Australia men's national water polo team

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The Australian national water polo team represents Australia in men's international water polo competitions and is controlled by Australian Water Polo Incorperated. The national men's team has the nickname of "The Sharks". It is currently organised into the Asia/Oceania regional group. The national team is currently sponsored by Qantas airlines, Turbo Water polo, Mikasa, Stanwell Corporation Limited, and Gold Coast City Council.

[edit] History

Australia has competed internationally since the 1948 London Olympic Games, and has qualified for all subsequent Olympic tournaments except Atlanta in 1996, and although not achieving the success of European teams, has remained relatively competitive at international level since.

Australia did not achieve their first point in Olympic competition until they drew with Bulgaria in the 1972 Summer Olympics in Munich.

The Australian team managed 5th place in both the 1984 Summer Olympics in Los Angeles, and the 1992 Summer Olympics in Barcelona, the highest Olympic placing so far, and managed to finish 4th in the World Championships at home in Perth in 1998.

Australia's best international water polo success came in 1996, when the Shark's won the prestigious six nation Control Cup in Hungary, and followed it up with a bronze medal at an eight nation tournament in Italy in the same year. However, the early success of 1996 was soured when they failed to qualify for the Olympics for the first time.

The late 1990's was a period of poor form and little success for The Sharks. A reinvigourated youthful team managed to finisg second to Canada in an international tournament in England in 2002, and in 2003, they beat then world Champions Serbia 12-11 in a FINA Water Polo World League match in Hungary, and followed it up by beating Croatia 10-6 at the 2003 Water polo world championship in Barcelona, Spain.

Following a poor result at the 2007 FINA World Championships coach David Neesham was sacked. In April of 2007, John Fox took over as coach.

[edit] Olympic Record

[edit] Honours

• FINA World Cup

• 1979 — did not compete
• 1981 — 7th place
• 1983 — did not compete
• 1985 — 7th place
• 1987 — did not compete
• 1989 — 7th place
• 1991 — 7th place
• 1993 — 3rd place
• 1995 — did not compete
• 1997 — did not compete
• 1999 — 8th place
• 2002 — did not compete
• 2006 — did not compete

• FINA World League

• 2002 — did not compete
• 2003 — 7th place
• 2004 — 7th place
• 2005 — 11th place
• 2006 — eliminated
• 2007 — 3rd place

• Water polo at the Summer Olympics:
  • Best finish: 5th 1984 Los Angeles Olympic Games & 1992 Barcelona Olympic Games
• Control Cup:
  • Best finish: Gold Medal

[edit] Current Squad

Name	State	Stats			Position	Club
		DoB	Height	Weight
Luke Quinlivan	Western Australia	August 20, 1985	192cm	100kg	Goalkeeper	UWA Torpedoes
James Stanton	Western Australia	July 21, 1983	200cm	94kg	Goalkeeper	Fremantle Mariners/ Pamplona, Spain
Jamie Beadsworth	Western Australia	June 11, 1985	193cm	108kg	Centre Back/Centre Forward	Fremantle Mariners
Sam McGregor	New South Wales	August 12, 1984	192cm	104kg	Centre Back	University of Sydney/ Ondoretta, Spain
Robert Maitland	Queensland	September 4, 1983	190cm	98kg	Centre Back	University of Sydney/ Mediterani, Spain
Tim Neesham	Western Australia	October 20, 1979	184cm	86kg	Left Hand Catch	Fremantle Mariners
Nick O'Halloran	Western Australia	August 14, 1987	188cm	92kg	Left Hand Catch	Fremantle Mariners/ Mataro, Spain
Pietro Figlioli	Queensland	May 29, 1984	190cm	93kg	Driver/Shooter	Pro Recco, Italy
Trent Franklin	New South Wales	February 12, 1979	184cm	85cm	Driver/Shooter	University of Sydney
Thomas Whalan	New South Wales	October 13, 1980	194cm	90kg	Outside Shooter/Centre Back	University of Sydney/ Savonna, Italy
Ryan Moody	Victoria	October 20, 1977	197cm	110kg	Centre Forward/Left Wing	Melbourne Collegians
Anthony Martin	Queensland	March 22, 1985	192cm	94kg	Utility	KFC Queensland Breakers
Grant Richardson	South Australia	April 27, 1981	180cm	76kg	Utility	Adelaide Vikings
John Cotterill	New South Wales	October 27, 1987	191cm	87kg	Utility	Wests Magpies/ Sant Andreu, Spain

Correct as of December 3, 2007.

[edit] See also

• Australia women's national water polo team

[edit] External links

• Australian Water Polo Federation

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