They’ve won premierships together, played for NSW together and now Tamworth hockey tyros Ehren Hazell and Isaac Farmilo are set to form a strike force up front for their country.
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The talented pair are currently in Malaysia preparing with their Australian U21s team-mates for their Sultan of Johor Cup defence.
They flew out of Australia on Monday morning and have a trial game on Thursday before taking on the United States on Sunday.
When they spoke to The Leader both couldn’t wait for what will be one of the toughest hockey challenges they’ve faced.
Not only will they be coming up against the best under 21 players from the US, Japan, India, Great Britain and Malaysia, but they’ll also have to battle humidity the likes of which Hazell, at least, hasn’t experienced before.
Farmilo has a bit of an idea of what to expect from playing for the Australian U18s in the Youth Olympics qualifiers in Vanuatu back in 2014.
“It’s pretty full-on. You’re dripping with sweat,” he said.
To acclimatise they have been doing sessions in the steam room with the forecast for 90 per cent humidity most of the time.
“Getting used to the humidity over there is key to performing well over there,” Farmilo said.
He is in pretty good touch, bagging four goals to be the equal highest goal-scorer with Kookaburras star Jeremy Hayward for the Northern Territory in the recent Australian Hockey League.
“That was really good. It was my first AHL experience,” he said.
“We probably exceeded expectations. We came sixth over there. Apparently it’s the highest they’ve finished in about 10 years.”
The second youngest in the side, which also included his former Workies team-mate Brandan Horner, the 20-year old was drafted into the NT side from the pick-up roster after just missing out on NSW selection.
Playing alongside the likes of Hayward and former Kookaburra Joel Carroll was a great learning experience as was being exposed to different types of coaches, he said.
It was also good to test himself against the games elite with all of the Australian players turning out for their respective states.
The NSW Institute of Sport (NSWIS) also organised for Hazell to go over to Western Australia and train with the Western Australia Institute of Sport squad and some of the Hockeyroos and Kookaburras coming back from injury.
It will be his first time overseas and first time wearing the green and gold, and as well as the experience that all that entails, he is also excited about playing striker.
“I’m definitely looking forward to getting back up there,” he said.
He doesn’t get that opportunity too often, playing predominantly in the midfield for Workies and his Sydney club side.
Farmilo is also looking forward to having his good-mate up front with him and believes it will be a big benefit.
“We know what each other does and likes to do,” he said.
He expects Great Britain to be one of the toughest sides.
“I’m (also) really looking forward to playing Malaysia. I hear the crowd triples when Malaysia plays,” he said.
