How are pools ranked, and how are drawn finals and Division 2 handled?

Pool points: every team in a pool plays every other team. A win is 3 points, a draw is 1 point each and a loss is 0.

Ties on points are separated in this order: matches won, then goal difference, then goals for, then the result of the match between the tied teams (for two teams). If more than two teams are level, the results among only those teams decide, and then field goals scored in pool matches. A shoot-out then decides any remaining tie.

Drawn finals: if a Finals or Medal Match is drawn at the end of regulation time, a shoot-out decides the winner. A drawn Classification Match means the teams share the ranking, unless an outright winner is needed for the competition to progress, in which case a shoot-out is played.

Age 70 and over: in competitions that cater for players aged 70 or older, the shoot-out is replaced with a traditional penalty stroke competition.

Division 2: Hockey Australia Masters encourages member associations to enter a second team in the same age group in a Division 2 competition. It aims for at least four Division 2 teams. If four are not viable 12 weeks before the tournament, no Division 2 competition runs in that age group, and teams may be offered a place in Division 1.

Source: Hockey Australia Tournament Regulations, Masters Championships 2026 (Appendices 2, 3, 4 and 9), https://cdn.sanity.io/files/a5i57b7j/production/fc7698484262da8869940ecbd55575c2becb7c23.pdf