AIHL Week 4 Power Rankings: Ice Rising, Rhinos Roar, and the Brave Break Through

James Lane

Week 4 in the AIHL delivered plenty of fireworks. Seven-goal first periods, hat-tricks galore, and the return of international talent from the IIHF World Championships made for the most explosive weekend of the season so far. Melbourne Ice surged, Central Coast finally clicked, and Canberra Brave served up the upset of the round. Here’s how things stand heading into Week 5:

1. Melbourne Ice (Up 1)

Last Week: W 12–2 vs Adelaide, W 4–2 vs Adelaide

The Ice are melting everything in their path. After blasting 12 past a helpless Adrenaline on Saturday (including hat-tricks to Kolton Shindle and Mackenzie Caruana) they backed it up with a tidy 4–2 win on Sunday. They’ve now taken 14 points and, crucially, seem to have found their scoring rhythm. With returning internationals adding depth, this is a team peaking dangerously.

2. Melbourne Mustangs (Down 1)

Last Week: Bye

No action this week for the Mustangs. They’re still undefeated and have played four games less than Perth, while sitting only four points behind. With key players back from national duty, they’ll be one to watch next round.

3. Perth Thunder (Same)

Last Week: L 5–6 vs Lightning, W 3–2 vs Lightning

They still top the table, but they did slip up. Saturday’s wild 5–6 loss to Brisbane included a chaotic 7-goal opening period and plenty of defensive misfires. Yu Hikosaka continues to carry the offence, but Perth are finding life a lot harder when the opposition brings speed and structure. Sunday’s narrow win saved their blushes and keeps them top of the standings, but it wasn’t convincing.

4. Brisbane Lightning (Same)

Last Week: W 6–5 vs Perth, L 2–3 vs Perth

Saturday’s win over ladder-leading Perth was Lightning hockey at its chaotic best: relentless, high-energy, and opportunistic. On Sunday, they pushed the Thunder again but couldn’t repeat the upset in another close affair.

5. Canberra Brave (Same)

Last Week: W 7–6 vs Newcastle

The Brave edged Newcastle in a wild one, with 13 goals split across a back-and-forth battle. Brandon McNally pulled the strings again, bagging a hat-trick and remaining the league’s top assist provider. The Brave now have four wins and seem to be shaking off the early rust.

6. Central Coast Rhinos (Up 1)

Last Week: W 7–1 vs Newcastle

Finally, a real statement from the Rhinos. They thumped Newcastle with a 7-goal clinic, turning their first win of the season into a serious confidence-booster. The returning internationals made a huge difference, and if they can bottle that Sunday performance, they’ll be a tougher prospect going forward.

7. Newcastle Northstars (Down 1)

Last Week: L 6–7 vs Canberra, L 1–7 vs Rhinos

This was a bad week. They were competitive in Saturday’s high-octane loss to the Brave but looked completely out of sorts on Sunday. Two straight losses while conceding seven in both brings real questions about the team’s defensive structure. With just four points from seven games, the Northstars are quickly running out of margin for error.

8. Adelaide Adrenaline (Same)

Last Week: L 2–12 vs Ice, L 2–4 vs Ice

There were moments of resistance, but Adelaide simply couldn’t handle Melbourne’s firepower. Letting in six goals in the final period on Saturday speaks to fatigue and depth issues. The Adrenaline are still winless and, unfortunately, still stuck at the bottom.