Gold medal great’s children among Players to Watch at Water Polo Queensland state titles

The children of Olympic gold medallist Naomi McCarthy are among Players to Watch at the Queensland Water Polo state titles - the grand finals of which will be livestreamed at www.couriermail.com.au, the Gold Coast Bulletin and affiliates.

The son and daughter of Olympic Games gold medallist Naomi McCarthy are among Players to Watch at the Queensland Water Polo state titles - the grand finals of which will be livestreamed at www.couriermail.com.au, the Gold Coast Bulletin and affiliates.

The titles start on Monday and will be staged in two parts between January 18-21 (under 12s and 16s) and January 23-25 (under 14s, under 18s, opens).

The couriermail.com.au will report and livestream both grand final days on Thursday, January 21 (from 2.30pm) and Monday, January 25 (from noon).

Matilda Moore, left, will be a player to watch in the opens. Picture: Richard Walker

Naomi McCarthy was a Sydney 2000 Olympic gold medallist who came out of retirement late last year to captain-coach Polo Bears to the inaugural premiership in the Queensland Premier League.

Her son Isaac McCarthy will play for Polo Bears in the under 16 competition while his sister Ali will play along side her is her two cousins Grace and India Castle, in the girls’ under 14s.

The two open divison premiership races have been thrown wide open because Queensland’s Olympic Games’ squad members such as Bronwen Knox, Rhys Howden, Abby Andrews, Gabriella Palm and co are not available for the competition. 

Mermaids’ girls were expected to challenge for the title in the under 12s, under 14s, under 16s, under 18s and opens, with Mermaids’ under 16 outfit unbeaten in five seasons at state and national level.

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Barras (under 12 girls, under 18 girls and open women), St Rita’s College (under 14 girls), All Hallows’ (under 16 girls) and Polo Bears (open women) were also expected to challenge strongly.

Barracudas water polo club player Will Valentine has broken into the Queensland Thunder senior squad.

In male competition, Brisbane Barracudas will be a handful in all divisions, but can expect competition from the Mantras (under 12s), Polo Bears (under 14s), Kawana (under 16s), River City (under 18) and both the Warriors and Kawana in the men’s open.

Polo Bears player Sophie Milliken Womens final in water polo, Barracudas vs Polo Bears. Sunday November 22, 2020. Picture John Gass

PLAYERS TO WATCH

UNDER 12s

Girls

Poppy Lochran (Mermaids)

Charli Griffith (Polo Bears

Boys

Tom Elliott (Mermaids)

Finn Collins (Mermaids)

Elliott Duncanson (Polo Bears)

Dylan McDonald (Polo Bears)

UNDER 14s

Girls

Sophia Brodie (Mermaids)

Zara Davis (Mermaids)

Dasha Osadchuk Mermaids)

Ali McCarthy (Polo Bears)

India Castle (Polo Bears)

Grace Castle (Polo Bears)

Abbie McDonald (Polo Bears)

Bless Daly (Polo Bears)

Boys

Taoso Taoso (Mermaids)

Ryan Allen (Mermaids)

Sam Eyles (Barras)

Sean Bright (Barras)

Joseph Gallagher (Barras)

Joseph Cervetto (Barras)

Tian Markart (Polo Bears)

Jack Plowman (Polo Bears)

Adam Edwards (Polo Bears)

Will Plowman (Polo Bears)

Kelsey Wakefield will play for Gold Coast.(AAP Image/Richard Walker)

UNDER 16s

Girls

Annie Cowie (Mermaids)

Josephine Crimmins (Mermaids)

Louisa Downes (Mermaids)

Chelsea Johnson (Mermaids)

Phoebe Fredericks (All Hallows’ School)

Lauren Brownhill (All Hallows’ School)

Phoebe McGuire (All Hallows’ School)

Horatia Schlect (St Rita’s)

Ariana Robinson (Polo Bears)

Tiana Doyle (Polo Bears)

Stella Stuart (Poloe Bears).

Boys

Lachlan Elliott (Mermaids)

Laumata Taoso (Mermaids)

Jack French (Barras)

Blake Jennison (Barras)

James DeStefani (Barras)

Noah Clifford (Barras)

Tom Doe (River City)

Tomos Hedges (River City)

Isaac Kyle-Little (River City)

Ryan Medic (River City)

Auguste Korac (Sunshine Coast)

Josh Eyles (Kawana)

Matt Bonser Kawana)

Ethan Topp (Polo Bears)

Josh Hill (Polo Bears)

Fletcher Dudley (Polo Bears)

Leo Smeation (Polo Bears)

Indra Kelly (Polo Bears)

Isaac McCarthy (Polo Bears)

Leo Smeaton (Polo Bears)

Lawson Collett (Polo Bears)

George McLennan (Polo Bears)

Fletcher Dudley (Polo Bears)

Josh Hill (Poloe Bears)

Jessica Emerson playing for Thunder. (AAP Image/Richard Walker)

UNDER 18s

Girls

Kate Blew (Mermaids)

Lara Owen (Mermaids)

Molly Nasser (Mermaids)

Amelia Watt (Barras)

Iesha Feeney (Barras)

Brianna Gallagher (All Hallows)

Jaden Weir (Polo Bears)

Isabel Lumley (BGGS)

Amy Middlemass (BGGS)

Esther McDade (BGGS)

Charlotte McDade BGSS)

Boys

Will Valentine (Barras)

Marcus Berehulak (Barras)

Max Culleton (Barras)

James Kininmonth (Barras)

The great Barracudas player Kate Gynther defends. Photographer: Liam Kidston.

OPENS

Women

Kasey Dalziel (Mermaids)

Alice Campbell (Mermaids)

Matilda Moore (Mermaids)

Kate Gynther (Barras)

Jessica Emerson (Barras)

Charlize Andrews (Polo Bears)

Sophie Milliken (Polo Bears)

Bridget Leeson-Smith (Polo Bears)

Kelsey Wakefield (Gold Coast)

Men

Sean Boyd (Barras)

Billy Miller (Barras)

Drew and Scott Gynther (Barras)

James Howden (Barras)

Reilly Townsend (Warriors)

Tom Cullerton (River City)

Matt Lendarduzzi (Kawana)

Chris Buchanan (Polo Bears)