Mixed Results For Tigers At Hockey One Season Opener
Published Sun 11 Oct 2026
Mixed results for Tigers in Hockey One season opener
The Tassie Tigers opened their Hockey One campaign with mixed results in a home double-header against the Perth Thundersticks, with the women falling 3–0 to the back-to-back defending champions before the men secured a 4–2 victory.
Women test defending champions
A new-look Tigers outfit faced a tough first-up assignment against the competition’s benchmark, with nine players making their Tigers debuts.
The Tigers enjoyed the better of the first quarter, taking the game to the visitors and creating some promising opportunities, but were unable to turn their pressure into a goal.
Instead, Jolie Sertorio opened the scoring for Perth in the second quarter, providing the only goal of a tightly contested first half.
The Thundersticks made an ideal start to the second half, with Courtney Schonell doubling their advantage in the opening minute, although Tigers goalkeeper Evie Dalton denied the subsequent conversion attempt. Dalton produced several impressive saves to keep the Tigers in the contest as Perth began to take control.
Schonell eventually added her second goal five minutes from full-time to seal victory for the visitors.
Despite the defeat, the Tigers showed encouraging signs against the reigning champions as their new combinations took shape.
Men roar back to secure victory
The Tigers men overcame an early setback to claim a 4–2 victory and launch their bid for another finals appearance.
Perth struck with the first chance of the game in the second minute of the game, but the Tigers responded only 20 seconds later. Sam McCulloch squeezed the ball in at the near post following some neat build-up play from Ehren Hazell.
Hazell then put the Tigers ahead from the penalty spot after McCulloch was brought down during his one-on-one conversion attempt.
Young gun Oscar Pritchard extended the advantage late in the second quarter, firing home a penalty corner. When Joshua Brooks followed suit a minute later, the Tigers took a commanding 4–1 lead into half-time.
The momentum shifted after the break, with the Thundersticks enjoying more possession and creating several scoring opportunities. Strong defence and some quality goalkeeping from Magnus McCausland helped the Tigers protect their advantage.
Perth reduced the deficit to 4–2 in the final minute of the third quarter, but the Tigers held firm through a scoreless final term to secure the win.
