A group of 30 men with hip and knee replacements competed for the Bionic Cup in a field hockey match at Perth Hockey Stadium on December 18.
Now in its fourth year, the game aims to raise awareness across the country about the benefits of replacement surgery, while debunking the stigmas about the limitation of movement following joint replacement procedures.
Western Hockey Masters Knees captain Robert Bowyer has captained the Knees team for the last three years after having a total knee replacement in 2013.
After his surgery the 80-year-old said he still plays hockey twice a week but is planning on retiring to give his role to a more junior talent.
“We now have plenty of team captain nominations and, in any case, I am injured this year with torn tendons (now repaired but not fully recovered) in my left shoulder,” he said.
“I am extremely keen that we can get the message out to everyone that a degenerated hip or knee can now be fixed and the technology gets better every year.
“A lot of people have said to me from time to time that they think they’re going to have to give up playing hockey because their knee or hip is jigged but I say look at us, if we can do it – you can do it.”
