Leon Hayward
Leon Hayward (born 23 April 1990) is an Australian-born New Zealand field hockey player, who plays as a goalkeeper. Personal life. Leon Hayward was born and raised in Darwin, Northern Territory. He is the older brother of Kookaburras defender, Jeremy Hayward. His mother, Ellie, is of New Zealand descent. 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. He was named Goalkeeper of the Tournament during 2014 edition in Adelaide. New Zealand National Hockey League. In 2019, Hayward represented the  Auckland men's team in the New Zealand National Hockey League in Tauranga. 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. Kookaburras. Leon Hayward made his debut for the Kookaburras in 2014, during a test series against India in Perth, Australia. His first and only major tournament for Australia was the 2015 Sultan Azlan Shah Cup in Ipoh, Malaysia, where he won a silver medal. 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. He made his debut for the Black Sticks in 2019, during a test series against Japan in Stratford, New Zealand.