Under 21 Australian Hockey Championships
Current season, competition or edition: [[2026 Men's Championship2026 Women's Championship]] | |
| Sport | Field hockey |
|---|---|
| First season | 1946 (men) 1984 (women) |
| No. of teams | 8 |
| Country | Australia |
Most recent champions | Western Australia (men) Queensland (women) |
| Most titles | Western Australia (21 men's titles) Queensland (16 women's titles) |
| Website | www |
The Under 21 Australian Hockey Championships are the annual national under-21 field hockey championships conducted by Hockey Australia. Separate men's and women's tournaments are contested each year, bringing together the leading emerging players from Australia's eight state and territory member associations.
The men's championship was first contested in 1946, while the women's championship commenced in 1984. The championships represent Australia's premier domestic under-21 competition and form the final stage of Hockey Australia's national player pathway before international junior representation. Many players who compete at the championships progress to represent Australia in the Burras and Jillaroos, before advancing to the Kookaburras and Hockeyroos.
The most recent championships were held in Canberra, Australian Capital Territory, in 2026. Western Australia won a record fifth consecutive men's title after defeating Tasmania in a penalty shoot-out following a 4–4 draw, while Queensland defeated Victoria 2–1 to claim the women's championship.[1][2][3][4]
Competition format
The tournament is divided into two pools of four teams, with each team playing the other three teams in its pool once during the preliminary stage.
Following the pool stage, all eight teams progress to the quarter-finals. The quarter-finals are played as crossover matches between the two pools, with teams matched according to their pool finishing positions.
The quarter-final winners advance to the semi-finals, while the losing teams move into the fifth-to-eighth-place classification matches. The semi-final winners contest the gold medal match, while the losing semi-finalists play in the bronze medal match.
The remaining classification matches determine the final placings from fifth to eighth.
Competition rules
Since the 2015 edition of the tournament, games are played under FIH rules, having four 15-minute quarters.
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 match will go straight to a penalty shoot-out.
Men's Championship
Results
- Note: The following summaries comprise results from 2011 onwards, while the tournament was founded earlier.
| Year | Host | Final | Third place match | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Champions | Score | Runners-up | Third place | Score | Fourth place | ||
| 2011[5][6] | Perth, WA |  Western Australia |
2–1 (a.e.t.) |
 New South Wales |
 Queensland |
4–3 |  South Australia |
| 2012[7] | Hobart, TAS | Queensland |
3–0 | Western Australia |
New South Wales |
5–5 |  Tasmania |
| 2013[8] | Brisbane, QLD | Queensland |
3–2 | New South Wales |
.svg.png){kind=small} Victoria |
3–1 | South Australia |
| 2014[9] | Sydney, NSW | New South Wales |
7–2 | Victoria |
Western Australia |
3–0 | Queensland |
| 2015[10][11] | Canberra, ACT | Victoria |
2–1 | Western Australia |
New South Wales |
6–3 | Queensland |
| 2016[12] | Sydney, NSW | Victoria |
2–0 | New South Wales |
Queensland |
4–3 | Western Australia |
| 2017[13] | Wollongong, NSW | New South Wales |
4–3 | Queensland |
Western Australia |
1–1 (3–1) (pen.) |
Victoria |
| 2018[14] | Sydney, NSW | Tasmania |
1–1 (3–2) (pen.) |
Victoria |
Western Australia |
3–1 |  Australian Capital Territory |
| 2019[15] | Lismore, NSW | New South Wales |
2–1 | Victoria |
Western Australia |
4–0 | South Australia |
| 2020 | — | Cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic.[16] | |||||
| 2021 | — | Cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic.[17][18] | |||||
| 2022[19][20] | Perth, WA | Western Australia |
2–1 | Victoria |
New South Wales State |
6–1 | Australian Capital Territory |
| 2023[21][22] | Sydney, NSW | Western Australia |
1–0 | New South Wales |
Queensland |
2–2 (3–2) (pen.) |
Victoria |
| 2024[23] | Newcastle, NSW | Western Australia |
4–0 | Victoria |
Queensland |
2–1 | Tasmania |
| 2025[24][25] | Bendigo, VIC | Western Australia |
1–0 | New South Wales |
Tasmania |
3–1 | South Australia |
| 2026[2][26] | Canberra, ACT | Western Australia |
4–4 (3–1) (pen.) |
Tasmania |
New South Wales |
1–0 | Queensland |
Team performances
| Team | 2011 | 2012 | 2013 | 2014 | 2015 | 2016 | 2017 | 2018 | 2019 | 2022 | 2023 | 2024 | 2025 | 2026 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Australian Capital Territory |
6th | 7th | 8th | 6th | 7th | 5th | 5th | 4th | 8th | 4th | 6th | 6th | 7th | 6th |
New South Wales New South Wales State |
2nd | 3rd | 2nd | 1st | 3rd | 2nd | 1st | 6th | 1st | 3rd | 2nd | 5th | 2nd | 3rd |
New South Wales Blues |
— | — | — | — | — | — | — | 7th | 6th | 7th | — | — | — | — |
 Northern Territory Territory Stingers |
5th | 6th | 5th | 7th | 8th | 8th | 7th | — | — | 8th | 8th | 7th | 8th | 8th |
Queensland |
3rd | 1st | 1st | 4th | 4th | 3rd | 2nd | 5th | 5th | 5th | 3rd | 3rd | 5th | 4th |
South Australia |
4th | 7th | 4th | 8th | 6th | 7th | 8th | 8th | 4th | 9th | 5th | 8th | 4th | 7th |
Tasmania |
8th | 3rd | 7th | 5th | 5th | 6th | 6th | 1st | 7th | 6th | 7th | 4th | 3rd | 2nd |
Victoria |
7th | 5th | 3rd | 2nd | 1st | 1st | 4th | 2nd | 2nd | 2nd | 4th | 2nd | 6th | 5th |
Western Australia |
1st | 2nd | 6th | 3rd | 2nd | 4th | 3rd | 3rd | 3rd | 1st | 1st | 1st | 1st | 1st |
| Total | 8 | 8 | 8 | 8 | 8 | 8 | 8 | 8 | 8 | 9 | 8 | 8 | 8 | 8 |
Championships by State or Territory
The men's championship was first contested in 1946. The totals below include all championships won since the competition's inception.
| Rank | State or territory | Championships |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Western Australia |
21 |
| 2 | Queensland |
18 |
| 3 | Victoria |
17 |
| 4 | New South Wales |
15 |
| 5 | South Australia |
7 |
| 6 | Tasmania |
1 |
| 7= | Australian Capital Territory |
0 |
| 7= | Northern Territory |
0 |
Awards
The following awards are presented annually during the Australian Under 21 Hockey Championships:
- Player of the Tournament – awarded to the outstanding player in the men's competition.
- Leading Goalscorer – awarded to the player scoring the most goals in the competition.
- Play the Whistle Award – presented to the team that best demonstrates respect for officials and the spirit of fair play throughout the tournament.
| Year | Player of the Tournament | Leading goalscorer | Goals | Play the Whistle Award |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2011[6] | Matthew Willis ( New South Wales) |
Jacob Webber ( Queensland) |
13 | — |
| 2012[7] | Aran Zalewski ( Western Australia) |
Blake Govers ( New South Wales) |
12 | — |
| 2013[8] | Kane Posselt ( Queensland) |
Blake Govers ( New South Wales) |
17 | — |
| 2014[9] | — | Blake Govers ( New South Wales) |
20 | — |
| 2015[10][11] | Frazer Gerrard ( Western Australia) |
Jack Elliott ( New South Wales) |
10 | Western Australia |
| 2016[12] | Tim Howard ( Queensland) |
Andrew Scanlon ( Victoria) |
6 | Tasmania |
| 2017[13] | — | Liam Flynn ( Western Australia) |
11 | — |
| 2018[14] | Jack Welch ( Tasmania) |
Niranjan Gupte ( Australian Capital Territory) Ehren Hazell ( New South Wales) |
7 | Australian Capital Territory |
| 2019[27] | Brayden King ( Western Australia) |
Patrick Coates ( Victoria) |
11 | — |
| 2022[20] | Brodee Foster ( Western Australia) |
Brodee Foster ( Western Australia) |
15 | Australian Capital Territory |
| 2023[22] | Liam Henderson ( Victoria) |
Aiden Dooley ( Australian Capital Territory) |
9 | Queensland |
| 2024[28] | Liam Henderson ( Victoria) |
Max Johnstone ( Tasmania) |
8 | Northern Territory |
| 2025[29] | Dylan Downey ( New South Wales) |
Matthew Hawthorne ( Queensland) |
14 | Victoria |
| 2026[2] | Duncan Jackson ( Victoria) |
Duncan Jackson ( Victoria) |
11 | South Australia |
Women's Championship
Results
- Note: The following summaries comprise results from 2011 onwards, while the tournament was founded earlier.
| Year | Host | Gold medal match | Bronze medal match | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Champions | Score | Runners-up | Third place | Score | Fourth place | ||
| 2011[30] | Canberra, ACT | Western Australia |
1–0 (a.e.t.) |
New South Wales |
Queensland |
1–0 | Victoria |
| 2012[31] | Adelaide, SA | New South Wales |
3–1 | South Australia |
Queensland |
3–1 | Australian Capital Territory |
| 2013[32] | Darwin, NT | Queensland |
1–1 (2–1) (pen.) |
New South Wales |
South Australia |
1–0 | Australian Capital Territory |
| 2014[33] | Perth, WA | New South Wales |
3–1 | Queensland |
Australian Capital Territory |
1–0 | South Australia |
| 2015[34][11] | Hobart, TAS | Victoria |
3–2 | New South Wales |
Queensland |
4–1 | Western Australia |
| 2016[35] | Sydney, NSW | Queensland |
2–1 | Western Australia |
New South Wales |
3–3 (4–3) (pen.) |
Victoria |
| 2017[36] | Wollongong, NSW | New South Wales |
2–1 | Western Australia |
Queensland |
3–0 | South Australia |
| 2018[37] | Sydney, NSW | New South Wales |
2–1 | Queensland |
Victoria |
4–2 | South Australia |
| 2019[38] | Lismore, NSW | Queensland |
2–1 | Victoria |
Western Australia |
1–0 | South Australia |
| 2020 | — | Cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic.[16] | |||||
| 2021 | — | Cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic.[17][18] | |||||
| 2022[39][20] | Perth, WA | Victoria |
2–2 (3–1) (pen.) |
Western Australia |
Queensland |
2–2 (3–2) (pen.) |
New South Wales |
| 2023[40] | Sydney, NSW | New South Wales |
4–3 | Queensland |
Western Australia |
8–0 | Tasmania |
| 2024[41] | Newcastle, NSW | Queensland |
2–1 | Victoria |
New South Wales |
6–2 | Northern Territory |
| 2025[42][25] | Bendigo, VIC | Australian Capital Territory |
2–1 | Queensland |
Victoria |
6–0 | Tasmania |
| 2026[3] | Canberra, ACT | Queensland |
2–1 | New South Wales |
Victoria |
5–2 | Western Australia |
Team performances
| Team | 2011 | 2012 | 2013 | 2014 | 2015 | 2016 | 2017 | 2018 | 2019 | 2022 | 2023 | 2024 | 2025 | 2026 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Australian Capital Territory |
5th | 4th | 4th | 3rd | 7th | 8th | 6th | 6th | 8th | 8th | 8th | 5th | 1st | 5th |
.svg.png){kind=small} East Coast Venom |
— | — | — | — | — | 7th | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
New South Wales Blues |
— | — | — | — | 6th | — | — | 5th | 7th | 7th | 7th | — | — | — |
New South Wales State New South Wales |
2nd | 1st | 2nd | 1st | 2nd | 3rd | 1st | 1st | 5th | 4th | 1st | 3rd | 5th | 2nd |
Northern Territory Territory Stingers |
8th | 7th | 6th | — | — | — | 7th | — | — | — | — | 4th | 7th | 6th |
Queensland |
3rd | 3rd | 1st | 2nd | 3rd | 1st | 3rd | 2nd | 1st | 3rd | 2nd | 1st | 2nd | 1st |
South Australia |
7th | 2nd | 3rd | 4th | 5th | 5th | 4th | 4th | 4th | 6th | 6th | 8th | 8th | 7th |
Tasmania |
6th | 8th | 8th | 7th | 8th | 6th | 8th | 8th | 6th | 5th | 4th | 7th | 4th | 8th |
Victoria |
4th | 6th | 7th | 5th | 1st | 4th | 5th | 3rd | 2nd | 1st | 5th | 2nd | 3rd | 3rd |
Western Australia |
1st | 5th | 5th | 6th | 4th | 2nd | 2nd | 7th | 3rd | 2nd | 3rd | 6th | 6th | 4th |
| Total | 8 | 8 | 8 | 7 | 8 | 8 | 8 | 8 | 8 | 8 | 8 | 8 | 8 | 8 |
Championships by State or Territory
The women's championship was first contested in 1984. The totals below include all championships won since the competition's inception.
| Rank | State or territory | Championships |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Queensland |
16 |
| 2 | New South Wales |
9 |
| 3 | Victoria |
8 |
| 4 | Western Australia |
4 |
| 5 | Australian Capital Territory |
2 |
| 6= | South Australia |
1 |
| 6= | Tasmania |
1 |
| 8 | Northern Territory |
0 |
Awards
The following awards are presented annually during the Australian Under 21 Hockey Championships:
- Player of the Tournament – awarded to the outstanding player in the women's competition.
- Leading Goalscorer – awarded to the player scoring the most goals in the competition.
- Play the Whistle Award – presented to the team that best demonstrates respect for officials and the spirit of fair play throughout the tournament.
| Year | Player of the Tournament | Leading goalscorer | Goals | Play the Whistle Award |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2011[30] | Alyssa Kerr ( Queensland) |
Kathryn Slattery ( Western Australia) |
9 | New South Wales |
| 2012[31] | Tegan Purse ( Victoria) |
Tegan Purse ( Victoria) |
8 | — |
| 2013[32] | Jacqui Day ( Queensland) |
Kathryn Slattery ( Western Australia) |
9 | Tasmania |
| 2014[33] | Murphy Allendorf ( Queensland) |
Murphy Allendorf ( Queensland) |
7 | New South Wales |
| 2015[34][11] | — | Amber Mutch ( South Australia) |
7 | Victoria |
| 2016[35] | Renee Taylor ( Queensland) |
Aisling Utri ( Victoria) |
7 | East Coast Venom |
| 2017[36] | — | Grace Stewart ( New South Wales) |
7 | — |
| 2018[37] | Morgan Mathison ( Queensland) |
Rebecca Greiner Queensland |
7 | Queensland |
| 2019[38] | Amy Lawton ( Victoria) |
Abigail Wilson ( New South Wales) |
6 | — |
| 2022[20] | Grace Young ( New South Wales State) |
Tatum Stewart ( Queensland) |
7 | Australian Capital Territory |
| 2023[22] | Alana Kavanagh ( New South Wales State) |
Lily Neilson ( New South Wales State) Zara Geddis ( Victoria) |
9 | Queensland |
| 2024[28] | Karissa van der Wath ( Queensland) |
Makayla Jones ( New South Wales) |
8 | Northern Territory |
| 2025[25] | Georgina West ( Australian Capital Territory) |
Evie Stansby ( Victoria) |
6 | Australian Capital Territory |
| 2026[3] | Karissa van der Wath ( Queensland) |
Zara Geddis ( Victoria) Montana Carr ( Queensland) |
6 | Territory Stingers |
References
- ↑ National champions crowned at U16 and U21 Championships
- 1 2 3 Hockey Australia Under 21 Men's National Championship 2026
- 1 2 3 Hockey Australia Under 21 Women's National Championship 2026
- ↑ Dynasty defined: WA claim fifth straight U21 national title
- ↑ WA WINS UNDER 21 NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIPS ON A GOLDEN GOAL
- 1 2 WA Wins Under 21 National Championships on a Golden Goal, archived from the original on 15 August 2012, retrieved 27 May 2026
{{citation}}: CS1 maint: bot: original URL status unknown (link) - 1 2 2012 Under 21 Men's National Championships, archived from the original on 2 August 2012, retrieved 14 July 2026
{{citation}}: CS1 maint: bot: original URL status unknown (link) - 1 2 Be The Influence Under 21 Men's National Hockey Championships, archived from the original on 16 May 2013, retrieved 14 July 2026
{{citation}}: CS1 maint: bot: original URL status unknown (link) - 1 2 Hockey Australia Under 21 Men's National Championship 2014
- 1 2 Hockey Australia Under 21 Men's National Championship 2015
- 1 2 3 4 Victoria’s men and women named 2015 Australian Champions, archived from the original on 14 March 2016, retrieved 14 July 2026
{{citation}}: CS1 maint: bot: original URL status unknown (link) - 1 2 Hockey Australia Under 21 Men's National Championship 2016
- 1 2 Hockey Australia Under 21 Men's National Championship 2017
- 1 2 Hockey Australia Under 21 Men's National Championship 2018
- ↑ Hockey Australia Under 21 Men's National Championship 2019
- 1 2 Hockey Australia COVID-19 Statement
- 1 2 2021 Australian Under 21 Championships postponed
- 1 2 2021 National Under 21 Championships cancelled
- ↑ Hockey Australia Under 21 Men's National Championship 2022
- 1 2 3 4 Scintillating end to memorable 2021 Australian U21 Championships
- ↑ Hockey Australia Under 21 Men's National Championship 2023
- 1 2 3 Memorable 2023 Australian U21 Championships conclude in Sydney
- ↑ Hockey Australia Under 21 Men's National Championship 2024
- ↑ Hockey Australia Under 21 Men's National Championship 2025
- 1 2 3 History made in Bendigo 2025 as WA and ACT triumph at the U21 National Championships
- ↑ Dynasty Defined: WA Claim Fifth Straight U21 National Title
- ↑ 2019 Australian Under 21 Championships Awards
- 1 2 2024 Australian Under 21 Championships Awards
- ↑ 2025 Australian Under 21 Championships Awards
- 1 2 Hockey Australia Under 21 Women's National Championship 2011, archived from the original on 15 August 2012, retrieved 14 July 2026
{{citation}}: CS1 maint: bot: original URL status unknown (link) - 1 2 Hockey Australia Under 21 Women's National Championship 2012, archived from the original on 15 August 2012, retrieved 14 July 2026
{{citation}}: CS1 maint: bot: original URL status unknown (link) - 1 2 Hockey Australia Under 21 Women's National Championship 2012, archived from the original on 16 May 2013, retrieved 14 July 2026
{{citation}}: CS1 maint: bot: original URL status unknown (link) - 1 2 Hockey Australia Under 21 Women's National Championship 2014
- 1 2 Hockey Australia Under 21 Women's National Championship 2015
- 1 2 Hockey Australia Under 21 Women's National Championship 2016
- 1 2 Hockey Australia Under 21 Women's National Championship 2017
- 1 2 Hockey Australia Under 21 Women's National Championship 2018
- 1 2 Hockey Australia Under 21 Women's National Championship 2019
- ↑ Hockey Australia Under 21 Women's National Championship 2022
- ↑ Hockey Australia Under 21 Women's National Championship 2023
- ↑ Hockey Australia Under 21 Women's National Championship 2024
- ↑ Hockey Australia Under 21 Women's National Championship 2025