Fast and furious action between Krakens, Barracudas in round 4 of water polo

The A-grade men’s water polo competition opened last Thursday with a fast-paced battle between the Krakens and Barracudas. Jake Patten of the Barracudas looked solid in centre-forward, scoring two goals for his team, and Rhys Knight was key in offence, assisting with multiple plays. Left-hander Daniel Whitehead worked effortlessly on the wings, scoring two goals for the Krakens alongside the ever-present Tom McKinnon. Krakens came away with the win, 10-5. Women’s A-grade team Pirates were missing several regular players in the second match of the night but were well-supported by Caitlin Reid and Nikki Hemmett, heading back into the pool for cameos to show how it was done. The Krakens were again too quick for the opposition and came away with a 13-4 win. The Pirates women looked stronger later in the evening in their game against Barracudas, with Mikaela Wilson, Fiona Haigh and Gabrielle Dow each scoring. Kate Kalajzich had a great evening, putting away three goals and helping the Barracudas win 10-6 at the final buzzer. The men’s Pirates v Sharks game was a feisty match which kept the referees on their toes. Mitch Gerritzen scored five goals for the Pirates but the Sharks remain undefeated, winning 11-6. The B-grade women were consistent in the water, showing huge improvements on both sides and drawing 5-all at the end of the match. Hayley Rigby scored two goals for the Wahoos, and Jaye Audus proved invaluable for the Trouts, scoring two goals and receiving the highest referee points for the match. This week the club will welcome dual-Olympian Zoe Arancini’s visit from Perth after the Australian Stinger’s success at the Tokyo Olympics. She will run a Q&A session with juniors on Thursday followed by a meet-and-greet with seniors during the round five matches. On Friday, Arancini will partner with representatives from Water Polo WA to run a coaching course.