Australian Country Championships

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.^[1][2]

Teams

The following are the teams from the 2017 tournaments.

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

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

Year	Hosts		Gold Medal Match				Third and Fourth
			Champions	Score	Runners-up		3rd place	Score	4th place
2014	Toowoomba, QLD		NSW	2–1	QLD		VIC	2–2	ADF
2015	Wollongong, NSW		NSW	0–0 (4–2 pen.)	VIC		QLD	6–1	WA
2016	Darwin, NT		NSW	4–1	ADF		WA	1–0	QLD
2017	Townsville, QLD		NSW	3–1	QLD		VIC	1–0	ADF
2018	Berri, SA		NSW	5–0	QLD		WA	5–1	ADF
2019	Shepparton, VIC		NSW	3–0	QLD		VIC	3–1	ADF
2022	Albany, WA		QLD	5–0	WA		VIC	3–1	NSW
2023	Shepparton, VIC		WA	1–0	VIC		QLD	4–1	NSW

Team performances

Team	2013	2014	2015	2016	2017	2018	2019	2022	2023	Total
ADF	4th	4th	5th	2nd	4th	4th	4th	5th	5th	9
NSW	1st	1st	1st	1st	1st	1st	1st	4th	4th	9
NT	–	–	–	5th	–	–	–	–	–	1
QLD	3rd	2nd	3rd	4th	2nd	2nd	2nd	1st	3rd	9
SA	6th	6th	7th	6th	6th	6th	6th	6th	6th	9
VIC	5th	3rd	2nd	6th	3rd	5th	3rd	3rd	2nd	9
WA	2nd	5th	4th	3rd	5th	3rd	5th	2nd	1st	9
Total	6	6	6	7	6	6	6	6	6	55

Women's tournament

Results

• Note: The following summaries comprise results from 2014 onwards, while the tournament was founded earlier.

Summaries

Year	Hosts		Gold Medal Match				Third and Fourth
			Champions	Score	Runners-up		3rd place	Score	4th place
2014	Toowoomba, QLD		QLD	4–1	NSW		VIC	2–1	WA
2015	Wollongong, NSW		VIC	2–0	WA		NSW	2–1	QLD
2016	Darwin, NT		NSW	2–1	QLD		VIC	1–0	ADF
2017	Townsville, QLD		QLD	2–0	NSW		ADF	2–0	WA
2018	Berri, SA		QLD	1–0	NSW		ADF	2–1	SA
2019	Shepparton, VIC		QLD	1–0	NSW		VIC	6–2	ADF
2022	Albany, WA		QLD	1–0	NSW		VIC	1–0	ADF
2023	Shepparton, VIC		QLD	3–3 (4–2 pen.)	NSW		VIC	2–1	ADF

Team performances

Team	2013	2014	2015	2016	2017	2018	2019	2022	2023	Total
ADF	6th	6th	5th	4th	3rd	3rd	4th	4th	4th	9
NSW	2nd	2nd	3rd	1st	2nd	2nd	2nd	2nd	2nd	9
NT	–	–	–	5th	–	–	–	–	–	1
QLD	1st	1st	4th	2nd	1st	1st	1st	1st	1st	9
SA	5th	5th	6th	7th	6th	4th	6th	6th	5th	9
VIC	3rd	3rd	1st	3rd	5th	6th	3rd	3rd	3rd	9
WA	4th	4th	2nd	6th	4th	5th	5th	5th	6th	9
Total	6	6	6	7	6	6	6	6	6	55

References