The Canberra Chill women's side is confident it can cover the loss of two international stars by drafting in a young gun and a veteran for the clash against Perth.
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The Chill will play the Thundersticks in Perth on Saturday afternoon, aiming to stay in touch with the ladder leaders in the opening rounds of the new competition.
Kalindi Commerford and Brooke Peris are unavailable for this week because of Hockeyroos duties, paving the way for Emily Robson and Lucy Balfour to make their Hockey One debut.
Former Australian leader Anna Flanagan is also back in the team and striker Naomi Evans is available to continue her goal-scoring form.
"It's a massive loss [not having the Hockeyroos] ... but it's good to see the girls from our local competition come into the side," said forward Meredith Bone.
"Lucy and Emily were in the shadows of the squad and we weren't sure whether the Hockeyroos would be available [every week].
"This is the opportunity for them to come into the team and you can see it in their training this week, they're excited and ready to go."
The Chill women have scored one outright win and one shootout win in the first two weeks of the competition, while the Canberra men are still searching for their first victory.
Naomi Evans top goal scorer in the competition after two weekends and the return of Flanagan will give the Chill an experience boost.
"It will be challenging for a few of the girls who haven't played on the road before," Flanagan said of the trip to Perth.
"The girls are used to the side changing a bit ... the backbone of our team can withstand that because the quality is so high."
HOCKEY ONE ROUND THREE
Saturday: Perth Thundersticks v Canberra Chill at Perth Hockey Stadium. Men at 5pm, women at 6.30pm.
Canberra Chill Women's team: 1.Mikayla Evans, 7.Naomi Evans, 10.Rebecca Lee, 11.Sophie Gaughan, 15.Yui Ishibashi, 16.Shihori Oikawa, 17.Beckie Middleton, 18.Olivia Martin, 19.Anna Flanagan, 25.Tina Taseska, 27.Meredith Bone, 31.Sakiyo Asano (GK), Lucy Balfour, Emily Robson
In: 18.Olivia Martin, 19.Anna Flanagan, 27.Meredith Bone, Lucy Balfour, Emily Robson
Out: 3.Brooke Peris (international duty), 9.Sassie Economos, 12.Aleisha Price, 22.Taylor Thomson, 23.Kalindi Commerford (international duty)
Canberra Chill Men's team: 2.Ben Staines, 4.James Day, 7.Kazuma Murata, 8.Daniel Conroy, 9.Jamie Hawke, 10.Owen Chivers, 11.Garry Backhus, 12.Jake Staines (c), 13.Manabu Yamashita, 17.Aaron Kershaw, 22.Jay MacDonald, 30.Andrew Charter (GK), Kentaro Fukuda, James Jewell
In: 9.Jamie Hawke, 22.Jay MacDonald
Out: 1.Aaron Knight (international duty), 3.Anand Gupte (international duty)
Lucie Bertoldo
Lucie Bertoldo is a sports reporter for the Canberra Times.
Lucie Bertoldo is a sports reporter for the Canberra Times.
