UNSW takes Men’s Super League Water Polo title
UNSW Wests Magpies claimed a thumping 14-4 victory over Sydney University in Saturday’s Men’s Sydney Super League Water Polo Final.
Published on the 17 February 2022 by David Gavin
After the two sides drew 8-8 in mid-December, it was all the Magpies featuring Ben Lexcen Scholars and Tokyo Olympians Nathan Power and Tim Putt.
UNSW Wests avenged their one-point loss to Sydney Uni in last season’s Super League decider after the competition was introduced in early 2021 to fill the gap in play caused by COVID-19.
Finals day for the men's and women's Sydney Super League competitions were originally scheduled for prior to Christmas, but due to Sydney's most recent COVID-19 outbreak were delayed.
Putt – who is currently working his way through a Science and Business degree – with Power, was one of seven former or current UNSW students in the Magpies’ winning team.
Commerce graduate Power joined fellow alumni Angus Lambie (Criminology), Jean-Luc Poidevin (Engineering) and Michael de Gail (Building and Construction Management) on the team.
Current UNSW Elite Athletes Charlie Negus and Matt Byrnes completed the seven. Negus was named MVP in the final.
Jean-Luc is the son of UNSW Sport Hall of Fame Inductee, former Wallaby Simon Poidevin AM.
The UNSW Killer Whales finished fourth in the Sydney Super League Women’s Division after they were narrowly beaten in a playoff for third by ACU Cronulla Sharks, 9-8, on Saturday.
The beginning of the year has been an especially busy time for the UNSW Wests club with the contest for the KAP7 Cup taking full swing in the Australian Water Polo League.
The Magpies are three wins clear at the top of the table, but do have three games in hand on their nearest rival, the also undefeated Queensland Thunder.
The Killer Whales are seventh of the nine teams in the women’s competition. All KAP7 Cup matches are live streamed via NewsCorp Australia.
Demonstrating the strength and depth of the UNSW Wests’ club, in late January, six UNSW Wests players were named in Australian Youth and Cadet squads following strong performances in the 2022 Summer Slam in the Under 16 and 18 age groups.
Those players were under 16 Cadets Nancy Lee, Sienna Thompson, Mason O’Brien and Xavier Nicholas. Under 18s Harper Stewart and Thomas Rathbone both earned selection in the national Youth team.
The UNSW Wests Under 16 boys finished top of the ladder, in their age group, at the Summer Slam in Brisbane.
2021/22 Sydney Super League Water Polo Champions, UNSW Wests Magpies (via @unswwestswp Instagram)