Hockey India League: Australian defender Corey Weyer joins Delhi SG Pipers

Hyderabad: Hockey India League franchise Delhi SG Pipers have signed Australian defender Corey Weyer for the upcoming season of the Hockey India League. Weyer replaces compatriot Flynn Ogilve, who had to opt out of the league due to personal reasons.

The 28-year-old is a powerful drag-flicker and is a vital cog in any team’s defensive lineup.

Weyer’s addition to Delhi SG Pipers not only adds muscle to the defences of the squad but also provides an additional set piece option within the team.

Weyer was a part of Australia’s Paris Olympics 2024 squad and scored Australia’s opening goal in his country’s 2-1 win over Ireland in the group stages. The 28-year-old defender made his international debut for Australia in 2017 and has 63 caps and three goals under his belt.

The defender is not new to playing in Indian conditions after he played an integral part in Australia’s bronze-medal winning 2018 World Cup campaign, played at the Kalinga Stadium in Bhubaneshwar.

Weyer was a part of the gold medal-winning team at the 2019 Oceania Cup and 2014 Youth Olympics in Nanjing, China.

The head coach of Delhi SG Pipers Graham Reid, who had coached the Indian hockey team in the past, said Weyer’s ability to distribute the ball is good and he has proved himself at the highest level in international hockey. “Corey (Weyer) is a great defender and a world-class distributor of the ball. He also brings with him an extra dragflicking option. Weyer’s selection for the Delhi SG Pipers aligns with the team's goal of bolstering the defence with a player who has proven himself at the highest level of international hockey,” Reid said in a statement released by the franchise.

Delhi SG Pipers CEO Mahesh Bhupathi welcomed Weyer to the team and said the defender’s abilities will hold the team in good stead. “We welcome Corey (Weyer) to the Delhi SG Pipers family. He is a great addition to our team as he is a strong defender and his addition will only fortify our backline. As a team, we are really excited because we have managed to rope in a top-notch player in the form of Corey,” Bhupathi said in a statement.