The Under 18 Australian Championships are Field Hockey tournaments held annually in Australia. The tournament hosts ten teams from around Australia, one (or two) from each of the eight states. The event is split into men's and women's tournaments, played usually in the middle of the year.

In the 2017 edition, Pakistan U18 won the men's tournament for the first time by defeating New South Wales 3–2 in the final. Western Australia won the bronze medal by defeating Tasmania 4–2 in the third and fourth place playoff.^[1] In the women's tournament, Queensland won the tournament for the fourth time, by defeating New South Wales 2–0 in the final. Western Australia won the bronze medal by defeating Victoria 4–1 in the third and fourth playoff.^[2]

In the most recent National U18 men's Championships (2023) Tasmania defeated Queensland 5-2 in front of 2600 supporters.^[3] The win marked the first U18 national title in the state’s history. In the U18 Women’s championship, Queensland defeated Victoria in the final seconds of the to win the national title 1-0.^[4]

Competition format

The tournament is divided into two pools, Pool A and Pool B, consisting of five teams in a round robin format, with a crossover match taking place between one team from each pool at some stage in the pool stage. Teams then progress into either Pool C, the medal round, or Pool D, the classification round. Teams carry over points from their previous match ups, and contest teams they are yet to play.

The top two teams in each of pools A and B then progress to Pool C. The top two teams in Pool C continue to contest the Final, while the bottom two teams of Pool C play in the Third and Fourth place match.

The remaining bottom placing teams make up Pool D. The team play the remainder of teams they are yet to face, and final placing in pool D determines final placing overall.

Competition rules

The tournament has not adapted FIH rules of four 15–minute quarters, but rather plays matches in two 35–minute halves.

Men's tournament

Results

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

Year	Host		Final				Third place match
			Winner	Score	Runner-up		Third place	Score	Fourth place
2014 Details	Canberra, ACT		Queensland	8 – 2	New South Wales		Western Australia	5 – 1	Victoria
2015 Details	Melbourne, VIC		Western Australia	3 – 2	Tasmania		Victoria	6 – 3	Queensland
2016 Details	Launceston, TAS		Western Australia	3 – 3 (2 – 1) (penalties)	New South Wales		Victoria	3 – 2	Tasmania
2017 Details	Hobart, TAS		Pakistan U18	3 – 2	New South Wales		Western Australia	4 – 2	Tasmania
2023 Details	Hobart, TAS		Tasmania	5 – 2	Queensland		South Australia	1 – 0	Western Australia

Team Performances

Team	2014	2015	2016	2017	2023
ACT	7th	6th	9th	9th	10th
NSW 1	2nd	5th	2nd	2nd	5th
NSW 2	5th	7th	5th	8th	9th
NT	9th	10th	10th	10th	12th
PAK U18	–	–	–	1st	–
QLD 1	1st	4th	7th	6th	2nd
QLD 2	–	–	8th	–	8th
SA	8th	8th	6th	7th	3rd
TAS	6th	2nd	4th	4th	1st
VIC 1	4th	3rd	3rd	5th	6th
VIC 2	10th	9th	11th	–	11th
WA 1	3rd	1st	1st	3rd	4th
WA 2	–	–	–	–	7th
Total	10	10	11	10	12

^[5]

Women's tournament

Results

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

Year	Hosts		Gold Medal Match				Third and Fourth
			Champions	Score	Runners-up		3rd place	Score	4th place
2014	Melbourne, VIC		QLD	5–2	NSW State		VIC Blue	3–2	ACT
2015	Adelaide, SA		QLD	4–0	VIC Blue		WA	2–0	NSW State
2016	Launceston, TAS		QLD 1	2–1	NSW State		WA	3–0	VIC Blue
2017	Hobart, TAS		QLD 1	2–0	NSW State		WA	4–1	VIC Blue
2018	Launceston, TAS		NSW State	3–2	WA		QLD Maroon	6–1	VIC
2019	Hobart, TAS		QLD	3–2	NSW Blue		NSW State	5–0	VIC

Team Performances

Team	2014	2015	2016	2017	Total
ACT	4th	5th	7th	10th	4
NSW 1	2nd	4th	2nd	2nd	4
NSW 2	7th	8th	6th	6th	4
NT	8th	7th	10th	9th	4
QLD 1	1st	1st	1st	1st	4
QLD 2	–	–	5th	7th	2
SA	9th	9th	8th	8th	4
TAS	6th	6th	9th	5th	4
VIC 1	3rd	2nd	4th	4th	4
VIC 2	10th	10th	11th	–	3
WA	5th	3rd	3rd	3rd	4
Total	10	10	11	10	41

References