Four WA players selected in Australia country teams after Hockey Australia Country Challenge in Albany

Four WA players have been selected to represent Australia after the highly successful return of the Hockey Australia Country Challenge in Albany last week. At the completion of the week-long national championships, which made a return after a two-year hiatus caused by COVID-19, Australian representative teams were named. Those under-21 and senior men’s and women’s teams will compete in an international representative tour. Lower Great Southern Hockey Association representative and striker Laura Cinanni was one of four WA players named across the four national teams. Cinanni impressed at her first championships in a WA women’s side that won only one game. “I feel very privileged to have been selected for the team, as there is so much talent both in the WA squad and across the board,” Cinanni said. “I am very lucky to be part of such a strong team of female athletes and I’m really excited for the opportunity.” The 23-year-old was chosen in the Hockey Australia senior women’s side. WA teammate and Geraldton half-back Lauren Newman will also pull on Australian colours, named in the Hockey Australia under-21 women’s team. The 22-year-old is joined in the team by Tenille Yandle as coach and Albany’s Georgie Powis who was appointed manager. Eastern Goldfields’ Chris Souchon and Bunbury’s Brayden Dalton were named in the Hockey Australia men’s senior national team. Dalton had an outstanding week, scoring seven goals after missing WA’s first two matches because of suspension. Dalton, 23, and Souchon, 24, were impressive strikers for the WA team that finished with a silver medal. The under-21 teams will tour Indonesia in January next year and the senior teams will tour Singapore and Malaysia in April 2023.