Team | GP | PTS |
---|---|---|
Ice | 19 | 49 |
Thunde.. | 18 | 31 |
Mustan.. | 17 | 28 |
Lightn.. | 16 | 27 |
Brave | 16 | 22 |
Norths.. | 16 | 21 |
Adrena.. | 16 | 14 |
Rhinos | 18 | 12 |
Player | Points |
---|---|
N Benson | 15 |
R Nekludovs | 14 |
Z Boyle | 8 |
D Chen | 8 |
It’s 5PM at Adelaide Airport and I’m upstairs in departures with General Manager Glen Foll, ready for the team to arrive and embark on the longest road trip of the AIHL season. Unlike most road trips, the team is leaving a day early to help settle into Perth. Typically, most players would be looking to get on the flight and get some sleep when travelling early on a game day, but today there’s a relaxed energy. Coming off a big win in front of 3000 fans at the AIS Arena in Canberra, with new roster additions, everyone is aware of the importance of getting some crucial competition points while in Perth. But with the game not until tomorrow, the journey feels lighter.
Roman Nekludovs and Coy Prevost arrive together, a new face and a familiar face, returning for the first time since 2023. They’ve only just arrived in Adelaide on Wednesday and Thursday respectively and now it’s straight back on a plane. As players continue to arrive, equipment is checked in and players proceed through security to wait for departure. It takes a coordinated effort to ensure that 16 hockey bags, 2 goalie bags, 2 stick bags (containing 50+ sticks), 4 team bags and a massage table are all checked in.
On the plane the team is seated mostly together towards the back. For some it’s an opportunity to catch up on some sleep, for others a chance to catch up with teammates. I sit next to Coy Prevost and Kyle MacPhail, who both choose the sleep option. Darcy Flanagan is a couple rows back, happy to chat with anyone who’s awake. Over the next 48 hours I’ll get a better insight into the team dynamic but it’s already clear he’s a big part of the energy.
After landing in Perth, it’s 9:30PM, and by the time we arrive at the hotel in the CBD it’s past 10PM, although due to the time difference it feels later. At this point half of the team opted to head to bed while the other half got a late dinner in the hotel lobby. It’s interesting to observe how different players prepare the night before a game differently. For some, such as Ryan Foll, they’re used to working late nights and wouldn’t normally be asleep until well after midnight. Others, like Steve Best who is a personal trainer, Friday started long ago at 5AM. Head Coach Jade Galbraith, a 20+ season professional hockey player himself, allows the team to manage their preparation and choose what’s best for themselves.
Saturday morning at half past 7 the team starts to appear downstairs for the hotel breakfast. Most opt for a cooked breakfast and coffees are ordered. I joined Zach Boyle, Romans Nekludovs, Coy Prevost, Josh Adkins, Connor Parr, Joey MacDougall, Nathaniel Benson and Team Manager Jamie Taylor for a walk to Kings Park where we enjoyed the views and some Stories were uploaded - not just by me for the Team's Instagram, but by the players as well! It’s easy to forget for many on the team it’s not just a hockey trip but a chance to see a new city.
At 2PM the buses leave for the Perth Ice Arena and there is an immediate switch into game mode. Most opt to put their headphones in and begin their preparation, some discuss the game while others are tuning into another game from around the league. As is tradition in hockey, the team loosen up and sharpen their reflexes by kicking a soccer ball around. After a minor hiccup (where a soccer ball was forgotten and Jamie Taylor had to make a short trip to a local sports store) the team begin their warmup.
Courtney Duffield, the Adrenaline’s Sports Trainer and Massage Therapist, sets up her massage table and begins to attend to players in need of treatment. Now 10 games into the season and coming off 4 weeks straight of double headers (including two road trips), there are niggling injuries or soreness that massage can assist with. In her second year with the Adrenaline, Courtney joins the team on her first road trip of 2025 and is no doubt one of the unsung heroes of the Adrenaline.
Prior to the game, as players are getting dressed, defenseman Ty Wright is faced with an equipment issue…his skate blade won’t lock into his skate. Typically, a standard fix, however due to the timing and equipment available it’s quickly realised that there will be no way to get that skate repaired in time for the game. Thankfully, Coy Prevost was able to offer a spare pair of skates and Wright was able to continue his preparation.
If you’re reading this, you’ll likely know that the Adrenaline won the game. You’d have seen the scoreline…Adrenaline battled from 2-0 down to win 7-4. What you mightn’t have seen on the broadcast, or in the highlight reels, is a team that battled against the odds to defeat the Perth Thunder in Perth for the first time since 2016.
I observed from behind the bench as Ty Wright battled the pain and discomfort of using ill-fitting skates. I heard the coughing from Nat Benson who’s recovering from an illness which has swept through the locker room over the past month or so. I witnessed first-hand Jade Galbraith and his belief in his team, even after going down by two goals. It was 18 players against a crowd of 400…but those 18 players believed they were there to win and were able to control the game until the end.
At the conclusion of the game Galbraith speaks to his team. He is proud of the effort, but the job isn’t done. The team enjoys the win, only the second of the season, but knows one win is only the start for a climb up the ladder.
Back at the hotel later that night and Courtney Duffield is hard at work, multiple players seeking treatment. It’s past 10:30PM before she can wrap up for the evening. I’m sharing a room with Jade Galbraith and rewatching the game. Getting to know Jade over the past couple months I’ve noticed he has an intense love of hockey and a unique understanding of the game. As you’d expect from a coach, he picks up on things that others may not. He takes notes and discusses intricate details in each play.
Waking up Sunday I joined Team Manager Jamie Taylor on a trip to Cockburn Ice Arena with Ty Wright and Zach Boyle. Many would be aware that Boyle is the Manager of the Skaters Network in Adelaide. There’s arguably no one in South Australia with a better understanding of skates and ice hockey equipment, something that would prove vital in getting Wright back into his own skates. The staff at Cockburn Ice Arena, Perth’s other ice rink, kindly allowed Boyle to use their tools and after an hour or so, the skate was fixed.
Arriving at the rink on Sunday the team was ready to go. Again, if you are reading this, I’m sure you know the result. Unfortunately, it wasn’t to be for the Adrenaline on this occasion. Despite battling until the very end, Perth came away with a 7-4 win, a reverse of the day prior.
While results are often used to define the success or failure for a weekend in hockey, the Sunday game had just as many defining moments…ones that shape the culture within a locker room. Julian Friederich took a big hit (one that would eventually result in an injury and render him unavailable the following weekend) and bounced straight back up. Daniel Koudelka, who pre-game was in doubt due to an upper body injury, never considered ‘taking it easy’ or missing a crucial game. Josh Adkins solidified his chemistry on a line with Romans Nekludovs and Nathaniel Benson.
At the end of the game, while disappointed, the feeling in the locker room was different to other losses. There was pride in the effort displayed, belief in the direction of the team and hunger to keep the momentum going into the following weekend at home.
When the team returns to the hotel, it is finally an opportunity for the players to relax. It’s a reminder that these athletes aren’t the same as other elite athletes. They compete at the highest level, but also have jobs to return to next week. They also sacrifice time with their kids, socialising with their friends, weddings, birthdays, and other events, just so they can represent their city week in, week out. I enjoy some quiet beers with some players in one of their rooms before heading out to a bar. They’ve earnt the right to let their hair down.
Waking up on Monday morning was a bit slow. It was a fun night and a chance for the team to enjoy each other’s company without the pressure of hockey. Joey MacDougall, Ty Wright and Jamie Taylor woke up early and played golf in Perth, a few were up for breakfast but otherwise, most just enjoyed a sleep in and appeared in the lobby when it was time to leave for the airport. It’s an Adelaide public holiday so there was no rush to get back home. The 1PM flight was, for the most part, an easily manageable time for the players.
As the players collect their gear on Monday evening, I leave the airport with a greater appreciation for our playing group. They don’t get to have a day off now or spend Tuesday with their family…they head back to work, back to university or other commitments that they have. It’s clear they do this for the love of hockey and the chance to represent their city. They wouldn’t have it any other way and they can’t wait to be back at home in front of their home crowd against the Central Coast Rhinos.
Contact Information
Adelaide Adrenaline Ice Hockey Club Inc.
Adelaide, South Australia
Australia
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