Jessica Smith and the Canberra Strikers claimed bronze in a tense shootout win over the Victorian Vipers in the Australian Hockey League at Keith Hunt Park on the Gold Coast on Sunday.

While Emily helped the NSW Arrows to gold, Jessica laughs she won't let her forget Canberra's win over NSW in the regular season - now she has something else to celebrate after the Strikers escaped with a 4-4 (2-0) victory over Victoria.

"Celebrations are in full swing," Smith said.

"It felt very good, obviously winning a medal is quite exciting. To bring it down to a nail-biter was pretty good. It’s always more exciting with the one-on-ones, and a bronze medal feels really good."

Lily Brazel opened the scoring for the Vipers and converted to give Victoria a 2-0 lead before Sophie Gaughan hit back to level the scores for Canberra.

Edwina Bone put the Strikers in front before laying one on for Elena Tice to leave Canberra looking like near certainties with three minutes left on the clock.

But then Vipers star Madi Ratcliffe's drag flick took a deflection and found its way into the net for a pump-play goal to send the third-place playoff to a shootout, with Tice and Beckie Middleton gifting Canberra the win.

"Going into the shootouts knowing Rachael Lynch, the Australian goalkeeper, was in the net made it a little bit more nerve-racking because she is such a good keeper," Smith said.

"Our keeper, Rene Hunter, she did an amazing job and kept us in the game. She’s also in the Australian squad and she’s heading to China soon. It was really exciting."

It came after Canberra Lakers fell agonisingly short of a bronze medal in the men's competition following a 1-0 defeat at the hands of the Tassie Tigers.

Arthur Kieron scored late in the second quarter to nudge the Tasmanian's into a lead they wouldn't give up to leave the Lakers to rue what might have been.

It means Canberra will finish without a national title competition's current format before the AHL undergoes a facelift ahead of the 2019 season.

The league will shift to a franchise format next year with the Lakers and Strikers names fading in favour of a new moniker.

Hockey Australia is preparing to introduce a player draft in a bid to equalise the league and prevent powerhouse states from stockpiling the game's biggest stars.

"Not having the Strikers next year, we went out pretty hard knowing it’s not going to be the same format and there won’t be Lakers or Strikers again," Smith said.

"That was in the back of everyone’s mind, to play that little bit harder and to be at your best, just to play for your state or territory. It made it that little bit sweeter."