Australian Water Polo League Round 2: Victoria Phoenix hosts Cronulla Sharks on KommunityTV

When WA shut down their borders, Claire Durston was trapped in NSW. The Aussie Stinger ‘quicky emailed a bunch of clubs’ to continue her career. One said, yes. Catch her in action LIVE today.

Being locked out of Western Australia during the COVID border closures may just have been the best thing for Claire Durston’s water polo career.

Now playing for ACU Cronulla Sharks in the Australian Water Polo League, Durston credits the forced move to NSW for helping her stay in the national team.

“I went over to the eastern states at the start of 2022 with the intention of heading back to WA to re-join my team, UWA Torpedoes, when the borders opened back up,” the goalkeeper said.

WATCH THE PHOENIX v SHARKS DOUBLEHEADER LIVE HERE

“Needless to say they didn’t open back up, so I quickly emailed a bunch of clubs and, more or less, begged them to let me play with them, and Cronulla said yes.”

After losing their opening two AWL matches, the Sharks head to Victoria for a massive double-header against Victorian Phoenix this weekend, with Saturday’s match to be streamed LIVE and EXCLUSIVE on KommunityTV.

The women’s match starts at 5.15pm, with the men following at 6.30pm. Check the LIVE SCHEDULE below for full season coverage details.

After spending the early part of her career in Western Australia, this will be Durston’s second full season with the Sharks

And joining a different team on the other side of the country, not long after being selected for the Aussie Stingers for the first time, has proven a big learning curve for the 24-year-old.

“It was really good actually having to adapt the way I played when I came over here, because Cronulla and UWA have completely different styles,” she said.

“When you’ve been playing with a team since juniors like I had with UWA, you can sort of predict what your teammates are going to do.

“When joining Cronulla, I didn’t have that same connection with the team and I was also having to make those connections with the national team, so I think it worked off each other.”

Claire Durston in action for the Australian national water polo team.

With Paris 2024 looming large, Durston said being forced to change her style of play has benefited her hopes of Olympic selection.

“I think it’s helped me stay in the national team,” Durston said.

“I was able to be picked in the team when I was still with UWA, so I think they helped me to get there in the first place.

“Then with the help of Cronulla I think the experience there helped me stay in the team.”

Originally published as Australian Water Polo League Round 2: Victoria Phoenix hosts Cronulla Sharks on KommunityTV