HOCKEY
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By MICHELLE COOK
A DREAM came true for Orange’s Edwina Bone when she made her Hockeyroos debut on the weekend.
The 24-year-old played for the Australian team in the International Super Series Hockey 9s in Perth.
Bone, a former Kinross Wolaroi School and Confederates player, helped the Hockeyroos take out the women’s title with a 2-0 grand final win over the Jillaroos, the Australian under-21 team.
The Orange product couldn’t hide her excitement at playing for Australia and winning a gold medal.
“It’s been unbelievable. It’s been a dream come true. It’s been a blur,” Bone said.
“I have a gold medal out of my first tournament for the Hockeyroos so I won’t complain. It’s something I’ll treasure forever.”
The Hockeyroos went through the round matches unbeaten and their closest result was a draw against the Jillaroos.
In Sunday’s final, the Hockeyroos made sure they came out on top.
The Super Series has nine players on the field for each team and games are played over 20-minute halves.
“You only lose two players on the field but it creates so much extra space,” Bone explained.
“You commit to attack and that puts more pressure on your defence but there’s also more pressure on your attack to score goals if you’re going to commit the people to it.
“It was really fun. It suits me because I’m probably more athletic.”
Bone was in the Australian development squad this year and played with Canberra in the Australian Hockey League.
She was in America when she found out about her selection in the national team for the Super Series.
After her trip she was home in Canberra for a week before heading to Perth to play for Australia.
A highlight for Bone came before she even played for the national team.
“We had our briefing before the first game. Before the meeting started they did a presentation to the new girls,” she said.
“There were two other girls making their debut. I went up last. Commo [Hockeyroos coach Adam Commens] said how hard I had worked and that this showed how far determination gets you. It was so exciting.
“That first game (against the Jillaroos) I was a wreck. I had so many nerves. I started on the bench and after three minutes I was straight on the field. I had my first touch and everything happened from there.”
Bone even scored a goal in the Hockeyroos’ win over Malaysia on Saturday.
“In the Super Series there were own goals. I was outside the circle and I hit the ball in for a deflection but it came off a Malaysian player and went in, so it was credited to me. I’ll take it,” she laughed.
Bone said she was happy with how she performed and hoped it wouldn’t be the last time she played for Australia.
“I’m hungrier for so much more now. Pulling on that bodysuit was amazing,” she said.
But it wasn’t the green and gold bodysuit Bone was excited about.
The Hockeyroos wore a pink bodysuit during Saturday’s games in support of the National Breast Cancer Foundation.
“That’s my favourite bit,” she beamed.
“It’s bright and it stands for a really good cause.”