Players join national hockey league

Taranaki players feature in a number of different squads for this year's national hockey league which starts this weekend.

The seven players are sprinkled through teams throughout New Zealand.

Ben Collier, a 2010 national development squad member, is with defending champions North Harbour which includes only six players from last year's squad with many of their Black Sticks players out with Commonwealth Games commitments.

Stephen Davison, who was the top goal scorer in the 2009 NHL competition, is with Auckland, while 18-year-old Jamie Stones – a New Zealand Maori under-21 rep – is playing for Midlands.

Central, managed by Stones' father David, includes talented 19-year-olds Jake Blanks and Aaron Edmunds.

With a new lineup, Central will rely on the experience of Marcus Emery to break into the top four for the first time.

Another 2010 national development squad member Joel Baker is with Capital, while Todd Gould has also been named in the Southern squad.

- © Fairfax NZ News