Testing time for younger players

TWO GENERATIONS: NZ roller hockey senior player Carlin Barry will also coach the NZ Under-14s in Melbourne, which includes Cody Lockett (left), Eli Zinsli, Mitchell Lockett and Jimi Blinkhorne.PHOTO/BEVAN CONLEY 140615WCBRCROLH02

The Wanganui roller hockey fraternity have earned themselves strong representation in the large contingent of New Zealand teams off to Australia to compete in the Trans-Tasman Cup challenge in August.

Jubliee Stadium hosted the NZ-Aussie tests last year, with veterans Carlin Barry and Joseph Zinsli playing in the senior team that won 2-0 with one draw, while teenagers Blair Dench, Brodi Skedgwell and Roland Mead were in the NZ Under-20s, who recorded a 3-0 whitewash.

However, for the trip to Melbourne, arrangements have been made to include Under-14, Masters and Veteran squads as well, leading to no less than 15 Wanganui players getting the call up.

Barry, a 25-year veteran who has been to world championships, said last September the Australians trip was planned short notice so they were only able to bring the two squads.

"This time we've had more planning - pretty much set the date from that last time.

"It will be great for these kids to experience going overseas."

Dean Fittness and Kerry Woodthorpe will join Barry and Zinsli in the senior team, while Brett Palamountain will be a reserve, while also playing in the Masters squad.

Blair Lockett will captain the Masters and also play for the Veterans, with Dave Dench.

The other Wanganui players in the Masters are Woodthorpe and Tahu Skedgwell.

Mead, Blair Dench and Brodi Skedgwell are all back for the Under-20s.

Barry said a few guys will pull double duty with different age grades as they don't want lots of players just sitting on the bench not taking part.

Perhaps Wanganui's proudest representation will be in the Under-14s, with more than half the team being locals, while Barry and Fittness are the coaches and Emma Cole the manager.

Cody Lockett is the captain and Jimi Blinkhorne his deputy, along with goalkeeper Ricky Wilkinson and town-mates Mitchell Lockett and Eli Zinsli.

As can be seen from the surnames, most of these boys are second generation players, while several have also represented Wanganui in age grade field hockey.

Barry said, since last September, when the Wanganui youth team also beat Papatoetoe in the curtain raiser games to the test series, a number of the local seniors and teenagers have had better chances to push for national honours.

"It's always been Wellington and Papatoetoe. Wellington are still the club champs.

"There's a new NZ coach, I guess he's seen the potential in our guys."

Each New Zealand team will play their Australian counterparts in a three game series. The senior Australian team which came to Wanganui last year was predominantly Queenslanders and New South Welshmen, but Barry said they have now had more time to bring players from all over, while a number of standouts have also come out of retirement.

Games will be held in Melbourne on August 1-2.

The Wanganui players in the New Zealand teams are:

Under-14: Jimi Blinkhorne, Cody Lockett, Mitchell Lockett, Ricky Wilkinson, Eli Zinsli.

Under-20: Blair Dench, Roland Mead, Brodi Skedgwell.

Senior: Carlin Barry, Dean Fittness, Kerry Woodthorpe. Reserve: Brett Palamountain.

Masters: Blair Lockett, Brett Palamountain, Tahu Skedgwell, Kerry Woodthorpe.

Veterans: Dave Dench, Blair Lockett.