Victory dropped due to injury

11/01/2002

SOUTH Australian striker and Sydney Olympian Craig Victory has been
dropped from the squad for the Six-Nation at the National Hockey Stadium
in Bukit Jalil on Jan 18-26 due to a stomach muscle strain and has been
replaced by striker Michael McCann.
In the entry list faxed to the Malaysian Hockey Federation yesterday,
dual Olympian Daniel Sproule was named at the expense of fellow Tasmanian
Zain Wright.
The Six-Nation presents the last opportunity for the Aussies to fine-
tune their preparations in a tournament situation, before the World Cup
begins in Kuala Lumpur Feb 24.
While Australian coach Barry Dancer considers his team to be short on
match practice, he believes that participation at this tournament will
ensure the Kookaburras are well prepared for the World Cup next month.
"It is a valuable opportunity for us to play in the conditions that we
will find at the World Cup and against some of our World Cup opposition
teams including Japan and Malaysia who are in the same group as us in the
World Cup," Dancer said at the Australian hockey website.
"We will work on many of our strategies to get us better prepared for
the World Cup, and significantly we will be looking to improve from our
Champions Trophy performance by sustaining our intensity during crucial
periods in the humid conditions," said Dancer.
In the Champions Trophy, Australia finished second behind Germany after
losing 2-1 in the final. Florian Kunz, the top-scorer in the Champions
Trophy scored both goals while Matthew Smith slotted in Australia's goal.
"We will also be able to determine our best combination of players
before we make the final selections for the World Cup," Dancer said.
The Kookaburras will arrive in Kuala Lumpur on Tuesday and Dancer is
expected to name the World Cup team on Jan 30.
After the Six-Nation, Australia will attend a training camp in Perth on
Feb 13 and 14 to complete the preparations for the World Cup.
Australian training squad - Dean Butler, Adam Commens, Liam De Young,
Lachlan Dreher, Jamie Dwyer, Troy Elder, Paul Gaudoin (capt), Bevan
George, Mark Hickman, Jeremy Hiskins, Aaron Hopkins, Brent Livermore,
Michael McCann, Matthew Smith, Daniel Sproule, Ben Taylor, Scott Webster,
Matthew Wells.
(END)