2013 Shardball season

2013 AFL premiership season
File:2013SBSlogo.png
Overview
Date	8 March – 18 August 2013
Teams	8
Brownlow Medallist	TBA
Coleman Medallist	TBA
Matches played	88
Updated to pre-season.

The 2013 Shardball season was the third season of the Australian Shardball League (ASL), continuing the development of Shardball as a professional national sport in Australia. With all eight foundation clubs returning, the 2013 season was anticipated as a defining year for the league, as clubs sought to establish dynasties and rivalries began to take shape across the competition.

The Sydney Shardhawks entered the 2013 season as the defending premiers, having claimed their first ASL title with a Grand Final victory over Adelaide Forge in 2012.

Background and overview

Background

Following the breakthrough premiership of the Sydney Shardhawks in 2012, the Australian Shardball League (ASL) entered its third season in 2013 with a growing reputation as a staple of the national sporting calendar. A renewed broadcast arrangement saw Seven Network retain exclusive rights to the Grand Final while expanding Thursday night coverage across the opening ten rounds, while Foxtel and Kayo continued to broadcast every match live with full pre- and post-game analysis. The ASL also announced a trial partnership with SBS, which aired a weekly cultural program exploring the sport’s grassroots and its growing presence in Indigenous and regional communities.

Commercially, the Aurora Energy naming-rights deal entered its second year, funding new player development academies in Canberra and Perth. In Tasmania, additional support from the state government was directed toward the Hobart Crags as part of a multi-year plan to rebuild the club’s competitiveness after consecutive bottom-place finishes. The league also announced that Gather Round would expand to four venues, with fixtures staged in Adelaide, Mount Gambier, Barossa Valley, and Whyalla, reinforcing the event as a marquee feature of the early season.

A key rules trial was introduced in 2013: an adjusted interchange cap designed to balance player fatigue management with faster, more open gameplay. The move sparked debate among clubs and coaches but was widely supported by broadcasters for the style of football it encouraged.

Overview

The Sydney Shardhawks entered the 2013 season as the defending premiers following their maiden title the year prior, while the Melbourne Titans looked to extend their dominance after securing consecutive minor premierships in 2011 and 2012. Adelaide Forge and the Brisbane Breakers, both consistent finalists, were tipped as strong challengers, while Perth Ironfangs and Hobart Crags sought to climb the ladder with refreshed leadership structures. Across 22 home-and-away rounds, the competition showcased the league’s increasing parity, as traditional contenders were regularly tested by emerging challengers. By season’s end, the stage was set for another tightly contested finals series that underscored Shardball’s rapid evolution into one of Australia’s premier professional sports.

Teams

Club	Coach	Leadership group
		Captain(s)	Vice-captain(s)	Other leader(s)
Sydney Shardhawks	Daniel Kerrigan	Blake Foster	Aaron Kane, Riley Thomas	Marcus O’Neill, Ethan Ward
Melbourne Titans	Stephen Doyle	Nathan Cross	Dylan Marks, Corey Ellison	Jack Harrington, Lucas Webb, Trent Miles
Brisbane Breakers	Craig Morton	Liam Drummond	Connor Hayes, Josh Farrelly	Tyson Cole, Brandon Harper
Adelaide Forge	Peter Lawton	Mitchell Grant	Zachary Doyle	Patrick Laird, Cameron Bishop
Perth Ironfangs	Darren McIntyre	Owen Marshall	Jared Collins	Heath Stanton, Kyle Rivers, Damien Cole
Hobart Crags	Anthony Preston	Samuel Clarke	Oliver Kent	Matthew Dunbar, Lachlan Frost
Darwin Cyclones	Paul Hennessy	Jacob Reynolds	Daniel McCallum	Kieran Hunt, Sean Parker, Aaron Talbot
Canberra Sentinels	Michael Kerr	Ryan Gallagher	Matthew O’Connor	Dean Wallace, Corey Summers, Josh Hammond