Kookaburras Co-Captain Jeremy Hayward Finds Fresh Energy in Squad Regeneration
Kookaburras co-captain Jeremy Hayward is embracing a new-look feel to the national hockey squad, expressing that the team's ongoing regeneration is injecting him with fresh energy as they gear up for a pivotal 2026 campaign, highlighted by the upcoming World Cup. With the Australians revitalising their lineup on the fly ahead of August's World Cup in Belgium and The Netherlands, Hayward noted that the changing of the guard has put a spring in his step, providing a motivational boost for the challenges ahead.
Veteran Departures Create Opportunities for Next Generation
In the past two years, national team stalwarts Eddie Ockenden, Aran Zalewski, Jake Whetton, Andrew Charter, and Daniel Beale have all retired from international hockey. Ockenden was the most-capped Kookaburra of all-time, while Whetton and Zalewski both ranked in the top 10 for appearances. Collectively, this quintet amassed an astounding 1490 international caps across their illustrious careers, leaving a significant void in experience and leadership.
This transition has created valuable space for the next generation of players to showcase their talents ahead of the World Cup. The process began with the FIH Pro-League campaign, which kicked off with an eight-game slate in Hobart against Pakistan, Spain, and India. The competition will resume in Europe during June and July, offering further opportunities for development and team cohesion.
Youthful Energy Inspires Longest-Serving Player
At 33 years old, Hayward is the national team's current longest-serving player. He revealed that the injection of youth into the squad is keeping him feeling young and motivated. "As the longest-serving, these young guys are coming in with renewed energy, and it's rubbing off on me, the way they go about it," Hayward said. "They're coming into training excited, they're ready to go, they're raring, happy, making noise, and it's giving me energy. I've got things to do to prepare my body a bit more than them, but they bring an enjoying atmosphere to training."
With only eight games separating the Kookaburras from the World Cup, there is a healthy contingent within the squad that remains somewhat inexperienced by international standards. However, Hayward emphasised that these players are learning quickly and adapting to the top level. He referenced advice from former coach Ric Charlesworth, who suggested that players need roughly 30-50 games to feel comfortable at the elite level. By the time the World Cup arrives, this younger age group is expected to have accumulated around that number of matches, positioning them well for the tournament.
Competitive Selection and Leadership Transition
Hayward acknowledged that selection for the World Cup will be highly competitive, with some talented players likely to miss out. "This selection for the World Cup is going to be quite tight. It's going to be interesting. There's going to be some good players who are going to miss out," he noted. "But from our youngest member and our most inexperienced member, there's going to be a contribution throughout the team."
Serving as co-captain alongside Joshua Beltz and Tim Howard, Hayward reflected on the legacy of the retired veterans. While he admitted that players like Ockenden and Zalewski are irreplaceable, he highlighted that their wisdom and traits have been passed down to the current squad. "They're not players you can replace, but players have been underneath them for a while, and they've taken traits and ideas off them as well," Hayward explained. "They're still in contact with most of the players, and other people get the chance to step up and take their opportunity—players like Tom Craig and Tim Howard, they're stepping up, myself and Beltzy are together, but we're not doing it just us two. There's other players that are also contributing, Nephy (Nathan Ephraums) and Blake (Govers), there's all these guys that are growing as we progress."
Pro-League Performance and World Cup Preparations
The Kookaburras demonstrated strong form in the Australian leg of the FIH Pro-League in February, winning seven out of eight games. Their lone loss came in a shoot-out defeat to India, showcasing their competitive edge. When the team returns to action in mid-June, they will face a gruelling schedule of eight games in 15 days, followed by a six-week break leading into the World Cup. In Pool C of the tournament, they are set to compete against Ireland, Spain, and South Africa.
Hayward expressed enthusiasm for the upcoming matches, viewing them as the enjoyable aspect of the campaign. "For me, the games are the fun bit, the things you look forward to. 19 games, it doesn't sound that much, but on the body, it can be taxing, so I'm just trying to stay fresh and free," he said. Regarding success, Hayward adopted a pragmatic perspective: "You always aim to win the tournament, you want to win every single game you play. However, if you ask me after the tournament and we've lost the final, I'm not going to retire and quit just because we lost. What is success? Just reaching our potential—we don't know what that is. That's the best thing about it."
