This weekend sees the push back in the first series of the new Sultana Bran Hockey One League. O’Neills are official kit suppliers to the seven teams that make up the new Hockey One League.
The Sultana Bran Hockey One League puts Hockey fans first, with a new concept, new format, new club identities and, for the first time ever, new access for fans, with matches streamed live. It’s Real Hockey, Re-Imagined.
Hockey One starts this weekend, 29 September, with the best of the best playing each other in a fast paced game played across all Australia’s capital cities. Seven women’s teams, seven men’s teams. The cream of Australian hockey featuring Australia's best players, including players from national teams the Kookaburras (men) and Hockeyroos (women).
Seven New Hockey Teams
The teams are Adelaide Fire, Brisbane Blaze, Canberra Chill, Hockey Club Melbourne, NSW Pride, Perth Thundersticks, and Tassie Tigers.
The schedule features a 49-day season with 21 double header home and away event days plus finals. Games will be live streamed on Kayo Sports with grand finals broadcast on Fox Sports.
All male and female teams are under one club umbrella in each market and will always play double-headers, unlike any other sport featuring both club teams.
O’Neills Hockey One Kit Partnership
“O’Neills has developed a reputation for producing quality sportwear and we are really excited to have partnered with them,” said Tony Dodemaide, Hockey One General Manager.
“Their ambition and success in expanding to a number of countries across the world resonates with Hockey One and its aim of getting hockey to reach new audiences and markets and showcase the best Australian hockey has to offer.”
The partnership is initially for a three year period, and O’Neills Australasian General Manager, Antoinette Brophy says the company is buoyant about aligning itself with Hockey One.
“O’Neills are delighted to have the opportunity to partner with Hockey One as their official kit and merchandise supplier for the coming three years,” said Antoinette.
Rules Innovations
“Hockey One is really fan-centric. We want all fans, those new to hockey and hockey fanatics, to experience world class hockey that is fast, exciting and entertaining,” said Tony Dodemaide, Hockey One General Manager.
Field goal conversions and a mandatory winner are some of the exciting initiatives to be rolled out for Australia’s new national League, Hockey One.
The rules for the inaugural Hockey One season, which have been ratified by the International Hockey Federation (FIH), are designed and expected to produce fast and highly entertaining hockey that encapsulates the buzz surrounding the new league.
For Hockey One games, team lists will be restricted to 14 players in total, irrespective of the number of goalkeepers, which is in contrast to international matches. Another initiative is the implantation of the field goal conversion rule, which was at the 2018 AHL and is a slight variation to a rule used in the Euro Hockey League.
“When a field goal or penalty stroke awarded during field play is scored, the same athlete will have an automatic one-on-one shootout with the goalkeeper for the chance of an extra goal,” explained Dodemaide.
“This will encourage a move away from a reliance on penalty corners (drag-flick) and is a great example of H1’s focus on creating moments to celebrate.”
All matches must also have an outright result, with drawn matches to be decided by a penalty shootout.
“Match points will be given with five points for a win, or two points to each team in the event scores are level at full time. A shootout will then occur, with one point awarded to the winner of the shoot-out,” said Dodemaide.
The loser of the match decided in regular time will receive 0 points.
O’Neills - proud to be official kit suppliers to the Sultana Bran Hockey One League