The JDH Hockey One is a field hockey competition organised by Hockey Australia, which replaced the Australian Hockey League.[1][2][3][4]

Hockey One
FormerlyAustralian Hockey League
SportField hockey
Founded2019
No. of teams7
CountryAustralia Australia
ContinentOceania (OHF)
Most recent
champion(s)
Queensland Brisbane Blaze (M)
Queensland Brisbane Blaze (W)
Most titlesQueensland Brisbane Blaze
New South Wales NSW Pride (3 titles)
TV partner(s)7plus
Official websitehockeyone.com.au

The competition serves as Australia's premier domestic hockey league, helping unearth future talent for selection to the Australian national teams; the Kookaburras and Hockeyroos.[5]

The NSW Pride and the Brisbane Blaze are currently the most successful teams, winning three out of six titles each. The Pride won both the men's and women's competitions in 2022, whereas the Blaze won both competitions in 2023.

History edit

The Hockey One League was founded on 17 April 2019. The tournament was formed following an overhaul of the Australian Hockey League, and replaced the tournament to serve as Australia's premier hockey competition.[5]

Following a series of rule innovations during the 2018 men's and women's AHL tournaments, Hockey Australia made the decision to disband the premier competition, making way for the new domestic league.[6]

On 23 September 2019, Hockey Australia confirmed that the new league had secured a major partnership with Kellogg's, with naming rights also afforded to the company, forming the Sultana Bran Hockey One.[7] The following day it was confirmed that Westfund Health Insurance had been named as a supporting partner.[8]

On 11 September 2023, the league announced Jamie Dwyer Hockey (JDH) as the new official naming rights partner.[9]

COVID-19 pandemic edit

Following a successful first season of the Sultana Bran Hockey One in 2019, the second edition was anticipated for commencement in late 2020. However, due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the league's second season was postponed until 2021.[10] The decision was made by the Hockey One board on 24 March 2020 following consultations with Hockey Australia and the seven member associations in the league, all of which being unable to financially support the program later in the year.[11]

The postponement was not only made to benefit associations financially, but also on account of restrictions put into place by the Government of Australia, which prohibited mass-gatherings and sporting events.[12] The league went on to postpone the second season to October 2022, owing to divergent state border restrictions in place across the country in late 2021.[13]

Format edit

Seven teams will compete in a round-robin tournament with home and away matches, played from late September to mid November, with the top four teams advancing to the finals round at a pre-determined location.[14]

Teams edit

The seven teams to compete in the Sultana Bran Hockey One come from Australia's states and territories, with the Northern Territory being the only team absent.[15]

Men's tournament edit

Summaries edit

YearHostsGold Medal MatchThird and Fourth
ChampionsScoreRunners-up3rd placeScore4th place
2019Melbourne
NSW Pride
8–3
Brisbane Blaze

Tassie Tigers
Round-robin
HC Melbourne
2022Bendigo
NSW Pride
2–0
Perth Thundersticks

Brisbane Blaze
6–2
Canberra Chill
2023Canberra
Brisbane Blaze
3–3
(5–3 pen.)

NSW Pride

HC Melbourne
2–1
Tassie Tigers

Awards edit

Men's Statistics
YearPlayer of the LeagueHighest Goalscorer(s)Player of the Final
2019Eddie Ockenden (Tigers)Blake Govers (Pride)Flynn Ogilvie (Pride)
2022Andrew Charter (Chill)Joel Rintala (Blaze)Ky Willott (Pride)
2023Timothy Brand (Pride)Jacob Anderson (Blaze)Not Awarded

Team Appearances edit

Team201920222023Total
Canberra Chill5th4th7th3
NSW Pride1st1st2nd3
Brisbane Blaze2nd3rd1st3
Adelaide Fire7th7th5th3
Tassie Tigers3rd5th4th3
HC Melbourne4th6th3rd3
Perth Thundersticks6th2nd6th3
Total77721

Women's tournament edit

Summaries edit

YearFinal HostGold Medal MatchThird and Fourth
ChampionsScoreRunners-up3rd placeScore4th place
2019Melbourne
Brisbane Blaze
1–1
(3–2 pen.)

HC Melbourne

Adelaide Fire
Round-robin
Canberra Chill
2022Bendigo
NSW Pride
2–2
(3–1 pen.)

Brisbane Blaze

Perth Thundersticks
3–0
HC Melbourne
2023Canberra
Brisbane Blaze
4–1
Canberra Chill

Perth Thundersticks
2–1
NSW Pride

Awards edit

Women's Statistics
YearPlayer of the LeagueHighest Goalscorer(s)Player of the Final
2019Shihori Oikawa (Chill)3 Players (see list)Ambrosia Malone (Blaze)
2022Amy Lawton (Melbourne)Grace Stewart (Pride)Mariah Williams (Pride)
2023Kaitlin Nobbs (Pride)Laura Reid (Pride)Not Awarded

Team Appearances edit

Team201920222023Total
Canberra Chill4th5th2nd3
NSW Pride6th1st4th3
Brisbane Blaze1st2nd1st3
Adelaide Fire3rd6th6th3
Tassie Tigers7th7th7th3
HC Melbourne2nd4th5th3
Perth Thundersticks5th3rd3rd3
Total77721

Media coverage edit

To promote the sport and engage fans, every match of the 2022 Hockey One League was broadcast live across Australia. All matches were broadcast live on Kayo Sports and in addition, all Thursday night double headers were broadcast on FOX Sports.[16] Both Kayo and FOX Sports broadcast the finals series, held over a weekend in Bendigo on the 19th and 20th of November, 2022.[17]

Prior to the 2023 season, Hockey Australia announced a new broadcast deal with the Seven Network, bringing the competition to their free streaming service 7plus in a multi-year deal.[18]

See also edit

References edit

  1. ^ "Hockey One - REAL HOCKEY. REIMAGINED". hockeyone.com.au. Retrieved 17 April 2019.
  2. ^ Helmers, Caden (17 April 2019). "Chill factor: Hockey league revamped". The Canberra Times. Retrieved 17 April 2019.
  3. ^ "Heraldsun.com.au | Subscribe to the Herald Sun for exclusive stories". www.heraldsun.com.au. Retrieved 17 April 2019.
  4. ^ "Couriermail.com.au | Subscribe to The Courier Mail for exclusive stories". www.couriermail.com.au. Retrieved 17 April 2019.
  5. ^ a b "A New Era Begins - Hockey One Is Here!". Hockey Australia. Retrieved 17 April 2019.
  6. ^ "'Fully revised' Australian Hockey League delayed until 2019". The Melville Times. 14 May 2018. Retrieved 25 September 2019.
  7. ^ "Sultana Bran announced as naming rights partner for Hockey One League". Hockey Australia. Retrieved 25 September 2019.
  8. ^ "WESTFUND HEALTH INSURANCE JOINS NEW HOCKEY ONE LEAGUE AS SUPPORTING PARTNER". Ministry of Sport. Retrieved 25 September 2019.
  9. ^ "Jamie Dwyer Hockey teams up with Hockey One League | Hockey One". hockeyone.com.au. 10 September 2023. Retrieved 27 November 2023.
  10. ^ "Hockey One campaigns for South Coast stick duo postponed until 2021". southcoastregister.com.au. South Coast Register. 25 March 2020. Retrieved 17 April 2020.
  11. ^ "Sultana Bran Hockey One 2020 Season postponed". hockeyone.com.au. Hockey One. 25 March 2020. Retrieved 17 April 2020.
  12. ^ "Limits on public gatherings for coronavirus (COVID-19)". health.gov.a. Government of Australia. Retrieved 17 April 2020.
  13. ^ "Sultana Bran Hockey One League Season 2 update". 20 October 2021.
  14. ^ "Hockey One - Whats the Format?". hockeyone.com.au. Retrieved 17 April 2019.
  15. ^ "NEW LEAGUE AND TV DEAL FOR HOCKEY". thewomensgame.com.au. Retrieved 17 April 2019.
  16. ^ "2022 Season starts Thursday with blockbuster | Hockey One". hockeyone.com.au. 26 September 2022. Retrieved 28 September 2022.
  17. ^ "Bendigo to host Sultana Bran Hockey One League 2022 Finals Series | Hockey One". hockeyone.com.au. 21 September 2022. Retrieved 28 September 2022.
  18. ^ Australia, Hockey. "Best of Australian hockey now LIVE and free on 7plus". www.hockey.org.au. Retrieved 27 November 2023.