Albany hockey veteran Paul Murray to again pull on green and gold for Masters Hockey World Cup in South Africa

Albany hockey stalwart Paul Murray will again don the green and gold when he travels to South Africa for the Over-65s Masters Hockey World Cup next year. The 66-year-old is no stranger to the national hockey side having represented the men’s masters outfit on several occasions including the World Cup in Tokyo last year where he captained the over-60s team. He is one of seven WA players selected for the over-65s team and the only player from the country, hailing from the Lower Great Southern Hockey Association. The Spencer Park product said he is looking forward to taking the pitch in Cape Town with some of his mates from across Australia in October 12-21 next year. “We are very competitive but there is also the social aspect of it. “We mix it with people from all over the country who I have played with and against for years.” While enjoying the social side of the tournament, Murray said the team is not travelling to South Africa to come second. “We are hoping to make finals and then will see how we go from there,” he said. “We will take one game at a time and then see how we’re travelling.” Coming off the back of a groin injury sustained at the Hockey Australia Men’s Over-65s Masters Championships, the centre-half will begin to ramp up his training early next year. “I will start running in January and February because it takes a good six months to build up the fitness levels,” Murray said. “I will play a lot more games as well, with some in Perth for the North Coast Raiders. “If it works out I will play here in Albany and then again in Perth, it just depends on how things work out.”