Tassie Tigers Take Silver!

After a stunning run in the regular season, the Tassie Tigers men travelled to Parkville, VIC to participate in the ONE Active Hockey One Finals across two days - November 29th & 30th, 2025. The competition was fierce, and it all began on Saturday with the Semi-Finals, where the Tigers took on the Brisbane Blaze. The last two times we'd faced them it had been incredibly close, going to a shootout both times. It seems we were destined to continue the trend, with this game following the same pattern.

Two minutes in to the first quarter, Sam McCulloch scored the first goal of the match, getting us off to a great start. The Brisbane Blaze answered ten minutes later, and the Hunt was on! Evenly-paced throughout, McCulloch racked up two more goals along with Josh Brooks, Keenan Johnson, and Tyson Johnson (in his debut match with the Tigers!). At the end of regular time we were, unsurprisingly, at a 6-6 tie against the Blaze. 

You could taste the tension in the air at the State Netball & Hockey Centre as we went into shootouts - the Blaze had been sitting at the top of the ladder going into this match, and were desperate to hold their place and make it to the Grand Finals. And for the Tigers? Never before had we made it to a Grand Final. Would this make history?

Jack Welch stepped up, first to shoot. With some quick footwork, he sailed the ball into the goal, putting Tassie on the front foot! Ben Rennie, late-addition goalie to the Tigers this season, was up next to defend. And oh boy, did he defend! Rennie went on to save 4 out of the 5 shots on goal from the Blaze and, combined with another great goal from Ruben Hoey, solidified history for the Tigers - we were going to the Grand Finals!

When coach Ben Read was asked about his standout moment from the weekend, this was what he remembered. "The standout moments of the weekend for me both came in the semi final. One, the Sam McCulloch hat-trick and two, Ruben Hoey stepping up and successfully converting a 1v1 in the shoot out. It was an ice cold moment."

Sunday, it was time to finish the job, this time against Hockey Club Melbourne. Grand Final glory - whether the Tigers were taking home the Silver medal or the Champions trophy, it would be a moment that would go down in Tassie hockey history. 

Once again, Sam McCulloch got us started off strong with a penalty corner goal in the dying seconds of the first quarter. As the game went on, it was apparent that it wasn't going to follow yesterday's trend, and that this would be a very low-scoring match. Both sides played incredibly defensively, with our Tigers shining in their element. Unfortunately, HC Melbourne just pushed through a little harder on the offensive, and the game ended in their favour, 1-3.

"The Grand Final was another level of intensity, and the group put up a tough fight. The way they carried themselves throughout the weekend reflected exactly who the Tigers are - resilient, united and committed until the very end," said the Tassie Tigers Hockey One Lead, Priyanka.

We spoke to Ben Read about how it felt to win Silver in the ONE Active Hockey One League this season, following the conclusion of the games. "Winning a medal at Hockey One level is always a fantastic achievement, I think this one is extra special though because of how many people had written us off and given us no chance of progressing through our semi final vs Brisbane.

Everyone across the squad of 25 worked tirelessly during the preparation and it truly was the effort of all players involved in the wider squad that got us to the Grand Final. We wouldn't have been able to get there without people sacrificing their time throughout the preparation and helping to build a quality training environment," he said. "Thanks for the support," he says to the fans, "and please make sure to bring your friends and family along to our home games next year!"

Priyanka also had a message for the fans: "Thank you, for your passion, loyalty, and energy. It means everything to the players and staff. Whether you were in the stands or cheering from home, we felt your support every step of the season. As a team from a small state, your backing is truly special and we’re grateful for every single one of you. We can’t wait to represent you again next year. 

I want to acknowledge the incredible dedication of everyone involved:  our athletes, coaches, volunteers, staff, families, and the wider community. The Tigers continue to grow and shine because so many people believe in what we’re building here. This season demonstrated our strength, pride, and potential, and the best is still to come."

Go Tigers! We'll see you next season.