This year's MHF-Milo-NSC Junior Hockey league will see an intrguing fight for the title with five-time double champions Bukit Jalil Sports School (BJSS) facing tougher competition.
It is interesting to note that two regular pioneer mebers of the league , Old La Sallians Association of Klang (Olak) and Tenaga Nasional, will not take part in the league this year.
Olak has cited financial reasons for their non participation while Tenaga has combined forces with Bandar Penawar Sports School and will play under the BPSS-Thunderbolt banner.
Thus they will be the front runners for the double this year and BJSS has acknowledged that they will have a hard time winning even one title.
The other teams in the nine team Division One are the Juniors teams of Bukit Jalil and Bandar Penawar along with Kijang Mas Kelantan, Anderson Ipoh, MBPJ and new comers Universiti KL and the national women's hockey team (MWHA).
The Kelantan team and Anderson are also considered as potential contenders but it will be interesting to see how the MWHA team fare since they are playing against the boys.
The women's team is the same one that is going for the World Cup qualifier later this month.The top five teams will qualify for the knockout stage with the three coming from the lower Division Two.
BJSS coach S. Prakash said that they expected an open title race and it would be foolish to under estimate any of the teams.
"All the teams have hired juniors players and many of my experience players have also been snapped up these teams.
"Thus we cannot expect to have it easy and neither will this be a two horse race like it was the previous two years," he said.
BJSS won the double in 2003, 2005, 2007, 2008, 2009 and have been the league champions since 2003.
The BPSS-Thunderbolt combination should be a top draw but it remains to be seen if they can deliver.
MWHA coach Yahya Atan said that for them it is the chance to gain quality pracrtice matches that prompted their entry.
"So we will play hard and try for the title as this will give my team the much needed match practice under match conditions.
"We are serious and I hope the teams will not take it easy against us," he said.
There is no chance of the teams to take it easy against the women as they are also eligible for the points as well as prize money that comes with the title.
Newcomer Unikl is also said to be a serious contender considering that they took part in the Premier League and in the process some of the players gained a wealth of experience.
The first round of matches will show just how the teams will fare and like Prakash said every match will count from Day One.
Overall an interesting league is in store and hopefully a bigger pool of contenders will make the title fight a close battle till the end.
Fixtures
Friday, 9 April 2010
Division One
1700H – BJSS v BJSS Juniors – Std KLHA Pantai
1700H – Anderson v MBPJ – Stadium Azaln Shah
1700H – SSBP Thunderbolt v SSBP Juniors – Bandar Penawar
1700H – MWHA v UnKL – Seremban Two Hockey Stadium
Division Two
1700H – PFS-USM v MBI-MSN – USM Stadium
1700H – SMK Dato Taha v TBSS - Tampin
1700H – SMK PP v MSN Sabah - Klang
Sunday, 11 April 2010
Division One
1630H – MBPJ v SSBP Thunderbolt – Stadum Tun Razak
1700H – PHK/MSS Kelantan v UniKL – Kuala Terengganu Stadium
Division Two
1700H – Matri v MBI-MSN – Kangar
1700H – TBSS v SML PP – Tampin
1700H – MSN Sabah v SMK Dato Taha - Klang
It is interesting to note that two regular pioneer mebers of the league , Old La Sallians Association of Klang (Olak) and Tenaga Nasional, will not take part in the league this year.
Olak has cited financial reasons for their non participation while Tenaga has combined forces with Bandar Penawar Sports School and will play under the BPSS-Thunderbolt banner.
Thus they will be the front runners for the double this year and BJSS has acknowledged that they will have a hard time winning even one title.
The other teams in the nine team Division One are the Juniors teams of Bukit Jalil and Bandar Penawar along with Kijang Mas Kelantan, Anderson Ipoh, MBPJ and new comers Universiti KL and the national women's hockey team (MWHA).
The Kelantan team and Anderson are also considered as potential contenders but it will be interesting to see how the MWHA team fare since they are playing against the boys.
The women's team is the same one that is going for the World Cup qualifier later this month.The top five teams will qualify for the knockout stage with the three coming from the lower Division Two.
BJSS coach S. Prakash said that they expected an open title race and it would be foolish to under estimate any of the teams.
"All the teams have hired juniors players and many of my experience players have also been snapped up these teams.
"Thus we cannot expect to have it easy and neither will this be a two horse race like it was the previous two years," he said.
BJSS won the double in 2003, 2005, 2007, 2008, 2009 and have been the league champions since 2003.
The BPSS-Thunderbolt combination should be a top draw but it remains to be seen if they can deliver.
MWHA coach Yahya Atan said that for them it is the chance to gain quality pracrtice matches that prompted their entry.
"So we will play hard and try for the title as this will give my team the much needed match practice under match conditions.
"We are serious and I hope the teams will not take it easy against us," he said.
There is no chance of the teams to take it easy against the women as they are also eligible for the points as well as prize money that comes with the title.
Newcomer Unikl is also said to be a serious contender considering that they took part in the Premier League and in the process some of the players gained a wealth of experience.
The first round of matches will show just how the teams will fare and like Prakash said every match will count from Day One.
Overall an interesting league is in store and hopefully a bigger pool of contenders will make the title fight a close battle till the end.
Fixtures
Friday, 9 April 2010
Division One
1700H – BJSS v BJSS Juniors – Std KLHA Pantai
1700H – Anderson v MBPJ – Stadium Azaln Shah
1700H – SSBP Thunderbolt v SSBP Juniors – Bandar Penawar
1700H – MWHA v UnKL – Seremban Two Hockey Stadium
Division Two
1700H – PFS-USM v MBI-MSN – USM Stadium
1700H – SMK Dato Taha v TBSS - Tampin
1700H – SMK PP v MSN Sabah - Klang
Sunday, 11 April 2010
Division One
1630H – MBPJ v SSBP Thunderbolt – Stadum Tun Razak
1700H – PHK/MSS Kelantan v UniKL – Kuala Terengganu Stadium
Division Two
1700H – Matri v MBI-MSN – Kangar
1700H – TBSS v SML PP – Tampin
1700H – MSN Sabah v SMK Dato Taha - Klang
