Live stream: Australian water polo league, KAP7 Cup clubs, AWL guns, new faces, how to watch, schedule

With a flood of overseas stars and some excellent local talent, this year’s Australian Water Polo League promises plenty of excitement. See our live stream schedule and the team lists.

There’s been plenty of movement in the off-season in the Australian Water Polo League (AWL), with many teams sporting new faces or new looks for 2023 that will lift the standard of competition to new levels.

KommunityTV will live stream matches across the season, with some sensational matches already played and more to come in both Melbourne and Sydney this week.

See the schedule below for details of a massive first month of streaming.

Defending champions Queensland Thunder and UNSW Wests Magpies are back and determined to continue their domination.

The AWL is Australia’s top domestic water polo competition and, as usual, will provide top-notch competition for national squad members, players working towards the Paris Olympics and the rising stars of the sport.

While some teams have opted for a youthful look or to stick with familiar faces, others have been busy securing talent for the season.

Drummoyne, Cronulla, Sydney Uni and UNSW will all be on show during the first week.

We look at some of the key moves in the off-season, the teams who have significantly changed their look and some of the internationals competing.

SYDNEY UNI

The Lions have been busy bolstering their ranks ahead of the season kick-off.

Former University of Southern California duo, Dutch Olympian Maud Megans and Croatian Jacob Mercep, will wear the blue and yellow this year.

Sydney Uni women are always well performed in the competition.

Dutch international Julian van Oorschodt has also made the move to Sydney with former NCAA UCLA player Jake Cavano joining the Lions in 2023.

Aussie Olympians and Queenslanders, Rhys Howden and Billy Miller, will also play for the club.

Big news for the club is the arrival of triple Spanish Olympian Anni Espar, who will be competing in the women’s team for the first time since 2017.

Marcus Berehulak is playing in the AWL

BALMAIN

The Tigers have also enticed talent to their waters.

Recent Australian Sharks debutant and rising star of goalkeeping, Joey Parnis, has made the move to Sydney. The former South Australian shot blocker made his debut in the recent series against Japan in Perth.

“It was quite special making my debut in front of a home crowd, it’s a pretty rare thing to be able to do,’’ he said after the match.

“It’s been a long road to get here from South Australia but I was always hoping that this would be where I end up.’’

Ivan Bebic playing in the last Australian Water Polo League.

DRUMMOYNE

The Devils have been on the lookout for players to fill gaps left by retiring players.

They have four new players in 2023 in Scott Dyson from Sydney Uni, Ryan Moody, who has switched allegiances from Victorian Phoenix, and former NCAA duo Jack Deely and Joseph Molina.

Billy Miller is a key player for his club.

UNSW WESTS

The Magpies have an international flavour in 2023.

After the Sharks played their recent Tests against Japan, a number of their players hooked up with the Magpies for 2023.

Seiya Adachi and Katsuyuki Tanamura will play in the AWL, with four-time Australian Olympian Richie Campbell also opting to play again.

Joe Kayes playing against Montenegro.

CRONULLA

The Sharks will see a familiar name on their start sheets.

With his father and uncle life members at the club in Sydney’s south, Matthew Oberman will play for the ACU Cronulla Sharks in 2023.

Rio 2016 Olympian Joe Kayes is also returning to the shire along with Romanian import Alexandru Gheorghe.

Queensland junior Marcus Berehulak has made the move south, while former Adelaide Jets player Ben Taylor has also joined the club.

VICTORIA

The Phoenix have attracted Evan McLean and Brandon Gillespie from New Zealand to play this season.

Phoenix are the newest Australian Water Polo League club.

Zoe Arancini will be one of the stars of the comp.

FREMANTLE

In a great move for the Marlins, Australian captain and Olympian Zoe Arancini has returned for the new season.

She will be joined by American twins Stephania and Ionna Haralabidis.

Also returning is Stingers young gun Sofie Pontre, who recently debuted for Australia against the US women’s team in Perth.

Fremantle is like a league of nations on the men’s side with Canadian Ronen Grosz, Japan’s Kiyomu Date, Hungary’s Bence Barics and German Florian Naroska all playing in 2023.

UWA

The UWA club has snared Brazil’s Jonas Crivella and Uruguay’s Santiago San Martin in a big coup.

The women’s team will see water polo legend and four-time Olympian Bronwen Knox playing alongside fellow Queenslander Tilly Moore.

Australia is working towards medal success at the Brisbane 2032 Olympic Games.

QUEENSLAND

The Thunderhave been a dominant force in recent times - and that doesn’t look to change in 2023.

Tokyo Olympian Elle Armit and Stingers squad members Maddy Steere and Alyssa West are all playing for the club.

HUNTER

The Hurricanes will boast Australian squad member Keenan Marsden and his brother, Mitch, teaming up again.

Young gun Spencer Burdack will also form an integral part of the Hurricanes outfit.

ADELAIDE/HOBART

A recent camp with the Australian Youth Women’s squad under the guidance of Olympians Taryn Woods, Rowie Webster, Bron Knox, Jodie Stuhmcke and Yvette Higgins has equipped Jets star Tayla Dawkins for a strong season.

The Mens Queensland Thunder side playing last year.

FORMAT FOR AWL 2023

The season starts with the KAP7 Cup where every team will play each other across multiple short tournaments.

The KAP7 Cup standings will determine which teams progress to the Championship or Challenge rounds in phase two.

This ensures every game is crucial and played at a high level.

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 Live stream: Australian water polo league, KAP7 Cup clubs, AWL guns, new faces, how to watch, schedule