The fourth round of Australian Hockey League (AHL) takes place this weekend, with the final double header matches being played around the country before the finals series in Brisbane (Men) and Canberra (Women).

This weekend’s Round 4 is the last opportunity this year for spectators in Adelaide, Sydney and Hobart to see their home team play in the AHL , the nation’s premier hockey competition. It’s is also the last occasion that Brisbane crowds will see their women’s team play this season.

Fortunes changed last weekend in the Men’s competition as the Queensland Blades were knocked off their perch by the SmokeFree WA Thundersticks and the NSW Waratahs snuck quietly to the top of the points table. The Waratahs will be hoping to capitalise on their lead as they take on the Vodafone Territory Stingers in front of a home crowd in Sydney. With youngster Eli Matheson and Dutch international Taeke Taekema among the top goal scorers so far in the competition, the matches are sure to provide high adrenalin as the Territorians aim to keep the sting in their tail that has seen them beat other teams who seemed to have the winning edge.

In Brisbane, the Blades will be seeking to avenge last week’s loss and score maximum points over the Azuma Vikings, who have only been able to win one game in each of their double headers to date. The Vikings goal keeper, Stephen Mowlam, will be a key to keeping out the firepower of his fellow Australian representatives on the Blades side, as five of the 2004 Olympic gold medallists line up to take shots for Queensland.

In other games, the Adelaide Hotshots will be hoping the home advantage and Craig Victory’s goal scoring form will help to maintain their top four position on the ladder as they meet the Canberra Labour Club Lakers, while the MIA Tassie Tigers will be seeking to build on their spectacular first season win over the Vikings as they take on the SmokeFree WA Thundersticks in Hobart.

In the Women’s competition, the game of the week is sure to be that between the third placed Adelaide Suns and the second placed Canberra Labor Club Strikers in Adelaide. The Suns have had easy wins over the Territory Pearls and Wrest Point Van Demons, but also proved their ability when they pushed the SmokeFree WA Diamonds to extra time. The Strikers have had a less than smooth start to their season, playing extra time in both games against the NSW Arrows last week, which gives the Suns the opportunity to capitalise if they can hold their form and keep the goal scoring prowess of Jessica Shakes and Jessica Cibich turned on.

Meanwhile, the Queensland Scorchers will be following in the footsteps of their Men and seeking revenge after being scorched by the SmokeFree WA Diamonds last week in their first loss of the season. They will meet the Azuma Vipers at home, with the Vipers needing to win points to secure a finals berth after having two rounds with split points. Despite the loss, the Scorchers remain a tough team to beat with numerous Australian representatives and four of the top ten goal scorers on the field, including Suzie Faulkner and Renae Holmes.

In Sydney, the NSW Arrows will be aiming to achieve maximum points over the Territory Pearls, after having a nightmare past two rounds where all of their games have gone to extra time. In the other match up of the round, the SmokeFree WA Diamonds will meet the Wrest Point Van Demons in Hobart, where they will also be seeking a clean sweep to push themselves back into the top four.

Following Round 4, the Men’s finals series will take place in Brisbane from March 28 to April 3, while the Women’s finals series will be in Canberra from April 4-10.