Tamworth water polo talent will be chasing national championship success on two fronts next week.
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Giaan White and Mikayla Gross are winging their way to Perth for the National All Schools Championships, while Jake Mitchell, Lachlan Wheeler, Laarn White, Morgan Rowbottom, Nelli Jackson, Lucy Hofman will contest the Australian Country Championships in Rockhampton.
They get underway on Wednesday, while the All Schools nationals commence on Sunday.
Gross will take to the water for the NSW firsts team after being selected as the left-hander in the team following strong performances at the NSW All Schools Championships, where the Tamworth High School student represented the Combined High Schools firsts.
School-mate White will meanwhile play for the NSW Invitational team. McCarthy’s Billie Mitchell was also selected in the invitational team but had to withdraw.
White had to decide between the All Schools and Country championships after also making the NSW women’s side. She is one of three players that were selected but are unable to compete due to other commitments.
Still, seven is still an outstanding representation Magann said.
For the Tamworth Water Polo secretary, the Rockhampton championships will be her 10th.
She’ll play for the NSW Blues alongside Rowbottom, Jackson and Hofman, and be chasing her eighth gold medal to go with one silver.
Rowbottom and Hofman will both be making their NSW Blues debuts, Hofman getting the call up only weeks ago after impressing at the Country Club Championships in Newcastle back in January.
Magann said the strongest competition is likely to come from the home side Queensland Maroons, but also the Australian Defence Force team and Western Australia.
Mitchell and Wheeler will similarly be on debut for the men’s NSW Blues side and have been training hard in the lead up to the championships. The men will face some tough competition in the form of Queensland and Tasmania, who were strong and fast last year.
