![Ehren Hazell (middle) and Nathan Czinner (middle third from left) enjoy Hockey One glory with their NSW Pride team-mates. Picture by Martin Keep/Getty Images Ehren Hazell (middle) and Nathan Czinner (middle third from left) enjoy Hockey One glory with their NSW Pride team-mates. Picture by Martin Keep/Getty Images](/images/transform/v1/crop/frm/ingYyB85ps4jmG9t8mfsHP/909b0ef0-b5b1-40c6-bded-79638717ca82.jpg/r0_292_5719_3711_w1200_h678_fmax.jpg)
Tamworth's Ehren Hazell is celebrating his second Hockey One League triumph and Armidale's Nathan Czinner his first, after their NSW Pride side defeated the Perth Thundersticks 2-nil in a gripping final in Bendigo on Sunday.
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A moment of brilliance from Ky Willott proved the difference as the Pride defended their inaugural title win in 2019, and made it a clean sweep for NSW with the Pride women, of which Alice Arnott was a part of, earlier prevailing over the Brisbane Blaze in a shoot out.
Local hockey fans had a vested interest in both men's sides with Tamworth's Matt Willis suiting up for the Thundersticks.
The former Kookaburra was heavily involved in the play early, and had a reverse stick shot saved in the opening few minutes after some sharp work to create the opportunity. It was a sign of things to come with the Pride having to weather a storm from the Thundersticks in the first quarter, but holding them out.
They looked to have finally got reward for all of their pressure when, off their fourth penalty corner of the game, Liam Flynn had a flick turned in off one of the Pride defenders. But it was deemed dangerous and disallowed.
![Matt Willis competes for possession with NSW Pride captain Jack Hayes during Sunday's Hockey One grand final. Picture by Martin Keep/Getty Images Matt Willis competes for possession with NSW Pride captain Jack Hayes during Sunday's Hockey One grand final. Picture by Martin Keep/Getty Images](/images/transform/v1/crop/frm/ingYyB85ps4jmG9t8mfsHP/d8be6c9e-c0cb-463e-bb04-ed3a7eddf0ac.jpg/r0_0_3406_2270_w1200_h678_fmax.jpg)
Minutes later Willott ran onto a long ball into the circle from Flynn Ogilvie and, with virtually no angle launched a bullet tomahawk into the left hand side of the goal. He was then successful with his conversion to give the Pride a 2-nil lead they would hold for the rest of the game.
Willis did earn a corner for the Thundersticks with three-and-a-half minutes to go, but trying for the field goal that would have given them the conversion and opportunity to level (there is no conversions for penalty goals), it went a bit haywire.
Starved of opportunities early, Hazell got more involved as the game went on and showed some of his silky skills midway through the third quarter to create one of the Pride's best chances after Willott's goal.
After weaving his way through a wall of Thundersticks defenders, Hazell, on the reverse, threaded the ball through to captain Jack Hayes. But the cross to an incoming Tom Craig was ruled dangerous.
Czinner also had some good touches to wrap up his debut campaign.
The win completed a remarkable turnaround for the Pride after losing their last three pool games and only just sneaking into the semi-finals on goal difference.
It meant they had to overcome minor premiers Brisbane Blaze in their semi-final on Saturday to keep their hopes of going back-to-back alive, which they did prevailing in a shoot-out.