2024 AUSTRALIAN WATERPOLO LEAGUE - WEEKEND 3 WRAP
Published Tue 20 Feb 2024
There was no shortage of action in the Australian Waterpolo League over the weekend, with teams working hard to secure those all-important Championship points and secure their position on the ladder.
Catch up on all the highlights…
Fremantle Mariners & Marlins v Victorian Phoenix
Opening the weekend's competition, the Fremantle Mariners and Marlins played host to the Victorian Phoenix at Bicton Pool in Perth.
The Mariners narrowly defeated the Phoenix in two games over the weekend. A hard fought battle saw the west-coast hosts win 19-18 on Thursday evening, before sealing the deal again on Saturday night 11-9.
Undefeated so far this season, the Marlins are sitting comfortably atop the leaderboard in the women’s competition. The third week of competition saw the team triumph over their Victorian rivals 16-4 and 13-8.
UWA Torpedoes v Victorian Phoenix
The west-coast domination continued over the weekend with the UWA Torpedoes defeating the Victorian Phoenix in both the men’s and women’s competition.
Friday saw the men’s UWA team win 12-9, with Sunday’s game also ending in favour of the host side 11-9.
A strong performance from the Torpedoes in the women’s league also saw another two wins on the board for the Western Australian club, with the scoreline finishing 16-5 and 19-6 on Friday and Sunday respectively.
Sydney Uni Lions v UNSW Wests Magpies & Killerwhales
The Sydney Uni Lions and UNSW Wests teams played each other once each over the weekend, with the Lions coming out on top in both matches.
Despite eight goals from UNSW Olympian Jarrod Gilchrist, the Lions won by one goal on Friday evening, ending the game 15-14. The Lions women backed it up to win 11-6 against the Killerwhales.
UTS Balmain Tigers v Drummoyne Devils
The famous Battle of the Bridge headlined the competition over the weekend with Saturday’s games broadcast live on KommunityTV.
In the men’s league, a close game saw the Drummoyne Devils claim victory 8-7, with three goals from Spanish import Guillem Garcia Urzainqui, the difference.
The Tigers turned the tables in the women’s competition, claiming victory 13-7 thanks to three goals apiece from Katie Dudley and Olivia Mitchell and four goals from Nioka Thomas.
Hunter Hurricanes v ACU Cronulla Sharks
The Hunter Hurricanes played the ACU Cronulla Sharks at Lambton Pool on Saturday afternoon.
A hard-fought game in the men’s league saw the Sharks clinch the win 9-7, with several players across both teams sharing the goal scoring responsibilities.
The Sharks triumphed over the Hunter Hurricanes on Saturday 14-5, securing the ACU women their third win of the season.
Griffith University Queensland Thunder v FYFE Adelaide Jets
A stellar weekend for the Griffith University Queensland Thunder saw them come away with four out of four wins against the FYFE Adelaide Jets.
In the men’s competition, the Thunder won 16-10 and 15-11 on Saturday and Sunday respectively, both at their home pool in Brisbane.
The women’s team dominated their competition, coming away with a 25-9 win on Saturday evening and a 14-7 win the next morning.
ACU Cronulla Sharks v UTS Balmain Tigers
On Sunday afternoon the ACU Cronulla Sharks took on the UTS Balmain Tigers at Sutherland Leisure Centre in two competitive games.
The Tigers came away with a win in both the men’s and women’s competition, with scores of 11-10 (men) and 13-6 (women).
ACU Cronulla Sharks player Sophie Hankin said: "In the first half the girls worked really hard and got heaps of kick outs, unfortunately we just couldn't convert them and Balmain just came out on top in defense and attack."
UNSW Wests Magpies & Killerwhales v Hunter Hurricanes
Sunday saw the UNSW Wests host the Hunter Hurricanes at Ashfield Aquatic Centre, with scoring the theme of the day for the metro Sydney club.
The Magpies men claimed a confident victory over their opponents, sharing the goal scoring between the team and ultimately securing a scoreline of 19-5.
In the women’s competition, the Killerwhales delivered a dominant performance to win 22-5, courtesy of the eight players that scored two or more goals each.
Drummoyne Devils v Sydney Uni Lions
Sydney-based games between the Drummoyne Devils and the Sydney Uni Lions finished off the weekend's fixtures.
It was a fight to the finish in the men’s league, with Drummoyne ultimately claiming victory 15-14 and securing themselves their second win of the weekend against as many opponents.
In the women’s competition, the Devils triumphed over their competitors 10-8, finishing their weekend on a high.
