Tornadoes finish 2024 on a high note

ANOTHER year of successes has the Torquay Tornadoes Hockey Club well placed to enter the 2025 season at full speed.

Tornadoes vice-president Andrew Crowley said the club has capped off a successful 2024, following three senior premierships in the Geelong Hockey League.

The former president said Torquay’s Division 1 Men, Division 2 Women, and Division 2 Men all claimed premiership glory this season.

Torquay also had three players awarded best and fairest honours in their competitions and two players were named best on ground in their respective Grand Finals.

“It was a super exciting day to have six teams playing in Grand Finals on one day,” Crowley said.

“It was the culmination of so much work from all the players and coaches, and one the day we just had so many families supporting the club.

“Particularly our new women’s seconds team, which is predominantly made up of students, meaning we had supporters coming from across the state and even the country.”

Competition Best and Fairest Winners from Torquay included Division 1 Men’s Liam Murphy, Division 1 Women’s Danita Eastman and Division 2 Men’s Nathan Harper.

Player of the Grand Final winners were Division 2 Women’s Amber Bowey and Division 1 Men’s Liam Kerr-Nelson.

The Tornadoes continue to gather momentum as the club eagerly awaits the completion of its new field at Banyul Warri Fields, scheduled to open in 2026.

As the club structure stands now, Torquay continues to travel for both training and games to Stead Park in Geelong’s northern suburbs as the Surf Coast remains under-resourced for hockey play.

“It’s going to be an amazing boost for hockey in the region and it will be a great opportunity for us to recruit new players, retain current players, and get former players back to the sport,” Crowley said.

“But for now we look to 2025 which will include a full raft of age groups ranging from Under 8s to seniors, and potentially adding a sixth senior team to our ranks for the first time ever.”

For more information on playing hockey at the Tornadoes in 2025, head to torquayhockeyclub.com.au