New coach, new players take up challenge

A new era will dawn for Redcliffe Leagues Hockey Club when it hits off the 2022 men's Brisbane League season with a club legend as coach and a new-look squad.

David Garnett, who played almost 250 first-grade games for Redcliffe Leagues and won the 2003 premiership, has taken over at Mary Nairn Fields.

Garnett hopes to lift his young side off the bottom of the ladder and instil his life-long passion for Redcliffe hockey into the group.

"I have been with Redcliffe Hockey Club since the age of five. What made me want to coach was the thought of being able to give back in some way to this fantastic club," Garnett said.

"This club has given me everything. It has given me a family, great friends and life mentors. I hope to use my 45 years of playing and coaching experience at Redcliffe to build a team and culture of unity, integrity and success."

'Accountability' is a buzz word for the peninsula team, which will start its season against Norths at Colmslie on March 5.

"My goals for the season are pretty basic. I want the squad to achieve to its potential through hard work. I want to see them improve week to week, take pride in their performances and be accountable to themselves, each other and the club," Garnett said.

Redcliffe Leagues, led by captain Daniel Pritchard and goalkeeper and former Brisbane Hockey League player of the year, Josh Blakey, has been supplemented by some top emerging talents.

They include Gladstone products and Queensland Under 18 players, Ryley Bobart and Hayden Pease and Queensland Country representatives Kane Bradford and Josh McPaul, both from Toowoomba.

The new season starts with the Brisbane Hockey Gala Day at the State Hockey Centre on March 5, when all 10 men's Division 1 and all 10 women's top-grade sides play at the same venue on the same day.

Redcliffe Leagues' men will tackle Norths at 2.30pm with Redcliffe Leagues' women to open its season against Commercial at 4.15pm.