# 2018 Women's Australian Hockey League

The 2018 Women's Australian Hockey League was the 26th edition of the women'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.
NSW Arrows won the tournament for the tenth time, after defeating the QLD Scorchers 7–6 in the gold medal match. Canberra Strikers won the bronze medal after defeating VIC Vipers 2–0 in a penalty shoot-out following a 4–4 draw.

## Competition format

Unlike previous editions of the Women'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.

## Rule Innovations

As well as a new format, the 2018 AHL brought in new rule innovations from standard international hockey.

### Field Goal Conversions

When a field goal is scored the same athlete will have an automatic one-on-one shootout with the goalkeeper for an extra goal.

### Power Plays

Each team possesses a five-minute Power Play to use at the end of either the second or fourth quarters, when teams are reduced to nine players each and where that team’s goals are worth double.
The allocation of Power Plays will be decided by the team which wins a pre-game coin toss. For example, if the coin toss winner elects to take their Power Play at end of the fourth quarter, the opposition must use at theirs at the end of the second quarter.
In the second and fourth quarters, the clock is initially set for 10 minutes, then re-set for a further five minutes for the Power Play. Play will re-commence with a centre pass taken by the team in possession of the Power Play.

### Point Allocation

All matches must have an outright result so drawn matches will be decided in a penalty shoot-out. Match points will be as follows:
· 5 points for a win · 2 points to each team in the event of a draw · 1 point will be awarded to the winner of the shoot-out · 0 points to the loser of the match

## Participating teams

* Canberra Strikers
* NSW Arrows
* NT Pearls
* QLD Scorchers
* SA Suns
* Tassie Van Demons
* VIC Vipers
* WA Diamonds

## 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 | QLD Scorchers | 3 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 23 | 6 | +17 | 10 |
| 2 | NSW Arrows | 3 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 13 | 6 | +7 | 10 |
| 3 | Canberra Strikers | 3 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 6 | 5 | +1 | 10 |
| 4 | Tassie Van Demons | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 1 | 26 | −25 | 0 |
* 6 October 2018 14:00 (AEST)
| NSW Arrows | 5–3 | QLD Scorchers |
| Smith 4', 4' Watterson 38' Stewart 50', 50' | Report | Kenny 27' Greiner 58', 58' |
* Sydney Olympic Park, Sydney Umpires: Kylie Seymour (AUS) Michelle Farnill (AUS)
* 6 October 2018 17:30 (AEST)
| Tassie Van Demons | 0–3 | Canberra Strikers |
| | Report | Evans 12' M. Bone 55', 56' |
* Tasmanian Hockey Centre, Hobart Umpires: Kerryl Chandler (AUS) Kristy Robertson (AUS)
* 14 October 2018 13:00 (AEST)
| Tassie Van Demons | 1–8 | NSW Arrows |
| Lawrence 60' | Report | Watterson 13', 13' Jenner 26' Stewart 30', 30', 55', 55' Johnston 54' |
* Tasmanian Hockey Centre, Hobart Umpires: Caroline Davis (AUS) Michelle Farnill (AUS)
* 14 October 2018 13:00 (AEST)
| Canberra Strikers | 1–5 | QLD Scorchers |
| Taseska 10' | Report | Taylor 22', 40' Greiner 60', 60', 60' |
* National Hockey Centre, Canberra Umpires: Kerryl Chandler (AUS) Emily Carroll (AUS)
* 20 October 2018 14:00 (AEST)
| Canberra Strikers | 2–0 | NSW Arrows |
| Middleton 28', 28' | Report | |
* National Hockey Centre, Canberra Umpires: Emily Carroll (AUS) Kristy Robertson (AUS)
* 20 October 2018 18:00 (AEST)
| QLD Scorchers | 15–0 | Tassie Van Demons |
| Kershaw 3', 3' Malone 10', 10', 27', 27', 27', 46', 46' Greiner 23', 23' Kenny 28', 28', 28' Holzberger 39' | Report | |
* Queensland State Hockey Centre, Brisbane Umpires: Aleisha Neumann (AUS) Tamara Leonard (AUS)

#### Pool B

| Pos | Team | Pld | W | WD | LD | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts |
| 1 | VIC Vipers | 3 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 15 | 0 | +15 | 15 |
| 2 | SA Suns | 3 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 6 | 3 | +3 | 10 |
| 3 | WA Diamonds | 3 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 7 | 5 | +2 | 5 |
| 4 | NT Pearls | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 1 | 21 | −20 | 0 |
* 7 October 2018 14:00 (ACST)
| SA Suns | 3–2 | WA Diamonds |
| Welstead 28', 28', 28' | Report | Rogers-Uff 41' Tonkin 54' |
* State Hockey Centre, Adelaide Umpires: Nicola Brown (AUS) Melissa Trivic (AUS)
* 7 October 2018 17:00 (ACST)
| NT Pearls | 0–13 | VIC Vipers |
| | Report | Utri 7', 42', 42' Brazel 7' Hurtz 11', 15', 44', 44' Gravenall 30' Ratcliffe 30', 40', 40' Hammond 45' |
* Marrara Hockey Centre, Darwin Umpires: Bernadette Pangrazio (AUS) Lauren Berndt (AUS)
* 13 October 2018 15:45 (AEST)
| VIC Vipers | 1–0 | WA Diamonds |
| Ratcliffe 60' | Report | |
* State Netball Hockey Centre, Melbourne Umpires: Nicola Brown (AUS) Cassigy Gallagher (AUS)
* 13 October 2018 17:00 (ACST)
| SA Suns | 3–0 | NT Pearls |
| McMahon 30', 30', 41' | Report | |
* State Hockey Centre, Adelaide Umpires: Tamara Leonard (AUS) Aleisha Neumann (AUS)
* 20 October 2018 16:00 (AWST)
| WA Diamonds | 5–1 | NT Pearls |
| Squibb 40', 40', 56', 56' Slattery 43' | Report | Martin-Brown 8' |
* Perth Hockey Stadium, Perth Umpires: Melissa Trivic (AUS) Kimberleigh Todd (AUS)
* 21 October 2018 14:00 (AEST)
| VIC Vipers | 1–0 | SA Suns |
| Gravenall 45' | Report | |
* State Netball Hockey Centre, Melbourne Umpires: Michelle Farnill (AUS) Nicola Brown (AUS)

### Classification round

| Quarterfinals | Quarterfinals | Semi-finals | Semi-finals | | Final | Final |
| 25 October 2018 | 25 October 2018 | | | |
| QLD Scorchers | 13 | | | |
| QLD Scorchers | 13 | 27 October 2018 | 27 October 2018 | | |
| NT Pearls | 0 | 27 October 2018 | 27 October 2018 | |
| NT Pearls | 0 | QLD Scorchers | 2 | |
| 25 October 2018 | 25 October 2018 | | QLD Scorchers | 2 | |
| 25 October 2018 | 25 October 2018 | Canberra Strikers | 1 | |
| SA Suns | 0 (2) | Canberra Strikers | 1 | |
| SA Suns | 0 (2) | | | | 28 October 2018 | 28 October 2018 |
| Canberra Strikers (p.s.o) | 0 (4) | | | | 28 October 2018 | 28 October 2018 |
| Canberra Strikers (p.s.o) | 0 (4) | | | | QLD Scorchers | 6 |
| 25 October 2018 | 25 October 2018 | | | | | QLD Scorchers | 6 |
| 25 October 2018 | 25 October 2018 | | | | NSW Arrows | 7 |
| NSW Arrows | 6 | | | | NSW Arrows | 7 |
| NSW Arrows | 6 | 27 October 2018 | 27 October 2018 | | | |
| WA Diamonds | 0 | 27 October 2018 | 27 October 2018 | | | |
| WA Diamonds | 0 | NSW Arrows | 4 | | | |
| 25 October 2018 | 25 October 2018 | | NSW Arrows | 4 | | | |
| 25 October 2018 | 25 October 2018 | VIC Vipers | 3 | | Third place match | Third place match |
| VIC Vipers | 6 | VIC Vipers | 3 | | Third place match | Third place match |
| VIC Vipers | 6 | | | | 28 October 2018 | 28 October 2018 |
| Tassie Van Demons | 0 | | | | 28 October 2018 | 28 October 2018 |
| Tassie Van Demons | 0 | | | | Canberra Strikers (p.s.o) | 4 (2) |
| | | | | | VIC Vipers | 4 (0) |

#### Quarterfinals

* 25 October 2018 13:00 (AEST)
| QLD Scorchers | 13–0 | NT Pearls |
| Kenny 15+', 43', 49' Greiner 22', 22' Wilkinson 24', 24' Eleison 25' Kershaw 28', 29', 49', 49' M. Fitzpatrick 33' | Report | |
* Gold Coast Hockey Centre, Gold Coast Umpires: Michelle Farnill (AUS) Melissa Trivic (AUS)
* 25 October 2018 14:45 (AEST)
| SA Suns | 0–0 | Canberra Strikers |
| | Report | |
| Penalties |||
| Spano Evans Welstead Claxton | 2–4 | Taseska Middleton Tice Evans E. Bone |
* Gold Coast Hockey Centre, Gold Coast Umpires: Kerryl Chandler (AUS) Tamara Leonard (AUS)
* 25 October 2018 16:30 (AEST)
| VIC Vipers | 6–0 | Tassie Van Demons |
| Padget 5', 5' Ratcliffe 18', 41', 41' Brazel 20' | Report | |
* Gold Coast Hockey Centre, Gold Coast Umpires: Kristy Robertson (AUS) Caroline Davis (AUS)
* 25 October 2018 18:15 (AEST)
| NSW Arrows | 6–0 | WA Diamonds |
| Jenner 11', 28', 28' Smith 31', 31' Stewart 34' | Report | |
* Gold Coast Hockey Centre, Gold Coast Umpires: Nicola Brown (AUS) Emily Carroll (AUS)

#### Fifth to eighth place classification

| Crossover | Crossover | Fifth place match | Fifth place match |
| 27 October 2018 | 27 October 2018 |
| NT Pearls | 0 |
| NT Pearls | 0 | 28 October 2018 | 28 October 2018 |
| SA Suns | 5 | 28 October 2018 | 28 October 2018 |
| SA Suns | 5 | SA Suns | 2 (3) |
| 27 October 2018 | 27 October 2018 | | SA Suns | 2 (3) |
| 27 October 2018 | 27 October 2018 | WA Diamonds (p.s.o) | 2 (4) |
| WA Diamonds | 10 | WA Diamonds (p.s.o) | 2 (4) |
| Tassie Van Demons | 0 | | |
| Tassie Van Demons | 0 | Seventh place match | Seventh place match |
| | | 28 October 2018 | 28 October 2018 |
| | | NT Pearls | 5 |
| | | Tassie Van Demons | 3 |

##### Crossover

* October 2018 08:45 (AEST)
| NT Pearls | 0–5 | SA Suns |
| | Report | Talbot 17', 17' Spano 26' Grist 53', 54' |
* Gold Coast Hockey Centre, Gold Coast Umpires: Emily Carroll (AUS) Caroline Davis (AUS)
* October 2018 10:30 (AEST)
| WA Diamonds | 10–0 | Tassie Van Demons |
| Slattery 4', 46', 46' Broek 11', 59', 59', 59' Squibb 20' Bestall 27', 27' | Report | |
* Gold Coast Hockey Centre, Gold Coast Umpires: Tamara Leonard (AUS) Michelle Farnill (AUS)

##### Seventh and eighth place

* October 2018 08:45 (AEST)
| NT Pearls | 5–3 | Tassie Van Demons |
| J. Graf 18', 18' Lidbetter 33', 33' G. Graf 41' | Report | Gunn 6', 6' Arthur 55' |
* Gold Coast Hockey Centre, Gold Coast Umpires: Nicola Brown (AUS) Caroline Davis (AUS)

##### Fifth and sixth place

* October 2018 08:45 (AEST)
| SA Suns | 2–2 | WA Diamonds |
| Grist 15', 60' | Report | Broek 58', 58' |
| Penalties |||
| McMahon Welstead Evans Claxton Spano —— McMahon | 3–4 | Malan Squibb Rockliff Broek Slattery —— Slattery |
* Gold Coast Hockey Centre, Gold Coast Umpires: Kerryl Chandler (AUS) Michelle Farnill (AUS)

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

* 27 October 2018 12:30 (AEST)
| QLD Scorchers | 2–1 | Canberra Strikers |
| Holzberger 14' Kenny 25' | Report | Bailey-Price 48' |
* Gold Coast Hockey Centre, Gold Coast Umpires: Melissa Trivic (AUS) Nicola Brown (AUS)
* 27 October 2018 14:00 (AEST)
| NSW Arrows | 4–3 | VIC Vipers |
| Smith 30', 30' Williams 36', 36' | Report | Hurtz 47', 47', 55' |
* Gold Coast Hockey Centre, Gold Coast Umpires: Kerryl Chandler (AUS) Kristy Robertson (AUS)

##### Third and fourth place

* 28 October 2018 12:30 (AEST)
| Canberra Strikers | 4–4 | VIC Vipers |
| Gaughan 23', 23' E. Bone 34' Tice 45' | Report | Brazel 17', 17' Hurtz 57', 57' |
| Penalties |||
| Taseska Middleton Tice | 2–0 | Hurtz Ratcliffe Brazel Bates |
* Gold Coast Hockey Centre, Gold Coast Umpires: Tamara Leonard (AUS) Kristy Robertson (AUS)

##### Final

* 28 October 2018 15:30 (AEST)
| QLD Scorchers | 6–7 | NSW Arrows |
| S. Fitzpatrick 12', 12', 56' Kenny 33' Kershaw 59', 59' | Report | Williams 5', 5' Hayes 21', 21' Farrell 35' Stewart 49' Wilson 53' |
* Gold Coast Hockey Centre, Gold Coast Umpires: Melissa Trivic (AUS) Emily Carroll (AUS)

## Awards

| Player of the Tournament | Top Goalscorer | Player of the Final | Goalkeeper of the Tournament |
| Elena Tice Lily Brazel | Rebecca Greiner Jodie Kenny Emily Hurtz | Kaitlin Nobbs | Rachael Lynch |

## Statistics
### Final standings

| Pos | Team | Pld | W | WD | LD | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Qualification |
| | NSW Arrows | 6 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 30 | 15 | +15 | 25 | Gold Medal |
| | QLD Scorchers | 6 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 44 | 14 | +30 | 20 | Silver Medal |
| | Canberra Strikers | 6 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 11 | 11 | 0 | 16 | Bronze Medal |
| 4 | VIC Vipers | 6 | 4 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 28 | 8 | +20 | 22 | |
| 5 | WA Diamonds | 6 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 19 | 13 | +6 | 13 | |
| 6 | SA Suns | 6 | 3 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 13 | 5 | +8 | 19 | |
| 7 | NT Pearls | 6 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 6 | 42 | −36 | 5 | |
| 8 | Tassie Van Demons | 6 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 6 | 4 | 47 | −43 | 0 | |

### Goalscorers

There were 155 goals scored in 24 matches, for an average of 6.46 goals per match.
9 goals
* Rebecca Greiner
* Jodie Kenny
* Emily Hurtz
8 goals
* Grace Stewart
* Stephanie Kershaw
7 goals
* Ambrosia Malone
* Madeleine Ratcliffe
6 goals
* Emily Smith
* Roos Broek
5 goals
* Penny Squibb
4 goals
* Kate Jenner
* Mariah Williams
* Emily Grist
* Lily Brazel
* Kathryn Slattery
3 goals
* Jessica Watterson
* Savannah Fitzpatrick
* Karri McMahon
* Leah Welstead
* Aisling Utri
2 goals
* Meredith Bone
* Sophie Gaughan
* Beckie Middleton
* Greta Hayes
* Jacqueline Graf
* Erin Lidbetter
* Jordyn Holzberger
* Renee Taylor
* Britt Wilkinson
* Lucy Talbot
* Julia Gunn
* Hannah Gravenall
* Hayley Padget
* Danielle Bestall
1 goal
* Catriona Bailey-Price
* Edwina Bone
* Naomi Evans
* Tina Taseska
* Elena Tice
* Lisa Farrell
* Sarah Johnston
* Abigail Wilson
* Georgia Graf
* Jessica Martin-Brown
* Layla Eleison
* Madison Fitzpatrick
* Michaela Spano
* Ashleigh Arthur
* Samantha Lawrence
* Nicola Hammond
* Sage Rogers-Uff
* Shanea Tonkin
Source: Hockey Australia