Bathurst talents Tamsin Bunt, Hannah Kable, Bec Lee ready for the return of Hockey One

The experienced Bathurst talent was a part of the NSW state squad for more than a decade over a prolonged period of Australian Hockey League success but missed out on taking part in Hockey One's inaugural 2019 season following the birth of her child.

Hockey One was then unable to run over the following two years due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Now the peak domestic Australian hockey competition makes its return, along with Bunt, during this Thursday night's opening match between hosts Melbourne Hockey Club and the Pride.

Fellow Bathurst talent Hannah Kable joins the Pride squad for the new season and Bunt's sister, Bec Lee, will once again line up for the Canberra Chill.

Bunt and Lee had the opportunity to face off back in January over two trial games but they will now get to enjoy a full Hockey One experience, though they'll have to wait until the last game of the regular season competition (November 12) to meet one another again.

Bunt has been involved in three NSW Arrows Australian Hockey League victories over 2009, 2014 and the competition's final season in 2018.

The buzz around Hockey One has been rising and Bunt has enjoyed taking it all in.

"You can really feel the hype building up. It's so exciting. It's been so long since we've played," she said.

"For my last year in 2018, we won that competition and that was an amazing competition. Then in 2019 I had Arlo, which was the first year of Hockey One.

"I had him six weeks prior to Hockey One starting. I was planning to play but I ended up cutting it too fine. Then we had two years of COVID where we were asking "Is it on? Is it off?" and we still ended up having and camps, but the comps were cancelled."

The Pride are looking to bounce back from a disappointing campaign in 2019's first Hockey One season.

NSW won just one of their six matches over the pool stage.

The team will be hoping for a much better time against Melbourne in this Thursday opener after they lost this corresponding game three years ago to the tune of 7-2.

Bunt and Kable will be keen to show that the last three years have led to positive changes for the state side.

"I went to watch the games and cheer them on but it was a disappointing season, especially since I'd been in the team since 2009. I think they just missed that bit of experience and composure," Bunt said.

"This year there's a mix of older and young players. There's a lot of exciting young players and some of the Hockeyroos who are coming in off the Olympics.

"It's going to be great to have Mariah Williams back. She's in on the back of a World Cup and the Olympics like year. She's got the firepower and the spark that we need.

"We've got Jocelyn Bartram who has been named World Goalie of the Year. We're lucky to have her. When she's on her game it's hard to get much past her.

"Melbourne will be tough. They'll be switched on and well drilled. You never know what can happen in the first game and you can never be too sure what to expect."

Bunt said the Pride squad have been developing well as a unit since training began.

"Selections were made in the June long weekend and from there we've been playing once a week in Sydney and playing in trial matches," she said.

"On the weekend just gone we had Saturday and Sunday training, and had two trial matches so far. We used that first trial to work out a few things then in the second trial game on Saturday I thought we really flowed well together and put a lot of positive things on the park."

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