Live stream finals: Australian Water Polo league

Can the unbeaten Queensland Thunder women’s team be defeated and robbed of the AWL premiership? Maybe says one seasoned coach. Story here.

The unbeaten Queensland Thunder women’s team would have to have an off day not to win the Australian Water Polo League premiership according to veteran AWL coach Greg McFadden.

Thunder will stride into Saturday’s AWL semi-final with only an 11-all draw against the Cronulla Sharks as a blemish on its 2022 campaign. The finals will be livestreamed by News Corp.

With Tokyo Olympians Abby Andrews, Gabi Palm, Bronwen Knox and current Australian squad members Tenealle Fasala, Charlize Andrews, Alice Williams and Bridget Leeson-Smith in the squad, the Thunder have swept all before them.

So can they be beaten?

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UNSW Wests Magpies coach Greg McFadden, whose team felt Thunder’s fury two weeks ago, said Queensland could be beaten.

“You have to play at your best and you can’t have any lapses and they have to have an off day,’’ McFadden said.

“But every team is beatable. With good tactics and good defence, good teams can get frustrated.

Thunder’s Abby Andrews. Picture David Clark

“And when you are a super strong team and things don’t start to go your way, you can get frustrated. That is the way you can beat the Thunder.’’

Andrews, who scored seven goals in Thunder’s final home-and-away match, believed Thunder intimidated rivals because of the squad’s depth while the team dynamic also played its part.

Queensland Thunder pair Charlize Andrews and Tenealle Fasala made their debuts for the Stingers last month.

“The team dynamics have been key,’’ said the 21-year-old left handed goal scoring machine. “We train with each other all year around and we have a young group, so there is no real hierarchy. Everyone fits in.

“Another key thing is that we are the only team in the competition who can sub (substitute) like we do.’’

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“We have such strong depth and everyone on our bench and in our starting line-up are so confident. I think it rattles a lot of the other teams.’’

Coach Lees said the 11-draw against Cronulla last month was a blessing in disguise.

Ben Lees is the Thunder coach. (AAP Image/Richard Walker)

“It did not hurt us. It is not a bad thing to get a bit of a shake up close to the finals.

“And the way the girls responded, it was the playing group who decided the way they would respond. And they really did,’’ he said, in reference to turning a 11-all draw into a 15-8 win against the same opposition 12 hours later.