Dardanup product Jake Harvie plays key role as Kookaburras start Olympic campaign with 1-0 win over Argentina

Dardanup product Jake Harvie played a key role as the Kookaburras started their Olympic campaign in winning fashion on Saturday by beating Argentina.

Coming off the bench for his Games debut, the Boyanup Hockey Club junior played an important role in defence while having plenty of licence to push forward as his side opened their quest for gold with a 1-0 win over the world No.7.

He spent two minutes on the sidelines in the third quarter after receiving a green card, but coach Colin Batch said he was happy with Harvie’s performance.

Skippering the side, Margaret River’s Aran Zalewski was also a solid contributor in the win, putting in a typically industrious performance in his midfield role.

The Kookaburras played their second contest of the Games against Ireland after the Herald went to the print yesterday, and also have reigning gold medallists Belgium, India and New Zealand in their group as they try to win gold for the first time since 2004.