Under 16 Australian Championships
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| Current season, competition or edition: 2026 Girls Championship]] | |
| Sport | Field hockey |
|---|---|
| No. of teams | 12 |
| Country | Australia |
| Most recent champion(s) | Victoria (boys) Queensland (girls) |
| Official website | Official website |
The Under 16 Australian Championships are the premier national field hockey championships for Australia's leading under-16 players. Conducted annually by Hockey Australia, the tournament features separate boys' and girls' competitions contested by representative teams from Australia's states and territories. The championships form an important part of Hockey Australia's national player development pathway.
The competition was contested as the Under 15 Australian Championships from its inception in 1980 until 2023. In 2024, Hockey Australia increased the age classification to under 16 as part of its national pathway structure.
At the most recent championships, held in Hobart, Tasmania in May 2026,[1] Victoria claimed the boys' title after defeating Western Australia Gold in the final,[2] while Queensland Maroon won the girls' championship by defeating New South Wales State.[3] The tournament showcased Australia's leading emerging hockey [4] talent and continued its role as the first national championship on Hockey Australia's age-group pathway.
History
The boys' championship was first contested in 1980 as the Under 15 Australian Championships. A national girls' under-15 championship was introduced in 2003, replacing the 16 years and under invitational girls' tournament that had been conducted prior to 2002. The championships remained at under-15 level until 2023 before adopting the current under-16 age classification in 2024 as part of Hockey Australia's revised national championship framework.[5]
The invitational girls' tournament featured representative teams from states, regions, schools and associations rather than exclusively state and territory teams. For example, the 2000 tournament[6] was won by Northern New South Wales, with Victoria finishing second and Western Australia third while the second division included representative teams from school sporting associations such as Combined Catholic Colleges (New South Wales)[7], Combined Independent Schools (New South Wales)[8], IGSSA (Western Australia)[9], as well as teams including Victoria Metro, Victoria Country and Melbourne Association Schoolgirls.
Until 2009, the national championships consisted of a full round-robin competition followed by classification matches, with the top two teams contesting the gold medal match and the remaining teams playing off for final placings.
Between 2010 and 2013, no finals series was conducted, with the championship awarded to the team finishing first after the completion of the round-robin competition.
In 2014, the tournament expanded from eight to twelve teams. New South Wales, Queensland, Victoria and Western Australia each entered two representative teams, while the Australian Capital Territory, Northern Territory, South Australia and Tasmania each continued to enter a single representative team. The expanded format introduced two preliminary pools followed by crossover semi-finals and classification matches.
The second representative teams have competed under a number of names. Queensland has fielded Queensland 2 and then Queensland Gold, while Western Australia has entered Western Australia Black. New South Wales' second team has competed as New South Wales Blues and New South Wales Stars, while Victoria's second team has been known as Victoria White, Victoria 2 and Victoria Development.
Competition format
The Under 16 Australian Championships are contested by representative teams from Australia's states and territories, with the competition format varying depending on the number of participating teams and the tournament structure adopted by Hockey Australia.
Teams initially compete in a pool phase, with each team playing a round-robin schedule against the other teams in its pool. Based on the pool standings, teams then progress to classification matches to determine the final placings, including medal matches to determine the national champions. Depending on the tournament structure, finals may include quarter-finals, semi-finals and classification playoffs.
Competition rules
Matches are played in accordance with the International Hockey Federation (FIH) Rules of Hockey, together with competition-specific regulations published annually by Hockey Australia. Match duration and competition regulations may vary between editions of the championships.
Points system
| Result | Points |
|---|---|
| Win | 3 |
| Draw | 1 |
| Loss | 0 |
Finals matches
If a finals match is tied at the end of regulation time, no extra time is played. The match proceeds directly to a penalty shoot-out to determine the winner.
Boys Championships
Results
Note: The following table summarises results from 2015 onwards. The tournament was first contested in 1980 as the Under 15 Australian Championships and became the Under 16 Australian Championships in 2024.[5]
Team Performances
| State/Territory/Representative Team | 2015 | 2016 | 2017 | 2018 | 2019 | 2021 | 2022 | 2023 | 2024 | 2025 | 2026 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Error creating thumbnail: Australian Capital Territory |
10th | 12th | 12th | 6th | 5th | 6th | 9th | 11th | 12th | 10th | 3rd |
New South Wales State NSW Lions |
2nd | 2nd | 1st | 3rd | 2nd | 1st | 4th | 4th | 2nd | 2nd | 4th |
New South Wales Blues NSW Stars |
4th | 5th | 5th | 9th | 10th | 7th | 8th | 7th | 5th | 11th | 8th |
| Northern Territory Northern Territory Territory Stingers |
12th | 8th | 11th | 11th | 12th | DNC | 11th | 12th | 10th | 12th | 12th |
| Error creating thumbnail: Queensland 1 Queensland Maroon |
7th | 1st | 4th | 1st | 3rd | 5th | 1st | 1st | 1st | 4th | 5th |
| Error creating thumbnail: Queensland 2 Queensland Gold |
6th | 6th | 7th | 8th | 8th | 8th | 3rd | 6th | 8th | 5th | 7th |
South Australia |
9th | 10th | 9th | 5th | 4th | 9th | 5th | 8th | 7th | 9th | 6th |
Tasmania |
8th | 9th | 10th | 10th | 7th | 2nd | 7th | 10th | 9th | 7th | 10th |
Victoria Blue Victoria |
3rd | 3rd | 2nd | 4th | 6th | 3rd | 6th | 2nd | 3rd | 1st | 1st |
Victoria White Victoria Development |
5th | 7th | 6th | 7th | 11th | 11th | 12th | 9th | 6th | 6th | 9th |
Western Australia Black |
11th | 11th | 8th | 12th | 9th | 10th | 10th | 5th | 11th | 8th | 11th |
Western Australia Gold |
1st | 4th | 3rd | 2nd | 1st | 4th | 2nd | 3rd | 4th | 3rd | 2nd |
DNC = Did not Compete
Championships by State or Territory
The boys' championship was contested as an Under 15 competition from 1980 to 2023 before adopting the current Under 16 age classification in 2024.[5]
Championship totals below combine titles won under both age classifications. Representative teams from the same state or territory (for example, Queensland Maroon and Queensland Gold) are treated as a single state or territory for the purposes of this table.
| Rank | State or Territory | Championships |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 20 | |
| 2 | Error creating thumbnail: Queensland | 13 |
| 3 | 7 | |
| 4 | 5 | |
| 5 | Northern Territory Northern Territory | 1 |
| 6= | 0 | |
| 6= | 0 | |
| 6= | Error creating thumbnail: Australian Capital Territory | 0 |
Awards
The following awards are presented annually during the Australian Under 16 National Championships:
- Player of the Tournament – awarded to the outstanding player in the boys competitions.
- 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.
Girls Championships
Results
Team performances
| State/Territory/Representative Team | 2015 | 2016 | 2017 | 2018 | 2019 | 2021 | 2022 | 2023 | 2024 | 2025 | 2026 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Error creating thumbnail: Australian Capital Territory |
12th | 8th | 9th | 11th | 11th | 10th | 7th | 8th | 10th | 6th | 3rd |
New South Wales State New South Wales Stars |
5th | 2nd | 3rd | 1st | 3rd | 1st | 3rd | 3rd | 2nd | 4th | 2nd |
New South Wales Blues New South Wales Lions |
7th | 5th | 4th | 9th | 5th | 9th | 6th | 9th | 7th | 5th | 9th |
| Northern Territory Northern Territory Territory Stingers |
11th | 12th | 10th | 12th | 10th | 7th | 12th | 7th | 12th | 12th | 12th |
| Error creating thumbnail: Queensland 1 Queensland Maroon |
1st | 1st | 2nd | 3rd | 4th | 3rd | 1st | 1st | 1st | 1st | 1st |
| Error creating thumbnail: Queensland 2 Queensland Gold |
3rd | 7th | 6th | 5th | 6th | 6th | 4th | 4th | 4th | 9th | 7th |
South Australia |
9th | 11th | 12th | 8th | 9th | 8th | 9th | 6th | 6th | 8th | 11th |
Tasmania |
10th | 10th | 11th | 10th | 7th | 11th | 10th | 12th | 11th | 11th | 6th |
Victoria Blue Victoria |
6th | 3rd | 1st | 2nd | 1st | 4th | 5th | 2nd | 5th | 3rd | 5th |
Victoria White Victoria Development |
8th | 9th | 7th | 6th | 8th | 12th | 11th | 10th | 9th | 10th | 10th |
Western Australia Black |
4th | 6th | 8th | 7th | 12th | 5th | 8th | 11th | 8th | 7th | 8th |
Western Australia Gold |
2nd | 4th | 5th | 4th | 2nd | 2nd | 2nd | 5th | 3rd | 2nd | 4th |
Championships by State or Territory
The girls' championship was contested as an Under 15 competition from 2003 to 2023 before adopting the current Under 16 age classification in 2024.[5]
Championship totals below combine titles won under both age classifications. Representative teams from the same state or territory (for example, Queensland Maroon and Queensland Gold) are treated as a single state or territory for the purposes of this table.
| Rank | State or Territory | Championships |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 12 | |
| 2 | Error creating thumbnail: Queensland | 7 |
| 3= | 2 | |
| 3= | 2 | |
| 5= | Error creating thumbnail: Australian Capital Territory | 0 |
| 5= | Northern Territory Northern Territory | 0 |
| 5= | 0 | |
| 5= | 0 |
Awards
The following awards are presented annually during the Australian Under 16 National Championships:
- Player of the Tournament – awarded to the outstanding player in the girls competition.
- Leading Goalscorer – awarded to the player scoring the most goals during 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.
National Futures Squads
The Australian Under 16 Championships serve as Hockey Australia's primary talent identification event for the selection of the annual National Futures Squads. The squads comprise the country's leading under-16 athletes and form an important part of Hockey Australia's high performance pathway.
Players are selected following the conclusion of the championships by Hockey Australia's national selectors.
- 2025 – Hockey Australia announced the inaugural National Under 16 Boys' and Girls' Futures Squads following the championships in Adelaide. Each squad comprised 24 athletes and was described as a key step in the athlete development pathway, highlighting players expected to progress towards selection for the Brisbane 2032 Olympic Games.[40]
- 2026 – The 2026–27 National Under 16 Futures Squads were announced following the championships in Hobart.[41]
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 "National Champions Crowned at U16 & U21 Championships". Hockey Australia. 6 May 2026. Retrieved 17 July 2026.
- ↑ "2026 Under 16 Australian Championships – Boys Competition". Hockey Australia. Retrieved 16 July 2026.
- ↑ "2026 Under 16 Australian Championships – Girls Competition". Hockey Australia. Retrieved 16 July 2026.
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 4.2 "2026 Under 16 Australian Championships Awards". Facebook. Hockey Australia. Retrieved 16 July 2026.
- ↑ 5.0 5.1 5.2 5.3 "New National Championship Framework to be introduced". Hockey Australia. Hockey Australia. 27 October 2022. Retrieved 17 July 2026.
- ↑ Women's Hockey Australia Annual Report 2000 (PDF) (Report). Women's Hockey Australia. 2000. Retrieved 17 July 2026.
- ↑ "About Catholic Schools NSW Sport". Catholic Schools NSW. Catholic Schools NSW. Retrieved 17 July 2026.
- ↑ "Combined Independent Schools NSW". Combined Independent Schools NSW. Combined Independent Schools NSW. Retrieved 17 July 2026.
- ↑ "Independent Girls' Schools' Sports Association". IGSSA. Independent Girls' Schools' Sports Association of Western Australia. Retrieved 17 July 2026.
- ↑ 10.0 10.1 "2015 Under 15 Australian Championships – Boys". Hockey Australia. Retrieved 16 July 2026.
- ↑ 11.0 11.1 "2016 Under 15 Australian Championships – Boys". Hockey Australia. Retrieved 16 July 2026.
- ↑ 12.0 12.1 "2017 Under 15 Australian Championships – Boys". Hockey Australia. Retrieved 16 July 2026.
- ↑ 13.0 13.1 "2018 Under 15 Australian Championships – Boys". Hockey Australia. Retrieved 16 July 2026.
- ↑ 14.0 14.1 "2019 Under 15 Australian Championships – Boys". Hockey Australia. Retrieved 16 July 2026.
- ↑ 15.0 15.1 15.2 15.3 "Hockey Australia COVID-19 Statement". Hockey Australia. 24 March 2020. Retrieved 16 July 2026.
- ↑ 16.0 16.1 "2021 Under 15 Australian Championships – Boys". Hockey Australia. Retrieved 16 July 2026.
- ↑ 17.0 17.1 17.2 17.3 "2021 Double delight for NSW at Under 15 Hockey Championships". Hockey Australia. Retrieved 16 July 2026.
- ↑ 18.0 18.1 "2022 Under 15 Australian Championships – Boys". Hockey Australia. Retrieved 16 July 2026.
- ↑ 19.0 19.1 19.2 19.3 "2022 Queensland Maroon do the double at Australian U15 Championships". Hockey Australia. Retrieved 16 July 2026.
- ↑ 20.0 20.1 "2023 Under 15 Australian Championships – Boys". Hockey Australia. Retrieved 16 July 2026.
- ↑ 21.0 21.1 21.2 21.3 "2023 Queensland Maroon defend Australian U15 boys' and girls' titles". Hockey Australia. Retrieved 16 July 2026.
- ↑ 22.0 22.1 "2024 Under 16 Australian Championships – Boys". Hockey Australia. Retrieved 16 July 2026.
- ↑ "2024 Under 16 Australian Championships – Boys Shoot-out". Hockey Australia. Retrieved 16 July 2026.
- ↑ 24.0 24.1 "2025 Under 16 Australian Championships – Boys". Hockey Australia. Retrieved 16 July 2026.
- ↑ 25.0 25.1 "2026 Under 16 Australian Championships – Boys". Hockey Australia. Retrieved 16 July 2026.
- ↑ 26.0 26.1 "2024 Under 16 Australian Championships Awards". Facebook. Hockey Australia. 12 April 2024. Retrieved 17 July 2026.
- ↑ 27.0 27.1 "2025 Under 16 Australian Championships Awards". Facebook. Hockey Australia. Retrieved 17 July 2026.
- ↑ 28.0 28.1 "2015 Australian Under 15 Girls Championships". Hockey Australia AltiusRT. Hockey Australia. Retrieved 17 July 2026.
- ↑ 29.0 29.1 "2016 Under 15 Girls Australian Championships". Hockey Australia AltiusRT. Hockey Australia. Retrieved 17 July 2026.
- ↑ 30.0 30.1 "2017 Under 15 Girls Outdoor Championship". Hockey Australia AltiusRT. Hockey Australia. Retrieved 17 July 2026.
- ↑ 31.0 31.1 "2018 Under 15 Girls Outdoor Championships". Hockey Australia AltiusRT. Hockey Australia. Retrieved 17 July 2026.
- ↑ 32.0 32.1 "2019 Under 15 Girls Outdoor Championships". Hockey Australia AltiusRT. Hockey Australia. Retrieved 17 July 2026.
- ↑ 33.0 33.1 "2021 Under 15 Girls Outdoor Championship". Hockey Australia AltiusRT. Hockey Australia. Retrieved 17 July 2026.
- ↑ 34.0 34.1 "2022 Under 15 Girls Outdoor Championship". Hockey Australia AltiusRT. Hockey Australia. Retrieved 17 July 2026.
- ↑ 35.0 35.1 "2023 Under 15 Girls Outdoor Championship". Hockey Australia AltiusRT. Hockey Australia. Retrieved 17 July 2026.
- ↑ 36.0 36.1 "2024 Under 16 Girls Outdoor Championship". Hockey Australia AltiusRT. Hockey Australia. Retrieved 17 July 2026.
- ↑ Under 16 Australian Championships girls highlights (Facebook reel). Hockey Australia. Retrieved 20 July 2026.
- ↑ 38.0 38.1 "2025 Under 16 Girls Outdoor Championship". Hockey Australia AltiusRT. Hockey Australia. Retrieved 17 July 2026.
- ↑ 39.0 39.1 "2026 Under 16 Girls Outdoor Championship". Hockey Australia AltiusRT. Hockey Australia. Retrieved 17 July 2026.
- ↑ "Inaugural Under 16 National Futures Squads announced". Facebook. Hockey Australia. 2025. Retrieved 20 July 2026.
- ↑ "2026–27 Under 16 National Futures Squads announced". Facebook. Hockey Australia. 2026. Retrieved 20 July 2026.
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