Kookaburra Jake Harvie, brother Tom key to Perth Thundersticks campaign as they eye dual international calls

Kookaburra Jake Harvie jokes his younger brother Tom is playing so well, he might need to watch his back in the national team. The pair hold the key to Perth Thundersticks’ chase of a maiden Hockey One title, with Jake named the club’s co-captain last week. Tom and Jake played alongside each other in the season-opening defeat to Canberra Chill last week and are preparing to face Tasmania in their first home game on Sunday. But if they had it their way, they would also be representing the country together. “We speak about this all the time,” Harvie told The West Australian. “It is just so improbable to get the opportunity to play at this level, let alone together and now even having the opportunity to do it in the leadership group together is so cool and I’m just so proud of that. “Fingers crossed that happens, I’ve been really impressed with where Tom has taken his hockey and how well he is playing. “I think I probably have to watch my back for my own spot with how well he is playing at the moment. “We are just so passionate about hockey, growing the game, and playing as best we can in the way we think is the right way. “Undoubtedly, we would love to have the opportunity to play for Australia together, and I think what we recognise is that just getting the opportunity to be fit and healthy and to play together at any level is actually quite a blessing. The brothers are products of South West Hockey League club Boyanup. The club is a powerhouse of regional hockey and despite representing a tiny town of less than 900 people, is a hub for elite coaching. Fellow Thundersticks Coby Green and Candyce Peacock are also from Boyanup. Harvie’s Olympics debut was eight years in the making. The defensive half-back was a Kookaburras regular and had played almost 50 times before the Tokyo, but missed out on the team in a selection snub. He represented the country at the Paris Games for the first time. “From a performance point of view it was a bit disappointing as athletes whenever you compete you go to compete and win and it just didn’t quite shake out that way for us,” Harvie said. “There is lots to learn on a hockey front for sure … but there is so much to be grateful for. “It’s something that has become really evident to me since coming back to Australia, there are just so many people offering their congratulations and have said how proud they are of us as Olympians for representing Australia. When you get caught up in the moment you often don’t reflect as an athlete. “It’s been a long journey for me, just to even get there, but in reality it is a journey that is probably a lot shorter than other people that have spent even longer trying to get to the Olympics. “I recognise how lucky I am to have even had the opportunity to participate in the Olympics.” Harvie is sharing the Thundersticks captaincy with Kookaburras forward Tom Wickham this season. The 26-year-old is one of the sport’s greatest advocates in Western Australia and says he understands what the Thundersticks — once a powerhouse brand in the sport — means to hockey in the State. “It feels a little bit surreal, I just feel so honoured and grateful to have that opportunity,” Harvie said. “I am someone that has idolised the teams that are successful and synonymous with the Thundersticks and the players within that for most of my life. “Hockey is so special to me at all levels and it’s such an awesome opportunity and I don’t take the responsibility lightly at all. “The leaders that come to mind for me are the ones that made an impact on me as a man as well as a hockey player. “The one that first comes to mind is Alistair Parkes, he was a senior player for the Thundersticks and a player for a long time. One of the things I learnt from him, he probably prepared as professionally as anyone I have come across. “That has been a huge part of my journey, paying the respect to everybody that gets to play at that level, the people that endeavour to play at that level and those that never get the opportunity to take it that seriously. “I think that’s held me in really great stead along the way as an athlete ... but as a person as well.” Perth lost 4-3 to the Chill in Canberra on the weekend. They went 4-0 behind in the first quarter and had chances to level the game late. They face Tasmania on Sunday at Perth Hockey Stadium.