Australia’s men’s water polo team, the Aussie Sharks, has recorded a 9-9 draw in their second test against Croatia at Bicton Poolin Perth overnight.
The Sharks led for the majority of the match, only for the Olympic champions to draw level in the final minutes.
The result follows Australia’s impressive 12-9 upset of the 2012 London Olympic gold medallists in the BHP Billiton Aquatic Super Series at Challenge Stadium in Perth on Saturday.
With the series being hosted in Perth off the back of the International Super Series, the Sharks squad boasted five WAIS scholarship holders, with; Joel Swift, Aaron Younger, Ed Slade, Luke Pavillard and George Ford all donning the green and gold.
Australia began well leading 3-2 at quarter time thanks to goals to local Perth boys Aaron Younger and Joel Swift and skipper Rhys Howden.
The Sharks then extended their control to lead 5-3 at the main break with Howden and Swift both bagging early doubles.
It was a new look team for the Sharks with Olympians Richie Campbell and Billy Miller both rested and local Perth junior Luke Pavillard and Kiwi born superstar Joe Kayes both gaining water time for Australia.
Croatia came out firing in the third nailing three of their own, but strikes from Younger and Kayes kept Australia in the lead at 7-6 heading into the final quarter.
It was a similar story in the fourth as Croatia stamped their authority to equalise at nine apiece as Howden netted his third and Tyler Martin bagged a single.
Aussie Sharks head coach Elvis Fatovic was pleased with his team’s performance and was impressed by the depth of hisdeveloping squad.
“I am very happy with our result against Croatia tonight particularly as we played a better and stronger game than at the BHP Billiton Aquatic Super Series,” Fatovic said.
“Also with Richie Campbell and Billy Miller unavailable for this game it allowed other senior players to step up and I was particularlyimpressed with their performances.”
Sharks’ youngster Nathan Power echoed his coach’s sentiments saying it was a feather in Australia’s cap to remain undefeated in both tests against Croatia and said the team was eager to take on Russia in their final official game of the Perth camp.
“The match was obviously close all the way, and we can take encouraging signs from the way we stepped up in extra man defence, which hadn’t been as good in the last few days of training,” Power said.
“We now look forward to rounding out our camp with a strong performance against the Russian men’s team on Thursday night.”
Australia’s clash with Russia starts at 7.30pm Perth time on Thursday February 6 at the UWA Pool.
Earlier –
The Aussie Sharks, Australia’s men’s water polo team, have scored a massive 12-9 upset of 2012 London Olympic Games gold medallists Croatia in the BHP Billiton Aquatic Super Series at Challenge Stadium in Perth.
It may be very early in the international season but the win goes down as one of the best in recent Australian men’s water polo history – and is sweet revenge for an Aussie Sharks side on the rise.
The two teams last played in the quarterfinals of last year’s FINA World Championships in Barcelona when the Croatians came from behind in the last quarter to send the game into two extra-time periods that they won 2-1.
It was a heartbreaking end for the Australians and they finished the tournament in eighth, while Croatia won the bronze medal.
That result was preceded by a 7-5 defeat in last year’s Aquatic Super Series and an 11-6 loss in the group stage at the London Olympic Games.
Tonight the Australians would not be denied in a thrilling game that was dominated by heavy defense and a prolific major foul and subsequent extra-man advantage count at both ends of the pool.
Australian coach Elvis Fatovic, a former Croatian assistant, was proud of his troops and even sighted areas his team could improve.
“I am very happy with the win today as we played excellent as a team and especially in extra man defence,” Fatovic said.
“We do however need to avoid the black hole during the game and need to work on improving stopping the opposition’s counter attack.
“Generally I am very pleased with the team’s effort since it is the first time we have been together as a team since the World Championships.”
Rising star Jarrod Gilchrist said it was great to even the Super Series ledger with their vaunted opposition.
“For the first time the boys have been together since the World Championships in Barcelona it was a great result against a tough opposition – the current Olympic gold medallists,” Gilchrist said.
“The win brings the tally one a piece between us and Croatia for the BHP Billiton Aquatic Super Series and we are looking forward a third year as it has been a fantastic event for Water Polo in Australia to get top opposition on home soil.”
The Sharks got off to a blazing start, scoring the first three goals of the game – a pair to Richie Campbell and one to Billy Miller – to lead 3-0 before Croatia struck back with two in succession to trail by one at the first break.
The second period belonged to the Olympic champions with Croatia applying intense pressure and scoring two goals to Jarrod Gilchrist’s solitary addition for the Australians and at the half it was 4-all.
Campbell and Miller were at it again to open the third term with two straight Sharks’ goals before the teams traded a pair of strikes each – Australia’s to Tyler Martin and hometown hero Aaron Younger – giving the hosts four extra-man goals for the quarter and an 8-6 advantage going into the final stanza.
Younger nailed two, Campbell his fourth and Johnno Cotterill his first ensuring the Australians finished the game on a high and claimed a memorable 12-9 victory.
Australian captain Rhys Howden pinpointed his side’s work on both sides of the ball in extra-man play as the reasons for the win.
“It was a great win today from all the boys and to get a bit of revenge back from the World championships last year,” Howden said.
“Croatia, whom are renowned for their attacking prowess were shut down by our improving defence especially in extra man.
“Our finishing in our extra man attack was awesome with us scoring 10 from 12. This put Croatia under a lot of pressure, which we maintained throughout the game.
“The BHP Aquatic Super Series is a great opportunity for us to play against one of the best teams in the world so early into our season and allow us to prepare for the National Water Polo League season and leading into our World League qualifications.”
– WaterPoloAustralia
