Hockey NT heads to Kuala Lumpar as Stingers remain left out of Hockey One competition
Territory hockey has enjoyed an historic couple of months including the Festival of Hockey and Oceania Cup, however it remains excluded from the national Hockey One competition.
An historic year for Hockey NT will take another step next week as discussions for the new Malaysian Hockey season resume, but still the Stingers remain excluded from Hockey One.
The Territory is coming off a huge couple of months for the sport including the Oceania Cup, the biggest event in Top End hockey history.
The Stingers were also put to the test against the New Zealand Blacksticks and hosted a Festival of Hockey series against Indonesia.
However, despite their efforts to present a case to get into the premier national competition, the Territory team has been rebuffed on the grounds of cost and facilities.
Victoria will instead launch a second franchise in the Melbourne Cobras next year, a team that has received plenty of endorsement and support from the league.
Hockey NT chief executive Jason Butcher said it was particularly frustrating for the NT considering the body of work done to put the Top End on the map in recent months.
As the national hockey competition begins he will travel to Kuala Lumpar to finalise the schedule with inaugural home games in Darwin.
Progress will also be made for player exchanges for the 2026 Australian Championships and to expand broadcast and streaming of games across Asia and Australia.
There will also be discussions on advance planning for a joint Hockey One franchise submission between for the NT and Malaysia.
“On the eve of another season, the Territory is still left out. It makes it hard to watch,” Butcher said.
“We were excluded on cost and capacity grounds said to be affecting the league, but in reality it feels like it comes down to who we are and where we come from.
“Yet the Cobras appear to be supported and courted to make their concept workable.
“It is hard to see how a second Victorian team built on an Indian connection and influence will be viable without league rule changes.
“If that is the case, it would be disappointing that the same affordances and conversations have not been extended to the Northern Territory.
“We are building a working model, our athletes and community are delivering, and with the same belief and support afforded to the Cobras, the Territory is ready to be a Hockey One success story.”
The NT Hockey One plan includes fixtures in Kuala Lumpur and Darwin, integration of Malaysian athletes within Stingers squads, and a cross-border membership connecting Asia with Australia.
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Originally published as Hockey NT heads to Kuala Lumpar as Stingers remain left out of Hockey One competition
