has good team's going goal for goal.

Each team has eight field players and two goalies, with 6-7 points being a good score in the under-20s for games of two 20-minute halves.

Having played for 24 years, Wanganui's Carlin Barry was part of the last transtasman senior series, played in Auckland four years ago.

New Zealand fought back from losing the first game to win the series 2-1.

"It's pretty fast, pretty action packed," the 31-year-old said.

Joining him in the senior New Zealand team is Joseph Zinsli, 37, who played as a youth and rejoined the sport 10 years ago.

Zinsli said new rule changes including the introduction of shot clocks meant the game had opened up a lot more with less "wall grinding" and pushing.

Given they have a set time to go for goal, the ball was no longer taken into the corners and held there for long periods as players waited for an opening.

While they don't yet know the make-up of the Australian side, Barry said it would likely be Queenslanders and New South Welshmen, with a couple from Melbourne.

The senior tests are 25-minute halves, with 10-minute halves for overtime and shootouts if required by tied scores.

As well as the international games, there will be North vs South fixtures and a demonstration roller derby game by the River City Rollers on that same weekend.

The games will start on the Friday night, September 26, then continue on the Saturday before the final games around 5pm.