HOCKEY: Both Australia’s men’s and women’s hockey team will leave the 2012 London Olympic Games with exactly the same results they achieved in Beijing four years ago.

Although the Kookaburras will not leave the London with the gold medal they so desperately desired, they will not be going home empty handed, winning bronze for the second consecutive Olympics.

Amazingly, the medal is the sixth consecutive Games that they have won a medal, an effort not matched by any other Australian team.

The Kookaburras made the perfect start to their tournament when they defeated South Africa 6-0 in their opening game.

Things continued to go to plan in their next game when they defeated the dangerous Spain 5-0 and all of a sudden the Kookaburras were flying.

It appeared their winning streak would continue when they were 2-0 up against Argentina at half time in their third game.

However they were denied their third win in a row when Argentina rallied in the second half, scoring their second goal via a penalty corner with two minutes remaining, to deny Australia a guaranteed pass to the semi-finals. 

Unfortunately this trend would continue in their next game against Great Britain, with the vocal home crowd getting behind GB who found themselves 3-0 down early in the second half. They rallied and were able to record a 3-3 draw, again leaving the Kookaburras vulnerable to missing the semis.

Fighting for their lives and needing a draw or win to progress, the Kookaburras hit their straps in their final pool match against Pakistan, recording a convincing 7-0 win to give them plenty of confidence heading into the finals.

In what many expected to be the final match up, the Kookaburras faced their biggest rivals Germany in the semi-final in what was 1st v 2nd in the world.

Despite Australia leading for most of the match and being a goal up with 16 minutes to go, Germany lifted another gear in the final stages of the game, scoring three late goals to run out 4-2 winners and cruelly deny the Kookaburras a chance to play for gold.

Given that the Kookaburras have been the number 1 team in the world and won every major tournament over the last four years, the fact they were unable to win gold is obviously a disappointment. However, showing the sign of a good champion team, they were able to rally themselves two days later and dominate the bronze medal match vs Great Britain.

Meanwhile, the 2012 London Olympics campaign was bitter sweet for the Hockeyroos. 

Having only lost one game (by one goal) and only conceding two goals for the entire tournament (both from penalty corners)  they played an attractive style of hockey that saw them take it up to, and defeat, some of the world’s best teams.

However despite all this and finishing on 10 points at the end of the pool matches, they missed out on the semi-finals on a goal difference of one goal, with Argentina and New Zealand also on ten points and progressing to the semis.

Again adding salt to the wounds, this was the same scenario that played out for the Hockeyroos in Beijing where they also missed the semis on goal difference.

While obviously disappointed with the result, the team can be buoyed for what lays ahead for this young group that drew with Argentina (world number 2) and defeated Germany (world number 3) at this Games.

After suffering their only defeat of the tournament in the first game against New Zealand, the Hockeyroos hit back well in their next game, smashing Germany to keep their semi-final hopes alive.

Things continued to go well for the Hockeyroos in their next game, holding out a determined USA who were full of confidence after having defeated Argentina in their previous game.

South Africa was next on the list for the Hockeyroos, who recorded a 1-0 win. Although the team would have liked to have won by more to give them a greater goal difference, SA were determined to take some points off the Hockeyroos and proved to be a tough opposition.

It was all on the line for the Hockeyroos in their final match against Argentina, knowing that only a win would be enough to see them progress to the semis.

Despite taking it up to the reigning world champs, the result was a 0-0 draw and although it wasn’t enough, keeping Argentina goalless and recording a draw was an achievement in itself that they can be proud of.

Determined to finish off the tournament in style, they dominated China in the 5th/6th place playoff to record a 2-0 win, confirming fifth spot and sending a warning to the rest of the world that they will be a force in the coming years.

Shaun Anderson in London

Olympics.com.au