Australian Hockey League
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The Australian Hockey League (AHL) 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.
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[edit] 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 involved 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 back 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.
[edit] Competition Format
[edit] Alternate Years
Each team plays a Home & Away series against 4 of the other teams, over 4 consecutive weekends, with 2 games in each series. Giving each team 8 Home & Away Matches.
The 8 teams then converge in one city for the Finals week, where each team plays the other 3 teams once, for double points, and then plays the relevant cross-over game and classification game.
[edit] Olympic Years
The 8 teams converge in one city for 2 weeks, where each team plays the other 7 teams once, for double points, and then plays the relevant cross-over game and classification game.
[edit] Competition Points
| Result | Points |
|---|---|
| Win | 3 |
| Win (Extra Time or Penalty Strokes) | 2 |
| Loss (Extra Time or Penalty Strokes) | 1 |
| Loss | 0 |
[edit] Extra Time
Teams play two 6 minute halves.
First Half is 9-a-side.
Second Half is 7-a-side.
Golden Goal.
Still No Result, then Penalty Strokes.
[edit] Finals
Cross-Over Games
1st v 4th
2nd v 3rd
5th v 8th
6th v 7th
Finals
Final = Winner of (1st v 4th) v Winner of (2nd v 3rd)
3rd Place = Loser of (1st v 4th) v Loser of (2nd v 3rd)
5th Place = Winner of (5th v 8th) v Winner of (6th v 7th)
7th Place = Loser of (5th v 8th) v Loser of (6th v 7th)
[edit] Men's
| Men's Team | State | Home Venue | Year Joined | AHL Titles | AKA or Incorporated Teams |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Canberra Labor Club Lakers | ACT | National Hockey Centre, Canberra | 1991 | Canberra Lakers Vision City Canberra Lakers |
|
| New South Wales Waratahs | New South Wales | Sydney Olympic Park Hockey Centre | 1991 | 1997 2001 2005 |
Sydney Stingrays Tamworth Frogs (1991-1993) Sydney Scorpions NSW Warriors NSW Panthers |
| Northpharm NT Stingers | Northern Territory | Marrara Hockey Centre | 1998 | Territory Stingers Gryphon Territory Stingers Atlas Territory Stingers Vodafone Territory Stingers Northpharm Territory Stingers |
|
| OAMPS Queensland Blades | Queensland | Queensland State Hockey Centre | 1991 | 2003 2004 2006 2007 |
Brisbane Blades North Queensland Barras (1993-2000) |
| Southern Hotshots | South Australia | Distinctive Homes Hockey Arena | 1991 | Adelaide Hotshots | |
| MIA Tasmanian Tigers | Tasmania | Tasmanian Hockey Centre | 1992 (DNC 1993) |
Tassie Tigers MIA Tassie Tigers |
|
| Victorian Vikings | Victoria | State Hockey Centre, Victoria | 1991 | 1996 1998 |
Melbourne Redbacks VIS Redbacks Azuma Vikings |
| SmokeFree WA Thundersticks | Western Australia | Perth Hockey Stadium | 1992 | 1992 1993 1995 1999 2000 2002 2008 |
Perth Thundersticks WAIS Thundersticks |
[edit] Men's Results
| Year | Winner | Runner-Up | Player of the League | Highest Goalscorer | Player of the Final |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1991 | Brisbane Blades | Melbourne Redbacks | Colin Batch (Redbacks) | David Shaw (Redbacks) 20 | |
| 1992 | Perth Thundersticks | Brisbane Blades | Jay Stacy (Redbacks) Todd Williams (Tigers) |
||
| 1993 | WAIS Thundersticks | Sydney Scorpions | |||
| 1994 | Not Played | ||||
| 1995 | Perth Thundersticks | Brisbane Blades | Lachlan Elmer (Hotshots) | Bobby Crutchley (Lakers) 17 | |
| 1996 | Melbourne Redbacks | Brisbane Blades | Jay Stacy (Redbacks) | Jeremy Hiskins (Redbacks) 13 Greg Corbitt (Thundersticks) 13 |
|
| 1997 | NSW Warriors | Perth Thundersticks | Jay Stacy (Redbacks) | Glen Kingston (Lakers) 14 | |
| 1998 | Melbourne Redbacks | Canberra Lakers | Daniel Sproule (Tigers) | Daniel Davison (Thundersticks) 12 | |
| 1999 | Perth Thundersticks | Queensland Blades | Michael York (Lakers) | Craig Keegan (Tigers) 15 | |
| 2000 | Perth Thundersticks | NSW Warriors | Brent Livermore (Warriors) | Craig Keegan (Tigers) 10 | |
| 2001 | NSW Panthers | Perth Thundersticks | Matthew Wells (Tigers) | Michael McCann (Panthers) | |
| 2002 | SmokeFree WA Thundersticks | Queensland Blades | Zain Wright (Tigers) | Andrew Smith (Vikings) 23 | |
| 2003 | Queensland Blades | SmokeFree WA Thundersticks | Matthew Wells (Tigers) | Andrew Smith (Vikings) 15 | |
| 2004 | Queensland Blades | SmokeFree WA Thundersticks | Stephen Mowlam (Vikings) | Troy Elder (Blades) 9 | Dean Butler (Blades) |
| 2005 | NSW Waratahs | Queensland Blades | Rob Hammond (Blades) | Taeke Taekema (Waratahs) 14 | Michael McCann (Waratahs) |
| 2006 | Queensland Blades | MIA Tassie Tigers | Mark Knowles (Blades) | Chris Cirello (Vikings) 13 | Dean Butler (Blades) |
| 2007 | Queensland Blades | SmokeFree WA Thundersticks | Bevan George (Thundersticks) | Marcus Richardson (Tigers) 12 | Mark Knowles (Blades) |
| 2008 | SmokeFree WA Thundersticks | OAMPS Queensland Blades | Bevan George (Thundersticks) |
[edit] Women's
| Team | State | Home Venue | Year Joined | AHL Titles | AKA or Incorporated Teams |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Canberra Labor Club Strikers | ACT | National Hockey Centre, Canberra | 1993 | Canberra Strikers ACTAS Strikers |
|
| NSW Arrows | New South Wales | Sydney Olympic Park Hockey Centre | 1993 | 1993 1996 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 |
NSW Balsam Arrows NSWIS Arrows |
| NT Pearls | Northern Territory | Marrara Hockey Centre | 1993 (DNC 1996-1999) |
Darwin Blazez Territroy Pearls Paspaley Territory Pearls |
|
| OAMPS Queensland Scorchers | Queensland | Queensland State Hockey Centre | 1993 | 1997 2005 |
QAS/QLD Scorchers |
| Southern Suns | South Australia | Distinctive Homes Hockey Arena | 1993 | 1995 | Diet Coke Adelaide Suns SASI Diet Coke Suns SA Diet Coke Suns Adelaide Suns Adelaide Bank Suns |
| Wrest Point Tassie Van Demons | Tasmania | Tasmanian Hockey Centre | 1996 | Tasmanian Van Demons Wrest Point Van Demons Wrest Point Casino Van Demons |
|
| Victorian Vipers | Victoria | State Hockey Centre, Victoria | 1993 | 2003 | VIS Vipers Azuma Vipers |
| SmokeFree WA Diamonds | Western Australia | Perth Hockey Stadium | 1993 | 1994 2004 2006 2007 2008 |
WAIS Diamonds WA Diamonds |
[edit] Women's Results
| Year | Winner | Runner-Up | Player of the League | Highest Goalscorer | Player of the Final |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1993 | NSW Arrows | Canberra Strikers | Lisa Powell (Strikers) | ||
| 1994 | WA Diamonds | Queensland Scorchers | Rechelle Hawkes (Diamonds) | ||
| 1995 | SA Suns | NSW Arrows | Renita Farrell (Scorchers) | ||
| 1996 | NSW Arrows | WA Diamonds | Alyson Annan (Arrows) | ||
| 1997 | Queensland Scorchers | Canberra Strikers | Alyson Annan (Arrows) | ||
| 1998 | NSW Arrows | Queensland Scorchers | Michelle Andrews (Diamonds) | ||
| 1999 | NSW Arrows | Canberra Strikers | Katrina Powell (Strikers) | ||
| 2000 | NSW Arrows | Queensland Scorchers | Katrina Powell (Strikers) | Karen Smith (Scorchers) | |
| 2001 | NSW Arrows | Queensland Scorchers | Melanie Twitt (Arrows) | Nina Bonner (Arrows) | |
| 2002 | NSW Arrows | Queensland Scorchers | Louise Dobson (Vipers) | Nikki Hudson (Scorchers) 16 | |
| 2003 | Victoria Vipers | Queensland Scorchers | Carmel Bakurski (Suns) | Katrina Powell (Strikers) 15 | Rachel Imison (Vipers) |
| 2004 | WA Diamonds | Canberra Strikers | Emily Halliday (Diamonds) Sarah Taylor (Strikers) |
Hope Brown (Scorchers) 5 | Emily Halliday (Diamonds) |
| 2005 | Queensland Scorchers | WA Diamonds | Melanie Twitt (Arrows) | Suzie Faulkner (Scorchers) 9 | Madonna Blyth (Scorchers) |
| 2006 | WA Diamonds | Queensland Scorchers | Peta Gallagher (Strikers) | Peta Gallagher (Strikers) 11 | Emily Halliday (Diamonds) |
| 2007 | WA Diamonds | Queensland Scorchers | Rebecca Sanders (Arrows) | Suzie Faulkner (Scorchers) | Kim Walker (Diamonds) |
| 2008 | WA Diamonds | Queensland Scorchers |
