Italy won the fifth-place play-off 11-10 in the FINA World League Super Finals.

The game was locked at 6-all by three-quarter time and in a flurry of goals in the final eight minutes, Italy gained the edge.

Balmain Tiger Dyson only played the first of his seven internationals last month in Adelaide and is proving a real find on this tour.

He was backed up by Daniel Lawrence (19) and Biller Miller (20), who are also raw on the international scene with just 25 internationals between them.

Tim Cleland toiled well at centre forward, drawing four exclusions and a penalty foul while goalkeeper James Stanton made 11 saves.

Australia converted only two from seven on extra but let in five of Italy's 10 attempts.

The team, which was vastly different from that which won bronze medals in the past two years, should be happy with its effort, especially the narrow two-goal loss to eventual champion Montenegro, who beat world champion Croatia 8-7 in the gold-medal final.

Outgoing four-time champion Serbia gained the bronze medal with a 9-7 victory over the United States of America while Japan beat South Africa 11-9 in the play-off for seventh.

Congratulations to Australia’s Danny Flahive, who refereed the bronze-medal final between Serbia and the USA.

Results:
FINA World League Super Finals, men, Podgorica, Montenegro, day 6:
Play-offs: For 7th & 8th, Japan 11 South Africa 9; for 5th & 6th, Italy 11 Australia 10 (C Dyson 3, R Campbell, B Miller, D Lawrence 2, R Howden); for 3rd & 4th, Serbia 9 USA 7; for 1st & 2nd, Montenegro 8 Croatia 7.

Aussie Sharks beat Japan for shot at Italy and fifth place
Podgorica, Montenegro (June 20).—
Australia swept aside Japan 12-6 and will play Italy for fifth place at the men’s water polo FINA World League Super Finals here tomorrow. Watch the medal finals LIVE On a night where Serbia’s iron grip on the competition was severed by Croatia, the Aussie Sharks had no trouble in dispensing with the Japanese to set up the clash with Italy, who defeated South Africa 14-3.

Australia controlled the game from the start, leading 4-1 and 6-2 at the first breaks, levelling the third 2-2 and winning the last 4-2.

At the sharp end of the tournament, Serbia, champion for the past four years, was upstaged by world champion Croatia 7-5 in a gripping encounter.

In the other medal semifinal, European champion Montenegro, already a 12-7 winner over Croatia in group play, crushed world No 2 United States of America 10-6 with superior extra-man statistics.

Congratulations to Australia’s Danny Flahive, who refereed the semifinal between Montenegro and the USA.

Results:
FINA World League Super Finals, men, Podgorica, Montenegro, day 5:
Semifinals: Group 1-4, Montenegro 10 USA 6, Croatia 7 Serbia 5. Group 5-8, Australia 12 (R Campbell 3, R Maitland, B Miller, D Lawrence 2, N O’Halloran, J Cotterill, G Richardson) Japan 6, Italy 14 South Africa 3.
 

Aussie Sharks lose to USA, now shooting for fifth at Super Finals
Podgorica, Montenegro (June 19).—
Australia will finish no better than fifth at the men’s water polo FINA World League Super Finals following a 10-6 quarterfinal loss to the United States of America here tonight.

The Aussie Sharks may have led the first quarter 3-2 but fell behind 5-3 at halftime and 7-4 at the final break.

The loss means Australia will play Japan in the crossovers tomorrow to gain a shot at fifth, a disappointment from the bronze-medal performances of the past two years.

The USA will be joined in the medal semifinals by four-time champion Serbia, who beat South Africa 16-2, world champion Croatia who held off Italy 8-6 and European champion Montenegro who thumped Japan 18-2.

Australia’s best was Rob Maitland who drew five exclusions and two penalty fouls from centre forward while Joel Dennerley continued to impress in goal with 10 saves in his first-half appearance.

Results:
FINA World League Super Finals, men, Podgorica, Montenegro, day 4:
Quarter-finals: USA 10 Australia 6 (N O’Halloran, G Richardson 2, J Cotterill, R Howden), Montenegro 18 Japan 2, Croatia 8 Italy 6, Serbia 16 South Africa 2.

Aussie Sharks bow to Montenegro in defensive effort
Podgorica, Montenegro (June 18).—
Power shooting from Richie Campbell and a strong defensive effort saw Australia lose 6-4 to European champion Montenegro on day three of the men’s water polo FINA World League Super Finals here tonight. The Aussie Sharks always struggled at centre forward where a lack of experienced hole men proved decisive but Campbell was on target with three booming outside shots.

A switch of goalkeepers at halftime saw Joel Dennerley take over from James Stanton and his nine saves proved crucial in the tight encounter.

Both teams blocked the offence with Australia restricting Montenegro to one goal from seven extra-man attempts while failing to convert any of its three chances.

Finishing third in its group, Australia now plays Olympic silver medallist United States of America for a spot in the semifinals.

The USA went down to four-time World League champion Serbia. 10-7.

In other games, Italy gained a first win over Japan 14-6 and Croatia was too strong for South Africa, winning 12-3.

Results:
FINA World League Super Finals, men, Podgorica, Montenegro, day 3:
Group A: Serbia 10 USA 7, Italy 14 Japan 6. Final points: Serbia 9, USA 6, Italy 3, Japan 0.
Group B: Montenegro 6 Australia 4 (R Campbell 3, B Miller), Croatia 12 South Africa 3. Final points: Montenegro 9, Croatia 6, Australia 3, South Africa 0.

Aussie Sharks whip South Africa at Super Finals
Podgorica, Montenegro (June 17).—
Australia rumbled South Africa 13-4 on day two of the men’s water polo FINA World League Super Finals here tonight.

The Aussie Sharks, playing without captain Thomas Whalan, who was feeling ill, led 3-1, 8-1 and 10-3 at the breaks for their first win.

The win sets them up for a tough clash with group leader Montenegro, who defeated world champion Croatia 12-7.

The last time the two met was at the Beijing Olympics where the result was a draw, although Montenegro is still as strong as then while Australia contains just five members from that match.

Goalkeeper Joel Dennerley, in just his eighth international, was by far the best Australian player, pulling down seven saves as the Sharks limited South Africa to two goals on extra man while converting a huge seven from 12.

Rob Maitland, who will captain the Australian team to next month’s World Student Games in Serbia, captained the Sharks in Whalan’s absence.

In the other group, world No 2 United States of America dumped Japan 14-3  and reigning champion Serbia overcame Italy 6-4.

Results:
FINA World League Super Finals, men, Podgorica, Montenegro, day 2:
Group A: USA 14 Japan 3, Serbia 6 Italy 4. Progress points: Serbia 6, USA 6, Italy 0, Japan 0.
Group B: Australia 13 (T Cleland, N O’Halloran, B Miller, J Cotterill 2, R Campbell, G Richardson, S Lewis, D Lawrence, C Dyson) South Africa 4, Montenegro 12 Croatia 7. Progress points: Montenegro 6, Croatia 3, Australia 3, South Africa 0.

Aussie Sharks bow to world champs Croatia in Super Finals opener
Podgorica, Montenegro (June 16).—
Australia felt the full might of world champion Croatia, losing their FINA World League Super Finals men’s water polo opener 9-6 here tonight.

The Aussie Sharks were in the game until the final quarter but lost the period 3-0.

Croatia led 3-1 at the quarter but Australia made it 4-4 at halftime and 6-6 at the final break.

The Croatians’ superior extra-man attack proved the difference with six conversions from seven attempts as the youthful Aussie Sharks could do no better than two from six on their opportunities.

James Stanton pulled down 11 saves in goal while centre forward Tim Cleland was strong and Billy Miller, who scored twice, revelled in an all-round game.

Australia will play South Africa tomorrow and then take on host Montenegro on Thursday. Montenegro beat South Africa 18-5 tonight.

In the other group, world No 2 United States of America beat Italy 10-6 and Serbia, who seem to have a stranglehold on this event, defeated Japan 12-6.

Sharks skipper Thomas Whalan, who has joined the team from his Italian base, was hoping for a better way to celebrate his 250th senior international.

Results:
FINA World League Super Finals, men, Podgorica, Montenegro, day 1:
Group A: USA 10 Italy 6, Serbia 12 Japan 6. Progress points: Serbia 3, USA 3, Italy 0, Japan 0.
Group B: Croatia 9 Australia 6 (R Campbell, B Miller 2, R Maitland, C Dyson), Montenegro 18 South Africa 5. Progress points: Montenegro 3, Croatia 3, Australia 0, South Africa 0.



Aussie Sharks face world champs in Super Finals opener
Podgorica, Montenegro (June 16).—
Australia’s bid for a third consecutive men’s FINA World League Super Finals medal starts in the Montenegrin capital tomorrow. The opening opponent in none other than world champion Croatia with subsequent group clashes against South Africa and European champion Montenegro.

The Aussie Sharks men will be out to go better than their two bronze medals after winning the Asia-Oceania zone last month.

Australia’s team contains only five players from last year’s Beijing Olympic Games but the youthful squad is full of potential and the tournament will be an excellent pointer to next month’s major assignment, the FINA World Championships in Rome, Italy.

The other group contains four-time champion Serbia, world No 2 United States of America, Italy and Japan.

On Sunday, the Aussie Stingers women won the bronze medal at their Super Finals in Kirishi, Russia.
Team: Richie Campbell, Tim Cleland, Johnno Cotterill, Joel Dennerley, Rhys Howden, Daniel Lawrence, Rob Maitland, Billy Miller, Nick O’Halloran, Grant Richardson, James Stanton, Thomas Whalan (c), David Will.