Chris O’Dempsey before the match for bronze at the 2012 Masters Hockey World Cup in London.

[UPDATE Saturday 25 August: Chris O’Dempsey reports that the Australians were leading one goal to nil with six minutes to go “…and a dubious penalty gave the Dutch an equalizer… Sadly, we lost in the (ensuing) penalty shootout… and losing the bronze medal. However.. the finals have seen the boys play the best hockey of the tour!”]

Friend of the Swannies, Chris O’Dempsey – and his Australian Hockey Masters Team, will go for bronze today at the 2012 Masters Hockey World Cup in London.

Chris says that the Australians have “fought our way to the bronze medal game against the Netherlands! Time to dust up the Dutch!”

The game will commence at 1.50pm today, Oxford time.

Earlier in the week, the Australians lost to England who will play off in the Final for gold.

Chris, who has not yet spoken with the Swannies’ most controversial player, Billy Crang, believes that “atrocious umpiring gave the Poms the game.”

Just last month, Chris was in Saigon and donated a couple of items for our AFL Grand Final Parties; namely, a signed 1996 Brisbane Bears jumper (signed only months before the Bears became the Brisbane Lions) and a Heart Reach Australia hat signed by the former motor racing ace, the late Peter Brock.

From all the Swannies, good luck to Chris and his Australian hockey team as they take on the Dutch this afternoon. No need to be encouraging the Dutch to smoke any more spliffs by letting them win!

To monitor the results, click on to the 2012 Masters Hockey World Cup results.