Leon Hayward Explained

Leon Hayward
Birth Date:1990 4, df=yes
Birth Place:Darwin, Northern Territory, Australia
Height:1.78 m
Position:Goalkeeper
Currentclub:Auckland
Years1:2012–2017
Clubs1:NT Stingers
Caps1:102
Goals1:0
Years2:2019–
Clubs2:Auckland
Caps2:5
Goals2:0
Nationalyears1:2009
Nationalteam1:Australia U–21
Nationalcaps1:13
Nationalgoals1:0
Nationalyears2:2014–2015
Nationalteam2:Australia
Nationalcaps2:13
Nationalgoals2:0
Nationalyears3:2019–
Nationalteam3:New Zealand
Nationalcaps3:49
Nationalgoals3:0

Leon Hayward (born 23 April 1990)[1] is an Australian-born New Zealand field hockey player, who plays as a goalkeeper.[2]

Personal life

Leon Hayward was born and raised in Darwin, Northern Territory.[2]

He is the older brother of Kookaburras defender, Jeremy Hayward.[3] His mother, Ellie, is of New Zealand descent.[4]

Career

Domestic leagues

Australian Hockey League

Leon Hayward made his debut in the Australian Hockey League for the NT Stingers during the 2012 tournament in Canberra.[5] He was named Goalkeeper of the Tournament during 2014 edition in Adelaide.[6]

New Zealand National Hockey League

In 2019, Hayward represented the Auckland men's team in the New Zealand National Hockey League in Tauranga.[7]

National teams

Australia Under-21

In 2009, Hayward represented the 'Burras' on two occasions; at the Australian Youth Olympic Festival and Junior World Cup, winning gold and bronze medals respectively.[8]

Kookaburras

Leon Hayward made his debut for the Kookaburras in 2014, during a test series against India in Perth, Australia.[2] [9] His first and only major tournament for Australia was the 2015 Sultan Azlan Shah Cup in Ipoh, Malaysia, where he won a silver medal.[10]

Black Sticks

Due to his mother's ancestry, Hayward was eligible for selection in the NZL Black Sticks. He made the move to play for New Zealand following a four-year absence from Australian senior selection.[4]

He made his debut for the Black Sticks in 2019, during a test series against Japan in Stratford, New Zealand.[11]

He was part of the New Zealand hockey squad which competed in the men's field hockey tournament during the 2020 Summer Olympics.[12] It also marked his maiden appearance at the Olympics.[13] He was also a member of the New Zealand hockey squad which competed in the men's field hockey tournament during the 2022 Commonwealth Games. It also eventually marked his maiden appearance at the Commonwealth Games.

He was also named in the New Zealand squad for the 2023 Men's FIH Hockey World Cup and it also marked his maiden FIH Hockey World Cup appearance.[14] [15] During the 2023 Hockey World Cup, he played a clinical and important role which helped New Zealand to qualify to the quarter-final of the competition. He did not start in the playing XI in any of the matches at the 2023 FIH Hockey World Cup as he was benched in favour of first-choice goal-keeper Dom Dixon. He played a huge role in New Zealand's stunning victory over hosts India in the crossover match during the 2023 World Cup which ended up in a penalty shootout where he made five saves out of eight penalties which effectively eliminated India out of the tournament.[16] [17] He came off the bench as a replacement to Dixon during the course of the decisive penalty shootout after both teams drew level at 3-3 before the final whistle was blown.[18] [19]

Accounting

He also holds a job as an accountant at Finnz Chartered Accountants in Waikato, Auckland. Prior to his commitment as an employee at Finnz Chartered Accountants, he plied his trade in plenty of jobs in the field of finance and also had many coaching stints in field hockey. He reportedly admits that being a chartered accountant in day time and playing field hockey for 10 to 15 hours per week is a demanding job.[20]

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Team Details – Australia . . tms.fih.ch . 13 October 2019.
  2. Web site: Reid names first squad . . hockey.org.au . 13 October 2019.
  3. Web site: Kookaburras players Jeremy and Leon Hayward's mother Ellie hoping sons make Olympic hockey cut . . ntnews.com.au . 13 October 2019.
  4. Web site: Vantage Black Sticks Men bolstered by former Olympians to take on Japan in Stratford . . blacksticks.co.nz . 13 October 2019 . 13 October 2019 . https://web.archive.org/web/20191013080151/http://blacksticks.co.nz/News/ArtMID/14632/ArticleID/2062293/Vantage-Black-Sticks-Men-bolstered-by-former-Olympians-to-take-on-Japan-in-Stratford . dead .
  5. Web site: HAYWARD Leon . . hockeyaustralia.altiusrt.com . 13 October 2019.
  6. Web site: TAS Tigers, NSW Arrows win . . hockey.org.au . 13 October 2019.
  7. Web site: HAYWARD Leon . . hockeynz.altiusrt.com . 13 October 2019.
  8. Web site: Hockey Australia Annual Report 2008-2009 . . clearinghouseforsport.gov.au . 13 October 2019 .
  9. News: Kookaburras include five uncapped players in squad for Champions Trophy hockey . . 14 October 2014 . 13 October 2019.
  10. Web site: Black Sticks men beat Australia to win hockey's Sultan Azlan Shah Cup . 13 April 2015 . . 13 October 2019.
  11. Web site: HAYWARD Leon . . tms.fih.ch . 13 October 2019.
  12. Web site: Exciting youngsters named in Olympic hockey squads . 2023-01-28 . blacksticksnz.co.nz . . 18 June 2021 . https://archive.today/20210618015234/https://blacksticksnz.co.nz/news_events/exciting-youngsters-named-in-olympic-hockey-squads/ . dead .
  13. Web site: Leon Hayward . Olympics.com. 3 February 2024.
  14. Web site: McAlister . Sean . 2023 Men’s Hockey World Cup: Full hockey squads for all nations . Olympics.com . 10 January 2023 . 3 February 2024.
  15. Web site: Team Details New Zealand . 2023-01-28 . tms.fih.ch . . 8.
  16. News: Ganesan . Uthra . 2023-01-22 . Hockey World Cup India tumbles out after a dramatic shoot-out against New Zealand . en-IN . The Hindu . 2023-01-28 . 0971-751X.
  17. Web site: 2023-01-22 . IND vs NZ, Hockey World Cup 2023: New Zealand defeat India in a penalty shootout, will face Belgium next in the QFs . 2023-01-28 . The Indian Express . en.
  18. Web site: Meet Leon Hayward- A chartered accountant who knocked India out of FIH Men's Hockey World Cup 2023 . 2023-01-28 . DNA India . en.
  19. Web site: 2023-01-22 . India Vs New Zealand Highlights Hockey World Cup 2023: Heartbreak for IND, eliminated after losing to NZ in sudden death . 2023-01-28 . Hindustan Times . en.
  20. Web site: Prasad . Aashin . 2023-01-23 . Hockey World Cup 2023: Chartered accountant Leon Hayward, who plays in 'spare time', knocks India out . 2023-01-28 . sportstar.thehindu.com . en.