Premier League Round 5 Preview

The Premier League resumes with Round 5 action as we approach the quarter mark of the regular season. After this round, each side will have played each other once, as the ladders begin to take shape at this still early point of the season.

The Men's Round will begin with University taking on DiamondBacks. University are the only unbeaten side in the league, but the margin is slim, sitting just 1 point clear on top of the logjammed ladder, following 2 draws from their past two outings. Both sides will be reinforced by the return of their State Under-21 players who were absent from squads last weekend. The match-up will feature the two leading goal scorers in the competition, Ben Read who has scored 8 goals in the first 4 games, and drag flick specialist Tyler McDonald, who has 5.

That will be followed by Derwent taking on OHA, with the Ships looking to build off last week's performance, where they earned their first point of the year. The day shapes as a big one for the club, with the reveal of their new playing strips set to take place. Derwent, meanwhile, will be filled with confidence after their 3-3 draw with University.

The day will end with Canterbury and NWG meeting, with the Bulldogs out to beat a Lions side coming off their best performance of the season in their 3-2 win over DiamondBacks, which has seen them climb up to second place on the ladder. Last years runners up haven't found their best hockey yet, but will hope the return of the Under 21 contingent can help spark them. 

The Women's competition will begin with the high-flying North West Graduates outfit looking to maintain their unbeaten start to the season, against a Canterbury side looking to find their scoring touch, having been shut out in their past 2 outings. 

Then it will be an in-form University side out to claim a major scalp when they take on the defending Premiers DiamondBacks. The DiamondBacks outfit has seen some upheaval this week, with Vanessa McDonald departing as coach and they will now be led by Nicole Geeves, who begins her coaching tenure with the side sitting in second place.

Finally, OHA will look to bounce back from last week's defeat to NWG up against a Derwent side whose young chargers put in their best effort of the season last week against University, coming close to snagging a breakthrough result. It will be a tough assignment against the Ships, however, who came close to downing the Bulldogs last week and appear to be a prime premiership contender in season 2026. 

Men's

University v DiamondBacks, 11:45am, THC 1 LIVE SCORES

Derwent v OHA, 1:15pm, THC 1  LIVE SCORES 

NWG v Canterbury, 2:45pm, THC 1 LIVE SCORES

Women's

NWG v Canterbury, 11:45am, THC 2 LIVE SCORES

University v DiamondBacks, 1:15pm, THC 2 LIVE SCORES

Derwent v OHA, 2:45pm, THC 2 LIVE SCORES