Australia’s premier men’s and women’s hockey competition, the Sultana Bran Hockey One League, is back following the release of the schedule for Season 2.
The 2022 Season will open on Thursday night 29 September with a blockbuster double header at Melbourne Sports Centre, Parkville.
The men’s and women’s double header between HC Melbourne and NSW Pride will mark the much-anticipated return of the league after COVID caused a two-year hiatus of the competition.
Other Round 1 fixtures see the Tassie Tigers at home to Brisbane Blaze on Friday night (30 September), with Adelaide Fire heading west to take on the Perth Thundersticks on Saturday night (1 October). Canberra Chill have the bye in Round 1.
Memberships for each club are available now.
Season 2 will again feature seven rounds with every team playing each other once. Each round will have consistent start times to build a familiarity for fans of when matches are played. The top four teams after seven rounds will progress to the finals series.
The league will also head to a regional centre for the first time as the McGlynn Sports Complex in Parkes in western New South Wales hosts the Round 7 encounter between NSW Pride and Canberra Chill.
Sultana Bran Hockey One League 2022 Schedule
Sultana Bran Hockey One General Manager Andy Crook is confident the league will capture the imagination of the Australian sporting public and be an appealing entertainment product for hockey and sports fans alike.
“Hockey fans have had to wait but we can now confirm the schedule with assuredness and plan for the league to return in a big way,” said Crook.
“Having the fixtures locked in is a significant step to getting the league back in the minds of hockey fans.”
“With blockbuster matches scheduled in the early rounds, Season 2 promises to start with a bang.”
The Sultana Bran Hockey One League is the only elite domestic league in Australia that is truly gender equal with each fixture being a double header comprising a men’s and women’s match.
The Sultana Bran Hockey One League features a host of the best hockey players not only in Australia but the world with the Kookaburras and Hockeyroos both ranked in the top three.
“We are blessed and fortunate in this country to have some of the world’s best hockey players, so the competition and standard of the league is elite,” said Crook.
As in the inaugural season, the ‘conversion’ rule which is unique to the Sultana Bran Hockey One League will be retained. The rule allows players to double down after scoring a field goal by subsequently converting a one-on-one shoot out with the opposition goalkeeper.
Every match that is tied at the end of full time will again be decided by a penalty shootout to ensure a result.
Match times and broadcast details, plus information on the finals series are to be confirmed.
Features of the Sultana Bran Hockey One League 2022 Season
- Men’s and Women’s seasons to be played over seven (7) rounds (total of 42 matches) followed by the Finals Series.
- All fixtures will be double headers comprising a women’s match and a men’s match.
- Each round will be played on consistent match days (Thursday nights, Friday nights, Saturdays).
- HC Melbourne and NSW Pride open the season on Thursday 29 September.
- Women’s Grand Final rematch between Brisbane Blaze and HC Melbourne to take place in Round 4 on Saturday 22 October.
- Men’s Grand Final rematch between NSW Pride and Brisbane Blaze to take place in Round 5 on Friday 28 October.
- Round 7 double header between NSW Pride and Canberra Chill to be played at McGlynn Sports Complex, Parkes NSW on Saturday 12 November.
Sultana Bran Hockey One League Clubs
Adelaide Fire #ADL
Facebook: Adelaide Fire | Twitter: @AdelaideFireH1 | Instagram: @AdelaideFireH1
Brisbane Blaze #BBZ
Facebook: Brisbane Blaze | Twitter: @BrisbaneBlazeH1 | Instagram: @BrisbaneBlazeH1
Canberra Chill #CCH
Facebook: Canberra Chill | Twitter: @CanberraChillH1 | Instagram: @CanberraChillH1
HC Melbourne #HCM
Facebook: Hockey Club Melbourne | Twitter: @HCMelbourneH1 | Instagram: @HCMelbourneH1
NSW Pride #NSW
Facebook: NSW Pride | Twitter: @NSWPrideH1 | Instagram: @NSWPrideH1
Perth Thundersticks #PTX
Facebook: Perth Thundersticks | Twitter: @ThundersticksH1 | Instagram: @ThundersticksH1
Tassie Tigers #TIG
Facebook: Tassie Tigers | Twitter: @TassieTigersH1 | Instagram: @TassieTigersH1
Sultana Bran Hockey One League
Twitter: @H1League
Facebook: H1League
Instagram: @h1league