Aussie Stingers named for FINA World League Super Final

The Aussie Stingers squad has been announced ahead of next month’s 2019 FINA Women’s World League Super Final to be held in Budapest (HUN).

The 15-woman squad has brought Australia’s best and brightest female water polo players together for the eight-nation tournament which begins on 4 June.

The Australian squad is comprised of athletes playing internationally and in the US college system, as well as local players who recently finished the 2019 OVO Australian Waterpolo League season. 

The Aussie women will face China, Italy and the Netherlands in the preliminary rounds of the Super Final and they’re hoping for another chance to go head-to-head against the Olympic and World Champions, the USA, at the end of the competition.

Earlier in the year, Australia pushed the USA to a penalty shoot-out in the gold medal match at the Inter-Continental qualifier in Perth.

Olympian and 2019 OVO Australian Waterpolo League MVP Zoe Arancini, said the Aussie women were looking forward to taking on the world’s best.

“Any opportunity to play against USA is a fantastic opportunity,” Arancini said,

“They’re the best in the world and you want to be playing against those teams, especially in preparation for World Championships and Olympic Games.”

Arancini said the Aussies would be tested at every stage but the team was up for the challenge.

“The Netherlands are European Champions and Italy is always strong. We beat China (at the Inter-continental Cup) in Perth, but they’re not to be underestimated.

“We’re a competitive team and we’re expecting close matches but we’re up for the challenge.

“It will be great, I’m looking forward to see how we go,” she said.

With athletes fulfilling international playing duties across the globe, the squad will come together for a two-week staging camp that will involve training alongside the Hungarian women’s team in Montenegro and with the Spanish women’s team in Barcelona, beginning on 19 May.

Congratulations to the selected players.

Aussies Stingers Squad - 2019 FINA World League Super Final

Zoe Arancini (WA) Melville

Elle Armit (NSW) Plebiscito Padova

Morgan Baxter (NSW) Drummoyne/Ethnikos

Isobel Bishop (NSW) Sydney University

Hannah Buckling (NSW) Sydney University/Olympiacos

Keesja Gofers (NSW) Sydney University/Olympiacos

Bronte Halligan (NSW) UCLA

Lilian Hedges (WA) Melville

Tilly Kearns (NSW) USC

Bronwen Knox (QLD) Thunder

Lena Mihailovic (NSW) Ferencvrosi

Genevieve Longman (NSW) Balmain

Amy Ridge (NSW) UNSW

Maddy Steere (VIC) University of Michigan

Rowie Webster (VIC) Balmain

FINA WORLD LEAGUE SUPER FINAL

When: 4-9 June 2019 

Where: Budapest, Hungary

About: Australia is one of four teams in group A and will play Italy, China and the Netherlands in the group rounds:

• 4 June - 8:15pm (CEST) vs Italy (5 June 3:15am AEST)
• 5 June - 3:00pm (CEST) vs China (5 June 11:00pm AEST)
• 6 June - 4:45pm (CEST) vs Netherlands (6 June 12:45am AEST)

Following the group rounds there will be three days of finals action including quarter finals, semi finals and finals. Australia's opposition on these days will depend on the results from the group stage.

Group B nations include - USA, Russia, Canada, Hungary

Australia finished second at the FINA World League Continental Final, losing narrowly to the world champions and Olympic gold medallists, USA, in a penalty shoot-out.