Australia: Kookaburras thrash Greece
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| Australia |
August 6, 2003 
news.com.au
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Sam Holme
THE Kookaburras have thrashed Greece 10-0 as they test conditions in Athens ahead of next year's Olympic Games hockey tournament.
Australia's men's hockey side is tuning up for the Champions Trophy in Amsterdam later this month but has also taken the chance to check out Athens where the campaign for that elusive Olympic gold medal will resume in 2004.
A hat-trick from Queensland midfielder Troy Elder was one of the highlights of the friendly match against Greece.
South Australian striker Grant Schubert, who made his senior debut in the green and gold, scored two goals.
Jamie Dwyer also bagged two while Craig Victory, Brent Livermore and Adam Commens scored one each.
"It was about giving all our squad an opportunity to play out there to get used to the turf and the conditions," said Kookaburras assistant coach Colin Batch.
Hockey in Greece is still a nascent game in the nation that gave birth to popular sport.
"The Greeks were actually stronger than I though and they didn't make it easy for us," said Batch.
"They had a pretty solid defence"
The Olympic hockey centre, like much of the Athens' facilities, is yet to be completed.
"We actually played on a ground they won't use for the Olympics but we played on the surface that they'll use," Batch said.
The Kookaburras got a taste of the oppressive Mediterranean climate they can expect in 12 months' time.
"We have been training in the afternoon and it's pretty warm," Batch said.
"It's a very dry city, dusty."
However, Batch believed it was easier than the stifling humidity of Kuala Lumpur experienced at the World Cup last year and that the Kookaburras' fitness helped them adjust to the conditions quickly.
This weekend, the team heads north to more temperate climes in Germany where it plays two internationals against the national side.
The Germans will face the Aussies again in Amsterdam as part of the six nation Champions Trophy.
"The weekend, in some respects, is the real start of the tour for us," Batch said.
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