KAP7 Aussie Sharks win the USA Series with a sensational third test

The Aussie Sharks have taken out the three test match series against USA after a convincing 14-8 win in Brisbane.

With both sides having won a test match a piece, tonight’s winner takes all match once again started out as a close contest with the scores 6-6 at half time.

There was plenty of heat in the pool with the physical contest seeing the lead change at multiple points throughout.

The Aussies headed into the final period with a one point advantage and kicked into a new gear to score five unanswered goals and close out the match take the test series in their last international game on home soil before the Olympics.

It’s a boost for the Australians just under 200 days out from the 2020 Olympic Games, with Captain Aaron Younger pleased with how his team has used this Series as a building block towards Tokyo.

“After the last game (Thursday) we went back to the drawing board and made sure we were getting out the tactics and game plan as we wanted,” said Younger.

“The boys were a lot more focused today on what we needed to do and it went in our favour.

“We've been working on our extra man, especially over the last two days since the last game where we were really poor in our extra man. So in the two days since then we've been focusing on making the moves a lot more crisp and pulling the defenders out of position a bit more,” he said.

Nathan Power was thrilled to come home from Croatia to play with his Aussie team mates in front of a strong crowd.

“It feels really good… I mean playing in front of a crowd like this it’s amazing, probably some of the best supporters in Australia and to be able to play under this atmosphere while you have a bit of pressure, you can really feel the atmosphere of the game, and that’s really important especially for our preparation.

“We play these official matches, and have a big crowd to feel that pressure and to get a win in that pressure, it’s really promising for the team.

“The US is just like us. They’re a hard-working team, so to get these strong, hard, hit-outs through the course of the week, it’s really, really valuable for our team.”

“Me, Joe and Aaron will now head back to Europe, well the rest of the boys keep training in Sydney.

“It’s going to be a lot of hard work this next three months, getting that preparation before we join back up as a team,” he said.

Players will now head back to their Clubs for the OVO Australian Water Polo League before the next international tour and competition at the FINA World League Inter-continental Cup.

Results

FULL TIME: AUS 14 - USA 8

QUARTER TIME: 4-4, 2-2, 2-2, 5-0

AUSTRALIA: 1. Anthony Hrysanthos 2. Richie Campbell 3. George Ford 4. Joe Kayes (1) 5. Nathan Power 6. Lachlan Edwards (5) 7. Aidan Roach 8. Aaron Younger (4) 9. Andrew Ford 10. Tim Putt 11. Nic Brooks (1) 12. Blake Edwards (2) 14. Lachlan Hollis (1)

USA: 1. Jack Turner 2. Matthew Farmer 3. Marko Vacic 4. Alexander Obert 5. Benjamin Hallock (1) 6. Luca Cupido 7. Jake Ehrhardt 8. Bennett Williams 9. Alexander Bowen (5) 10. Chancellor Ramirez (1) 11. Dylan Woodhead 12. Tyler Abramson (1)