# 2018 Men's Australian Hockey League

The 2018 Men's Australian Hockey League was the 26th edition of the men's field hockey tournament. The 2018 edition of the tournament was held between 6 – 28 October, and featured a new format from previous editions.
The finals phase of the 2018 tournament was held in the Queensland city of the Gold Coast, from the 25 – 28 October.
QLD Blades won the tournament for a record tenth time after defeating NSW Waratahs 5–3 in the gold-medal match. Tassie Tigers claimed the bronze medal after defeating the Canberra Lakers 1–0.

## Competition format

Unlike previous editions of the Men's Australian Hockey League, the 2018 edition will include a very different format. Instead of the tournament being held at a single venue, the teams will play at least one home and away match during the pool stage, before converging on a singular venue for the Classification Round.
The teams will be divided into two Pool A and Pool B, both consisting of four teams, with each team playing each other once. The teams will then progress to the Classification round, with each team playing a qualifying match, before progressing to either the fifth to eighth place playoffs, or the first to fourth place playoffs.

## Participating teams

* Canberra Lakers
* NSW Waratahs
* NT Stingers
* QLD Blades
* SA Hotshots
* Tassie Tigers
* VIC Vikings
* WA Thundersticks

## Venues

| Sydney | Melbourne | Perth |
| Sydney Olympic Park | State Netball and Hockey Centre | Perth Hockey Stadium |
| Capacity: 8,000 | Capacity: 8,000 | Capacity: 6,000 |
| Adelaide | BrisbaneGold CoastAdelaideSydneyCanberraMelbournePerthDarwinHobart | BrisbaneGold CoastAdelaideSydneyCanberraMelbournePerthDarwinHobart |
| State Hockey Centre | BrisbaneGold CoastAdelaideSydneyCanberraMelbournePerthDarwinHobart | BrisbaneGold CoastAdelaideSydneyCanberraMelbournePerthDarwinHobart |
| Capacity: 4,000 | BrisbaneGold CoastAdelaideSydneyCanberraMelbournePerthDarwinHobart | BrisbaneGold CoastAdelaideSydneyCanberraMelbournePerthDarwinHobart |
| Brisbane | BrisbaneGold CoastAdelaideSydneyCanberraMelbournePerthDarwinHobart | BrisbaneGold CoastAdelaideSydneyCanberraMelbournePerthDarwinHobart |
| Queensland State Hockey Centre | BrisbaneGold CoastAdelaideSydneyCanberraMelbournePerthDarwinHobart | BrisbaneGold CoastAdelaideSydneyCanberraMelbournePerthDarwinHobart |
| Capacity: 1,000 | BrisbaneGold CoastAdelaideSydneyCanberraMelbournePerthDarwinHobart | BrisbaneGold CoastAdelaideSydneyCanberraMelbournePerthDarwinHobart |
| Canberra | Hobart | Darwin |
| National Hockey Centre | Tasmanian Hockey Centre | Marrara Hockey Centre |
| Gold Coast |||
| Finals Venue: Gold Coast Hockey Centre |||

## Results
### Preliminary round
#### Pool A

| Pos | Team | Pld | W | WD | LD | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts |
| 1 | Tassie Tigers | 3 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 15 | 6 | +9 | 15 |
| 2 | Canberra Lakers | 3 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 9 | 8 | +1 | 10 |
| 3 | QLD Blades | 3 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 9 | 14 | −5 | 5 |
| 4 | NSW Waratahs | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 9 | 14 | −5 | 0 |
* 6 October 2018 16:00 (AEST)
| NSW Waratahs | 4–6 | QLD Blades |
| Brand 21', 21' B. Govers 40', 47' | Report | Anderson 16', 55' Rintala 22', 22', 24' D. Wotherspoon 25' |
* Sydney Olympic Park, Sydney Umpires: Zeke Newman (AUS) Ben de Young (AUS)
* 6 October 2018 19:00 (AEST)
| Tassie Tigers | 5–1 | Canberra Lakers |
| Ockenden 7', 7' Arthur 10' McCambridge 42', 42' | Report | Day 51' |
* Tasmanian Hockey Centre, Hobart Umpires: Ben Hocking (AUS) Adam Kearns (AUS)
* 14 October 2018 14:30 (AEST)
| Tassie Tigers | 5–4 | NSW Waratahs |
| Read 7' McCambridge 50', 50' Dick 60', 60' | Report | McEwen 2' Hayes 15', 55', 55' |
* Tasmanian Hockey Centre, Hobart Umpires: Zeke Newman (AUS) Stephen Rogers (AUS)
* 14 October 2018 14:30 (AEST)
| Canberra Lakers | 5–2 | QLD Blades |
| Day 2', 3' Backhus 40', 40' Kershaw 54' | Report | Crane 51', 52' |
* National Hockey Centre, Canberra Umpires: Stirling Sharpe (AUS) David Bridgford (AUS)
* 20 October 2018 15:30 (AEST)
| Canberra Lakers | 3–1 | NSW Waratahs |
| Turner 10', 10' Shepherd 34' | Report | Hayes 11' |
* National Hockey Centre, Canberra Umpires: Stirling Sharpe (AUS) David Bridgford (AUS)
* 20 October 2018 20:00 (AEST)
| QLD Blades | 1–5 | Tassie Tigers |
| Douglas 13' | Report | Arthur 30' Smith 53' McCambridge 60', 60', 60' |
* Queensland State Hockey Centre, Brisbane Umpires: Aaron Gotting (AUS) Ben de Young (AUS)

#### Pool B

| Pos | Team | Pld | W | WD | LD | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts |
| 1 | WA Thundersticks | 3 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 19 | 8 | +11 | 15 |
| 2 | VIC Vikings | 3 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 27 | 8 | +19 | 10 |
| 3 | SA Hotshots | 3 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 8 | 18 | −10 | 5 |
| 4 | NT Stingers | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 7 | 27 | −20 | 0 |
* 7 October 2018 15:30 (ACST)
| SA Hotshots | 3–5 | WA Thundersticks |
| Hetem 3', 3', 41' | Report | Gavranich 42', 42', 59', 59', 59' |
* State Hockey Centre, Adelaide Umpires: Tim Pullman (AUS) Nathan Jennings (AUS)
* 7 October 2018 18:30 (ACST)
| NT Stingers | 4–12 | VIC Vikings |
| Hullick 2' Lockley 31', 31' Wallin 44' | Report | Scanlon 4', 9', 30+' Knee 8', 10', 10' Pollard 10', 10' Kleinschmidt 33', 33', 54' Hendry 37' |
* Marrara Hockey Centre, Darwin Umpires: Stephen Versteegh (AUS) Stephen Rogers (AUS)
* 13 October 2018 14:00 (AEST)
| VIC Vikings | 2–4 | WA Thundersticks |
| Hendry 10' Ford 28' | Report | Gabriel 14', 14' Geers 41', 42' |
* State Netball Hockey Centre, Melbourne Umpires: Timothy Sheahan (AUS) Ben Hocking (AUS)
* 13 October 2018 18:30 (ACST)
| SA Hotshots | 5–0 | NT Stingers |
| Oliver 4', 4' Gleeson 12', 37', 37' | Report | |
* State Hockey Centre, Adelaide Umpires: Tim Pullman (AUS) Nathan Jennings (AUS)
* 20 October 2018 18:00 (AWST)
| WA Thundersticks | 10–3 | NT Stingers |
| Green 14' Rasmussen 15', 15' Gavranich 24', 24' Robertson 43', 43' Gabriel 48', 59', 59' | Report | Hullick 30' Argent 32' McDonald 55' |
* Perth Hockey Stadium, Perth Umpires: Stephen Versteegh (AUS) Matthew Claxton (AUS)
* 21 October 2018 15:30 (AEST)
| VIC Vikings | 13–0 | SA Hotshots |
| Randhawa 15', 22' Hendry 17', 17' Ford 24', 34', 54', 59', 59' Cross 29', 29' Webster 31', 31' | Report | |
* State Netball Hockey Centre, Melbourne Umpires: James Unkles (AUS) Timothy Sheahan (AUS)

### Classification round

| Quarterfinals | Quarterfinals | Semi-finals | Semi-finals | | Final | Final |
| 25 October 2018 | 25 October 2018 | | | |
| Tassie Tigers | 11 | | | |
| Tassie Tigers | 11 | 27 October 2018 | 27 October 2018 | | |
| NT Stingers | 0 | 27 October 2018 | 27 October 2018 | |
| NT Stingers | 0 | Tassie Tigers | 3 | |
| 25 October 2018 | 25 October 2018 | | Tassie Tigers | 3 | |
| 25 October 2018 | 25 October 2018 | QLD Blades | 9 | |
| VIC Vikings | 5 | QLD Blades | 9 | |
| VIC Vikings | 5 | | | | 28 October 2018 | 28 October 2018 |
| QLD Blades | 6 | | | | 28 October 2018 | 28 October 2018 |
| QLD Blades | 6 | | | | QLD Blades | 5 |
| 25 October 2018 | 25 October 2018 | | | | | QLD Blades | 5 |
| 25 October 2018 | 25 October 2018 | | | | NSW Waratahs | 3 |
| Canberra Lakers | 7 | | | | NSW Waratahs | 3 |
| Canberra Lakers | 7 | 27 October 2018 | 27 October 2018 | | | |
| SA Hotshots | 0 | 27 October 2018 | 27 October 2018 | | | |
| SA Hotshots | 0 | Canberra Lakers | 1 | | | |
| 25 October 2018 | 25 October 2018 | | Canberra Lakers | 1 | | | |
| 25 October 2018 | 25 October 2018 | NSW Waratahs | 10 | | Third-place match | Third-place match |
| WA Thundersticks | 2 | NSW Waratahs | 10 | | Third-place match | Third-place match |
| WA Thundersticks | 2 | | | | 28 October 2018 | 28 October 2018 |
| NSW Waratahs | 10 | | | | 28 October 2018 | 28 October 2018 |
| NSW Waratahs | 10 | | | | Tassie Tigers | 1 |
| | | | | | Canberra Lakers | 0 |

#### Quarterfinals

* 25 October 2018 13:00 (AEST)
| Canberra Lakers | 7–0 | SA Hotshots |
| N. Gupte 6' Turner 23', 23', 57', 57', 57' B. Staines 55' | Report | |
* Gold Coast Hockey Centre, Gold Coast Umpires: James Unkles (AUS) Adam Kearns (AUS)
* 25 October 2018 14:45 (AEST)
| Tassie Tigers | 11–0 | NT Stingers |
| Ockenden 9', 9', 31', 31' Beltz 37', 37' Edwards 43', 43' Dick 53' Read 57', 57' | Report | |
* Gold Coast Hockey Centre, Gold Coast Umpires: Timothy Sheahan (AUS) Nathan Jennings (AUS)
* 25 October 2018 16:30 (AEST)
| WA Thundersticks | 2–10 | NSW Waratahs |
| Gerrard 18' Green 57' | Report | K. Govers 7' T. Craig 29' Brand 33', 33' Hayes 35' Lovett 36' Ogilvie 50' B. Govers 59', 59', 59' |
* Gold Coast Hockey Centre, Gold Coast Umpires: Stephen Rogers (AUS) Ben Hocking (AUS)
* 25 October 2018 18:15 (AEST)
| VIC Vikings | 5–6 | QLD Blades |
| Simmonds 48', 60', 60+' Ephraums 49', 49' | Report | Boyde 16', 16' B. Wotherspoon 25' Whetton 27', 27', 27' |
* Gold Coast Hockey Centre, Gold Coast Umpires: Tim Pullman (AUS) Zeke Newman (AUS)

#### Fifth to eighth place classification

| Crossover | Crossover | Fifth-place match | Fifth-place match |
| 27 October 2018 | 27 October 2018 |
| NT Stingers | 0 |
| NT Stingers | 0 | 28 October 2018 | 28 October 2018 |
| VIC Vikings | 11 | 28 October 2018 | 28 October 2018 |
| VIC Vikings | 11 | VIC Vikings | 8 |
| 27 October 2018 | 27 October 2018 | | VIC Vikings | 8 |
| 27 October 2018 | 27 October 2018 | SA Hotshots | 1 |
| SA Hotshots | 4 | SA Hotshots | 1 |
| WA Thundersticks | 3 | | |
| WA Thundersticks | 3 | Seventh-place match | Seventh-place match |
| | | 28 October 2018 | 28 October 2018 |
| | | NT Stingers | 2 |
| | | WA Thundersticks | 3 |

##### Crossover

* October 2018 08:45 (AEST)
| NT Stingers | 0–11 | VIC Vikings |
| | Report | Philpott 4', 4' Kleinschmidt 29', 29' Arunasalam 44', 44' Pollard 47' Ephraums 55', 58', 58', 58' |
* Gold Coast Hockey Centre, Gold Coast Umpires: Nathan Jennings (AUS) Stephen Rogers (AUS)
* October 2018 10:30 (AEST)
| SA Hotshots | 4–3 | WA Thundersticks |
| Hetem 27', 27' Larwood 54', 54' | Report | Robertson 41' Gabriel 41', 41' |
* Gold Coast Hockey Centre, Gold Coast Umpires: Timothy Sheahan (AUS) James Unkles (AUS)

##### Seventh and eighth place

* October 2018 10:30 (AEST)
| NT Stingers | 2–3 | WA Thundersticks |
| Wallin 29', 29' | Report | Gavranich 5', 5' Harvie 11' |
* Gold Coast Hockey Centre, Gold Coast Umpires: James Unkles (AUS) Timothy Sheahan (AUS)

##### Fifth and sixth place

* October 2018 10:30 (AEST)
| VIC Vikings | 8–1 | SA Hotshots |
| Webster 6' Scanlon 21' Ephraums 26', 26' Pollard 38', 38' Kleinschmidt 48', 48' | Report | Larwood 14' |
* Gold Coast Hockey Centre, Gold Coast Umpires: Adam Kearns (AUS) Zeke Newman (AUS)

#### First to fourth place classification
##### Semi-finals

* 27 October 2018 15:30 (AEST)
| Tassie Tigers | 3–9 | QLD Blades |
| McCambridge 55', 55' Welch 57' | Report | Weyer 2', 2', 48' Rintala 18', 45', 45' Taylor 19', 19', 52' |
* Gold Coast Hockey Centre, Gold Coast Umpires: Zeke Newman (AUS) Ben Hocking (AUS)
* 27 October 2018 17:00 (AEST)
| Canberra Lakers | 1–10 | NSW Waratahs |
| Hawke 39' | Report | B. Govers 3', 3', 8', 52', 52' Brand 25', 25' Hayes 35' Lovett 57', 57' |
* Gold Coast Hockey Centre, Gold Coast Umpires: Adam Kearns (AUS) Tim Pullman (AUS)

##### Third and fourth place

* 28 October 2018 14:00 (AEST)
| Tassie Tigers | 1–0 | Canberra Lakers |
| Arthur 29' | Report | |
* Gold Coast Hockey Centre, Gold Coast Umpires: Nathan Jennings (AUS) Stephen Rogers (AUS)

##### Final

* 28 October 2018 17:00 (AEST)
| QLD Blades | 5–3 | NSW Waratahs |
| D. Wotherspoon 19', 19', 47' Beale 22', 22' | Report | B. Govers 21' K. Govers 43', 43' |
* Gold Coast Hockey Centre, Gold Coast Umpires: Tim Pullman (AUS) Ben Hocking (AUS)

## Awards

| Player of the Tournament | Top Goalscorer | Player of the Final | Goalkeeper of the Tournament |
| Jake Whetton | Blake Govers | Corey Weyer | Andrew Charter |

## Statistics
### Final standings

| Pos | Team | Pld | W | WD | LD | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Qualification |
| | QLD Blades | 6 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 29 | 25 | +4 | 20 | Gold Medal |
| | NSW Waratahs | 6 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 32 | 22 | +10 | 10 | Silver Medal |
| | Tassie Tigers | 6 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 30 | 15 | +15 | 25 | Bronze Medal |
| 4 | Canberra Lakers | 6 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 17 | 19 | −2 | 15 | |
| 5 | VIC Vikings | 6 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 51 | 15 | +36 | 20 | |
| 6 | SA Suns | 6 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 13 | 36 | −23 | 10 | |
| 7 | WA Thundersticks | 6 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 27 | 24 | +3 | 20 | |
| 8 | NT Stingers | 6 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 6 | 9 | 52 | −43 | 0 | |

### Goalscorers

There were 208 goals scored in 24 matches, for an average of 8.67 goals per match.
11 goals
* Blake Govers
9 goals
* Samuel McCambridge
* Dane Gavranich
8 goals
* Nathan Ephraums
7 goals
* Glenn Turner
* Aaron Kleinschmidt
* Jason Gabriel
6 goals
* Timothy Brand
* Jack Hayes
* Joel Rintala
* Edward Ockenden
* Russell Ford
5 goals
* Ross Hetem
* Joshua Pollard
4 goals
* Dylan Wotherspoon
* Max Hendry
* Andrew Scanlon
3 goals
* James Day
* Kieran Govers
* Kurt Lovett
* Ewan Wallin
* Jared Taylor
* Corey Weyer
* Jacob Whetton
* Brodie Gleeson
* Luke Larwood
* Kieron Arthur
* James Dick
* Ben Read
* James Knee
* Joshua Simmonds
* James Webster
* Daniel Robertson
2 goals
* Garry Backhus
* Jamie Hullick
* Adrian Lockley
* Jacob Anderson
* Daniel Beale
* Scott Boyde
* Oliver Crane
* Alastair Oliver
* Hayden Beltz
* Jeremy Edwards
* Kiran Arunasalam
* Tim Cross
* Andrew Philpott
* Jayshaan Randhawa
* Tim Geers
* Coby Green
* Alec Rasmussen
1 goal
* Niranjan Gupte
* Jamie Hawke
* Aaron Kershaw
* Lewis Shepherd
* Ben Staines
* Thomas Craig
* Nicholas McEwen
* Flynn Ogilvie
* Matthew Argent
* Isaac McDonald
* Justin Douglas
* Blake Wotherspoon
* Oliver Smith
* Jack Welch
* Frazer Gerrard
* Jake Harvie
Source: Hockey Australia