How to watch Tasmanian 18-and-under team compete at Australian Youth Water Polo Championships in Brisbane

Tasmania’s 18-and-under team is set to compete at the Australian Youth Water Polo Championships in Brisbane next week — but the competition is under threat due to a COVID-19 outbreak.

THERE is no danger of the Tasmanian 18-and-under team set to compete at the Australian Youth Water Polo Championships in Brisbane next week lacking cohesion.

Seven of the 10 members of the squad have been playing together since 2015, when they were 12 or 13.

From left, Gus Roberts 17, Mitchell Barnett 17, Liam Bosworth 16, Hunter Wright 17, Fearghas Cameron-Sharpe 18, Harry Fisher 18, William Watts 18, Joshua Wylie 17, Jonathan Clues 17, Corin Arkell 17. The 18-and-under Tasmanian boys team who will compete at the Australian Youth Water Polo Championships in Brisbane to represent Tasmania. Picture: Nikki Davis-Jones

This year’s Australian Water Polo League — which was due to start this week — has been cancelled due to a COVID-19 outbreak in Brisbane, but the youth championships may still proceed.

A decision will be made on Friday as to whether the youth championships, due to start on April 7, will be go ahead.

If the youth championships proceed they will be livestreamed across the www.themercury.com.au and all News Corp sites.

Tasmanian coach Dean Wright has been managing the team from the outset, and said the players had had years to gel.

Members of the Tasmanian polo team in around 2015. Seven of the players are still in the same team. Picture: Supplied

“It’s a small competition locally, so they play against each other all the time, they train together two or three times a week, and then we probably, under normal circumstances, would have two to three trips away a year,” Wright said.

“They all understand how they play, where they play, what positions, their role in the team.”

Wright said the team had come a long way since its initial youth championships, when it finished about 30th out of 31 teams, and finished 12th last year. He said the players were eyeing off a top ten finish this year — if the championships go ahead.

“We’ve got a lot of parents who have outlaid a fair bit of money and time, and the boys have outlaid a lot of effort, so we’re hoping that it goes ahead,” he said.

Fearghas Cameron-Sharpe, 18, with Hunter Wright, 17, who have played in the team together since 2015 and will now compete at the Australian Youth Water Polo Championships in Brisbane to represent Tasmania.. Picture: Nikki Davis-Jones