![Tim Hardy will step up to captain-coach the Tamworth men at this weekend's state open championships in Newcastle. Tim Hardy will step up to captain-coach the Tamworth men at this weekend's state open championships in Newcastle.](/images/transform/v1/crop/frm/ingYyB85ps4jmG9t8mfsHP/9940fb9d-c46f-4934-bbc8-911e622caac1.jpg/r0_0_1275_1210_w1200_h678_fmax.jpg)
It's there whenever he walks out of his room - the gold medal hanging on the door a glistening reminder of one of the best moments of Tim Hardy's hockey career.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
or signup to continue reading
Not that he really needs reminding; it is ingrained in his memory.
"It was pretty crazy," he said.
"I don't think I'll ever forget it."
The 'it' he is referring to is Tamworth's fairytale Open Mens Field State Championship triumph last year, the Frogs finally getting their hands on the silverware that had for so long eluded them in front of a big and parochial home crowd
Twelve months on Hardy said it still feels as special as that June day; the memories coming into sharper focus the last few weeks as the Frogs prepare to defend their title in Newcastle this weekend.
"I think just having the support that we had last year and obviously the team that we had last year as well...
"Having those memories to fall back on and the joy that we had, and obviously the success that we had, it definitely spurs you on to do really well again this weekend," he said.
![Tamworth will for the first time go into the state open men's championships as the defending champions. Tamworth will for the first time go into the state open men's championships as the defending champions.](/images/transform/v1/crop/frm/ingYyB85ps4jmG9t8mfsHP/b8714d2a-9321-4c70-8439-32669f32aac5.jpg/r0_0_1200_674_w1200_h678_fmax.jpg)
It will be a bit of a different-looking Frogs outfit that takes the pitch.
They have lost about half of last year's side including captain James Riddell and keeper Andrew Kelly, but still have the likes of Sam Liles, Ehren Hazell, Farmilo brothers Isaac and Calvin, and Hardy, who has stepped up to take on the captain-coach role.
"It's something that I really enjoy - coaching. I get a lot of satisfaction out of it so to do it with the Tamworth boys and to try and back it up with another win this weekend, it's something that I'm really looking forward to," he said.
He acknowledged it is "going to be a challenge" with the experience they have lost. In saying that, pretty much all the side have been away with the Frogs opens before.
The only one who hasn't is keeper Sam Griffith.
He has some big shoes to fill with Kelly having held the keeping role virtually since 2006 (he missed one year). But Hardy has no doubt the teenager, who will next month play for the NSW Blues at the under 18 national championships, is up to the task.
![Hardy (right) with team-mate Josh Worpel after Kiwis won the local Tamworth men's grand final. Hardy (right) with team-mate Josh Worpel after Kiwis won the local Tamworth men's grand final.](/images/transform/v1/crop/frm/ingYyB85ps4jmG9t8mfsHP/6e1d69a6-36d9-4254-be36-da6f2998e007_rotated_270.jpg/r0_584_3024_4032_w1200_h678_fmax.jpg)
Playing alongside him at Kiwis the last couple of seasons (Hardy moved back down to Canberra in December), he's seen first hand Griffith grow into the "absolutely brilliant goalkeeper that he is".
"It's going to be a pretty big challenge for him but I have no doubt he's going to absolutely kill it," he said.
Up the other end, they have the ability to "score goals quickly".
"It's a really exciting young fast team," Hardy said.
"So as long as we can keep the ball out of the back of the net I think we should be able to come away with some really good results."
They have Metro South West, Lithgow, North West Sydney and Sydney East to negotiate in their pool games.
The Frogs will field two sides with the 2's aiming to go one better than last year in Division 3.
The Tamworth women will meanwhile be hoping to win their way back into the top division at Macarthur.