Members of the Cooktown Crocs Underwater Hockey Club impressed in the pool at the other end of the country last week when they donned maroon for the 2025 Australian Underwater Hockey National Championships in Ballarat. Photo: Supplied.
After donning green and gold and impressing on the world stage last year, members of the Cooktown Crocs Underwater Hockey Club headed into the 2025 Australian Underwater Hockey National Championships in Ballarat with a newfound confidence last week.
Australian representatives Sienna Thomason, Rocco Thomason, Eli Carroll and Sam Ryder returned to the pool for the Ballarat showdown, and Cape York Weekly spoke to them as they prepared to fight for their spot in the national team for the current season.
In total, nine Cooktown players made the trip to Ballarat to don maroon for their state in six divisions.
Sienna, who was selected to play in the Elite Women’s team, said her Malaysian experience and first-time role as Queensland Elite Women’s vice-captain changed her confidence going into nationals this year.
“Having that experience from Worlds definitely does give you a little bit of extra confidence, because you know you can play at that high level and take on the challenges that will arise at Nationals,” she said.
“I’ve gotten a leadership role this year, and a lot of the Cooktown players that went to Worlds have actually gotten a leadership role, which is awesome.”
Coach Scott Thomason, who also hit the pool in the Masters division, said it was exhilarating to see the teamwork and gameplay in the water, adding he was hoping for a fourth consecutive win for the under-19 men’s team.
“They’ve come back from Worlds as different athletes and the game has just improved so much with the experience at that level,” he said.
“Basically, the whole U19 Queensland [men’s] side is made up of Worlds players, so they’ve got an amazing side and they’ve been undefeated for the past three years now.”
The U19A men’s side did notch up its fourth consecutive gold medal performance, while the U15, Masters and Elite Women secured silver, and the Elite Men bronze.
Queensland representatives
U15: Cruze Ryder (vice-captain), Emmet Dukes
U19A: Rocco Thomason (captain), Sam Ryder (vice-captain), Eli Carrol
U19B: Jett Ryder, Joshua McDermott, Cruze Ryder
Elite Women: Sienna Thomason (vice-captain)
Elite Men B: Rocco Thomason, Sam Ryder, Eli Carrol
Masters: Scott Thomason
