Clare and Madeleine Rojahn open up on their Tasmanian Hockey Journey

Mum Shelia in the room with the 2023 Premier League trophy and Clare.

Clare and Madeleine Rojahn open up on their Tasmanian hockey journey

The Rojahn sisters have experienced all the highs and lows hockey has to offer. From on-field success to their family’s impact, they share their story with Adam Clifford.

The hurt from last weekend’s Premier League women’s semi-final is still fresh for Clare and Madeleine Rojahn.

North-West Graduates had one foot in the grand final leading DiamondBacks 3–1 in the penalty shootout, only to see it slip away in sudden death 5–4.

“It was a disappointing loss,” Clare said. 

“But … we work hard to secure top two for a reason. Now it’s onto the next.”

 “If we’ve learnt anything, it’s that absolutely every moment counts," Maddy said.

That next moment comes this Saturday, when the sisters face Canterbury. Win, and they’ll earn a rematch with DiamondBacks for the premiership.

Clare, 34, a consultant and business analyst, has played more than 320 top-flight games, with premierships in 2009-10, 2016-18, and 2023.

Maddy, 30, a journalist, has split her time with stints overseas in the UK, Netherlands, Denmark and a year working in Launceston.

Their hockey story began at Mount Stuart Primary School. For Clare, it was a case of following a friend into ‘Minkey hockey’, then being recruited to North-West Graduates by Phil and Jill Klye.

“Primary school was the only time I was an attacker,” Clare said. 

“I continue to play because of the strong sense of community and I’m fiercely competitive.”

Maddy (fifth-left) at Under 12 level with NWG.

Maddy followed in her sister’s footsteps.

“I remember one Saturday Olympic gold medallist Matthew Wells came to watch us play. We felt very cool at the time,” she said. 

“Over the years I’ve benefited from the camaraderie, teamwork, challenge, and opportunity to travel. The club’s culture has kept hockey in my life.”

There was a time Maddy thought she’d have to give it up.

“I found it incredibly hard to balance playing with my career. I stopped for a year, but watching from the stands … I couldn’t help myself. I got the bug and it’s not going away.”

The sisters have only shared one Premier League premiership together, 2016, and they both remember it vividly.

“It was so special,” Clare said.

"Yes! And that feeling is long overdue," Maddy said. 

On the field, they’re different players with different strengths, but often mistaken for one another,  even by their own mother.

Off the field, hockey talk has mellowed over the years.

“Sometimes we even let our brother talk about soccer,” Maddy said. 

The Rojahns’ story is also one of heritage. Their mother, Sheila, is Chinese-Indian who was born in Singapore before moving to Sydney as a teenager. Their father is half German, with a family history that includes their grandfather moving to Tasmania to work on the Hydro.

“Like most people in Tasmania, we are children of immigrants,” Maddy said.

“Our background has shaped who we are and how we see the world.”

Hockey has a strong reputation for inclusivity. Clare, who is married to fellow player and coach Alex, says she’s always felt supported as a queer athlete.

Maddy, through her work in journalism, sees the importance of amplifying diverse voices in the sport.

“I think hearing each other’s stories only makes the community stronger,” Maddy said.

“At the end of the day, people, whoever you are, want to enjoy their lives, be safe and belong. Signalling inclusivity is important, but we should focus on communicating that through actions.”

She believes hockey in Tasmania could do more to engage culturally diverse communities, such as the large Indian hockey-playing population seen in other parts of the world. “It’s about making sure people know they’re welcome, and showing that in real, tangible ways,” she said.

Both sisters speak warmly of people who’ve shaped their hockey journeys. For Clare, the late-Greg Brown was pivotal in her transition from junior to senior hockey.

“It’s often his voice I hear in my head when I reflect on my performances and prepare for games,” she said.

Doing media for this year’s Pride Cup was also a highlight, as was the off-field support from the Bulldogs community, Brodie Foster, Kim Ponting, Melitta Smith and Rach Bessell among them.

Clare and Maddy with partners Alex Mainwaring (far-left) and Harry van der Woude (second-right).

Maddy remembers her under-12s coach, Debbie Taylor, as the first to teach her strategy.

“She believed in us even though we were just children. I remember finding that empowering, we even won the grand final that year.”

When asked what a premiership this season would mean, Maddy doesn’t hesitate: “Bloody awesome — but we have to get there first. One game at a time.” Clare said. 

The younger sibling’s message to girls from diverse backgrounds is simple: “don’t hold yourself back — we all have something unique to bring in team sport. Get to know people, and if you’re worried, find someone to speak to. Hopefully they’ll reassure you, including by sharing how they’ve handled challenges,” Maddy said. 

For now, the focus is on Canterbury.

Win, and the dream of another shared grand final, and another shot at glory, lives on.

Written by Adam Clifford for the Mercury