Hockeyroos quartet to reach unique 100 game milestones

A major individual milestone is significant enough but when four players reach the same achievement one match after the other, that’s rare and special air.

As the Hockeyroos prepare to launch into their Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games campaign, Renee Taylor, Kaitlin Nobbs, Grace Stewart and Madison Fitzpatrick are remarkably each set to make their 100th Hockeyroos appearance in consecutive matches.

The unique situation will see Taylor (currently on 99 appearances) play her 100th in the Hockeyroos’ opening match against Kenya, Nobbs (98) the following day against South Africa, Stewart (97) against New Zealand and then Fitzpatrick (96) in the final pool match against Scotland.

The quartet all debuted in the space of just over a year – Taylor against China in April 2015, Fitzpatrick against Korea in September 2015, Stewart in January 2016 against Germany, and Nobbs against Japan in May 2016.

All four have endured their share of highs and lows that come with high performance sport, and considering injury, selection and other factors, it makes the way their appearance totals have worked out to this point all the more incredible.

We caught up with the four ahead of their opening match against Kenya.

What does it mean to play 100 games for the Hockeyroos?
RT: “It’s really special. It’s one of those things where your dream as a kid was to play one game for the Hockeyroos, so to be about to play 100 is a really special thing and something I will cherish and be really proud of.”

KN: “It is pretty awesome and I feel very privileged to be able to represent Australia, not only once but 100 times. My mum played for the Hockeyroos for a long time and didn’t reach 100 games, so I feel really privileged to have the opportunity to bring up this milestone at the Commonwealth Games.”

GS: “It’s pretty unbelievable actually. When you are little you hope and dream to play one game, so to do that was a dream come true. Now to be on the cusp of playing 100 games, it doesn’t feel real. I don’t know where all the games have gone…they all feel like they have blurred into one at the moment but I’m really excited.”

MF: “It means a great deal to me. I’m really excited and proud to represent Australia. To be about to reach 100 games, especially with the three girls I am reaching it with, I couldn’t be prouder considering where we all started and where we are now.”

What do you remember from your debut?
RT: “Not a lot. I remember it was in Sydney at night and singing the anthem and thinking ‘wow this is actually happening’. Outside of that I don’t remember a lot apart from having my family in the stands and being really excited.”

KN: “Being really nervous. I remember being the baby on the team in Darwin and I don’t remember much of the game at all. I think my heart rate was through the roof. I remember trying to run and feeling like the game was going at a million miles an hour.”

GS: “I remember very little from my debut. I managed to score a goal but other than that, it is a biut of a blur. It was against Germany in 2016 in Singapore.”

MF: “I remember being afraid…I think I actually may have vomited in the changeroom toilets before the game. I think I made myself stop breathing so it was my fault completely. It was against Korea. We had already played them six times in practise matches, yet as soon as I had that Hockeyroos bodysuit on and it was an official cap, I remember shaking. But once I got my first touch in the game, I felt a lot less nervous.”

What has been the highlight of your Hockeyroos career so far?
RT: “A debut Olympics is always high on the list but also the Gold Coast Commonwealth Games. Bering able to have all my family in the stands including my grandparents, extended family and close friends who were involved in the journey along the way, that was really exciting to have that experience.”

KN: “To be honest I think it has changed. It was the Pro League in 2019 when we won the silver medal but the World Cup just gone has been a massive highlight. I captained the team for the first time which was really special and to come away with a bronze medal and the whole experience, it was really good.”

GS: “The Tokyo Olympics have been the highlight for me. Rio in 2016 and playing in my first Olympics was special, but Tokyo and those games were probably the highlight for me.”

MF: “There have been lots of highlights…all very team orientated. At the 2018 World Cup when Brooke Peris scored the one on one in the shootout to win the Quarter Final, I was one of the five players lining up to take one. Just running to her…that five seconds was so overwhelming and such a high for us. Also competing at the Tokyo Olympics with my sister (Savannah) was really special. And the other one would be just recently at the World Cup winning the bronze medal, especially considering where the group has come from since Tokyo.”

How special is it to bring up your milestone at the same tournament as three of your teammates?
RT: “It’s really nice and especially to be in consecutive games because we came up together and have all developed as a group, so it’s great to be recognised in the same tournament. There isn’t too much separating the four of us so it’s really nice share it with them. We have each had our unique journeys…we have each had our ups and downs and had different trajectories through it all.”

KN: “It’s really special. What makes it even cooler is because we have all had different journeys over the years. It just makes it all the more memorable and special because we have played over the years together.”

GS: “It’s special, especially the three girls that it comes alongside. We came through the juniors playing against each other…Kaitlin and I in the same team but against Maddy and Renee. To do it alongside them is special with the journey we have been on together. We all debuted at different times so it’s funny how it works out considering injuries, non selections and everything else.”

MF: “We all debuted around similar times and we were all quite young to the group. To see the players that we are now and how far we have come through those years of playing together, it’s a credit to each of us. I’m so happy to be doing it with these three others.”

What is the best thing about being a Hockeyroo?
RT: “I love playing, I love being out there with the girls…and love competing.”

KN: “That you have all of your mates in one team, you get to travel the world and play against amazing hockey teams. To chase the same dream with all of your teammates is a really cool feeling.”

GS: “It’s the friendships for me. Travelling around the world alongside some of your best friends…we’re pretty lucky to be in that position.”

MF: “You get to travel with your best friends and you get to win and lose with your best friends. It’s definitely my favourite part of it, being able to fight and win and lose as a team. There are a lot of emitons and it’s very intense but definitely the travel, represent your country and sing the antghem is definitely one of the best things.”

How much confidence does the team have heading into the Commonwealth Games?
RT: “There is huge confidence within the team. The way that we are playing is really building and you can see that coming out of the World Cup. Now we have an opportunity to step up from there and continue building on the work we did at the World Cup. We know it is going to be hard and that it’s not going to just happen, but the group is heading in the right direction.”

KN: “We are very confident after our performance at the World Cup but I think we are still learning and growing as a group. We are keeping our heads down as much as we can and sticking to our process rather than worrying about the end result.”

GS: “Coming off the World Cup, we definitely have a lot of confidence going forward, but we’re also well aware of the challenge in front of us and the tough teams we will come up against in Birmingham.”

MF: “I think we’re confident in our form rather than the outcomes that we produced at the World Cup. We’re confident in how we’re playing and gelling as a group. We’re not overthinking winning the bronze medal at the World Cup. Nothing is assumed coming into the Commonwealth Games, so we are focussing on one game at a time and not thinking too far ahead.”