The inaugural FIH Pro League signalled the unearthing of one of Australia's most exciting young hockey stars in Amy Lawton and defender Edwina Bone is hoping the 2020 edition, kicking off on home soil, will see both Lawton and the Hockeyroos go to the next level.
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The world no.2 ranked outfit, the Hockeyroos finished last year's Pro League as runners-up after a 4-3 loss to the Dutch in the decider.
Set to kick-off their 2020 Pro League campaign in Sydney on a bumper Australia Day program, Bone says one of the highlights of last year's competition was Lawton's debut.
The brash 18-year-old was a stand-out in her first international game against New Zealand and Bone expects that same enthusiasm to lift the Australian women in the next Pro League too.
The fact the injection of youth means some of Bone's teammates were born post-2000, she says, is "funny and scary at the same time".
"It wasn't until after the game she pointed out she was born in the 2000s and I recognised we're two decades apart in age," Bone quipped.
"A really energetic, young, 17-year-old comes in, not nervous, we played New Zealand in New Zealand and she smashes it.
"No expectations, no hesitation and has one of the best games I've seen form a debut player.
"She's been a great addition to the group."
The Australia Day weekend double header will kick-off the Hockeyroos' 2020 Tokyo preparation too, while also giving Hockey Australia a chance to raise some funds for bush fire victims, with donations going to the Red Cross Bushfire Appeal across the weekend.
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