Paris 2024 Olympics hockey: Kookaburras, Hockeyroos make changes to squads ahead of openers

The Australian men’s and women’s hockey teams have been forced to make changes for their Paris 2024 Olympics campaign openers.

Jake Whetton of the Kookaburras and Alice Arnott from the Hockeyroos will sit out their teams’ respective openers after sustaining minor injuries.

Nathan Ephraums will replace Whetton in the men’s hockey team who will take on Argentina in their first match on Saturday. Australia have been drafted in Group B along with Belgium, India, Argentina, New Zealand and Ireland.

Meanwhile, Maddison Brooks will take the place of Arnott in the women’s hockey team. They will begin their Paris 2024 campaign against South Africa on Sunday.

The Hockeyroos will also face Argentina, Great Britain, Spain and the United States in Group B.

Ephraums was the youngest member of the Kookaburras squad that clinched the gold medal at the Commonwealth Games in 2022. Having scored 33 goals for the Australian men’s hockey team in 65 international matches, he will make his Olympic debut in Paris.

Jake Whetton sustained a low-grade hamstring injury during the teams’ second practice match against Great Britain on Wednesday.

Brooks, an attacking midfielder, has adapted to international hockey quickly since making her Hockeyroos debut in 2023. She has played 32 internationals so far and will also be making her Olympic debut here.

Alice Arnott has pulled up with some calf soreness since arriving in Paris and as a precaution, she was withdrawn from the first fixture.