Australian X-Ball League

The Australian X-Ball League (AXL) was an Australian tournament paintball series using the X-Ball format. Contemporary reporting establishes that the league operated complete seasons in 2005 and 2006, with separate Pro and Division 1 competitions.[1]

The X-Fighter$ won the Pro championship in both documented seasons. X-Fighter$ Black won the final round of 2006, while X-Fighter$ Red accumulated the highest overall score and became the 2006 Pro series champion.[1]

The available records do not establish whether 2005 was the inaugural season or identify the league's final operating season.

History

2005 season

The earliest presently documented AXL season was held in 2005. German player Holger Hummel, who attended the series, described experiencing the complete 2005 AXL season and identified X-Fighter$ as its Pro champion.[1]

A contemporary DVD titled Project AXL also documented the league during this period.[2] The available material does not establish whether the 2005 competition was the league's first season.

2006 season

The AXL expanded between 2005 and 2006, reaching a maximum of 18 participating teams during the 2006 season.[1]

Four rounds were scheduled, although Round 3 was cancelled following a change in firearms law. The contemporary report states that the change was subsequently reversed following work by MacDev representative Diane King, but does not identify the particular legislation or jurisdiction involved. Round 4 was consequently brought forward and became the season finale.[1]

The league's principal sponsor in 2006 was MacDev. Other named sponsors were Tomahawk, Sup'Air, Hot Shots and ZAP.[1]

Competition format

The AXL used a timed, multi-point X-Ball format rather than the seven-player elimination format used by the Australian Super 7s. The competition was divided into Pro and Division 1 categories.[1]

At the fourth round in 2006:

• matches were scheduled for 15 minutes;
• two-minute intervals were used between points;
• teams were scheduled to play ten preliminary matches across the weekend; and
• the four highest-placed teams in each division advanced to the finals, with first playing fourth and second playing third.[1]

Saturday's programme was shortened from six preliminary matches per team to four because temperatures approached 40°C. The remaining six matches were played on Sunday.[1]

The tournament was officiated by Reffs Inc, the refereeing organisation associated with Pete Russell and Jill Henry.[1][3]

2006 Round 4

The fourth and final round of the 2006 season was held on 14–15 October at Paintball Pete's field at Mt White, New South Wales, approximately one hour from Sydney. Twelve teams entered the event.[1]

The field was arranged for the rapid and aggressive style of X-Ball. Two teams associated with the Australian Super 7s, SWAT and Empire, entered the round. Contemporary coverage noted that both teams initially had difficulty adapting from seven-player competition to the X-Ball format.[1]

After the preliminary stage, the Pro finalists were X-Fighter$ Black, SWAT, Empire and X-Fighter$ Red. The Division 1 finalists were Straight Edge, Sinister, Gravity and Victorious.[1]

Pro finals

In the Pro semi-finals, X-Fighter$ Black defeated X-Fighter$ Red 2–1, while SWAT defeated Empire 3–1.[1]

Empire and X-Fighter$ Red were tied 2–2 in the third-place match before Empire won the deciding sudden-death point. X-Fighter$ Black then defeated SWAT 4–0 in the final.[1]

2006 AXL Round 4 – Pro

Place	Team
1	X-Fighter$ Black
2	SWAT
3	Empire
4	X-Fighter$ Red

Division 1 finals

Straight Edge, a team based at Mt White, defeated Sinister in the Division 1 final. The contemporary report does not provide the final score.[1]

2006 AXL Round 4 – Division 1

Place	Team
1	Straight Edge
2	Sinister
3	Gravity
4	Victorious

2006 series standings

Although X-Fighter$ Black won the final round, X-Fighter$ Red finished first in the overall Pro standings. The result gave the X-Fighter$ organisation consecutive documented Pro championships in 2005 and 2006.[1]

2006 AXL overall standings

Division	Place	Team
Pro	1	X-Fighter$ Red
	2	X-Fighter$ Black
	3	Jetts
	4	Carnivores
Division 1	1	Straight Edge
	2	Sinister
	3	Gravity

The published standings list only three Division 1 teams and print a question mark after Gravity's name. No fourth-place Division 1 team is given in the source.[1]

Relationship with the Australian Super 7s

The AXL operated alongside the Australian Super 7s, which used a seven-player tournament format. Although the competitions used different formats, players and teams participated across both series.

SWAT and Empire crossed from the Super 7s to compete at the 2006 AXL finale. X-Fighter$ players also competed in Super 7s events, and contemporary coverage described the Sydney X-Fighters as the reigning AXL champions.[1][3]

An editorial published in Australian Paintball Magazine in 2006 identified the AXL and Super 7s as the two Australian tournament series then extending beyond individual state competition. It raised, without resolving, the possibility of one format forming the basis of a unified national league.[4]

Planned 2007 season

A contemporary advertisement announced that the opening round of the 2007 AXL season was planned for 3–4 March at Extreme Skirmish in Karangi, New South Wales, near Coffs Harbour. The advertised prize pool exceeded A$6,500 in cash and prizes.[5]

The advertisement demonstrates that another season was being organised, but does not by itself confirm that the advertised round took place.

Later documentation

On 14 July 2008, Michael Whybrew filed Australian trade mark application number 1251407 for the name A.X.L., Australian X-Ball League. The application covered services including the organisation of sporting events and competitions, sports facilities, sporting results and paintball-related publishing.[6]

The filing confirms the continued commercial use or intended use of the league's name in 2008, although it does not establish the competition's complete schedule or final season.

The AXL should not be confused with NXL Australia, a separate tournament organisation established in 2016. No organisational succession between the two competitions has been established.

See also

• Australian Super 7s
• Sydney X-Fighters
• Sydney SWAT
• MacDev
• X-Ball
• Paintball in Australia
• Australian tournament paintball

References

1. Holger Hummel, “The Finals: AXL Mt White, Round 04 2006”, Australian Paintball Magazine, 2006, pp. 34–40. Photographs by Ahmed Abbas.
2. Australian Paintball Magazine, “Competition Giveaway: Project AXL DVD”, 2006.
3. Australian Paintball Magazine, Australian Super 7s event report, 2006, pp. 18–23.
4. Australian Paintball Magazine, “A National League of Our Own”, 2006.
5. Australian Paintball Magazine, “National Tournament: 2007 AXL Series”, 2006 advertisement.
6. IP Australia, Australian Official Journal of Trade Marks, vol. 22, no. 45, 13 November 2008, application no. 1251407, pp. 16554–16555.