The Australian Country Championships are field hockey tournaments hosted annually in Australia. Unlike other National Australian Championships, the Australian Country Championships only comprise teams made up of players from country regions of each Australian state, as well as a team from the Australian Defence Force.
The 2016 edition of the tournament was held in Darwin, Northern Territory. Seven teams competed in both the men's and women's tournaments.
NSW Country were champions in both the men's and women's tournaments, defeating the ADF and QLD Country respectively. WA Country finished third in the men's tournament by defeating QLD Country, while VIC Country defeated the ADF to finish third in the women's tournament.
Teams The following are the teams from the 2017 tournaments.
Australian Defence Force NSW Country NT Country QLD Country SA Country VIC Country WA Country
Competition format The tournament is played in a round robin format, with each team facing each other once. Final placings after the pool matches determine playoffs.
The fifth and sixth placed teams contest the fifth and sixth place match, the third and fourth placed teams contest the third and fourth place match, and the top two teams compete in the final.
Competition rules The Australian Country Championships have not adapted FIH rules of four 15–minute quarters, but instead use the old format of two 35–minute halves.
Points system Result Points Win 3 Draw 1 Loss 0
Finals matches During finals if games end in a tie, no overtime will be played and the higher ranked team from the pool matches will finish as a higher placing.
Men's tournament
Results Note: The following summaries comprise results from 2014 onwards, while the tournament was founded earlier.
Summaries YearHostsGold Medal MatchThird and FourthChampionsScoreRunners-up3rd placeScore4th place2014Toowoomba, QLDNSW2–1QLDVIC2–2ADF2015Wollongong, NSWNSW0–0(4–2 pen.)VICQLD6–1WA2016Darwin, NTNSW4–1ADFWA1–0QLD2017Townsville, QLDNSW3–1QLDVIC1–0ADF2018Berri, SANSW5–0QLDWA5–1ADF2019Shepparton, VICNSW3–0QLDVIC3–1ADF2022Albany, WAQLD5–0WAVIC3–1NSW2023Shepparton, VICWA1–0VICQLD4–1NSW
Team performances Team201320142015201620172018201920222023TotalADF4th4th5th2nd4th4th4th5th5th9 NSW1st1st1st1st1st1st1st4th4th9 NT–––5th–––––1 QLD3rd2nd3rd4th2nd2nd2nd1st3rd9 SA6th6th7th6th6th6th6th6th6th9 VIC5th3rd2nd6th3rd5th3rd3rd2nd9 WA2nd5th4th3rd5th3rd5th2nd1st9Total 66676666655
Women's tournament
Results Note: The following summaries comprise results from 2014 onwards, while the tournament was founded earlier.
Summaries YearHostsGold Medal MatchThird and FourthChampionsScoreRunners-up3rd placeScore4th place2014Toowoomba, QLDQLD4–1NSWVIC2–1WA2015Wollongong, NSWVIC2–0WANSW2–1QLD2016Darwin, NTNSW2–1QLDVIC1–0ADF2017Townsville, QLDQLD2–0NSWADF2–0WA2018Berri, SAQLD1–0NSWADF2–1SA2019Shepparton, VICQLD1–0NSWVIC6–2ADF2022Albany, WAQLD1–0NSWVIC1–0ADF2023Shepparton, VICQLD3–3(4–2 pen.)NSWVIC2–1ADF
Team performances Team201320142015201620172018201920222023TotalADF6th6th5th4th3rd3rd4th4th4th9 NSW2nd2nd3rd1st2nd2nd2nd2nd2nd9 NT–––5th–––––1 QLD1st1st4th2nd1st1st1st1st1st9 SA5th5th6th7th6th4th6th6th5th9 VIC3rd3rd1st3rd5th6th3rd3rd3rd9 WA4th4th2nd6th4th5th5th5th6th9Total 66676666655
References