This weekend will see the Women’s 2008 NSW State League titles come to the Newcastle International Hockey Centre and the host side will rely heavily on the defensive prowess of one woman.

Hamilton, 27, is by no means “green” when it comes to the State hockey circuit. Her career boasts continual NSW Country representation between 1998 and 2004, with sporadic exclusions for her worthier dedication to child-rearing.

Despite having played representative hockey for Sydney clubs as well as Newcastle, Hamilton denies she was a sure thing for the 2008 Newcastle squad.

“You are never a shoe-in,” she said.

“I would have liked to think I was but competition in Newcastle is getting so tough.”

Even at 27, Hamilton admits she is feeling the heat from the younger Newcastle competition.

“As you get older it is really hard to stay as fit as the younger girls,” she said.

Apart from years of dedicated training Hamilton admits she relies on her superior reach to dominate in defence.

“I think a lot of people are scared of my long reach. It makes me pretty effective at tackling people,” she said.

After playing hockey for 20 years Hamilton said her passion for the sport has not waned in the slightest, adding that her children only encourage what is already a hopeless love of the game.

“I absolutely love hockey and have all my life. It’s great to get out there and go for it. My children love coming to watch me play. I love hearing my daughter yell ‘go mummy’,” she said.

Hamilton, a member of the Tigers team in Newcastle, will join forces with her weekly competition when she takes to the field with Newcastle.

The Maitland Strikers’ Cocking sisters Kasey, Ashley and Shelby, fellow Strikers player Analiese Burley, along with the best of the remaining

Hunter teams will join Hamilton in the Newcastle squad to take on eight teams from across regional and metropolitan NSW.

The State League will kick off at 9am on Saturday and Sunday, with Newcastle coming up against Bathurst and the South Coast on Saturday and Eastern Districts and Illawarra on Sunday.

Newcastle will come into some extra motivation against Illawarra, as the winner will also take out the Steel City title for 2008.

All teams will travel to Tamworth on the June long weekend to play the remaining five teams. The two teams on top of the points table at this stage will face off for the State title.