Albany trio at national hockey titles

Albany have had three representatives at the under-18 Australian Championships with Tallulah Gouldthorp, Erin Trotter and Karel Cronje all playing in the tournament at Tasmania earlier this month.

Gouldthorp and Cronje were selected for WA back in February but after missing out for her State, Trotter was part of a Hockey Australia hybrid team called Allies — giving the Lower Great Southern Hockey Association three players at the national championships.

Cronje, a former Albany resident, was a key part of WA’s campaign in the men’s championships, as his side won through to the gold medal match.

The 17-year-old, who plays for UWA, started in all seven games for WA but they were well beaten in the decider by Queensland.

Queensland led 3-0 at half-time and despite WA pinching a goal back in the third, the winners slammed home three final-quarter goals in the 7-1 romp.

It was the third straight under-18 national championships Cronje has played in and he returned with a silver medal to his name while also having played for WA at under-15 level.

Gouldthorp, a North Albany product, was part of the WA team that finished fifth in the women’s competition after winning their final game over ACT.

The 15-year-old showed terrific signs as a striker, netting three goals in six matches and starting on the field in only two of them.

Gouldthorp scored a goal in WA’s comfortable 6-1 win over ACT to claim sixth place while she also found the back of the net in the 5-4 loss to NSW Blue and the 6-1 win over Allies.

After missing out on initial selection for WA as a goal keeper, Trotter was offered the chance to play with the Allies.

Previously train-on players have had the opportunity to play with Northern Territory but the local goalie who played with Spencer Park last year joined the Allies side.

Allies finished in eighth place of the 10 competing teams in the women’s division, losing their first two matches before drawing with Tasmania and NSW Blue.

They beat NT 3-1 and then finished the tournament with a 1-0 loss at the hands of South Australia.

Trotter, 17, was used as a substitute in every game except against WA where she started on the field.