Greiner and Stewart added to Hockeyroos’ Commonwealth Games team
Published Wed 13 Jul 2022
Rebecca Greiner and Grace Stewart will compete at the Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games after being announced in the Australian team by Commonwealth Games Australia this morning.
The duo’s inclusion comes following the withdrawal of teammates Brooke Peris and Courtney Schonell due to injury.
Peris and Schonell were ruled out of the Commonwealth Games due to injuries in the lead up to the FIH Women’s World Cup.
Greiner, 23, found herself back in the Hockeyroos fold this year after missing out on squad selection in 2020 and 2021. The Bundaberg local says she will relish the opportunity to represent her country.
“Competing at the Commonwealth Games is something we’ve had to prepare for but never something you automatically expect to just happen and be part of,” Greiner said.
“While I’m disappointed for Brooke and Courtney, I’m really excited about representing Australia and the Hockeyroos in Birmingham.”
Stewart, 25, was a member of the silver medal winning Hockeyroos squad at the Gold Coast 2018 Commonwealth Games.
Growing up in Gerringong in the Illawarra region of New South Wales, she started playing hockey at five and quickly rose through the ranks. She remembers her parents, who are also hockey enthusiasts, driving her to tournaments so she could be selected for representative and state teams.
Nearing 100 games for her country, Stewart will be hoping to celebrate the milestone on the way to helping the Hockeyroos finish on the top of the dais in Birmingham.
“It’s a tough situation to be in because you never want to see your teammates get injured and be ruled out of such a special tournament,” Stewart said.
“In saying that, I am extremely proud to be selected to represent Australia at the Commonwealth Games and I hope I can do my teammates and Australia proud.
“The Commonwealth Games is such an exciting tournament with the buzz of the village and being surrounded by so many other sports…I can’t wait for the Games to start.”
While the start of the Commonwealth Games is a fortnight away, Greiner, Stewart and the Hockeyroos’ immediate focus is their FIH Women’s World Cup quarter final against Spain at 5.30am AEST tomorrow (Thursday) morning. The match will be LIVE on Fox Sports, available on Foxtel and Kayo.
