Domestic hockey round up

It is getting to the time of the year where all of the domestic hockey leagues are wrapping up and champions have been decided. It is about the time that a general wrap up of all of the leagues in Australia was done.

I will be concentrating on the major leagues that we have, Sydney, Perth, Melbourne and the Brisbane leagues. So, without further ado, here it is.

Brisbane
The Brisbane men’s division one showed the best and the worst of the domestic leagues.

They had the best promotion, with TV coverage and regular match reports, but also had the only men’s team to fail to collect a point. In the end, Commercial HC won the championship, and Redcliffe Leagues HC were the minor premiers.

The big improver was PR St Andrews Norths, making the finals for the first time in 9 years.

The biggest surprise was Easts HC (grand finalists for the last three years) nearly missed out on the finals, only securing fifth position in the last fixture round.

The women’s division one welcomed two new teams this year to the top grade – Redcliffe and Norths – with mixed results for the clubs. Though the top five remained unchanged, with positions only changing in the five.

St Andrews won the championship for 2009, and St Andrews also went one better than 2008 and won the minor premiership.

Melbourne
Greensborough HC were the run away minor premiers in the women’s state league one, finishing eight points clear of second placed Hawthorn HC.

The two best sides met in the grand final, with a thrilling game coming down to penalty strokes to decide the winner. Greensborough HC ended up on top with the experience of Hockeyroo keeper Rachael Lynch proving to be the difference.

In the men’s state league one Camberwell HC and Doncaster HC finished equal at the end of the regular season on 40 points, with Camberwell HC being declared the minor premiers on goal difference.

Doncaster HC was able to overcome this disappointment and defeated Camberwell HC in the grand final, 3-2.

Perth
In the AHG League in Western Australia, University of WA finished on top of the men’s and women’s leagues, with Westside Wolves HC finishing a close second in both leagues.

With both clubs maintaining their positions in the women’s league and making large improvements in the men’s leagues at the expense of Victoria Park HC and WASPS HC, who dropped out of the finals.

Westside Wolves HC made the grand final in both the men’s and the women’s league’s, and were joined by University of WA in the women’s. YMCA Coastal City came from third to make the men’s final. In two very close matches, Westside Wolves HC won the women’s final 1-0, while YMCA Coastal City overcame Westside Wolves HC 3-2.

Sydney
Twelve points was the gap between Northwest Strikers and Sutherland HC in the Sydney premier league one, giving Northwest Strikers a clear Minor Premiership victory.

When both sides met in the grand final, the form for the season proper seemed to count for little, with Sutherland HC going into halftime 1-0 up.

Sutherland HC were unable to maintain their momentum being overcome by a re-energised Northwest Strikers, with the score finishing 4-1 and Northwest Strikers taking both trophy’s.

Adelaide
Men’s
Minor premiers: Seacliff HC
Champions: Adelaide HC

Women’s
Minor premiers: Adelaide HC
Champions: Port Adelaide HC

Hobart
Men’s
Minor premiers: Derwent HC
Champions: Derwent HC

Women’s
Minor premiers: Canterbury HC
Champions: North West Hobart Graduates

Canberra
Men’s
Minor premiers: Central HC
Champions: Central HC

Women’s
Minor premiers: ANU Women’s HC
Champions: University of Canberra HC

Darwin
Men’s
Minor premiers: Nightcliff University Tigers
Champions: Waratahs HC

Women’s
Minor premiers: Nightcliff University Tigers
Champions: Nightcliff University Tigers