Super League Media Update – Get Set for Super League

Key Points:

• 2 team Women’s competition
• Drafted player update
• League Venues
• Ball attendant call out!

The 2020 Super League is full steam ahead with some exciting announcements.

The Women’s Super League will host two extremely quality sides including Hockeyroo Olympic hopefuls Hattie Shand & Miki Spano. Game Day selection will be difficult for coaches and players as Hockey One rules will be followed, only allowing 14 players to be named, but it will set the standard for an exciting series.

Last week, the tough decision was made cut the women’s competition down to two teams with the Eastern Saints Women’s team being cut from the 2020 competition. This will mean the Women’s competition will now be structured as a three-game series between the Storm and Pirates. Points will be accumulated on score aggregate, so every moment will count!
 

With the draft complete, and the split of the remaining Saints players, the training squads are ready to go. The Super League will also feature Adelaide Fire stars who played in the inaugural season of Hockey One (H1) last year. A star-studded line up will ensure there is quality national standard hockey in our own back yard!

The 2019 Women’s Adelaide Fire Players who were drafted:

The Men’s Super League will remain a 3 team round robin competition. Each team will play each other only once, with aims to secure enough points to play off for the Grand Final on Saturday, November 28^th. Like the Women’s comp, the Men’s will follow all H1 Rules in aims to prepare players, coaches and officials for 2021 Hockey One series.

Some big names have been drafted, see names below:

*Pirates GK (Amy Hammond & Edward Chittleborough) were not part of draft selection due to only 2 PL clubs in the Western Pirates region to select from (in comparison to 3 Southern Storm, and 3 Eastern Saints)

This weekend, Saturday 31^st Oct and Sunday 1^st Nov, we will see all 3 Super League Men, and the Storm and Pirates Women Super League Teams hit the pitch for a series of trial matches playing the U18 Fire Academy selected Tour squads.

“We originally had planned to take our U15 and U18 Fire Academy Tour squads to Bendigo this weekend to play NSW, VIC and TAS, but with border restrictions and health concerns we were forced to change plans. On a positive note, the U18’s will be exposed to really high-quality matches here in Adelaide which will be a great test for them, but also a great opportunity for the newly formed Super League squads to have some preparation” Todd Kitto, Hockey SA, High Performance & Game Development Manager.

“Without having an U18 National Championships, this exposure to high level hockey is great for their development as players transition to U21 and senior hockey for 2021. The U15 Fire Academy Tour squads will be travelling to Mount Gambier to compete against an U21 Male LSE and Naracoorte Association Team and a Senior Women’s Team.” Kitto added.

For the hockey lovers, trial matches will take place at the State Hockey Centre at the following times:

• Saturday 31^st, 12pm: U18 Men Fire Academy v Saints
• Saturday 31^st, 2pm: U18 Women Fire Academy v Pirates
• Saturday 31^st, 6pm: U18 Men Fire Academy v Pirates
• Sunday 1^st, 12pm: U18 Men Fire Academy v Storm
• Sunday 1^st 2pm: U18 Women Fire Academy v Storm

Over the following weeks, teams will be training in their squads, developing team cohesion and chemistry before hitting the competition in the best possible form.

Schedule for the round games are as follows:

Round 1
Wednesday 11^th November

State Hockey Centre

7pm: Men, Pirates V Saints

Round 2
Wednesday 18^th November,

Seacliff Hockey Club

6:15pm: Men, Storm V Pirates

8pm: Women, Storm V Pirates

Round 3

Wednesday 25^th November

Seacliff Hockey Club

6:15pm: Women, Storm V Pirates

8pm: Men, Saints V Storm

The Grand Final will be held on Saturday 28^th of November which will be the decider for both the Men’s and Women’s Super League Shield. We encourage all fans to come along and enjoy the day and to celebrate the hockey season. For the U13 players who didn’t get a taste of National Championships this year, we will be combining the event with a U13 City V Country Curtain Raiser Challenge.

“Once again we are thrilled to be able to provide our junior athletes an opportunity to compete at a higher level with the absence of State and National Championships. No doubt the U13 squads will be fired up and ready to play, but we hope will stay and watch the top performing players of SA” Todd Kitto remarked.

Grand Final Schedule
Saturday 28^th November

State Hockey Centre

11am, Boys: U13 City V Country

12.15pm, Girls: U13 City V Country

2pm, Women: Pirates V Storm (Game 3)

3.45pm, Men: 1v2 Grand Final

Hockey SA are thrilled to be able to deliver the Super League once again. We would like to thank all the players, coaches and officials who are willing to put in time and effort to grow High Performance hockey here in SA. Also, a big thank you to Seacliff Hockey Club who has offered to host Rounds 2 & 3 of Super League.

Finally, we will be providing U15, U13 & U11 players an opportunity to get front and centre to the action and play a role in Super League 2020. We are now seeking Expression of Interest for Ball attendants for each Super League Game. Please get in touch with todd.kitto@hockeysa.com.au with your availability and interest. Thank you!