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Net cast wide for World League team |
Canberra (April 30).— Australian fringe players get a chance
to break into the Beijing Olympics squad when they contest the
women’s water polo World League from May 29.
Canberra (April 30).— Australian fringe players get a chance
to break into the Beijing Olympics squad when they contest the
women’s water polo World League from May 29.
Aussie Stingers head coach Greg McFadden has cast his net wide
to give players who missed out on the silver-medal-winning World
Championship side to impress in the six-week World League.
“We had to select the team early because of National League
commitments and the need to get visas for China,” McFadden
said. “There are four unavailable players with professional
teams in Europe — Mia Santoromito, Fiona Hammond, Bec Rippon
and Larissa Webster — while some have injuries so it gives a
chance to those players outside the top 13 to compete against the
best in the world.”
The only players remaining from the Melbourne FINA World
Championships last month are goalkeeper Alicia McCormack, centre
forwards Nikita Cuffe and Gemma Beadsworth, left-hander Suzie
Fraser and driver-shooters Gemma Hadley and Kate Gynther.Of the
newcomers to this year’s team, Sophie Smith and Jenna
Santoromito were members of last year’s Commonwealth
Championship-winning combination. The team will play New Zealand,
China and Japan in a double round robin over six consecutive days
in Tianjin, the city where it won the World Cup title last
August.The top two teams from the Oceania-Asia group will join the
top two from each of the Americas and two European groups in
Montreal, Canada for the Super Finals on July 4-8. Following the
Chinese round, the team will train on the Gold Coast and have a
training camp with the world champion United States of America just
before the Super Finals.
Team:
Goalkeepers: Alicia McCormack (Cronulla Sharks), Victoria Brown
(Victorian Tigers).
Centre forwards/centre backs: Nikita Cuffe (Sydney University
Lions); Erin Douglass, Holly Lincoln-Smith (Cronulla Sharks); Gemma
Beadsworth, Katie Finucane (Fremantle Marlins).
Counter attackers/drivers/shooters: Suzie Fraser, Sarah Mills (KFC
Queensland Breakers); Jane Moran, Sophie Smith, Kate Gynther
(Brisbane Barracudas); Jenna Santoromito (Cronulla Sharks); Rowena
Webster (Victorian Tigers); Gemma Hadley (UWA Comets).
Game Schedule:
| 29 May |
15.00 |
AUS v NZL |
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16.30 |
CHN v JPN |
| 30 May |
15.00 |
JPN v NZL |
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16.30 |
CHN v AUS |
| 31 May |
15.00 |
JPN v AUS |
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16.30 |
CHN v NZL |
| 1 Jun |
15.00 |
AUS v NZL |
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16.30 |
CHN v JPN |
| 2 Jun |
15.00 |
JPN v NZL |
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16.30 |
CHN v AUS |
| 3 Jun |
15.00 |
JPN v AUS |
| |
16.30 |
CHN v NZL |
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