Page 4 The Moorabool News – 29 March, 2022
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Hockeyroo potential By Lachlan Ellis She’s played for Victoria and made the Under 21 squad, and now a Moorabool hockey star is just one step away from national selection. Darley’s Zali Ward was named as one of just 23 members of the Women’s National Development Squad (NDS), which, in Hockey Australia’s own words, “is an integral stepping stone in the pathway program, and comprises athletes identified as being on the fringe and available for Hockeyroos selection”. Ms Ward was notified of her selection by email on Monday 21 March, and said she was in disbelief when she read her name in the list of players. “I couldn’t believe it. I got the email and thought, I’ll open it up, I can’t wait to see who’s in it. But then I saw my name, it was so unexpected, I was just over the moon, I couldn’t believe it,” she told the Moorabool News. She’s come far since her first hockey match – a fill-in game in the Under 10s where she “had no idea what I was doing except running around the grass field” – and admits she “hated hockey at first” after switching from netball to hockey when she was 11. “There were so many rules, it was confusing…but I came to love it, the freedom, the ability to always improve on your skills. You could run anywhere, that’s what I liked,” she said. “I decided I wanted to improve and develop as a hockey player, so I moved into the city to play at Essendon. I still play there for the club. I started to sign up for regional and state squads, I didn’t think I’d make it, but I had a crack. I enjoy the team environment.
“It’s all happened quickly…I got a scholarship to the VIS (Victorian Institute of Sport) the end of last year, and during COVID we were privileged enough to continue training and improving our fitness, to hopefully be recognised after COVID.” Ms Ward embraced the opportunity to take part in a Jillaroos camp on the Gold Coast just a week before the NDS announcement was made, and clearly impressed selectors. “I was super grateful and took the opportunity with both hands. I learnt a lot about tactics, game awareness, and wellbeing, even off-field things that help you play the best. From that, they chose an Under 21 Jillaroos squad. I didn’t realise they chose a development squad too; I didn’t think it was on the cards for me,” Ms Ward said. “I’m still in disbelief.” Hockeyroos Head Coach, Katrina Powell, said the NDS selection process had shown the depth of women’s hockey in Australia, and players on the NDS had a strong chance of being selected to put on the green and gold. “There is a really good mix of athletes with different levels of experience and capability, and also ones where we needed the support of the National Institute Network to realise they were out there,” Ms Powell said. “I’ve got no doubt there will be times we need to select from outside the 22 players in the Hockeyroos squad and we want to make sure the 23 players in the National Development Squad are ready to go when needed … with our talented juniors coming through we also have a glimpse of the future, with an eye on the Paris Olympics in 2024.”
Zali Ward, pictured playing for Victoria and, has been recently announced in the Women’s NDS. Photo - Click InFocus.
Alleged home invader to face trial By Lachlan Ellis An alleged home invader will face a 7-day trial in April, with witnesses cross-examined at a hearing last week. Kalem George appeared via livestream at a committal hearing at the Melbourne Magistrates Court on Thursday 24 March, facing 44 charges including trespass, unlawful assault, and assault with a weapon. In January, Mr George and a co-accused, Tama Flavell, were remanded to the Melbourne Magistrates Court, after allegedly threatening a man with a knife before entering a home on Parkside Drive, Hopetoun Park at around 8.15 am on Tuesday, 12 October 2021. Police also allege one of the men struck the 40-year-old occupant of the home with an object before fleeing. The two offenders then left the scene, one in a white Toyota 4WD they arrived in and the other in a gold Toyota 4WD belonging to the victim. At the 24 March hearing, six witnesses were heard: five
civilian witnesses, and the informant, Senior Constable Kristina Pellegrino. Mr George’s lawyer, Andrew Jackson, drew attention to the fact that many of the witnesses could not clearly identify Mr George or Mr Flavell as the offenders. Each civilian witness was asked by Mr Jackson whether police had shown them photographs to try and identify the offenders – all answered no. However, the first witness, Charlie Sammut, identified the two men that entered his home on 12 October as “a skinny guy with white skin”, and the second “darker-skinned with a blue top on”. Witness Sam Justus, who said he was threatened by a man with a knife on the morning of the offending, said that he could not fully describe the driver or passenger of the vehicle he saw, as both were wearing masks, but said the passenger was “male, Caucasian, skinny, in his 20s, wearing a white mask on his face”. The final witness, Senior Constable Kristina Pellegrino, said the investigation was “complete with the exception of DNA exhibits being examined, but the investigation in terms of criminal charges is complete”.
Mr Jackson asked if “A number of swabs were taken? And a number of items were put forward for DNA analysis?” “Yes, I did have a conversation with our forensic unit requesting those be examined. The conversation I had at the time, due to us not having a sample from either of the co-accused to compare to those DNA exhibits, they weren’t going to be analysed at the time,” Senior Constable Kristina Pellegrino. Magistrate Frances Medina said she was satisfied there was enough evidence for a trial. “Having heard the evidence and having regard to the exhibits and the hand-up brief, I’m of the view that there’s sufficient weight of evidence to support a conviction for the offences with which you are charged,” the Magistrate said. Mr George entered a plea of not guilty to the charges and was committed to stand trial at the County Court on 13 April, with an estimate of seven days duration. Mr Flavell had his case adjourned to April 26, with his lawyer, Sai Ranjit, granted the adjournment to “obtain psychiatric records and other material for a summary jurisdiction application”.