Tokyo Olympics 2021: Daughters of famous footy players heading to Tokyo as part of water polo team

They enjoyed stellar careers in rugby union and rugby league, now Phil Kearns and Darryl Halligan are leaving their mark on the Aussie Olympic water polo team, through their daughters.

The daughters of three famous footy legends have been selected in the Australian women’s water polo squad for the Tokyo Olympics.

Tilly Kearns – whose father Phil captained the Wallabies and twice won the Rugby World Cup – was picked for her first Olympics, at age 20, along with Bronte Halligan, whose dad Daryl was the first player to score over 2000 points in the NRL.

Queensland goalkeeper Gabi Palm also made the 13-player squad. Her father, Mitchell Palm, was a goalkicking five-eighth who toured Canada and France with the 1989 Wallabies.

Darryl Halligan’s daughter Bronte will be attending her first Olympics.

Kearns, Halligan and Palm are among seven first-time Olympians picked in a powerful Stingers’ squad that has genuine hopes of collecting a medal in Tokyo.

Bronwen Knox, 35, is the oldest member and will become the first Australian to play for the Stingers in four Olympics, while captain Rowie Webster, 33, will appear in her third Games.

“To be able to lead out an incredible group of women, it will truly be the honour of a lifetime and a childhood dream come true,” Webster said.

“Hearing the words ‘you’re going to the Olympics’ from your head coach is special. I probably didn’t realise how much I needed to hear those words finally being said.

“What I’m most excited about this Aussie Stingers team is the different skills and variety in the team makeup. You have someone like Bron Knox, whose composure and experience you can’t buy … it’s been an honour to play alongside her for so many years.

“On the other hand you have so many fresh faces in the team and to see their growth during this Olympic cycle and the enthusiasm that they will carry into Tokyo, complements our team so well.”

Tilly Kearns, with dad Phil, gets her shot at Olympic glory.

Zoe Arancini, Keesja Gofers, Hannah Buckling and Lea Yanitsas all return for their second Olympics after debuting at Rio.

Halligan, 24, was just eight years old when she told her parents she wanted to be an Olympian and was unlucky not to be selected for the last Olympics, but used that disappointment to drive her to become an even better player.

“As soon as I didn’t make the Rio team, I said to my parents that I would not be giving up and was even more determined I would be there come Tokyo,” she said.

Australia are regarded as strong contenders to make the podium in Tokyo. Women’s water polo has only been contested at the Olympics five times before, with Australia winning the gold medal in 2000 then bronze medals in 2004 and 2012.

The Stingers also won bronze at the last world championships in 2019.

“Our water polo team have an incredible record at the Olympics and I know this group, led by Rowie Webster, is determined to add to that,” the Australian Olympic Team chef de mission Ian Chesterman said.

Veteran Bronwen Knox will be one of the keys in Tokyo.

“These are a tight knit, committed group of athletes who have shown incredible determination to make it through the trials of the pandemic to secure their spot in representing their country at this Olympic Games.

Currently in training on Queensland’s Sunshine Coast, the Stingers will head to Japan in July, where they are drawn in Pool A with Spain, Netherlands, Canada and South Africa, with the gold medal favourites, the United States, in Pool B alongside China, Japan, Russia and Hungary.

“I’m very proud of the team selected, it was a hard decision,” said head coach Predrag Mihailovic, whose own daughter Lena also made the squad.

“We have a very good culture with individuals having their own goals and team goals. We are on the right track as a united group, we are getting comfortable in uncomfortable situations.”

Squad:

Abby Andrews, Zoe Arancini, Elle Armit, Hannah Buckling, Keesja Gofers, Bronte Halligan, Matilda Kearns, Bronwen Knox, Lena Mihailovic, Gabriella Palm, Amy Ridge, Rowie Webster (captain), Lea Yanitsas.