Australian Hockey League

Australian Hockey League

Sport	Field Hockey
Inaugural season	1991
No. of teams	8
Country	Australia
Most recent champion(s)	Victoria Vikings (men) Queensland Scorchers (women)
Most titles	WA Thundersticks (10 times)(men) NSW Arrows (9 times)(women)<s/mall>
Official website	Official website

The Australian Hockey League (AHL) ^[1] is Australia’s premier national domestic field hockey competition. Despite its non-professional nature, AHL is considered one of the strongest and most competitive national field hockey leagues in the world. The AHL consists of both men's and women's competition. It includes many players from the Kookaburras and the Hockeyroos, and participating in the AHL is a selection requirement for all Australian national squad members.

History

The first season of the Australian Men's National Hockey League (former AHL) took place in 1991, when the perpetual national championship was replaced by a new-look format. The competition, which was played over a two-month period, did not limit player eligibility to state of origin. Six teams competed in the first year - Brisbane Blades, Melbourne Redbacks, Adelaide Hotshots, Canberra Lakers, Sydney Stingrays and Tamworth Frogs. In 1991 and 1992, both the National Championship and the National Hockey League was played, placing a financial burden on the states. From 1993, the decision was made to play the National Hockey League as the sole competition in determining Australia's champion State.

The league has since evolved into an eight team competition played on a home and away basis before climaxing with a finals series. In 2000, 2004 and 2008 however, the league reverted to a two-week championship format. This format is designed to replicate the intense nature and heavy playing schedule of the Olympic Games. The league embraced some big changes leading into the 2001 season as the former Men's and Women's National Hockey League combined to form the Australian Hockey League (AHL). Both the men's and women's leagues shifted their seasons from mid-year to February–April and a unique format was adopted. The format devised allows a high level of hockey to be seen across Australia through four weeks of home-and-away competition. The league then climaxes with a full finals week that comprises three round matches, the semi-finals and finals.

Competition format

2015

The 2015 tournaments are hosted in Darwin (men's league) and Sydney (women's league) from 25 September to 2 October. The tournament is divided into two pools, Pool A and Pool B, consisting of four teams with each team playing the others in its pool in the first round (round robin). The top two teams in each of these pools then progress to Pool C, the pool from which they can progress to the grand final. Also, the bottom two teams in these pools go into Pool D. The teams then play the teams that they haven’t already played, carrying the points from their first round match against the other team that came through with them. The top two teams in Pool C go on to contest the grand final, while the bottom two teams in Pool C contest for the bronze medal. The top two teams in Pool D contest for 5th/6th place and the bottom two in Pool D contest for 7th/8th place.

For the first time ever, all 48 games of the AHL were streamed live on the Tenplay website (Network Ten), produced by live streaming company Hockey Zone (owned by Brisbane Hockey).^[2] International fans could also watch the games via the IHF or Livestream.

2016

The AHL format has been slightly altered for 2016.^[3] The Mens and Womens Leagues will be played together in Perth at the Perth Hockey Stadium, in conjunction with the Under 13 Australian Carnival.

In 2016 a number of invitational teams from New Zealand, Malaysia and India have been invited to compete. Meaning the number of competing teams increases to 10 (women) and 12 (men).^[4]

Competition rules

Played under FIH international rule. 4 x 15 minute quarters.

In Finals matches if the match is a draw at the end of 60 minutes the match proceeds to a penalty shootout competition.

Points

Finals Matches

Men

Cross-Over Games
Semi-Final 1 1st Pool B v 2nd Pool A
Semi-FInal 2 1st Pool A v 2nd Pool B
Classification 1 5th Pool B v 6th Pool A
Classification 2 5th Pool A v 6th Pool B
Classification 3 3rd Pool B v 4th Pool A
Classification 4 3rd Pool A v 4th Pool B

Finals
Gold = Winner of Semi-Final 1 v Winner of Semi-Final 2
Bronze = Loser of (Semi-Final 1 v Loser of Semi-Final 2
Classification 5 (11th Place) = Loser of Classification 1 v Loser of Classification 2
Classification 6 (9th Place) = Winner of Classification 1 v Winner of Classification 2
Classification 7 (7th Place) = Loser of Classification 3 v Loser of Classification 4
Classification 8 (5th Place) = Winner of Classification 3 v Winner of Classification 4

Women

Cross-Over Games
Semi-Final 1 1st Pool B v 2nd Pool A
Semi-FInal 2 1st Pool A v 2nd Pool B
Classification 1 5th Pool A v 5th Pool B
Classification 2 3rd Pool B v 4th Pool A
Classification 3 3rd Pool A v 4th Pool B
Classification 4 4th Pool B v 5th Pool A
Classification 5 4th Pool A v 5th Pool B
Classification 6 3rd Pool A v3rd Pool B

Finals
Gold = Winner of Semi-Final 1 v Winner of Semi-Final 2
Bronze = Loser of (Semi-Final 1 v Loser of Semi-Final 2

Men's

Men's Team	State	Home Venue	Year Joined	AHL Championships	Years	AKA or Incorporated Teams
Canberra Lakers	ACT	National Hockey Centre, Canberra	1991	0		Vision City Canberra Lakers (1993) Canberra Labor Club Lakers (2002-2007) ACT Strikers (2011)
New South Wales Waratahs	New South Wales	Sydney Olympic Park Hockey Centre	1991	3	1997 2001 2005	Sydney Stingrays (1991-1992) Tamworth Frogs (1991-1993) Sydney Scorpions (1993-1994) NSW Warriors (1995-2000) NSW Panthers (2001-2004)
Territory Stingers	Northern Territory	Marrara Hockey Centre	1998	0		Gryphon Territory Stingers (2001) Atlas Territory Stingers (2002) Vodafone Territory Stingers (2003-2005) Northpharm Territory Stingers (2006-2008) NT Stingers (2009, 2011, 2013) Darwin Airport Stingers (2010, 2012)
Queensland Blades	Queensland	Queensland State Hockey Centre	1991	9	1991 2003 2004 2006 2007 2010 2012 2013 2015	Brisbane Blades (1991-1997) North Queensland Barras (1993-2000)
SA Hotshots	South Australia	State Hockey Centre	1991	0		Adelaide Hotshots (1991-2007) Southern Hotshots (2008-2014)
Tassie Tigers	Tasmania	Tasmanian Hockey Centre	1992 (DNC 1993)	1	2014	Tasmania Tigers (2011-2013) MIA Tassie Tigers (2002-2008)
Victoria Vikings	Victoria	State Netball and Hockey Centre	1991	3	1996 1998 2016	Melbourne Redbacks (1991-1992, 1994-2001) VIS Redbacks (1993) Azuma Vikings (2005-2006)
WA Thundersticks	Western Australia	Perth Hockey Stadium	1992	10	1992 1993 1994 1995 1999 2000 2002 2008 2009 2011	Perth Thundersticks (1992, 1994-2001) WAIS Thundersticks (1993)

Men's results

^[16]

Women's

Team	State	Home Venue	Year Joined	AHL Championships	Years	AKA or Incorporated Teams
Canberra Strikers	ACT	National Hockey Centre	1991			ACTAS Strikers (1995-1996) Canberra Labor Club Strikers (2002-2007) ACT Strikers (2011)
New South Wales Arrows	New South Wales	Sydney Olympic Park Hockey Centre	1991	9	1993 1996 1998 1999 1999 2000 2001 2002 2009 2014	NSW Balsam Arrows (1993-1995) NSWIS Arrows (2000-2004)
Territory Pearls	Northern Territory	Marrara Hockey Centre	1993 (DNC 1996-1999)			Darwin Blazez (1993-1995) Paspaley Territory Pearls (2006-2007) NT Pearls (2008-2009, 2011-2013) Darwin Airport Territory Pearls (2010)
Queensland Scorchers	Queensland	Queensland State Hockey Centre	1991	6	1992 1997 2005 2013 2015 2016	QAS/QLD Scorchers (1995-1997, 2000)
SA Suns	South Australia	State Hockey Centre	1991	2	1995 2011	Diet Coke Adelaide Suns (1993-1996) Adelaide Suns (1997-1998, 2001-2007) Adelaide Bank Suns (1999-2000) Southern Suns (2008-2014)
Tassie Van Demons	Tasmania	Tasmanian Hockey Centre	1996			Tasmanian Van Demons (1996-2000) Wrest Point Van Demons (2001-2003, 2005-2008) Wrest Point Casino Van Demons (2004)
Victorian Vipers	Victoria	State Netball and Hockey Centre	1991	2	2003 2012	VIS Viper (1993-2004) Azuma Vipers (2005-2006)
WA Diamonds	Western Australia	Perth Hockey Stadium	1991	7	1991 1994 2004 2006 2007 2008 2010	WAIS Diamonds (1993-2002)

Women's results

See also

• Field Hockey

References

External links

• Official website