Australian water polo league live stream: Balmain Tigers secure last men’s spot in Championship division

A win in the final game of the weekend has secured the Balmain men’s team a berth in the Australian Water Polo League Championship division. Relive the action from three massive days.

Balmain have secured safe passage through to the Australian Water Polo League Championship division after winning all three of their games in the Adelaide leg of the KAP7 Cup this weekend.

The Tigers sent the Fremantle Marlins back to the Southern Cross Cup after a 17-8 success over Adelaide/Hobart Jets. It followed impressive wins over Victorian Phoenix and Queensland Thunder.

This game was effectively over by halftime as the Tigers kicked out to a 9-3 lead.

Harry Sanderson, Samuel Hughes and Daniel Lawrence each scored three goals, while Nicholas Maddern fought a lone goalscoring battle for the Jets with four goals.

Sharks edge Thunder in thriller

Cronulla Sharks have ended their KAP7 Cup on a high, downing Queensland Thunder 7-5.

Tight defences from both teams resulted in the low-scoring result, but the Sharks were better at breaking down their opposition.

Thunder goalkeeper Max Culleton capped off a fine performance in the dying seconds by scoring the final goal of the match from his own goalmouth.

He also made some key saves and was instrumental in setting up counter attacks.

Queensland Thunder v ACU Cronulla Sharks (Men)

The Sharks’ goals were shared around, with Daniel Davis and Tomas Hawkins scoring two each, and Jesse Taylor, Tristan Glanznig and Ben Matthews all scoring one.

The Sharks now move on to the AWL Championship, while the Thunder will compete in the Southern Cross Cup.

Phoenix go on goalscoring spree

Victorian Phoenix are celebrating a rare double AWL success after their men’s side demolished Hunter Hurricanes.

Two hours after their women’s side edged out Hunter 14-13, the Phoenix men got off to a flyer - and never looked back - eventually winning 19-8.

It was their third win of the season following earlier successes over the Jets and Thunder, but their first in six matches.

Amir Moradi scored four goals but was also fouled out in the third quarter, while Tyson Mutsch grabbed himself a hat-trick.

The result was a major disappointment for Hunter, especially after picking up wins in their previous two matches against the Thunder and Jets.

Victorian Phoenix v Hunter Hurricanes (Men)

Thunder stay perfect - but it was tight

Ten games, 10 wins for the KAP7 Cup women’s champions - but the final instalment was a close run thing.

Queensland Thunder will go into the AWL Championship games with winning momentum, but the dangerous Cronulla Sharks gave them plenty to think about after a tight game that went right down to the wire.

The Thunder, who led by three at three-quarter time, eventually held on nervously to win 8-7 on the back of four goals from Elle Armit.

Goalscoring machine Danijela Jackovich scored another three for the Sharks to take her season tally to 33.

Queensland Thunder v ACU Cronulla Sharks (Women)

Celebration time as Phoenix break losing run

It’s been a long time between drinks for Victorian Phoenix women’s team.

Eight games to be precise.

So a 14-13 victory over Hunter Hurricanes in their final KAP7 Cup game is something to savour. It’s their first win since their opening game 15-14 success over the Jets.

Their improvement over the weekend had been noticeable. After a hefty first-up defeat to Balmain, they bounced back well against Cronulla on Saturday.

This one came down to conversion in the final quarter. Down by one, the Phoenix stepped up their forward pressure, with Poppy Phillips hitting a hat-trick on her way to five goals for the match.

Hunter, who scored four straight goals to take a three-quarter time lead, were far from disgraced and a late Laura Robinson double kept them right in the contest.

Victorian Phoenix v Hunter Hurricanes (Women)

Balmain show class in comfortable Jets win

After a bold performance for three quarters against Queensland Thunder on Saturday, Balmain women’s side appreciated the drop in class to finish their KAP7 Cup campaign on a goalscoring high.

Harder games are in store for the Tigers over the next month or so, but on this form they can certainly prove nuisance value against the top sides in the Championship.

Even after racing out to a 7-1 quarter-time lead against Adelaide/Hobart Jets, their offensive and defensive pressure never relented. They added a further 14 goals while only conceding another three to win 21-4.

The goalscoring exploits were shared around with four players scoring three goals - Layla Smith, whose goals all game in the third quarter, Sienna Hearn, Olivia Mitchell anbd Katie Dudley.

FYFE Adelaide/Hobart Jets v UTS Balmain Tigers (Women)

SATURDAY GAMES

Unbeaten Thunder rewarded with KAP7 Cup title

Queensland Thunder are the KAP7 Cup women’s champions after brushing aside the challenge of Balmain Tigers on Saturday morning.

The Thunder have now won nine straight games and can make it a perfect 10 against Cronulla Sharks on Sunday afternoon.

Queensland Thunder reign supreme again.

A huge first quarter proved the difference against arguably their biggest threat this weekend.

The Thunder, who face Cronulla on Sunday in their final game before the Championship finals, blasted out of the blocks, scoring five goals without reply to essentially put the game to bed.

Balmain hit back hard in the final three quarters, restricting the free-scoring Thunder to just four goals while scoring four themselves, but the damage was done.

Sophie Milliken was the inspiration behind the Thunder’s fast start, scoring two goals. Madeleine Steer, Kasey Dalziel and Amelia Watt were also on the scoresheet.

The Tigers only had one goal as reward for their toil for the first three quarters, but Katie Dudley with a double and Sienna Hearn put some respectability in the scoreline.

Queensland Thunder v UTS Balmain Tigers (Women)

Tigers men on verge of something big

Balmain Tigers are just one win away from securing their spot in the AWL Championship following their 14-6 win over Queensland Thunder.

The Tigers were on the backfoot after trailling 2-1 in the first quarter, but a wild second quarter, which included six penalties, saw them take the lead 7-4 at the major break.

Daniel Lawrence led the scoring for the Tigers with five, including an impressive three goals in the second quarter.

The win means the Tigers stay in the hunt for a spot in the Championship, with another win on Sunday against FYFE Adelaide/Hobart Jets placing them into the top six.

Queensland Thunder v UTS Balmain Tigers (Men)

Impressive Sharks confirm Championship berth

Cronulla Sharks have sealed fifth place in the men’s KAP7 Cup following a comfortable 15-7 win over Victorian Phoenix.

Thomas Hawkins was a clear standout for the Sharks, scoring five goals, but was sent off in the fourth quarter for arguing with a referee and being shown a red card.

He wasn’t the only player to be sent off, with the Phoenix’s Sean Bryant also shown a red in the final quarter.

Sharks goalkeeper Hayden Molla was a key reason behind his side’s eight-goal victory with his impressive shot stopping, including in the fourth quarter when he saved the penalty he had conceded moments earlier.

Hot Hurricanes finishing on a high

After coming into the final weekend with no wins from their seven games, the Hunter Hurricanes men’s team are suddenly on a roll.

Not content with victory over Queensland Thunder on Friday, the Hurricanes have followed it up with a 13-8 success over Adelaide/Hobart Jets.

And they will fancy their chances of three in a row when they take on Victorian Phoenix on Sunday.

FYFE Adelaide/Hobart Jets v Hunter Hurricanes (Men)

The Hurricanes were dominant from the moment they touched the ball, scoring three unanswered goals in the first quarter and extending their lead to five goals at halftime.

Hurricanes goalkeeper Lachlan Walter was superb, stopping a penalty shot early in the final quarter.

Jake Martin picked up his first AWL goal for the Jets, converting a penalty to the excitement of home fans at the pool.

Both sides are out of contention for the AWL Championship, but will meet again in the Southern Cross Cup.

Jets, Hurricanes share honours

Adelaide/Hobart Jets and Hunter Hurricanes have both secured their first points of the AWL women’s season after fighting out a 7-7 draw in their penultimate KAP7 Cup match.

The Hurricanes got on the board early with a 3-1 lead in the first quarter, but two penalty goals from the Jets’ Nicolette Miller and a single from Taylor Wilkins levelled the scores at the half.

Miller’s overall performance proved a massive benefit for the Jets. She scored four goals in total while also getting into the thick of it in defence.

The Hurricanes were hindered by both Bree Akhurst and Lexie Burdack fouling out.

Emma Preece’s sole goal for the Hurricanes was enough to ensure the points were shared, with both sides set to face off again in the Southern Cross Cup.

FYFE Adelaide/Hobart Jets v Hunter Hurricanes (Women)

Jackovich proves thorn in Phoenix side

Danijela Jackovich continued her rich vein of goalscoring as Cronulla guaranteed a spot among the Australian Water Polo League women’s elite with victory over plucky Victoria Phoenix.

Jackovich scored in every quarter to take her season tally to 30. It was the third time this season she had scored five goals in a match.

The Sharks took the win 13-8 after scoring eight goals in the second half.

The win ensures they have a place in the Championship round of the AWL, but they were made to work hard for it by a Phoenix side who were vastly improved from the hammering they received from the Tigers on Friday.

Maddie Morrison scored a double in the third quarter to keep Phoenix within striking distance while Emily McGowan grabbed three goals in the second half to take her season tally to 16.

Victorian Phoenix v ACU Cronulla Sharks (Women)

FRIDAY GAMES

Balmain have kept the door ajar as they aim to sneak their way into the men’s AWL Championship series.

The Tigers entered the final weekend of the KAP7 Cup knowing exactly what they needed to do, with two wins from three allowing them to leapfrog Fremantle into the top six.

They successfuly completed the first half of that mission on Friday night, holding off a spirited Victorian Phoenix 10-7 on Friday night.

The loss has extinguished the Phoenix’s hopes of pulling off a miracle run into the Championship, with the Victorian side now locked into next month’s Southern Cross Challenge.

The Tigers flew out of the blocks with four unanswered goals in the first term, and pushed the difference out to six goals by the halftime break.

But they were forced to work for the win by a physically imposing Victorian side.

Sharks storm home to ground the Jets

ACU Cronulla Sharks have all but guaranteed their spot in the men’s AWL Championship series with a dominant win over the Adelaide Jets.

The Sharks were a class above their winless rivals, scoring a bell-to-bell 19-6 win in Adelaide.

A dominant display from Sharks keeper Hayden Molla, which included two penalty saves and a first quarter shutout, put the Cronulla side on the front foot early.

It was a position they refused to let up.

A 5-0 lead at quarter-time became a 10-2 lead at the main break, before they kicked home with a seven goal final term to put the result well beyond doubt.

The Taylor brothers, Jesse and Ben combined well across the pool, while Nicholas Crowe enjoyed a blistering final term scoring a hattrick.

Tristan Glanznig also finished with a three-goal haul after opening the scoring early in the first quarter.

The win has shored up the Sharks place in the Australian Water Polo League top six, with Fremantle Marlins now resting on the bubble only one win clear of the Tigers.

Hurricanes score breakthrough win after fight back

The Hunter Hurricanes have pulled off a stunning 10-9 come-from-behind victory over the Queensland Thunder to record score their first win of the KAP7 Cup.

The Thunder were firmly in control in the first half, keeping the Hurricanes to a single goal to their five to lead 5-1 at the major break.

Queensland were able to withstand a five-on-four disadvantage resulting from Isaac Kyle-Little’s red card for brutality in the second quarter, but from there the Hurricanes showed their strength.

The Hurricanes netted five unanswered goals to level the scores 7-7 heading into the final quarter, before Lachlan Mcleod put the side in front for the first time.

The last quarter was a scrappy back-and-forth, but the Hurricanes managed to hold their lead for the win.

Thunder put one hand on KAP7 Cup

Reigning women’s champions Queensland Thunder have extended their undefeated run, and in the process wrapped one hand around the KAP7 Cup, after downing Hunter Hurricanes 18-8.

The Thunder only led by one goal after the first quarter, but from there they found their rhythm, scoring seven unanswered goals to extend their lead to nine at half time.

Replay: Queensland Thunder v Hunter Hurricanes (Women)

Amelia Watt led the scoring for the Thunder, netting five goals total, four of which were in the first half.

Julia Barton matched Watt’s achievement for the Hurricanes, recording four goals in the final period to keep her side within ten.

The Thunder have already cemented their spot in the AWL Championship series, and now only need one more win from their final two games in the Cup this weekend to secure top spot and the KAP7 Cup silverware.

Sharks fly home with wet sail over the Jets

A tight battle for three quarters turned into a dominant victory as the Cronulla Sharks women’s side poured in five late goals to see off plucky Adelaide/Hobart Jets 14-8.

The Jets were strong in attack for the opening three quarters in front of their home fans, keeping the scores within two at each break.

However, the Sharks found another gear when the pressure was on, with Karli Canale scoring two of her total five goals in the last quarter. Jade Vinson, Sophie Hankin and Danijela Jackovich also added goals.

Rough Sharks defending earlier in the game resulted in three penalties, which were all converted by Jets’ Nicollette Miller.

The win for the Sharks keeps them in sixth on the ladder, meaning if they hold the position they will move through to the AWL Championship series.

The Jets are still yet to win a game, and will feature in the Southern Cross Cup.

FYFE Adelaide/Hobart Jets v ACU Cronulla Sharks (Women)

Mitchell scores six as Tigers sink Phoenix

UTS Balmain Tigers enhanced their Australian Water Polo League women’s Championship hopes with a convincing 16-2 win over Victorian Phoenix.

Olivia Mitchell was a stand-out for the Tigers, scoring an outstanding six goals across three quarters.

Stephanie Brettargh attempted to keep the Phoenix in the game early with a goal, but her side was kept scoreless thereafter until the final quarter when Caitlin Mossman managed a consolation goal.

The result keeps the Tigers in fifth place with two games remaining, with the top six at the end of the weekend to progress to the Championship playoffs.

The Phoenix’s season goes from bad to worse and they will feature in the Southern Cross Cup when the competition splits after this weekend.

Victorian Phoenix v UTS Balmain Tigers (Women)

BIG WEEKEND FOR FRINGE TEAMS

The final weekend of the KAP7 Cup has plenty on the line, with just a few Australian Water Polo League Championship spots remaining in both the men’s and women’s competitions.

UNSW Wests Magpies have already cemented first place in the men’s competition following an undefeated campaign, beating out local rivals Sydney Uni Lions, whose loss to the Fremantle Marlins last week ended their bold KAP7 Cup title bid.

However, the Lions have done more than enough to make it through to the Championship round, while the Drummoyne Devils and UWA Torpedoes look set to join them.

That leaves two spots, with two teams - Balmain Tigers and Cronulla Sharks - playing this weekend favoured to fill them.

The Queensland Thunder women’s team are on the verge of taking the KAP7 title. They probably need to win two of their three games this weekend to make sure. They will be joined by the UWA Torpedoes, Fremantle Marlins and Sydney Uni Lionesses in the Championship games.

UTS Balmain Tigers and ACU Cronulla Sharks are just inside the top six ahead of their final games this weekend, each with a 50 per cent win record.

The top six teams for both the men’s and the women’s will progress to the AWL Championship, while the teams ranked seven to 11 will play in the Southern Cross Cup.

PREVIEW

They share the same family name and finally the same goal in the Australian water polo league being live streamed on KommunityTV.

Last season Tristan and Kal Glanznig were playing in opposing sides in the top domestic competition.

In 2023 the brothers have united at the Cronulla Sharks and recent Australian debutant Tristan said he is enjoying the opportunity to play beside his older brother.

“It’s really awesome because we have only ever played together once before this,’’ Tristan, 20, said.

“He moved to Sydney Uni while he was doing his degree and I’ve always been with Cronulla.’’

The side from Sydney’s south have been one of the early pacesetters of the competition with Tristan believing this is due to most of the outfit being good friends and playing mates most of their lives.

But the club needs to string wins together this weekend to make the championship series cut.

“We've been together a long time without too many changes,’’ said Tristan, who made his senior Australian debut with the Sharks against Japan in January.

“So while we are young we are pretty settled.’’

AWL action moves to Adelaide this weekend with a host of matches being streamed.

Glanznig, his brother and the Sharks take on Adelaide/Hobart Jets on Friday, Victoria Phoenix on Saturday and then Queensland Thunder on Sunday.

Tristan Glanznig has a big part to play for Cronulla Sharks.

Results in the KAP7 Cup determine which teams progress to the Championship or Challenge rounds in phase two of the AWL.

Teams ranked one to six after the KAP7 in each gender will progress through to the AWL Championship and will play each other twice, across five rounds.

The top four sides then qualifying a spot in the Finals Series from April 28-30.

Teams ranked seven to 11 will play for the Southern Cross Cup over four rounds, where teams play each other twice.

Originally published as Australian water polo league live stream: Balmain Tigers secure last men’s spot in Championship division