The Premier Hockey League (PHL) returned for 2026 over the weekend.
Opening weekend got underway in Hawke's Bay where the Alpiners made an immediate statement, securing victories in both the women's and men's opening matches against the Falcons. Both sides claimed matching 3–2 wins in front of packed crowds at Park Island Hockey Stadium.
Saturday:
The women's competition got underway first with Falcons captain Kaitlin Cotter scoring the opening goal of the 2026 Premier Hockey League 19 minutes into the match. Cotter snatched a rebound from a shot on goal during one of the team’s first penalty corners.
The Alpiners responded almost immediately with Nina Murphy producing a whopping reverse shot into the net to level the score. Katie Bond then put the Alpiners ahead before Falcons' Hope Ralph replied with a clinical penalty-corner deflection to make it 2–2.
With the match seemingly all tied up, Bond went again, finding the back of the net for a second time in the 49th minute to secure a 3–2 victory for the Alpiners.
The men's fixture followed a similar script with the Alpiners also coming away with a 3–2 win after a late comeback.
Falcons' Oscar Nation opened the scoring in the 11th minute, adding a conversion to give his side an early advantage.
The Falcons looked on track for victory until Baxter Mason sparked an Alpiners comeback in the final quarter. Mason scored in the 52nd minute and added the conversion to level the match before striking again in the 59th minute to complete the turnaround and seal the Alpiners' second win of the day.
Sunday:
The competition continued on Sunday at Lloyd Elsmore Park in Auckland with the Tridents and Mavericks meeting.
The Tridents Women produced a dominant attacking performance with captain Rose Tynan opening the scoring in the 13th minute before Kirsten Pearce took centre stage, scoring the next 5 goals.
Pearce found the back of the goal during an open goal just before the end of the first quarter then struck again in the 17th minute, adding her conversion to help the Tridents establish a 4–0 lead by half-time.
She continued to strike again in the third quarter, scoring again in the 39th minute and adding another conversion. Sophie Hildesley rounded out the scoring in the 52nd minute as the Tridents continued to control the match right till the end.
In the men's match, Scott Coslett made an impactful return to the PHL after 18 months away from the turf through injury, opening the scoring for the Tridents from a powerful drag flick.
The Mavericks responded though through Cameron Steffert who closed the loop with a tidy deflection in the 31st minute before converting to bring the score to 2–1 just after half-time.
Nic Woods sealed the deal the way he does best with a rocket of a drag flick into the top of the net and it was 3-1 to the Mavericks in the end.
Looking ahead:
Following the opening weekend the competition will take a two-week break as a number of the men's PHL players join the Vantage Black Sticks Men for their upcoming international series against India.
The three-match series taking place at Lloyd Elsmore Park on 19, 21 and 22 November, marks 100 years since the first Indian hockey tour to New Zealand in 1926.
The PHL will then resume with its next round of matchups as the four franchises continue their campaigns towards the Grand Final in Christchurch on Saturday 12 December.
For the full schedule of weekend matches and locations, head to premierhockeyleague.co.nz/fixtures.
For more information and tickets to the India Centenary Matches, visit hockeynz.flicket.co.nz.