H1 Match Report: Round 1 – Perth Thundersticks v Brisbane Blaze

Heartbreak in the season opener for the Perth Thundersticks, with both the men’s and women’s teams falling just short. The men went down 3-1, while the women battled all the way to a shootout before narrowly missing out on victory. 
 

Men 

The men were put on the back foot early with the Blaze scoring within the first moments of the match after a hot start. 

A false start and green card for James Collins in penalty corner defence saw the Blaze have an opportunity to score early, with Thomas Wycherley finding the back of the netin the second minute of the match. 

Just three minutes later, Joel Rintala capitalised on another penalty corner chance, doubling the lead and putting the Thundersticks under pressure at 2-0. 

The momentum didn’t stop there for the Blaze, with Rintala striking again in the sixth minute - once more from a penalty corner - as the Blaze piled on the early pressure with a 3-0 lead. 

The Thundersticks men mounted several late first-quarter attacks through Zach Rakkas, Sam Ashton, Liam Flynn and Zed Kearnan. While they couldn’t find the breakthrough, the efforts shifted the pressure back onto the Blaze and built momentum heading into the second term. 

The Thundersticks kept the momentum rolling into the second quarter, and a series of crucial saves from goalkeeper Christian Starkie thwarted Brisbane’s attacking chances to see the the score remain 3-0 in Brisbane’s favour heading into the main break. 

Early in the third quarter, the Thundersticks earned a penalty corner after a quick circle entry deflected off a Blaze defender’s foot. Liam Flynn unleashed a blistering drag flick effort that cannoned into the post, coming agonisingly close to their first goal of the night. 

After a barrage of attacks, the Thundersticks finally had a moment to scorelate in the third, but a Sam Ashton goal was reversed after the umpires overturned the decision, seeing it had come off the body of Liam Flynn. 

Finally, the breakthrough came a minute and a half into the final term, with a penalty corner rocket from Tom Harvie finding the stick of his brother Jake to bring the score to 3-1. 

The men showed plenty of fight with a multitude of chances but just fell short in the end to see the Blaze run away with a 3-1 win.  

 
Match Details 
Perth Thundersticks 1 – Jake Harvie (47’) 
Brisbane Blaze 3 – Tom Wycherley (2’), Joel Rintala (3’) (6’) 
 
Perth Thundersticks team:1. Sam Ashton, 3. Hamish Adamson, 4. Jake Harvie (C), 5. Angus Adamson, 7. Zach Rakkas, 8. Zed Kearnan, 10. Max Freedman, 11, Tom Harvie (VC), 12. Marshall Puzey, 14. Chaz Davies, 15. Liam Flynn, 17. Ethan Boucher, 18. Christian Starkie (GK), 26. James Collins (VC), 43. Harry Golding. 
 
Brisbane Blaze team: 6. Kyle Jeffrey-Prestwich, 8. Adam Imer, 11. Michael Francis, 12. Jake Whetton, 13. David Hubbard, 14. Joseph Sandor, 15. Jayden Atkinson, 17. Scott Boyde, 18. Ryan Wilcox, 24. Diarmid Chappell, 25. Hayden Pease, 26. Elijah Mathewson, 27. Joel Rintala, 28. Tom Wycherley, 32. Mitchell Nicholson (GK) 
 

Women 

The Perth Thundersticks women launched their 2025 campaign with a blockbuster rematch of last year’s Hockey One Grand Final, once again squaring off against the Brisbane Blaze in a fiery season opener. 

A hot start with several attacking efforts from both sides settled down as the first quarter minutes ticked down, with both teams heading into the first break without a score. 

The first opportunity for the Thundersticks women came a minute into the second term after finding a foot of the Blaze defence.  

A surging penalty corner effort from Madi Ratcliffe in her Thundersticks debut was denied by Blaze goalkeeper Jordan Bliss, with Saysha Pillay hitting a low tomahawk off the rebound, which was again denied by the keeper. 

The Thundersticks continued to apply the pressure late in the second quarter, with a surging run from Neasa Flynn finding Madi Ratcliffe who again just narrowly missed an opening score. 

Speaking on the first half, Thundersticks skipper Penny Squibb noted that her side needed to create more chances in the attacking half 

“It was an up and back in the first half,but we need to control the ball a little more,” Squibb said. 

"I think until we get one in the net the opportunities are the same, so we must work hard to find a few more outcomes in the circle.” 

The Thundersticks finally found the opening score of the match in a blistering 30 seconds to start the third term. 

A run by Saysha Pillay down the left side saw her flick a pass into the circle, with a Blaze mistrap landing at the feet of Courtney Schonell who found the back of goal. 

Several Thundersticks attacks were denied by the Blaze, who responded late in the third quarter with a Jamie-Lee Surha penalty corner goal, sending the sides into the final term tied at 1-1. 

In a bruising final quarter, marked by injuries to both sides, Thundersticks debutant Zoe Newman produced a heroic performance with three match-saving stops, sending the game into a tied finish and onto shootouts. 

The Thundersticks women agonisingly fell short in the deciding moments, with Blaze goalkeeper Jordan Bliss denying three shootout efforts to give her side the win. 

 
Match Details 
Perth Thundersticks 1 (1)  - Courtney Schonell (31’) 
Brisbane Blaze 1 (3)- Jamie –Lee Surha (42’) 
 
Perth Thundersticks team: 2. Jolie Sertorio, 3. Neasa Flynn, 4. Madi Ratcliffe, 5. Courtney Schonell, 6. Sarah Byrnes, 7. Penny Squibb (C), 10. Jesse Reid, 12.Liné Malan (C), 13. Caitlyn Templeman, 14. Saysha Pillay, 17. Annie Gibbs, 18. Kaitlin Nobbs, 20. Karri Somerville, 22. Zoe Newman (GK), 26. Lexie Pickering. 
 
Brisbane Blaze team:4. Claire Colwill, 6. Camryn Mathison, 7. Hannah Cullum-Sanders, 8. Dayle Dolkens, 9. Casey Dolkens, 11. Morgan Mathison, 12. Jade Smith, 13. Karissa van der Wath, 15. Jade Reid, 20. Jamie-Lee Surha, 21. Laney Smith, 22. Tatum Stewart, 23. Ruby Harris, 25. Kyra Livermore, 88. Jordan Bliss (GK) 

The Perth Thundersticks is proudly supported by Bravo Apples, ERM High Voltage Asset Specialists, Polytan, Session Equity, and Project Innovations. 
 
The Perth Thundersticks Women’s program is also proudly supported by the WA State Government.