The Maitland midfielder guided Australia into the World Hockey League top four, helped the Kookaburras qualify for next year’s Olympics in Rio and brought back the Ram post-goal celebration.

Orchard scored the Kookaburras’ third in a 4-1 quarter-final victory against Ireland on Wednesday to set up a semi-final showdown with Great Britain in the Belgian city of Antwerp in the early hours of Saturday morning (AEST).

The 28-year-old trapped the ball high on the ­circle, managed to keep a pushy defender at bay on the move, then dived full stretch toward the by-line before squeezing the ball past the goalkeeper.

“Somehow he managed to play that along the ground,” the match commentator said.

Soon after, amid high fives from teammates in the 55th minute, Orchard raised his hands to his forehead and pointed his fingers skyward in the shape of a Rams horn – the symbol of his former Maitland club on the birthday of his younger ­brother and fellow hockey player Josh. 

It’s a gesture which has been used sparingly by Orchard in recent times after he made it famous at the 2010 Commonwealth Games in India and the 2012 Olympic Games in London.  

But following his third goal of the tournament, his 54th from 176 internationals, Orchard decided to send the shout out home.

The Kookaburras will now face Great Britain, with whom they squared 1-all in a lead-up series in England last month, for a place in Sunday’s decider with India and the hosts contesting the other semi-final.

Regardless of results this weekend, the Kookaburras have now done enough to book a spot at the 2016 Games in Brazil. 

The Maitland Rams will tackle University twice in the space of three days in the Hunter Coast Premier Hockey League.

The Rams have a regular round match against the Students at Newcastle International Hockey Centre on Sunday (3pm) following a rescheduled fixture against the same opponents at the same venue on Friday (7.30pm).

This follows a 2-all draw between the Rams and second-placed Gosford last weekend with Pete Urquhart and Matt Hooson the goal scorers.