2018 Men's Premier Hockey League (South Africa)

Tournament details
Host country	Johannesburg
City	South Africa
Dates	11 August 2018 (2018-08-11)–27 August 2018 (2018-08-27)
Teams	6
Venue(s)	Randburg Hockey Stadium
Tournament statistics
Matches played	16
Goals scored	63 (3.94 per match)
Top scorer(s)	Jethro Eustice (Dragons) (6 goals)
Best player	Jethro Eustice (Dragons)
Best young player	Peter Jarvis
Best goalkeeper	Siya Nolutshungu (Gazelles)
← 2017 (previous) (next) 2019 →

The 2018 Men's Premier Hockey League was the 3rd edition of the Premier Hockey League, the annual tournament men's field hockey championship of South Africa.

The Drakensberg Dragons won the tournament for the first time, defeating the Addo Elephants 2–0 in the final. ^[1]

Competition format

Format

The 2018 Premier Hockey League followed a single round-robin format, followed by a classification round.

During the pool stage teams played each other once. The top four ranked teams qualified for the Classification Round. Team 1 played Team 4, while Team 2 played Team 3 in the two semi-finals. The two victorious teams moved onto the Final, while the losing teams competed for third place.

Point allocation

Match points will be distributed as follows:

• 4 points: win by 3+ goals
• 3 points: win and shoot-out win
• 1 point: shoot-out loss
• 0 points: loss

Participating teams

Each squad consists of 20 players, made up of 7 marquee players as determined by SA Hockey's team, with a further 3 players into their 20 from the "new generation" pool featuring the country's most exciting young talent. Coaches were forced to release between 4 and 8 players from the 2018 squads ahead of the draft. ^[2]

Addo Elephants

Head Coach: Cheslyn Gie

2. Onke Letuka
5. Ignatius Malgraff
6. Zamo Ngubo
8. Joshua August
9. Cerezo Comerasamy
10. Tevin Pieterson
13. Miguel de Graca
14. Jody Erasmus
16. Bjorn Sorenson
17. Andrew Manson
18. Tim Guise-Brown
19. Sinoxolo Mbekeni
20. Damian Kimfley
21. Julian Hykes
22. Daniel Bell
24. Andrew Buckley
31. Matthew Martins
0. Reberto Bosman
0. Cody Posthumus
0. Robin Jones

Drakensberg Dragons

Head Coach: Siphesihle Ntuli

1. Gary Cooper
2. Jethro Eustice
3. Grant Robertson
4. Cody van Wyk
5. Melrick Maddocks
6. Dylan Swanepoel
8. Keegan Hezlett
9. Amkelwe Letuka
10. Nqobile Ntuli
11. Chad Cairncross
12. Nick Gonzalves
13. Blake Tyack
15. Peter Jarvis
16. Mattew de Sousa
17. Mbuso Mgobozi
18. Francois Pretorius
19. Mohamed Mea
20. Richard Pautz
21. Cameron Ryan
23. Lance de Kock
31. Gowan Jones

Golden Gate Gladiators

Head Coach:Garreth Ewing

5. Matthew Davies
6. Chris Makaba
7. Lungani Gabela
8. Andile Ndlovu
9. Che February
10. Mark Chong
11. Michael Horan
12. Max Pike
13. Andrew Hobson
14. Matthew Roman
15. Wade Dollman
16. Jared Cass
17. Bradley Sherwood
20. Michael Forrest
21. Clayton Saker
23. Samkelo Mvimbi
31. Duncan Fischer
0. William Eveleigh

Garden Route Gazelles

Head Coach: Ashlin Freddy

1. Siya Nolutshungu
2. Brandon James
3. Tyson Dlungwana
4. Gertjie Lamprecht
5. Berne Burger
6. Taylor Dart
7. Dylan Coombes
8. Michael Abrahams
9. Gerald Mpopo
10. Keenan Horne
11. Le-Neal Jackson
13. Pierre Botma
15. Clinton Panther
17. Luke Schooling
21. Tom Richardson
22. Connor Beauchamp
23. Reece Arendse
0. Jean-Pierre de Voux
0. Keagan de Castro
0. Jayson Reed
0. Taine Paton

Maropeng Cavemen

Head Coach: Mark Sanders

5. Reza Rosenberg
7. Cameron Mackay
8. Lethu Thomo
9. Steven Paulo
10. Thabang Modise
11. Lance Louw
12. Nduduza Lembethe
13. Adrian Abrahams
14. Rusten Abrahams
15. Rayner York
16. Kyle Lion-Cachet
17. Ryan Crowe
18. Chad Futcher
19. Brynn Cleak
20. Craig Wiid
21. Travis Hardnick
22. Tommy Hammond
23. Rassie Pieterse
24. Stephen Cant
25. Ricky West
25. Kingsley Botes
27. Estiaan Kriek
0. Dalan Philips

Mapungubwe Mambas

Head Coach: Lungile Tsolekile

1. Rob Mckinley
2. Laython Coombs
4. Xola Maqula
6. Luthando Jonas
8. Dillan Langeveld
9. Michael Baiden
10. Tevin Kok
11. Owen Mvimbi
12. Caleb Syce
13. Jonty Robinson
14. Ross Gonzalves
15. Callum Buchanan
16. Delpiarro Langford
17. Winchester Scott
18. Alex Stewart
19. Kyle Essau
20. David Zwemke
21. Courtney Halle
23. Mjekejwa Mohlaba
25. Michael Marki
26. Matt Brown
0. Kewan Harries

Results

Pool stage

Pos	Team	Pld	W	WD	LD	L	GF	GA	GD	Pts	Qualification
1	––  Drakensberg Dragons	5	4	0	0	1	20	9	+11	12	Semi-Final
2	––  Addo Elephants	5	3	1	0	1	9	6	+3	12
3	––  Garden Route Gazelles	5	3	0	1	1	16	10	+6	10
4	––  Maropeng Cavemen	5	1	1	0	3	5	14	−9	6
5	––  Golden Gate Gladiators	5	1	0	1	3	7	13	−6	4
6	––  Mapungubwe Mambas	5	1	0	0	4	8	13	−5	3

Source: SA Hockey
Rules for classification: 1) points; 2) matches won; 3) goal difference; 4) goals for; 5) head-to-head result; 6) field goals scored.

Matches

11 August 2018 08:00 Golden Gate Gladiators 1-3 Mapungubwe Mambas Forrest  38' Report Jonas  2' Baiden  19' Robinson  49'

11 August 2018 12:00 Addo Elephants 3-2 Drakensberg Dragons Hykes  13', 60+' Manson  15' Report Pretorius  26' Pautz  42'

11 August 2018 16:00 Maropeng Cavemen 3-3 Garden Route Gazelles Mackay  30' Lion-Cachet  49', 58' Report Dlungwana  21' Arendse  24' Schooling  60' Penalties Hardnick Mackay Crowe Futcher Paulo 4-3 Panther Coombes Dart Horne Abrahams

---

12 August 2018 10:00 Golden Gate Gladiators 3-3 Addo Elephants Roman  2' Dollman  7' S. Mvimbi  32' Report Hykes  21', 25' Manson  36' Penalties Pike Hobson Davies Sherwood February 2-3 Hykes Sorenson da Graca Manson

12 August 2018 14:00 Mapungubwe Mambas 1-4 Maropeng Cavemen Syce  21' Report Futcher  1' York  4' Thomo  22' Paulo  41'

---

16 August 2018 08:00 Drakensberg Dragons 4-2 Garden Route Gazelles Tyack  10' Pautz  14' Maddocks  45' van Wyk  46' Report Paton  2' Beauchamp  11'

16 August 2018 14:00 Golden Gate Gladiators 3-1 Maropeng Cavemen Makaba  1' Dollman  18' Cass  60' Report Rosenberg  47'

---

16 August 2018 14:00 Mapungubwe Mambas 1-2 Addo Elephants Gonzalves  28' Report Guise-Brown  29' Malgraff  40'

17 August 2018 10:00 Golden Gate Gladiators 3-5 Garden Route Gazelles S. Mvimbi  28' Sherwood  35', 0' Report James  4', 20' Abrahams  23' Paton  45' Horne  46'

17 August 2018 14:00 Drakensberg Dragons 6-1 Maropeng Cavemen Eustice  9' Tyack  23' Ryan  34' Cairncross  46' Jarvis  50' Ntuli  59' Report Futcher  26'

---

18 August 2018 10:00 Mapungubwe Mambas 1-3 Garden Route Gazelles Syce  25' Report Beauchamp  1' Panther  44' Burger  47'

18 August 2018 14:00 Addo Elephants 2-1 Maropeng Cavemen Malgraff  26', 60' Report Futcher  55'

18 August 2018 16:00 Golden Gate Gladiators 0-2 Drakensberg Dragons Report Pautz  21', 50'

---

19 August 2018 10:00 Addo Elephants 1-3 Garden Route Gazelles Malgraff  60' Report James  27' Abrahams  53' Mpopo  60'

19 August 2018 14:00 Mapungubwe Mambas 2-3 Drakensberg Dragons Halle  54' Jonas  57' Report Mgobozi  26' Pautz  35' Letuka  47'

Classification stage

	Semi-finals				Final
	25 August 2018
	Drakensberg Dragons	2
					26 August 2018
	Maropeng Cavemen	0
					Drakensberg Dragons	2
	25 August 2018
					Addo Elephants	0
	Addo Elephants	3
	Garden Route Gazelles	1
					Third place
					26 August 2018
					Maropeng Cavemen (SO)	2(0)
					Garden Route Gazelles	2(2)

Semi-finals

25 August 2018 12:00 Addo Elephants 3-1 Garden Route Gazelles Kimfley  47' Guise-Brown  60' Report Arendse  38'

25 August 2018 16:00 Drakensberg Dragons 2-0 Maropeng Cavemen Ntuli  44' Letuka  54' Report

Third place game

26 August 2018 12:00 Maropeng Cavemen 2-2 Garden Route Gazelles Cleak  15' Abrahams  53' Report Abrahams  22' James  37' Penalties Mackay Abrahams Crowe Futcher 0-2 Mpopo Dlungwana Botma Arendse

Final

26 August 2018 16:00 Drakensberg Dragons 2-0 Addo Elephants Ntuli  3' Pautz  20' Report

Awards

Player of the tournament	Goalkeeper of the tournament	Top goalscorer	Young Player of the tournament
Jethro Eustice (Dragons) [3]	Siya Nolutshungu (Gazelles) [3]	Richard Pautz (Dragons) [3]	Peter Jarvis (Dragons) [3]

Final ranking

Rank	Team
	Drakensberg Dragons
	Addo Elephants
	Garden Route Gazelles
4	Maropeng Cavemen
5	Golden Gate Gladiators
6	Mapungubwe Mambas

Goalscorers

There have been 63 goals scored in 16 matches, for an average of 3.94 goals per match.

6 goals

• Richard Pautz (Drakensberg Dragons)

4 goals

• Julian Hykes (Addo Elephants)
• Brandon James (Garden Route Gazelles)
• Ignatius Malgraff (Addo Elephants)

3 goals

• Michael Abrahams (Garden Route Gazelles)
• Chad Futcher (Maropeng Cavemen)
• Nqobile Ntuli (Drakensberg Dragons)

2 goals

• Reece Arendse (Garden Route Gazelles)
• Connor Beauchamp (Garden Route Gazelles)
• Wade Dollman (Golden Gate Gladiators)
• Tim Guise-Brown (Addo Elephants)
• Luthando Jonas (Mapungubwe Mambas)
• Damian Kimfley (Addo Elephants)
• Amkelwe Letuka (Drakensberg Dragons)
• Kyle Lion-Cachet (Maropeng Cavemen)
• Andrew Manson (Addo Elephants)
• Sam Mvimbi (Golden Gate Gladiators)
• Taine Paton (Garden Route Gazelles)
• Bradley Sherwood (Golden Gate Gladiators)
• Caleb Syce (Mapungubwe Mambas)
• Blake Tyack (Drakensberg Dragons)

1 goal

• Rusten Abrahams (Maropeng Cavemen)
• Michael Baiden (Mapungubwe Mambas)
• Berne Burger (Garden Route Gazelles)
• Chad Cairncross (Drakensberg Dragons)
• Jared Cass (Golden Gate Gladiators)
• Brynn Cleak (Maropeng Cavemen)
• Tyson Dlungwana (Garden Route Gazelles)
• Jethro Eustice (Drakensberg Dragons)
• Michael Forrest (Golden Gate Gladiators)
• Ross Gonzalves (Mapungubwe Mambas)
• Courtney Halle (Mapungubwe Mambas)
• Keenan Horne (Garden Route Gazelles)
• Peter Jarvis (Drakensberg Dragons)
• Cameron Mackay (Maropeng Cavemen)
• Melrick Maddocks (Drakensberg Dragons)
• Chris Makaba (Golden Gate Gladiators)
• Mbuso Mgobozi (Drakensberg Dragons)
• Gerald Mpopo (Garden Route Gazelles)
• Clinton Panther (Garden Route Gazelles)
• Steven Paulo (Maropeng Cavemen)
• Francois Pretorius (Drakensberg Dragons)
• Jonty Robinson (Mapungubwe Mambas)
• Matthew Roman (Golden Gate Gladiators)
• Reza Rosenberg (Maropeng Cavemen)
• Cameron Ryan (Drakensberg Dragons)
• Luke Schooling (Garden Route Gazelles)
• Lethu Thomo (Maropeng Cavemen)
• Cody van Wyk (Drakensberg Dragons)
• Rayner York (Maropeng Cavemen)

Source: SAHA

References

1. Villiers, Ockert De (26 August 2018). "PHL set for new champs". www.iol.co.za. Retrieved 27 April 2022.
2. "CTM PHL 2018 ready to go after the Draft completed - Premiere Hockey League (PHL) - South Africa" . Retrieved 17 March 2022.
3. "The Blyde River Bunters and the Drakensberg Dragons are 2018 CTM Premier Hockey League Champions - South African Hockey Association". www.sahockey.co.za. Retrieved 18 February 2022.

External links

• 2019 PHL Men at South African Hockey Association