Australian Water Polo League Explained

Australian Water Polo League
Formerly:Australian National Water Polo League
Sport:Water Polo
Organiser:Water Polo Australia
Inaugural:1990
Teams:11
Country:Australia
Champion:Men: Drummoyne Devils (1st title)
Women: Queensland Thunder (8th title)
Most Successful Club:Men: Fremantle Mariners & UNSW Wests Magpies (7 titles)
Women: Queensland Thunder (8 titles)
Website:https://www.waterpoloaustralia.com.au/wpal-events/ovo-awl

The Australian Water Polo League (formerly known as the Australian National Water Polo League) is the premier Australian domestic water polo competition. The men's league was established in 1990 with the women's league following in 2004. The league is administered by Water Polo Australia, and is contested by eleven clubs, each fielding a women's and a men's team. As of 2024 five clubs are based in Sydney and one each in Melbourne, Adelaide, Brisbane, Fremantle, Newcastle and Perth.[1]

Seasons of the AWL run from January to April and include a 28-round regular season, followed by a finals series playoff involving the six highest-placed teams, which culminates in a grand final match.

Competition Format

Regular season

The regular season runs during the Australian summer, from January to April of each year. The competition consists of 28 rounds, with each team playing every other team twice. Each match sees the teams awarded points based on the following scale:

All games require a result, and as such it is impossible for a game to result in a draw.

At the conclusion of the regular season, the top six placed teams from each of the men's and women's divisions will progress to the finals series, with the position of each team determined by the highest number of points accumulated during the regular season. The remaining four teams are awarded final placings based on the number of points accumulated over the course of the regular season. If two or more teams are level on points, the team which won the game between those two teams will be determined as being higher ranked. If three or more teams are level on points, the following criteria are applied in order until one of the teams can be determined as the higher ranked:

  1. The points of the games among the tied teams;
  2. The goal difference (excluding goals from a penalty shootout) among the tied teams;
  3. Total goals scored among tied teams;
  4. The games played between the tied teams;
  5. The results against the highest placed team;
  6. Toss of a coin.

Finals Series

The top six clubs at the conclusion of the regular season progress to the finals series. The finals series culminates to the Australian Water Polo League grand final, where the winner is crowned AWL champion. The club that wins each grand final is presented with the AWL Champions Trophy.

The finals series consists of six teams who are placed by rank, as determined at the end of the regular season. The finals series runs over four days. In the first day of fixtures, the third-through-sixth ranked teams play a single-elimination match, with the two winners of those matches competing on day two to play off against the loser of the day two match between the first and second ranked teams on Day 3. The two winners of the those matches meet in the grand final on Day 4.

Competition Venues

AWL games are played across a total of 22 approved venues throughout the season. The following venues were accredited for use for the 2024 season.

PoolClubLocationPool TypeRef.
New South Wales
Peter Montgomery PoolSydney University LionsSydney, NSWIndoor[2]
Dawn Fraser BathsUTS Balmain TigersBalmain, NSWOutdoor Tidal[3]
Sutherland Leisure CentreACU Cronulla SharksSutherland, NSWOutdoor[4]
Drummoyne Swimming CentreDrummoyne DevilsDrummoyne, NSW[5]
Ashfield Aquatic CentreUNSW Wests Magpies (M)UNSW Wests Killer Whales (W)Ashfield, NSW[6]
Lambton PoolHunter HurricanesNewcastle, NSW[7]
Sydney Olympic Park Aquatic CentreNeutralSydney Olympic Park, NSWIndoor[8]
Pymble Ladies College Aquatic CentrePymble, NSW[9]
Ryde Aquatic Leisure CentreRyde, NSW[10]
Auburn Ruth Everuss Aquatic CentreAuburn, NSWOutdoor[11]
Oasis Aquatic CentreWagga Wagga, NSW[12]
Queensland
Valley PoolGriffith University Queensland ThunderFortitude Valley, QLDOutdoor[13]
All Hallows SchoolBrisbane, QLD[14]
Stuartholme School Swimming CentreToowong, QLD[15]
Musgrave Park Swim CentreBrisbane, QLD[16]
Kawana Aquatic CentreNeutralBokarina, QLD[17]
Western Australia
Bicton BathsFremantle Mariners (M)Fremantle Marlins (W)Perth, WAOutdoor[18]
HBF Stadium Aquatic FacilityUWA Torpedoes[19]
University of Western Australia Aquatic CentreIndoor[20]
Victoria
Melbourne Sports and Aquatic CentreVictorian PhoenixMelbourne, VICIndoor[21]
Caulfield Grammar SchoolCaulfield, VIC[22]
South Australia
Adelaide Aquatic CentreNeutralAdelaide, SAIndoor[23]

Clubs

The Australian Water Polo League is contested by eleven clubs from across Australia.

Men's Champions

As of the conclusion of the 2024 season, 11 different clubs have competed in the men's division of the AWL, with eight having won the championship trophy.

TeamChampionshipsYear(s) won
UNSW Wests Magpies72008, 2014, 2015, 2017, 2019, 2022, 2023
Fremantle Mariners71998, 2000, 2001, 2006, 2009, 2011, 2012
Victorian Phoenix61990, 1991, 1992, 1993, 2010, 2013
Cronulla Sharks51994, 1995, 1996, 1997, 1999
Sydney University Lions42002, 2003, 2005, 2018
Queensland Thunder22004, 2007
Drummoyne Devils12024[24]
UWA Torpedoes12016
Hunter Hurricanes0
Adelaide Jets0
UTS Balmain Tigers0

Women's Champions

As of the conclusion of the 2024 season, 11 different clubs have competed in the women's division of the AWL, with five having won the championship trophy.

TeamChampionshipsYear(s) won
Queensland Thunder82009, 2010, 2011, 2013, 2015, 2019, 2022, 2024
Fremantle Marlins52004, 2005, 2007, 2008, 2014
Sydney University Lions32016, 2017, 2023
Cronulla Sharks22006, 2012
UNSW Wests Killer Whales12018
UWA Torpedoes0
Victorian Phoenix0
Adelaide Jets0
Hunter Hurricanes0
Drummoyne Devils0
UTS Balmain Tigers0

See also

Notes and References

  1. Web site: 2024 Australian Waterpolo League Manual . Water Polo Australia.
  2. Web site: Sports & Aquatic Centre . 2024-03-23 . Sydney Uni Sport & Fitness . en-AU.
  3. Web site: Dawn Fraser Baths - Inner West Council . 2024-03-22 . www.innerwest.nsw.gov.au.
  4. Web site: Centres . Leisure . 2023-12-11 . Sutherland Leisure Centre . 2024-03-22 . www.sutherlandshire.nsw.gov.au . en.
  5. Web site: Home . 2024-03-22 . www.drummoyneswimmingcentre.com.au . en.
  6. Web site: Ashfield Aquatic Centre - Inner West Council . 2024-03-23 . www.innerwest.nsw.gov.au.
  7. Web site: Lambton Park War Memorial Swimming Centre . 2024-03-23 . NewcastleCorporate . en.
  8. Web site: Aquatic Centre - Venue information Sydney Olympic Park . 2024-03-23 . www.sydneyolympicpark.nsw.gov.au . en.
  9. Web site: Home . 2024-03-23 . www.pymblelc.nsw.edu.au.
  10. Web site: Ryde Aquatic Leisure Centre . 2024-03-23 . www.ryde.nsw.gov.au . en-AU.
  11. Web site: Home . 2024-03-23 . www.auburnaquaticcentre.com.au . en.
  12. Web site: Centre . Oasis Aquatic . 2024-03-06 . Our Pools . 2024-03-23 . oasiswagga.com . en-US.
  13. Web site: Valley Pool, Fortitude Valley . 2024-03-23 . www.brisbane.qld.gov.au . en.
  14. Web site: Team . DCWC . All Hallow's School- Consilio Aquatic Centre . 2024-03-23 . www.dcwc.com.au . en-us.
  15. Web site: The Swim Academy Brisbane Register Stuartholme . 2024-03-23 . The Swim Academy Brisbane . en-GB.
  16. Web site: Home . 2024-03-23 . www.musgraveparkaquaticcentre.com.au.
  17. Web site: Your Ultimate Destination for Swimming and Fitness . 2024-03-23 . kawanaaquaticcentre.com.au.
  18. Web site: Bicton Baths Reserve .
  19. Web site: Pool Facilities . 2024-03-23 . HBF Stadium . en.
  20. Web site: UWA Aquatic Centre . 2024-03-23 . www.uwa.edu.au . en.
  21. Web site: admin . Melbourne Sports and Aquatic Centre – Stages 1, 2 and 3 . 2024-03-23 . Otium Planning . en-AU.
  22. Web site: Caulfield Aquatics . 2024-03-23 . en-AU.
  23. Web site: Adelaide Aquatic Centre . 2024-03-23 . Adelaide Aquatic Centre . en-AU.
  24. News: May . Katrina . 28 April 2024 . Live stream: Watch Australian Water Polo League finals series . 28 April 2024 . Daily Telegraph.