WAIS athletes George Ford, Joel Swift and Aaron Younger have all been named on Water Polo Australia’s 16-man squad for the up-coming FINA World Championships in Russia.
The WA trio have all been part of the Australian side that recently competed in world league and a series of warm-up matches, with the World Championships the last major tournament before next year’s Rio Olympic Games.
Australian head coach Elvis Fatovic has opted for an experienced core in the Sharks squad and is confident the side has improved since the last World Championship in Spain, in 2013.
“The majority of our players are now two years more experienced than they were in Barcelona, and have had that time playing together, which is important,” Fatovic told Water Polo Australia’s official website.
“In that time we have definitely improved as a team, and while results haven’t gone our way recently, by playing the top teams at this year’s world league finals and the Vodafone Cup we are setting the benchmark at the best teams in the world, something we didn’t do pre Barcelona.”
Australia opens its account with a match against Japan, with Fatovic urging caution and patience from his men.
“Our first game is against Japan and their style of game has a lot of press, from outside the pool their defensive structure looks like offense, they have a lot of counter attack and are fast.
“You need to play a smart game without a lot of risk against Japan. We are a higher quality team, but we will need to be patient and not let them dictate the style of play, otherwise we will be in trouble.”
The Aussie Sharks’ first game of the 16th FINA World Championships will be against Japan on Tuesday July 28 at 1.30am Perth time, before taking on world’s fourth ranked team, Montenegro and rounding out their group stage with a match against world number one Serbia before cross-overs.
WAIS men’s water polo head coach Paul Oberman is an assistant coach on the Australian Sharks team.
