Smaller squad worries Kookaburras coach
Joint Australia men's hockey coach Graham Reid admits having a smaller squad than usual for the Commonwealth Games could have an impact on his all-conquering side.
The world champion Kookaburras brushed aside Wales 7-1 on Saturday - a result that could have been more comprehensive had it not been for the heroics of Wales goalkeeper David Kettle.
Events like the World Cup allow teams to use 18-player squads but the Glasgow Games, like the Olympics, permit coaches to choose just 16.
It means Andrew Charter is the only full-time goalkeeper in the team and should he get injured an outfield player would have to fill in.
A player from a local team has been training the team to ensure Charter is not overworked going into games and Reid admits the smaller squads are a tricky adjustment to make.
"We have one less field player and one less keeper so our rotation has trained and it makes it a bit harder," Reid said.
"It's about making sure Andrew is fresh for games."
The Kookaburras have Sunday off, but then play back-to-back games against South Africa and India and Reid said the rotation of players during games is something the team have got to run like clockwork.
South Africa are the only side to beat Australia in a Commonwealth Games when they recorded a 3-2 win in the repechage at the 1998 Games in Kuala Lumpur.
Despite that loss, the side still went on to win gold, something they've achieved at every Games since.
However, Reid said the trap of complacency was something the team have been good enough not to fall into.
"They've been drilled enough to know there's no such thing as hubris," he said.
"It is something we are always on to them to avoid."
A Jacob Whetton hat-trick, a Chris Ciriello strike and a penalty corner from Kieran Govers put the Kookaburras 5-0 up midway through the second half with the Welsh pulling a goal back from their only attack from Dan Kyriakides.
Two goals in the final four minutes from Matt Ghodes added some extra gloss to the final scoreline after Kettle had tipped skipper Mark Knowles' penalty stroke onto the post.
Reid, who is sharing coaching duties with Paul Gaudoin for the tournament, was satisfied with the performance.
"We had a lot of shots and created a lot of chances and that was good," he said.
The 1992 Olympic silver medallist said he was wary of the threat of a South African side ranked 12th in the world, adding that victory in the next two games would go a long way to winning the group.
"They're like us, they're tough, will fight until the end and a good few of their players play in Europe and the Indian Hockey League," he said.
