This year the Hockey Albury Wodonga men and women plied their trade in Canberra’s Capital League — effectively forced out of the Victorian competition by not being able to field reserve grade teams.

Hockey Victoria chief executive Andrew Skillern was yesterday on the Border to launch a state zone carnival to be played at the Albury Hockey Centre next month.

It will include about 300 under-14 players from the 10 zones — their entourage expected to swell numbers to about 1000 on November 15 and 16.

Skillern said the Border remained one of its strongest regional centres, the dual synthetic pitches one of only four such set ups in the state.

He suggested the two-day carnival could become a regular fixture on the Border sporting calendar.

“Basically our 10 zones in that age group — six metropolitan and four regional — will play here,” he said.

“Albury-Wodonga, with its dual capabilities is hosting this event, in this two-day format, for the first time this year and we are in discussions with the council about a longer-term agreement to hold it on an annual basis.

“We believe the facilities here are outstanding.

“It is one of only two that have dual pitch hybrid facilities and, with one going in Melbourne and another at Geelong, it is one of only four that come under our umbrella among 60 to 70 synthetic pitches around the state.”

Skillern believes in time the Spitfires and Strikers can return to the Victorian competition.

“At the end of the day we see Albury-Wodonga as one of our major affiliates,” he said.

“We need to put our heads down together and build the game here and once we do that I’m very confident we will build that critical mass able to sustain itself with a senior and reserve structure.

“I think it is really important for the growth and prosperity of the sport.

“In the short term, we understand the more viable option with the one team is to play in Canberra but still have Hockey Victoria as the governing body for the juniors and representative pathway.

“Whether it’s five or 10 years’ time, we would welcome them back — as far as we’re concerned, as an organisation they are premier league ready.”