Aussie Sharks face hosts Hungary in FINA Word League opener

Following a six-day training camp in Croatia, the Aussie Sharks are set to take on hosts Hungary in the opening match of the FINA World League Super Finals which gets underway tonight.

The Aussie Sharks finished second at the FINA Intercontinental Tournament in Auckland but are ready to take on the world’s best where they will face Hungary, Japan and Montenegro in the pool stages.

Aussie Sharks captain and a former Szolnoki player in Hungary’s national competition, Aaron Younger says he knows what to expect from the host country in the team’s first group match.

“Hungary is a powerhouse nation in water polo and has a great history in the sport. Being the host country, I expect they will be out to prove themselves on home soil,” said Younger.

“They are always tough to beat but I believe we just need to focus on our game plan and regardless of the result we can develop and move forward as a team to where we want to be.

“We have our own goals and expectations for the tournament, so we will stick to focusing on what we need to do and enjoy playing in-front of a full crowd.

“It is always good when we do get a chance to be together for an extended period of time, these next few months will be integral in our road towards Tokyo,” he said.

Tune into FINAtv tonight at 4:05am AEST and watch the Aussie Sharks in their opening match or stay up to date by following us on Twitter @WaterPoloAus.

• Day 1 Monday, June 18 – Aus vs Hungary 20:05 (4:05am AEST, June 19)

• Day 2 Tuesday, June 19 – Aus vs Japan 15:15 (11:15pm AEST )

• Day 3 Wednesday, June 20 – Aus vs Montenegro 16:45 (12:45am AEST, June 21)

• Day 4-6 – TBC

Aussie Sharks Team:

1. Nic Porter – Queensland Breakers, QLD
2. Richard Campbell – UNSW Wests, NSW
3. Blake Edwards – USC Trojans, VIC
4. Joe Kayes – ACU Cronulla Sharks
5. Nathan Power – UNSW Wests / Jadran, NSW
6. Nick Elphick – Fremantle, WA
7. Aidan Roach – ACU Cronulla Sharks, NSW
8. Aaron Younger – Fremantle / Ferencvaros, WA
9. Andrew Ford - UWA, WA
10. Tim Putt – UWA, WA
11. Lachlan Hollis – UNSW Wests, NSW
12. Nic Brooks – ACU Cronulla Sharks, NSW
13. Anthony Hrysanthos – Sydney University, NSW