Closest contest yet headlines fourth round of water polo season

Narrabri Dolphins Water Polo Club’s 2024/25 season is now a month old following the fourth-round matches that were contested at the Narrabri Aquatic Centre on Sunday, and the opens competition is now starting to tighten up.

The closest game so far this season saw Wilga bounce back from two straight losses to edge out Nandewar 7-5 before undefeated ladder leaders Barwon extended their win streak to four games when they beat Kurrajong 12-6.

The junior match kicked off the day again as the two sides contested their second-round contest.

Namoi scored their first win of the season and it was a big one too as they overcame a 6-5 opening-round loss to defeat Kaputar 11-1.

That game was either side’s to win at the main break as Namoi went into half-time ahead 3-1. However, the Namoi players dominated the final two quarters as they netted four goals in each of them to cruise to a 10-goal victory.

Wilga and Nandewar took the pool next and they were all locked up at 5-all going into the last quarter before Liam Donaldson completed his hat-trick to put Wilga back in front and his teammate Jamie Wilson then sealed the win with the goal that made the final score 7-5.

Wilga had taken a 2-0 lead into quarter-time after Karla Carruthers and Andrew McManus netted once each in the opening term, and then both sides scored twice each in the second quarter as Wilga took a 4-2 advantage into the main break. Donaldson scored both of Wilga’s second-quarter goals and Nandewar’s Lucy Suttor and Brooke Wright added one each.

Wilga’s captain Paul Bushby had played the first two quarters as his side’s goalkeeper but swapped with Wilson for the third term and got on the scoresheet, however a hat-trick from Liam Mair saw Nandewar tie the score up at 5-all.

Nandewar pushed hard for their first win of the season in the final quarter but fell short as Wilga outscored them two goals to none to win 7-5.

The next match saw Barwon start fastest as they took a 5-0 lead into quarter-time and a 9-2 lead into the main break.

Kurrajong then outscored the ladder leaders three goals to two in the third term before they both scored a goal each in the last quarter. The strong finish was too little, too late for Kurrajong though as Barwon prevailed 12-6.

The competition’s top goal-scorer, Barwon captain Dean Clarke, netted six of his side’s goals, while teammates Kris Hobden and Melanie Clarke both bagged doubles and Luke Lowick and Tilly Gleeson netted once each.

Kurrajong’s six goals were shared between Todd, Lachy and Stacey Dunn, Matilda Wallington, Joseph Newton and Lillie Carter.

The Dolphins’ season will break this weekend and there will be no training on Friday either due to players and officials travelling to Newcastle for the Water Polo NSW Junior Country Club Championships event. The season will then resume on Sunday, November 24.