See the BHA Home page for links to the Olympic action!

Match Reports

Pine Rivers St Andrews-Norths' Luke Reddiex takes a tumble.

University's Hamish Baron smashes one of his trademark tomahawk shots.

Pine Rivers St Andrews-Norths goalkeeper Nathan Panetta makes a save.

BRISBANE HOCKEY LEAGUE - ROUND 17

Redcliffe Leagues 4 (Shane Kenny 3, David Halliday) defeated Easts 1 (Jason Wilson) at the State Hockey Centre, Colmslie.

Redcliffe Leagues put up their hands as potential premiership material after emphatically ending Easts’ 16-game winning streak.  The baysiders, who had lost to Easts 2-1 in their previous three meetings, looked anything like the side that was fighting to keep their playoffs hopes alive a fortnight ago, blowing away the Tigers in the second half.  Shane Kenny continued his transformation from midfielder to strike forward, netting a hat-trick of goals for Redcliffe Leagues in a commanding display in front of goal.  Kenny scored first to give his side a 1-0 halftime lead, before Easts’ Jason Wilson sent an unstoppable flick into the top corner of the net to tie the game five minutes after the break.  After Ian Schulz set up Kenny to rocket a shot past Easts goalkeeper Stephen Green, Redcliffe Leagues took control and didn’t relinquish its grasp on the match, scoring two goals in two minutes.  David Halliday found the back of the net from close range, and then Kenny finished off a length-of-the-field movement and good lead-up work from Schulz and Kent Harle.  Easts' loss also spoiled the Tigers' hopes of becoming the first team in 23 years to go through the regular season undefeated. 

Pine Rivers St Andrews-Norths ensured the make-up of this year's finals series won't be decided until the last fixture of the season after overcoming a stubborn University of Queensland side.  The Saints were made to work hard against the Redmen, who held their opponents at 1-1 for a large portion of the first half.  Craig Smith scored from a penalty corner on halftime to edge the Saints back into the lead, before Ryan Gibbs weaved through defenders on a great solo run to score three minutes after the break.  Smith and Ashley Hart scored to give Saints a four-goal break, before University's Hamish Baron skillfully lobbed the ball over oncoming Saints goalkeeper Nathan Panetta to score.  Pine Rivers St Andrews-Norths now hold their playoff dreams in their own hands.  But to qualify for the finals for the first time since 2000 the Saints must beat competition leaders Easts for just the second time in seven years.  A win against the Tigers would cap an amazing change of fortune for the Saints, who won only six games while collecting four straight wooden spoons between 2003 and 2006.

Commercial 3 (Jacob Burns 2, Kye Hawgood) defeated Bulimba 1 (Jarrod Cutler) at the State Hockey Centre, Colmslie.

Bulimba's chances of contesting their tenth straight semi finals series took a body blow when the Bulls lost a tight contest to Commercial.  Just a few weeks after being in line to finish third on the ladder to earn a double chance in the finals, Bulimba slipped to fifth after being outclassed by the Cobras.   Bulimba trailled 2-0 at halftime, following goals to Cobras pair Jacob Burns and Kye Hawgood.  Bulimba halved the deficit when Jarrod Cutler scored his tenth goal of the year, but the Cobras pulled away again when Burns scored from a penalty corner.  The Bulls will miss the finals if they can't beat Redcliffe Leagues and if sixth-placed Pine Rivers St Andrews-Norths beat Easts on the final day of the regular season.  However, history suggests Bulimba should get the result to take them to the playoffs, with the Bulls having not lost to Redcliffe Leagues since 2004.  Bulimba has won eight of their past 11 matches against the peninsula side, with three games drawn.  Following their rivalry last weekend, Commercial coach Blair Brown and his brother, Bulimba forward Liam, can now enjoy watching hockey-playing siblings Kiel Brown and Hope Munro represent Australia at the Beijing Olympics. 

Labrador 2 (Brad Puleosi 2) defeated United 0 at Burringbar Park, Chermside.

Brad Puleosi has continued his fine form in front of goal this season to seal a finals berth for his Labrador side.  Puleosi topped the 20-goal mark for the year by scoring both of the Tigerstix goals against United.  Labrador led 2-0 at halftime, after Puleosi broke open a tight game by scoring twice in three minutes.  First he sent a tomahawk backstick shot past United goalkeeper Glenn Dodd in the 23rd minute, before netting his second goal soon after, after again giving Dodd no chance, sending a drag flick into the net from a penalty corner.  In their second season in the Brisbane Hockey League, the Tigerstix will finish the year in third, regardless of the result of their final match of the regular season against QUT.  United will look to finish their best year in the top grade competition by winning their sixth match of the season against Valley.  The South West United-Kedron Wavell joint venture only won one and drew two games from their 18 matches in their debut season last year.  A win against Valley would also give United their first pair of victories against an opponent in a season.

Valley 2 (Tobias Figura 2) defeated QUT 0 at Burringbar Park, Chermside.

Tobias Figura's chances of claiming the Brisbane Hockey Association's Player of the Year medal were further boosted after he guided Valley to their fourth straight victory against QUT.  The skillful Ipswich product, who finished fourth in last year's end of season medal count, has been the standout player for lowly Valley this year.  He has scored 16 of his team's 31 goals and has as expertly led his team around the park.  The former Queensland Blades representative, who scored three goals in Valley's previous meeting with QUT, scored another two times against the Ibis as his side claimed their fourth win of the season.  The victory sees Valley move ahead of University of Queensland and up to eighth on the ladder.  QUT has one last chance to avoid a winless season when they travel to the Gold Coast to play Labrador in the final fixture of the year.  If QUT can't beat the Tigerstix they will become the seventh team in the past 20 years - after City United (1988, 1989, 1990), University (1998, 1999) and St Andrews (2003) - to go through a full season without a win.

POINTS:

Easts 48, Commercial 43, Labrador 32, Redcliffe Leagues 28, Bulimba 28, Pine Rivers St Andrews-Norths 27, United 18, Valley 12, University of Queensland 11, QUT 2.

LEADING GOAL SCORERS:

24  -  Jason Wilson (Easts)
21  -  Brad Puleosi (Labrador)
18  -  David Brain (Commercial)
16  -  Tobias Figura (Valley)
      -  James McAlpine (Redcliffe Leagues)
14  -  Cale Cramer (Commercial)
13  -  Hamish Baron (University of Queensland)
      -  Jacob Burns (Commercial)
      -  Luke Paine (Bulimba)
12  -  Mark Harris (Labrador)
      -  Shane Kenny (Redcliffe Leagues)
      -  Adam McClelland (United)
11  -  Adam Barry (Commercial)
      -  Jarrod Black (Easts)
      -  Matt Freeman (United)
      -  Duncan Mahony (Bulimba)
      -  Ian Schulz (Redcliffe Leagues)

Pine Rivers St Andrews-Norths' Scott Richards takes on University's Damien Quiesser.

Saints striker Ryan Kilpatrick lines up a backstick shot.

Compiled by Lee Oliver.