WATER POLO LIVESTREAM: Grand final coverage of Queensland Water Polo Premier League
The Water Polo Queensland Premier League reached its peak today, with two gold medal and two bronze medal finals completed. WATCH HERE + REPLAYS
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The Water Polo Queensland Premier League grand finals have been won by Carina Leagues Warriors (men) and the North Brisbane Polo Bears (women).
All games were livestreamed at couriermail.com.au, at the Gold Coast Bulletin and on News affiliates.
Four games – two bronze medal play-offs can now be viewed on replay.
RELATED LINKS
RHYS HOWDEN’S THOUGHTS ON THE GRAND FINAL
THE MATCHES
Men’s bronze medal playoff
Kawana v North Brisbane Polo Bears (FINAL SCORE 9-8)
A Louis Brunner goal one minute from full-time handed Kawana the bronze medal match in the Queensland Water Polo Premier League today at Yeronga pool.
Brunner steadied with one minute, 16 seconds on the clock to push his team into the lead 9-8. It was a fitting finish to a final that seesawed throughout.
Both teams traded two goals apiece early in the third quarter before Pat Flanagan (Kawana) broke the deadlock with a long range, right handed effort, making it 8-7.
Polo Bears got back to 8-all, then came Brunner’s match winner.
Kawana coach Toby Fitzgerald said his side rose to the occasion when it mattered most,
““I was a bit nervous because in the last few weeks training has got a bit iffy,’’ Fitzgerald said.
“But what I love, and probably hate most about these guys, is they will always pull it together out of nowhere.
“You know with games like this once they are in the water, the chat stops and it is game on.’’
Fitzgerald said while it would have been great to make the grand final, the pre-season aim was top four. “They did really, really well.’’
Polo Bears captain Sam Lenarduzzi said he was delighted with his team’s effort.
“We are a younger team and it was a good experience playing in a good competition.
“We played against Olympians, Australian players, all sorts, so it is a good experience to build upon for next season.’’
Lenarduzzi said it was great to see five different clubs represented on grand final day.
Early on, Kawana goalie Matt Lenarduzzi was kept busy in the first quarter bringing off a handful of saves as North Brisbane Polo Bears challenged early.
But it was Kawana who opened the scoring courtesy of Pat Flanagan, and then after Bears replied courtesy of Francis Rupert, Kawana added a second goal, this time by Tora Majoros.
Lenarduzzi then brought off another save early in the second quarter before his team got out to a 3-2 not long after.
Polo Bears Chris Buchanan then saved what seemed a certain goal when he blocked a shot from his rival Steele Gibble before Polo Bears keeper Rick Joustra produced a sensational save.
But from a penalty soon after, Kawana’s Louis Brunner made it 4-2.
Dylan McDonald then responded for Polo Bears but Brunner again found the back of the net again and the advantage was to Kawana again.
The teams
Polo Bears: Rick Joustra, Fraser Duguid, Kai Majoros, Casper Van Der Struijk, Dylan McDonald, Kobe Jennison, Sam Lenarduzzi, Mason Black, Jack Foder, Nick Pace, Chris Buchanan, Ethan Topp, Fletcher Dudley.
Kawana: Matt Lenarduzzi, Ben Letchford, Francis Rupnick, Louis Brunner, Seth Burrows, Sam Harris, Pat Flanagan, Riley Korac, Tora Majoros, Liam Johns, Gus Powell, Steele Gribble, Nino Magasic, Xaiver Clark.
Bronze medal play-off
MERLO MERMAIDS v SUNSHINE COAST (FINAL SCORE 16-9)
The Merlo Mermaids overcame a gallant, vastly improved Sunshine Coast to claim the women’s bronze medal 16-9 in the Premier League finals today.
Mermaids skipped away early, found themselves behind in the third quarter, but finished strongly to secure third placing in the high class tournament.
Mermaids wrapped up the match with two and a half minutes remaining when Kasey Dalziel found the back of the net.
“The season was a good one, especially the two games against Polo Bears,’’ said Merlo Mermaids coach Nicola Johnson said.
“To get within one point of them (in the semi-finals) was unbelievable.
“There were lots of leanings to take out of it. We are a young team which needs to learn how to play these types of games’’
It was a thrilling bronze medal playoff.
Successive goals to Mermaids in the opening minute of the final quarter raised the side to a 10-7 lead after they led just 8-7.
Firstly Matilda Moore put her team ahead 9-7 and then Lara Owen added her own goal to edge Mermaids away by three points.
A clever backhanded flick from Tyler Ballie then revived Sunshine Coast and the match was set for a grandstand finish.
But Owen had other ideas, rising to land a goal and with five minutes to play it was back to Mermaids leading by three goals, 11-8.
Sunshine Coast goalie Lily Merlo kept her side in the match with two grand saves, but the Coast could not peg Mermaids back and then Dalziel nailed her decisive goal to make it 12-8.
It was an outstanding effort in defeat by Sunshine Coast against rivals who had aspirations of winning the competition when it started eight weeks ago.
Sunshine Coast captain Lily Merlo said there had been vast improvement from the start of the tournament to today’s bronze medal match.
She said her team’s late fade was down to Mermaids’ superior fitness, but she was pleased with her team’s game knowledge.
“Playing under the new rules was also a big change for us,’’ Merlo explained.
Sunshine Coast started the second half with two brilliant efforts from Tiana Anderson which cut Mermaids advantage to just 6-5.
First Anderson produced a flick-on goal to beat keeper Power, and then she did a subtle lob over the defence and into the top right hand corner.
Sunshine Coast then added another goal and it was 6-all in the blink of an eye and then 7-6 in favour of the visitors when Anderson scored yet again.
It took a blinding effort from Kasey Dalziel to put the home side, Mermaids, back on level pegging before Alice Williams added another goal for Mermaids.
Earlier, Mermaids and Sunny Coast traded early goals in the first quarter to level the match at 2-all, but into the second quarter the class of the Mermaids shone through courtesy of left-handed Molly Nasser and representative player Kasey Dalziel.
From a wide angle Dalziel produced a blazing right-handed effort that must have lifted her side.
Sunshine Coast then fought back hard, forcing Mermaids goalie Kate Power to make two great saves, and then a sensational save from a penalty shot.
Mermaids Australian representatives Alice Williams then iced the first half with a wonderful goal and gallant Sunshine Coast found themselves down 6-3 at halftime.
The teams
Sunshine Coast: Lily Merlo, Tyler Baillie, Hannah Watt, Paris Bromfield, Matilda Sweeney, Karla Lowe, Lilyan Sheterline, Cosi Winter, Maddi Coolican, Tiana Anderson, Ash Roberts, Baillie Johns, Jess Lundgren.
Merlo Mermaids: Power Kate, Nasser Molly, Moore Matilda, Fredericks Hannah, Owen Lara,
Downes Louisa, Elliott Lulu, Campbell Alice, Dalziel Kasey, Williams Alice, Johnson Chelsea, Black Paige, Comiskey Mary
GOLD MEDAL MENS
CARINA LEAGUES WARRIORS v BARRACUDAS (Warriors 13 defeated Barras 10)
The Carina Leagues Warriors are the Queensland Water Polo Premier Leagues premiers after a tremendous 13-10 victory over Brisbane Barracudas this afternoon.
The match lived up to its pre-game hype, with Warriors emerging from a locked-up scoreline to lead 12-8 with five minutes to play, only to be challenged late.
The flame flickered for Barras when Drew Gythner twice pushed goals past Aussie goalie Nic Porter, including one from a wide angle which cut Warriors lead to just two points, 12-10.
Brilliant saves from Barras keeper Fabio Pavanello continued to keep his side in the game as Warriors moved to wrap-up the clash.
There was tension when Barras pair Gythner and Billy Miller struck the goalposts late, but still Barra pushed hard, only to be denied by the Warriors defence.
This was after both teams traded goals at the start of the final quarter before Warriors’ William Downes and Mason Fettell struck with successive goals for Warriors to lift their side ahead 12-8.
Warriors coach Akos Janosi said his team’s zone defence in the second half was very good and to keep the Barras to a low score was very good.
He said it was a very good competition to win and Warriors had done very well.
Barras coach Darcy Moreland praised Warriors goalie Nic Porter for his outstanding deeds in the second half.
“I’d say we created enough but we did not make the most of our opportunities,’’ he said
But Moreland said it was a successful season, having not lost a match until today’s grand final.
Earlier, the Warriors defence owned the vital third quarter of the game, block-aiding the Barras goal scoring efforts to set-up a handy 10-7 break going into the final quarter.
From 6-all at halftime, the Warriors scored four successive goals – all the while preventing Barras from scoring at the other end of the pool.
Tom Hardy, Mason Fettell and Anthony Martin all scored as Warriors skirted away before Barras’ Australian player Billy Miller broke the scoring sequence.
Warriors defence around their elite keeper Nick Porter was outstanding in this period.
Earlier, the stage was set for a raging race to the final whistle when both teams pulled ashore at halftime having scored six goals apiece.
A powerful effort from Warriors Mason Fettell then locked the scores up 6-all.
This was after Warriors had stolen a march on their rivals, skipping to an unexpected 3-1 advantage early in the first term.
But entering the second quarter, a brilliant lob goal from Scott Gynther rebounded Barracudas from a deficit into the lead. Gynther faked the big wind up, but instead gently floated the ball toward the right hand top corner of the goals.
Moments later he then tried to defy the Warriors Australian goalie Nic Porter a second time, but the shot was pushed wide.
Warriors Daniel Hansen then stole a goal from the Barras’ defence, pushing a pass into the back of the net to level the scores 5-all.
The great Rhys Howden then broke the deadlock for Barras with a typically grand goal from the triple Olympian raising Barras to 6-5.
The teams
Warriors Porter, Nic, Avenia, Benjamin, Downes, William, Josh Andrews, Chris Corbin, Martin Anthony, Gosney, Cooper, Greenbank, Stewart, Hansen, Daniel, Fettell, Mason, Goode, Max, Townsend, Reilly, Hardy, Tom.
Barracudas: Fabio Pavanello, Rhys Howden, Billy Miller, Matthew Giles, Scott Gynther, Drew Gynther, Will Valentine, James Kininmonth, Sean Boyd, Will Armstrong, Chris Broome, Noah Bright.
GOLD MEDAL WOMEN
POLO BEARS v BARRACUDAS (Polo Bears 6 defeat Barras 3)
In a team featuring Olympians galore, it was a rookie who rose above the pack to help North Brisbane Polo Bears claim the inaugural Premier League women’s premiership late today.
Charlize Andrews, one of the babies of the Queensland Thunder representative side, scored two crucial goals as North Brisbane went on to claim a 6-3 win.
Andrews must have thought she had landed in water polo heaven when past champions Naomi McCarthy, her Sydney Olympics gold medal teammate Jo Clark and their Athens 2004 Olympic teammate Jodie Stuhmcke opted to join current Australian player Bronwen Knox wearing Polo Bears colours for the inaugural tournament.
How could a talent young player like Andrews not benefit from being surrounded by the pick of the crop in Australian women’s water polo?
Polo Bears player-coach Naomi McCarthy said her team did not implement the game plan when beaten by Barras in the round game earlier in the competition, but this time they delivered.
McCarthy said the blend of experience and youth worked nicely and the Premier League was a tremendous pathway for players from not only her club, but for the other clubs as well.
“It is really good for water polo. It is a really good grounding for players.’’
McCarthy said for the most part “we played a really nice team’’ throughout the competition and the younger players benefitted from playing and training with the more experienced players at the club.
It was a tight tussle, with two goals in two minutes deep into the third quarter raising Polo Bears marginally above their rivals by 4-2.
Bridget Leeson-Smith broke a long deadlock with a goal and 90 seconds later Andrews accepted a deft pass from triple Olympian Knox to score a critical goal.
Andrews then rallied in defence late in the quarter and Polo Bears entered the last eight minutes with their noses infront.
It was Andrews again who added another goal in the fourth quarter and then triple Olympian Knox skidded a goal into the back of the net for Polo Bears.
All this after both North Brisbane Polo Bears and Barracudas had a sedate first quarter as both teams poked and prodded at each other.
It was even on the scoreboard as well, 1-all, after Polo Bears had opened the scoring in the first minute while the Barra defence was still getting its act together.
Barras Zoe Balmanno and Joanna Fox (North Brisbane) then traded goals in the opening minutes of the second quarter as the deadlock continued.
THE TEAMS
Barracudas v Polo Bears
Gold medal women
Barracudas: Gabi Palm, Phoebe Powell, Amelia Hodgson, Zoe Balmanno, Abby Andrews, Amelia Watt, Kate Gynther, Gracie Albion, Jessica Emerson, Tenealle Fasala, Anna Lenarduzzi, Elizabeth Nolan, Ruby Fox.
Polo Bears: Eve Gath, Claudia Czerniawski, Charlize Andrews, Naomi McCarthy, Sophie Milliken, Bronwen Knox, Jodie Stuhmcke, Bridget Leeson-Smith, Abigail Houston, Meg Wilcox, Cordeila Gibson, Joanne Fox, Horatia Schlect.
THE PREVIEW
In the women’s final comeback queen Naomi McCarthy, her Sydney Olympics gold medal teammate Jo Clark and their Athens 2004 Olympic teammate Jodie Stuhmcke will play for Polo Bears.
Throw into the mix triple Olympian Bronwen Knox and a host of rookies and Polo Bears have a red hot chance of winning.
Barras will be spearheaded by Aussie great Kate Gynther who is surrounded by a host of elite rookies like Abby Andrews, Tenealle Fasala and Gabi Palm.
In the men’s final, Aussie keeper Nic Porter will look to lock up the Carina Leagues Warriors against the Rhys Howden led Barras.
SCHEDULE
MENS BRONZE: Kawana v North Brisbane Polo Bears 12pm
WOMEN'S BRONZE: Merlo Mermaids v Sunshine Coast 1:30pm
MENS GOLD: Carina Leagues Warriors v Brisbane Barracudas 3:00pm
WOMEN'S GOLD: North Brisbane Polo Bears v Brisbane Barracudas 4:30pm
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