An extra-time golden goal from striker Jamie Dwyer has won Australia its first Olympic Games men's hockey gold medal in a 2-1 win over defending champion the Netherlands.

After five failed Games campaigns since winning silver in Montreal in 1976, Dwyer thumped home a goal from a penalty corner at the end of the first half of extra-time to shake the monkey off Australian men's hockey's back.

Dwyer's goal broke the deadlock after the teams were tied 1-1 at the end of normal time.

The Kookaburras had won world championships and Champions Trophies but the Olympic gold proved maddingly elusive as they collected two silver and two bronze medals in the past six Olympics and earned a tag as Olympic chokers.

But they dominated the match, even though they fell a goal behind after 29 minutes when Ronald Brouwer rounded defender Matthew Wells and keeper Stephen Mowlam to give the Dutch a 1-0 halftime lead.

Then Travis Brooks equalised for the Kookaburras three minutes after the break, banging in the rebound after keeper Guus Vogels initially blocked a Dwyer shot.

The Kookaburras had twice as many shots as goal as the Dutch, but goalkeeper Vogels proved up to the task until Dwyer slotted home.

He saved six goalbound shots, while the Kookaburras also hit the post inside the first 10 minutes through Troy Elder.

At the other end, Kookaburras keeper Mowlam made two important first half saves to keep his side in it, while defender Bevan George was rock-solid against any Dutch attacks.

The undefeated Dutch were on the backfoot for most of the opening period of extra time, before defender Jesse Mahieu brought down Elder on the stroke of halftime to give Australia a penalty corner.

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