Live stream: Australian Youth Water Polo Championships 2022 day 4 (Australian Youth Championships)

It’s all set up for a thrilling finale after the penultimate day of the Australian Youth Water Polo Championships produced some incredible action. Relive all the action from our LIVE STREAM.

The Australian Youth Water Polo Championships, one of the nation’s biggest junior sporting events is under way!

The late withdrawal of a number of teams on day one prompted a mass late fixture reshuffle – but after a terrific opening few days, it’s time for more.

One hundred and thirty-four teams involving 2000 competitors across the under 14, under 16 and under 18 age groups will compete.

News Corp will exclusively stream 51 matches across five days of the championships from the Brisbane Aquatic Centre.

The competition features the best emerging players from across the country, runs from April 14-18.

18 girls: Polo Bears 10 def All Hallows 6

The Polo Bears were through to the fifth-sixth playoff after a 10-6 win in a spirited clash with All Hallows.

Two fantastic team goals in the last quarter put the match to sleep after the teams had traded blow for blow throughout.

The goal of the match came just under four minutes from fulltime when Polo Bears turned a Horatia Schlect save into a Cate Klinge goal after Claudia Czerniawski had linked the ball with a fast, long pass toward the driving Klinge.

Then, with under two minutes to play, imposing centre Amelia Watt finished off a snappy exchange of passing that went through most players on the field.

At 10-6 and with 1:56 minute to play in a low scoring game, the Polo Bears were home.

Polo Bears had led 8-6 entering the final quarter after inching their way ahead of All Hallows with a 4-2 third term effort.

Abigale Houston twice got her name on the score sheet with withering right handed efforts, while Watt hit the bullseye with a blazing low to the water goal.

All Hallows’ Mia Connors and Phoebe Cervetto twice beat Polo Bears Schlect to score, which was some effort given the quality of Schlect’s goalkeeping work.

Aubrey Bergin also had a good match in goals for All Hallows’, saving a series of shots at the start of the fourth quarter as Polo Bears looked to further widen the gap between the two teams.

Meanwhile, there was a moment of controversy earlier in the day when the Sunshine Coast 16 years boys defeated Balmain in a replayed penalty shoot out after the Tigers had won the qualifying medal match the previous day.

On Saturday, Balmain won the penalty shoot out to progress.

But after the game it was established there had been a technical error when the Tigers did not shoot in the order provided to the officials during the penalty shoot out.

As a result the shoot out was replayed, starting at the point of the error which was shooter No.3.

The Sunshine Coast won the replayed shoot out when Harry Colley successfully scored.

Balmain were furious the technicality cost them a place in the finals after winning the match 24 hours earlier.

The Sunshine Coast went on to lose their grand final qualifying semi-final clash after the Balmain replay, but will still play for the bronze medal on Monday.

18 girls - UTS Balmain Tigers 12 def SNB Breakers 7

UTS Balmain will play Mermaids in the 18 years girls grand final after an absorbing semi-final win.

Balmain won after an imposing second half performance.

A seven-goal scoring sequence highlighted Balmain’s second half domination, a succession of goals broken only when Breakers’ Sydney Poor scored to make it 11-5.

One goal then followed by another, and at 11-6 the flame flickered for Breakers, but the better side won and won well.

Two Lily Dunn goals, then a lob by Charlotte Gibbons, a penalty to Layla Smith and goal from Laura Ellis were part of the polish applied by Balmain.

Adding to Breakers frustration was the goalkeeping of Balmain’s Abbey O’Neill who took some beating at the scoring end.

Breakers’ Magali Ogg did manage to beat her, however, via a sensational skidding effort from near halfway, while a Poor lob shot from left wing and a right wing effort by Anneliese Pamp also helped Breakers keep in touch.

But across the match, O’Neill was top notch.

18 girls - Mermaids 11 def Sydney Uni Lions 7

Brilliant goalkeeping by Mermaids’ pair Annie Cowan and Tori Kininmonth helped their side overcome Sydney Uni Lions and qualify for Monday’s grand final match.

Mermaids won 11-7 in a game which could have passed for a grand final, such was the desperation and will of the defence.

Lions tried to take Mermaids out of their comfort zone, hustling and bustling and generally making a nuisance of themselves as Mermaids were trying to construct a way past outstanding Lions keeper Victoria Ridhalgh.

In a match like this, class bubbles to the top and twice Chelsea Johnson produced pieces of magic in the goal scoring zone to deliver her team cherished scores - one for Molly Nasser and another for herself.

And at the back of the side first half, goal keeper Kininmonth and second half goal keeper Cowan were loyal guardians for Mermaids.

The Lions may as well have been trying to shoot over the top of the Great Wall of China, so effective were Kininmonth and Cowan in blocking the scoring attempts.

The biggest compliment Kininmonth had was when Lions’ Madissyn Powells scored with a left handed effort that clipped the bar and went in. She raised her fist in celebration, probably as much with relief that she had got one past Kininmonth.

An important part of the win was Johnson’s defence on Uni’s Australian player Sienna Green whom the Mermaids’ rookie wore like a glove.

Although the margin was four goals, it was anyone’s game and in the second and third quarters Sydney Uni pushed really hard.

With Mermaids ahead 8-3, two quick goals by Ashlee Dobell kept Lions well in touch before Taoso scored a vital goal which checked Sydney Uni’s momentum.

Jessica Oates then countered for Lions, but a brilliant pass by Johnson to Nasser created open space for Nasser to convert.

Earlier, both teams felt each other out during a scoreless opening four minutes before Mermaids worked the ball around nicely to create a 3-1 lead at the first quarter break.

Mary Comiskey scored from a lob, Taafili Taoso accepted a Phoebe McGuire pass to left hander Nasser who guided home a goal from the right wing.

Taoso’s soft hands also led to two lob goals which belied her power and strength.

16 girls: Hunter Hurricanes 8 def Mermaids White 3

The Hunter Hurricanes had a nice win in its battle for the minor placings against a game Mermaids (white).

Hurricanes led 4-1 at quarter time and entered the last quarter ahead 8-1 after Mermaids had stemmed the tide in the second and third quarters.

After an early breakaway, Holly Irvine’s five goals helped Hunters to the winners post.

Hurricanes goalkeeper Sophie Pavett played her part in the win, twice denying Mermaids goals in the third quarter.

Around those saves, Hunter’s Irvine scored another two goals.

Mermaids displayed plenty of grit to play out the match, with Ida Steingrabe (twice) and Anais Jones scoring.

The enthusiasm of the Hunter girls was evident at the start of the second quarter when they were back in position and waiting for the quarter to start well ahead of time.

Meanwhile, in the under 18 boys semi-final away from our livestream, Sydney Uni Lions team took out its semi-final with a 9-6 victory over ACU Cronulla Sharks.

The closely-knit team that has won the 14 years and 16 years youth championship titles have a chance for a triple crown against UQWPC Barras in the gold medal decider.

Barras had beaten Melville 11-10 in its semi-final, and will look to avenge three successive loses in finals on Monday.

Sydney Uni Lions’ Ryan Goldschmidt was delighted to make the gold medal match again.

“Cronulla came back pretty strong in the fourth quarter there but it was good to hang on and excited to play tomorrow,” he said.

“Having a bit less depth on the bench because of those boys getting out [red cards] was a bit tough, I know myself personally I was getting a bit tired at the end, but the boys really showed good effort staying in the game.’’

ADELAIDE 8 DEF CANBERRA 7

Day 4 of the Australian Youth Water Polo Championships started with a thriller as Adelaide Jets and Canberra Honey Badges traded last minute goals before the Jets prevailed.

Adelaide won the 18 years boys contest 8-7 after three goals were scored in the last 67 seconds of the match - two by the Jets and one by Canberra. It was Adelaide’s second win of the carnival.

Neck and neck throughout, Adelaide got out to a 6-4 advantage before the drama unfolded over the last few minutes.

A penalty by Canberra’s Wil Griffiths - his third goal of the match - tied the scores 6-all.

Then with 67 remaining Adelaide’s Ben Taylor scored, only for Griffiths to snare another goal with 44 seconds left.

Canberra then survived an extra man surge by Adelaide, only for that man Taylor to clinch the winner for Adelaide with 20 seconds left.

Adelaide keeper Gus Roberts did an outstanding job when the whips were cracking late in the match, twice saving shots including one low, skidding effort launched by Canberra’s Corin Arkell.

RICHMOND TIGERS 16 DEF POLO BEARS 8

Owen Lilleyman had a huge last quarter as the Richmond Tigers purred to its second win of the championship.

Lilleyman scored five last quarter goals as Richmond deflected a Polo Bears recovery to finish with a flourish, winning 16-8 in the 18 years boys clash.

A brazen Polo Bears had rallied from the backblocks, trailing 3-nil and then 7-2 only to rise up and challenge the Tigers after keeping Richmond to just one goal in the third quarter.

But Richmond’s centre forward Lilleyman was ready and waiting for the challenge.

He scored from a back handed flick to start the last quarter, then pushed in a goal after a pass had been thrown by teammate Kaiden Pajouhesh.

Lilleyman then converted a penalty and later scored another two goals.

In the fourth quarter the Polo Bears were still in the hunt trailing 9-7 when Isaac McCarthy lobbed a goal beyond the Tigers’ keeper’s grasp (Declan McGuire), but then came Lilleyman’s four goal finish to the match.

Lilleyman finished with six goals after also scoring in the third quarter.

Meanwhile, in the crucial 18 years boys gold medal qualifying game played away from our livestream, the UQWPC Barras defeated Melville by a goal in the final seconds, 11-10.

On Monday Barras will play Sydney Uni Lions in the gold medal match, while Melville will contest the bronze medal match.

Originally published as Live stream: Australian Youth Water Polo Championships 2022 day 4 (Australian Youth Championships)