How to live stream Australian water polo league finals, players selectors want to see perform
Sydney Uni and UNSW shared the title honours as the Australian Water Polo League came to an exciting climax on Sunday. Relive all the action from a big day at Homebush.
Water Polo Live Stream
Don't miss out on the headlines from Water Polo Live Stream. Followed categories will be added to My News.
Sydney Uni Lionesses are the new women’s Australian Water Polo League champions after a faultless performance in disposing of UWA Torpedoes 15-8.
The Torpedoes won the match between the two earlier in the week but the Lionesses stepped up when it counted most, asserting their superiority in a five-goal second quarter.
Meanwhile, UNSW Magpies have won the men’s title after a one-goal win over Sydney Uni Lions in a classic decider.
See the reports and replays below.
DAY THREE REPLAYS, PHOTOS AND REPORTS
Men’s Gold Medal Playoff: UNSW Wests Magpies 11 d Sydney Uni Lions 10
The UNSW Wests Magpies won a record-equalling seventh Australian Water Polo League title with a thrilling victory over fierce rivals Sydney University in the men’s decider on Sunday.
The Magpies managed to hold off a hard-finishing Sydney University in a one-goal win which had the crowd at Sydney Olympic Park on its feet.
It was a perfect way for triple Olympian Ritchie Campbell to finish his AWL career.
“This has really topped off 10 years at the club. It’s so very, very special,“ Campbell said.
“It is a nice way to bow out. It just tops off everything.
“I think what got us here is that we are a unit.
“We are not the best players on paper but we are best mates, we played for each other and that means something.”
Campbell scored two goals in the match with the in-form Matthew Byrnes ending the match with four and teammate Angus Lambie with three.
Women’s Gold Medal Playoff: Sydney Uni Lionesses 15 d UWA Torpedoes 8
The Lionesses lived up to pre-match expectations to claim the Australian Water Polo League crown with a seven-goal victory over UWA Torpedoes.
It was the first AWL win for Sydney Uni since 2017 and it ‘means the world to us’, according to goalie Isobelle Pamp.
“We are so stoked, I think what it came down to was we were just so ready to go,” she said.
“We have trained, we have played, we have done everything this season to get where we are today.
“We just have so much passion for this.
“And it is such an honour for me to have led this side. This is something we will remember for all our careers.”
Maude Megans topscored for Sydney Uni with four goals.
Spanish Olympian Anni Espar scored three to bring her extraordinary tally for the season in Australia to 84 goals.
Sydney Uni led 3-2 at the first break, 8-4 at half time and 12-7 going into the final quarter.
UWA Torpedoes v Sydney Uni Lionesses (Women’s Championship final)
Women’s Bronze Medal Playoff: Queensland Thunder 10 d Fremantle Marlins 9
The Thunder avenged an earlier loss in the finals series to the Marlins when it mattered most – the bronze medal play-off in the women’s competition on Sunday.
Thunder claimed the match and medal for third place with a one-goal win.
Elle Armit, who scored four goals for Thunder, said it was sweet revenge.
“They are always very tight games between us, but there was a bit of redemption after that earlier loss,” she said.
Queensland Thunder went into the 2023 AWL as defending champions.
Armit said the third place finish will feed their hunger to return to top spot next season.
“It will really fire us up, coming so close this year,” she said.
Fremantle Marlins v Queensland Thunder (Women’s Bronze Medal)
Men’s Bronze Medal Playoff: ACU Cronulla Sharks 10 d Drummoyne Devils 5
The Sharks have potentially kickstarted ‘a new era’ of success after finishing third with a five-goal defeat of the Devils.
Young Australian player Tristan Glanzing said he and his teammates were “stoked“ to win the bronze medal.
“We were wooden spooning just three years ago, so this is unreal,” he said.
“Hopefully we all stick together and a couple of the older ones also hang around. It’s great for the future.”
Drummoyne Devils v Cronulla Sharks (Men’s Bronze Medal)
DAY THREE REPLAYS AND REPORTS
Sydney Uni Lions 12 d UNSW Wests Magpies 11
The final game on Saturday between the two undefeated sides in the men’s competition was a preview of Sunday’s men’s grand final - and it didn’t disappoint.
That it went to penalties was hardly a surprise.
Bragging rights eventually went to UNSW, but it will be anyone’s game when these two powerhouse Sydney clubs clash in the gold medal decider on Sunday at Sydney Olympic Park.
In an expected tight battle, the game was locked at 2-2 after the first break, 3-3 at halftime and then 4-4 at three quarter time.
The match was forced into penalties when both sides scored four goals each in the final period.
Sydney Uni Lions v UNSW Wests Magpies (Men)
Drummoyne Devils 12 d Cronulla Sharks 8
A Jack Deely scoring spree saw the Drummoyne Devils beat the Cronulla Sharks for their first win of the AWL final series at Sydney Olympic Park on Saturday.
Deely slammed in five goals in Drummoyne’s four-goal victory.
The same two teams will now face off again on Sunday in the bronze medal playoff.
Multiple Olympian AJ Roach also contributed with two goals.
The Devils dominated from the first period and lead 5-4 at half time.
A scoreless opening period put the Sharks in the back foot from the get-go.
Drummoyne Devils v Cronulla Sharks (Women)
Sydney Uni Lionesses 10 d Fremantle Marlins 9
Fremantle went into this game undefeated while Sydney Uni boasted a win and a loss.
And it was the Lionesses who emerged with the victory, coming from 6-5 down at halftime to take the match by one goal in a thriller.
The win puts Sydney Uni into Sunday’s gold medal decider against UWA.
“We are just so excited. We have been talking about this all year,” said Dani Morrissey, who scored two goals in Sydney Uni‘s win.
Spanish Olympian Espar was another star for Sydney Uni with three goals.
Fremantle Marlins v Sydney Uni Lions (Women)
UWA Torpedoes 9 d Queensland Thunder 8
This proved to be one of the most entertaining games of the competition thus far.
The West Australian side are the first team into the gold medal decider but had to survive a five-goal final quarter surge from the Queenslanders to narrowly take the match.
Gloria Giachi helped set up the win with three goals in the second period as UWA built a 7-3 halftime lead.
Tenealle Fasala and Kasey Dalziell both scored two goals each in the final period for Queensland.
Griffith Uni QLD Thunder v UWA Torpedoes (Women)
DAY TWO REPLAYS AND REPORTS
Sydney Uni Lions 12 d Drummoyne Devils 8
The Drummoyne Devils came into the match off a loss while the Sydney Uni Lions pulled off a big day one win.
Jake Cavano did the damage for the Lions on Friday, scoring five goals in their four-goal success.
Cavano scored in every period with teammate, Billy Miller, scoring three goals.
The Devils shared the scoring around with Jack Deely the only player to find the net twice.
Sydney Uni Lions v Drummoyne Devils (Men)
UNSW Magpies 13 d Cronulla Sharks 10
The Magpies followed up Thursday’s great one-goal victory over Drummoyne Devils with a three-goal victory over a feisty Cronulla Sharks.
Nathan Power was the standout with an extraordinary haul of six goals.
It was the fourth time he has scored five or more goals this season.
A five-goal final quarter sealed the deal for UNSW Wests, who are the defending men’s champions.
Milos Maksimovic was best for Cronulla with four goals.
ACU Cronulla Sharks v UNSW Wests Magpies (Men)
Fremantle Marlins 8 d Queensland Thunder 7
Fremantle have got one foot in the gold medal playoff game after this thrilling victory.
A day after they triumphed in the battle of the west, the Marlins all-but ended Queensland’s title defence with a come-from-behind win.
Minus their inspirational skipper and Olympian Zoe Arancini, out with a rib injury, Fremantle struggled to dominate the first half and trailed 4-2 at the main break.
But their class shone through in the second half with Fremantle eventually taking the match by one goal to extend their winning run.
Stephanie Haralabidis was the star of the show with four goals for Fremantle.
Fremantle Marlins v Griffith Uni QLD Thunder (Women)
UWA Torpedoes 12 d Sydney Uni Lions 9
Sydney Uni went into the match off a 14–7 victory over Queensland Thunder on day one while the UWA Torpedoes were stinging from a narrow loss to the Fremantle Marlins in their first outing of the tournament.
Determined to get their campaign back on track, UWA came out hard with Dayna O’Leary starring with a sensational three goals in the first quarter.
She ended the match with five goals to her name.
Piper Pedley also proved dangerous, scoring four goals in the first half to help the Western Australian team to an early 10-4 lead.
Best for Sydney University was their Spanish Olympian Anni Espar ,who for the second day in a row produced a five-goal performance.
UWA Torpedoes v Sydney Uni Lions (Women)
DAY ONE REPLAYS, REPORTS AND PHOTOS
Sydney Uni Lions 11 d Cronulla Sharks 5
A five-goal first quarter set up the Sydney University Lions entertaining victory over the ACU Cronulla Sharks in the final game on day one of the Australian water polo league finals in Sydney.
Five different players scored in the opening period for the Lions, including Jacob Mercep and Chaz Poot who both ended the game with three goals each.
It took until the third period for the Sharks to put their first goal on the board but they came home strongly, scoring four goals in the final quarter.
But in every other quarter they were simply outclassed by Sydney University who took the match by six goals.
Sydney Uni Lions v ACU Cronulla Sharks (Men)
UNSW Wests Magpies 9 d Drummoyne Devils 8
A composed Matthew Byrnes saved the day for UNSW Wests in the first men’s game of the AWL finals series.
Byrnes scored in the dying seconds to deliver his side a one-goal victory over Drummoyne.
The Magpies established themselves as the team to beat with a sensational first half where they outscored the Devils 7-2.
But a determined Drummoyne launched a spirited fightback to be level at 8–8 with less than 10 seconds remaining.
Byrnes spoilt their comeback story to deliver the defending champions their win.
Australian player Blake Edwards was best for the Devils with four goals.
UNSW Wests Magpies v Drummoyne Devils (Men)
Fremantle Marlins 11 d UWA Torpedoes 9
In a thriller, the match went into penalties, with neither side able to break the 7-7 deadlock despite opportunities in the final 90 seconds of regular time.
Under the pressure of a shootout, it was Fremantle who excelled to claim a two-goal comeback victory over the Torpedoes.
Fremantle came from 5-3 down at halftime to claim the crucial victory in the tournament being contested by the top four teams in the women’s competition over the regular season of AWL.
Fremantle Marlins v UWA Torpedoes (Women)
Sydney Uni Lionesses 14 d Queensland Thunder 7
Sydney Uni produced a statement win in the first game of the AWL finals series with their emphatic seven-goal success over defending champions Queensland Thunder.
Uni stamped their authority on the game early with both their Spanish Olympian, Anni Espar Llaquet, and Luci Marsh scoring doubles in the first period of play.
Espar came into the event as the top goalscorer in the women’s AWL this season with 31 goals and ended the game with an individual haul of five. Marsh scored four.
Madeleine Steere was the only Thunder player in double digits with two goals.
THE PLAYERS TO WATCH AND TEAMS TO BEAT AT AWL FINALS
Sydney Uni Lions v Griffith Uni QLD Thunder (Women)
DAY ONE PHOTOS
PREVIEW
The Australian water polo league will be decided by four intense days of competition this weekend, but there’s more on the line than just silverware for our leading players.
Water Polo Australia high performance director Charles Turner said the AWL finals series, being contested by the top men’s and women’s teams in the country - and live streamed on KommunityTV from Thursday to Sunday - will form a major part of the Australian selection process for the upcoming world water polo championships.
Turner said the competition gives him and fellow selectors the chance to see the progress of a number of young players who he wants to perform at such a high level “it makes it impossible for them not to be selected’’.
Two of these players are Marcus Berehulak and Tristan Glanznig, teammates at the Cronulla Sharks.
The Australian men’s water polo squad is in a rebuilding stage with plenty of opportunity for younger players to make their way into the Australian squad ahead of next year’s Paris Olympics.
Selectors will also be closely monitoring the performance of Australia’s top female players as they continue their build towards a potential Paris medal.
“This is a very important event for is,’’ Turner said of the AWL finals, which will be contested by the top four men’s and women’s teams.
“This will provide us with our strongest competition because only our best teams are playing and it will be intense.
“This is a really good start for us leading into Japan (world championships in July in Fukuoka).
“This is an opportunity for anyone to put their hand up, including those not in the squad, but we do think we have it covered.’’
Turner is predicting top-notch, competitive matches where he wants to see “national team players stand up’’.
“We will be watching them all closely,’’ he said.
“In terms of the younger ones, we’d like to see Marcus Berehulak and Tristan do well. How they play will be important to the Sharks.’’
The Sydney Uni Lions entering the event as favourites ahead of defending champions UNSW Wests Magpies, the Drummoyne Devils and Sharks.
The Fremantle Marlins, the Sydney Uni Lionesses, Queensland Thunder and UWA Torpedoes will fight for the women’s crown.
“Any of the men’s teams could win this,’’ Turner said.
He believes the women’s title will be fought out between defending champions Queensland, Sydney Uni and the Bron Knox led UWA Torpedoes.
REPLAYS: Devils create history, Thunder roars in stunning AWL deciders
So close in recent seasons, Drummoyne Devils have finally crossed the title-winning threshold, while Queensland Thunder showed their class in the women’s decider. Relive all the grand final action.
‘As long as we keep our heads, we give ourselves a chance to win’
It’s been a tough ride to the biggest game of the AWL season, but Sydney Uni Lions are determined to stay out of trouble and embrace the occasion. Catch the game LIVE at 11.30am on Sunday.