Woodanilling’s Shaun Shackley takes gold as WA under-21s win the Australian national championships in Canberra

On his first crack in the under-21 State team, Woodanilling’s Shaun Shackley came home with gold after WA won their fifth straight national title in Canberra. Shackley, an Upper Great Southern hockey product, was in the side which came from 2-0 down to draw 4-4 with Tasmania in the gold medal match, clinching the crown 3-1 in the shootout that broke the deadlock. A striker with Woodanilling Wanderers, his main role was winning penalty corners from which Ian Grobbelaar – a full international – could have a strike. The young farmer, who hopes to combine playing for WASPS in Perth with playing and coaching Woodanilling this season, said the under-21s had made history. “We looked at the shield and saw Victoria had done a three-peat a while ago but nobody had done five in a row,” he said. “It’s really something because as an age group team, it changes every year. “It was awesome to be part of it and even though we went 2-0 down, we never felt that it was out of our control. “Even them equalising didn’t faze us — I had just been subbed off on a rotation and I saw it go in; it seemed like slow motion. “But we didn’t change our plan and got through in the end.” A goalless first quarter was followed by a breathless second where WA went two goals down before rallying to reach half-time just one goal in arrears. Tasmania had struck twice in three minutes, first from a penalty corner and then from a penalty stroke — both converted by their skipper Oliver Stebbings. Patrick Andrew pulled one back from a corner for WA before two field goals in two minutes from Charlie McIntyre and Charlie McCarthy gave the defending champions the edge in the third quarter. Tasmania made it 3-3 in the 47th minute but WA forged ahead with a Charlie Johnston goal five minutes from time. Joy turned to despair two minutes later as Tasmania equalised in the 57th minute to send the contest to penalty shuffles. WA scored from their first, third and fifth one-on-one, while Tasmania could only net from their second. Shackley, 21, started in hockey because both his parents played and are life members of their local club. “They let me try my hand at it probably at an earlier age than most kids and I loved it, it was awesome,” he said. “I remember playing in the Narrogin carnival — it was the only time in the year that we played on turf. “We used to hope to get to the finals so we could play another game.” In preparation for the event in Canberra, he was training in Perth three times a week but he is now hoping to spend a bit more time on the family farm. “Playing in Perth in the (premier) league there obviously helps because the Australian players play too and that obviously makes a big difference,” Shackley said. “I’ve had a lot of help to get to that stage with parents and coaches, and I could not have done it without them.” The under-21 side got to the final on April 30 with an unbeaten run which took them through their pool. Then came a tough semifinal which WA won 3-2 against NSW thanks to a goal three minutes from time, setting up the showpiece decider and a little piece of hockey history.