Australian Dodgeball League

The Australian Dodgeball League (ADL) is a professional dodgeball league in Australia, founded in 2015. The league is composed of 82 professional teams, which are divided between Australian states, the foremost of these being the Victoria League[1] and the NSW League.[2] These State Conferences come together at the end of each season, with the top two teams from the regions playing in the Australian Dodgeball Championships,[3] the top level of Australian Dodgeball.

Australian Dodgeball League
Current season, competition or edition:
Current sports event 2018 Australian Dodgeball League season
SportDodgeball
Founded2015
No. of teams31
Country Australia
Most recent
champion(s)
Doncaster Demons (3rd title)
Official websitehttp://theadl.com.au

ADL Professional League

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Formation

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The Australian Dodgeball League was formed in 2015. The league is currently played across two states, Victoria (VDL) and New South Wales (NSWDL). The opening season of the Victorian League had 23 teams that played in the regular league, and the New South Wales league had 8 entrant teams.

Venues

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Australian Dodgeball Leagues are held in central venues, where the game day matches are held, as opposed to the traditional home and away venues that other sports may operate with. The Victoria Dodgeball League holds game days at the Melbourne State Netball & Hockey Centre,[4] and the New South Wales League holds game days at the Fairfield Youth & Community Centre.[5]

Regular season

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During the course of a season each club plays each other side once. Teams receive two points for a win and one point for a draw. No points are awarded for a loss.[6] Teams are ranked by total points, then point difference. The top two teams from each state level competition then proceed to the Australian Dodgeball Championships, where the top teams from across Australia play-off in an elimination format for the title of Australian Dodgeball Champions.

Championship Rounds

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Once the regular season has been played across the states, and the competitive tables have been finalised, the top two teams from each state league enter into the championship rounds. The top team from each league enters as the first seed for the competition and plays against the bracketed second seed.

The Round of 16 is the opening round of the championship competition, with state seeding set between states with close proximity. Once the Round of 16 is over, states can play against teams from their own competition, depending on results.

Round of 16 Quarterfinals Semifinals Finals
            
ACT Champions
NSW Runners-up
Winner Match 1
Winner Match 2
NSW Champions
ACT Runners-up
Winner Match 9
Winner Match 10
TAS Champions
VIC Runners-up
Winner Match 3
Winner Match 4
VIC Champions
TAS Runners-up
Winner Match 13
Winner Match 14
QLD Champions
NT Runners-up
Winner Match 5
Winner Match 6
NT Champions
QLD Runners-up
Winner Match 11
Winner Match 12
SA Champions
WA Runners-up
Winner Match 7
Winner Match 8
WA Champions
SA Runners-up

Rules

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The Australian Dodgeball League has created their own National Dodgeball League rules for professional dodgeball competition.

Victorian Dominance

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Due to the size and scope of dodgeball in Australia, the early seasons of the Australian Dodgeball League was focused around Victoria, and to a lesser extent New South Wales. This dominance, and the ability to draw on talent for all the teams due to the interest and investment in the sport, meant that Victorian champions were often the favourites for the Championship titles, and those that followed the Victorian leagues developed a rivalry with the biggest challenger for their titles, the New South Wales clubs.

This dominance is in the process of waning however, with Victorian teams still counted among the most in the country, but as more teams are founded and develop, the influence of Victorians on the sport may come to lessen in the coming years.

State Rivalries

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Much like Australian state rivalries in rugby league and cricket, Victoria and New South Wales developed a grudge with each other, often focused around their meetings outside of the season, and in the Championship Rounds. Although movements between the leagues were common, games between Victorians and New South Welshmen developed a stigma as close, and tight-fought, matches.

Between the organizers of the two state leagues, the VDL and the NSWDL, there are current talks to hold a competition similar to rugby league's State of Origin series, where Victoria and New South Wales will put forward their best ten players each to compete in a Best of 3 series to determine the more dominant state.

Teams

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Team City Founded Website
Victorian Dodgeball League
Balaclava Renegades Balaclava, VIC 2015 Renegades Official Team Website
Black Rock Bandits Black Rock, VIC 2015 Bandits Official Team Website
Brunswick Beavers Brunswick, VIC 2015 Beavers Official Team Site
Bundoora Pirates Bundoora, VIC 2015 Pirates Official Team Site
Cranbourne Cowboys Cranbourne, VIC 2015 Cowboys Official Team Site
Doncaster Demons Doncaster, VIC 2015 Demons Official Team Site
Eltham Spartans Eltham, VIC 2015 Spartans Official Team Site
Footscray Flames Footscray, VIC 2015 Flames Official Team Site
Geelong Wolfpack Geelong, VIC 2015 Wolfpack Official Team Site
Gippsland McGators Gippsland, VIC 2015 McGators Official Team Site
Glen Waverley Gorillas Glen Waverley, VIC 2015 Gorillas Official Team Site
Glenroy Golden Cocks Glenroy, VIC 2015 Golden Cocks Official Team Site
Macleod Highlanders Macleod, VIC 2015 Highlanders Official Team Site
Melbourne Dodgers Melbourne, VIC 2015 Dodgers Official Team Site
Northcote Ninjas Northcote, VIC 2015 Ninjas Official Team Site
Parkville Phoenix Parkville, VIC 2015 Phoenix Official Team Site
Ravenhall Vikings Ravenhall, VIC 2015 Vikings Official Team Site
Rowville Reapers Rowville, VIC 2015 Reapers Official Team Site
Southern Cross Sandvipers Southern Cross, VIC 2015 Sandvipers Official Team Site
Sunbury Strikers Sunbury, VIC 2015 Strikers Official Team Site
Sunshine Kiwis Sunshine, VIC 2015 Kiwis Official Team Site
Torquary Sharks Torquary, VIC 2015 Sharks Official Team Site
Warrnambool Sea Monsters Warnnambool, VIC 2015 Sea Monsters Official Team Site
New South Wales Dodgeball League
Burwood Badgers Burwood, NSW 2016 Badgers Official Team Site
Concord Coyotes Concord, NSW 2016 Coyotes Official Team Site
Campbelltown Crushers Campbelltown, NSW 2016 Crushers Official Team Site
Liverpool Lightning Liverpool, NSW 2016 Lightning Official Team Site
Milperra Mavericks Milperra, NSW 2016 Mavericks Official Team Site
Newcastle Waves Newcastle, NSW 2016 Waves Official Team Site
Parramatta Pirates Parramatta, NSW 2016 Parramatta Official Team Site
Strathfield Stompers Strathfield, NSW 2016 Stompers Official Team Site

See also

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References

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  1. ^ "Victoria | Australian Dodgeball League". theadl.com.au. Retrieved 24 May 2016.
  2. ^ "NSW | Australian Dodgeball League". theadl.com.au. Retrieved 24 May 2016.
  3. ^ "The Australian Dodgeball League has arrived! | NSW News | Australian Dodgeball League". Australian Dodgeball League. Retrieved 24 May 2016.
  4. ^ "Announcing the 2016 VDL Venue | Victoria News | Australian Dodgeball League". Australian Dodgeball League. Retrieved 25 May 2016.
  5. ^ McNab, Heather (15 October 2015). "10 Million Well Spent as Youth Centre Opens to Public". Newcastle Herald. Retrieved 25 May 2016.
  6. ^ "2016 VDL Season Changes | Victoria News | Australian Dodgeball League". Australian Dodgeball League. Retrieved 25 May 2016.
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