Madi Ratcliffe hoping to line up in Hockey One competition on Thursday following injury lay-off

Ratcliffe, along with Hockey Club Melbourne teammate Rachael Lynch, returned to her hometown on Sunday to run a clinic at Warrnambool District Hockey Association, alongside South West Academy of Sport.

The 25-year-old is hoping to line up in her first game of the Hockey One season on Thursday, when her top-of-the table HC Melbourne squad face off against Tassie Tigers in the final game of the regular season.

It's the first year since 2019 the competition has run due to COVID-19, with finals to be held in Bendigo on November 19-20.

Ratcliffe, who is based in Perth, said she was looking forward to seeing family during her visit to Warrnambool and credited their support as a key reason for her success in the game.

"I was lucky enough to have two parents who were willing to drive me up and back to Melbourne twice a week as well as drop me off here (WDHA) every night to play as much hockey as you can," she said.

Ratcliffe and Lynch, a former Hockeyroos goalie with 230 games to her name, put up to 20 south-west players through their paces in Sunday's skills clinic.

Lynch, who has run sessions in Warrnambool in the past, said it was important to show players who hail from regional towns it was possible to play at the highest level.

"We've looked over the Australian team in the past and there is not many who come from major cities," Lynch said. "In fact I think the country kids who come through often are more successful because they've had to work hard for it because of the travel, the logistics, they have to push themselves a bit more.

"It's knowing there is a pathway and it is possible. And certainly someone like Madi coming back here, they can see one of the stars that's come through and lived where they lived."

Years after coming up through WDHA's ranks, Ratcliffe remains a key supporter of the association, providing recent letters of support for the upgrade of its facility, as well as attracting Commonwealth Games action to Warrnambool in 2024.

"Any part I can play in getting people more involved in hockey in the south-west I'm happy to do that," she said. "I just want to see good resources for the kids in terms of coaching and what-not... whether that's attracting funding or sponsorship or government support for hockey here."

SWAS chair and WDHA secretary Mark Bridge said it was "beyond exciting" to have Ratcliffe and Lynch in town to run a clinic.

"Madi being local, coming back and helping and supporting and coaching the next generation... she's an inspiration," he said. "And working with SWAS, Rachael has been a key information source for us as far as the goal keeping goes."

Have you signed up to The Standard's daily newsletter and breaking news emails? You can register below and make sure you are up to date with everything that's happening in the south-west.