Geraldton to host and field four teams in Country Water Polo Championships fresh off end of local season

The grand finals have been decided but water polo action continues in Geraldton with the start of country week at the Aquarena on Friday.

Geraldton will be represented by four teams in the pool at the Country Water Polo Championships, with both men’s and women’s divisions featuring two sides in each.

The Geraldton faithful will face teams from Bunbury, Busselton, Mandurah, Peel and Karratha.

In the men’s, Geraldton 1 is managed by Simon Teakle and coached by Ray Pead, while Geraldton 2 is led by Quentin Green and coached by water polo local legend Daniel Prout.

As anticipated, both men’s sides showcase local talent, some fresh from grand final victories and recipients of best-in-pool awards.

There are many players poised to make a significant impact on their teams’ chances. Leo Prout, a key player in Geraldton 1, brings his youthful exuberance and skillset to the pool following a B52’s B-grade premiership and his best-in-pool award. He also secured the highest scorer award for A-grade.

Lachy Toomath returns to Geraldton to play for Geraldton 1, eager to leave his mark on the tournament after missing out on the grand finals due to living away from town. Toomath aims to use his power and strength to ensure Geraldton 1 sets up and scores plenty of goals.

Geraldton 2 boasts a wealth of talent, with experience coming from Darcy Wiffen, Drew MacGregor and Ted Kerr.

Kerr, typically a quiet player, will play a crucial role, leading by example based on his performance during the Demons’ season campaign.

Young players Oliver Green, Jimmy Horsman and Kingston Warren will undoubtedly challenge any opposing team’s defence.

The women’s teams are coached and managed by Corey Smith and Michelle Prout in Geraldton 1 and Emma Smith and Michelle Prout for Geraldton 2.

Both teams boast skilful goalkeepers, with Melissa Buscumb and Mikayla Cremin playing for Geraldton 1 and 2 respectively.

They are a formidable presence in front of goal that will be a challenge for any opponent to overcome. Both goalkeepers, having previously played for Demons, have proven to be not only solid walls within the posts but also loud, powerful, marshalling voices for their teams.

Attacking options are abundant for both women’s sides, showcasing a blend of youth and experience.

Geraldton 1 features Evie Prout, Indi Smith and sisters Abbie and Sian McDonald.

Evie Prout, from a solid water polo family, has proven indispensable to B52’s A and B-grade this season, making this tournament a perfect opportunity to showcase her skills.

Indi Smith has continuously improved and is expected to shine as long as she gels with her unfamiliar teammates.

While it would have been intriguing to see the McDonald sisters on different teams, their innate bond makes them a tough combo to beat when playing together and in top form.

Abbie MacDonald, in particular, brings controlled aggression into the pool that will undoubtedly serve the team well when trying to dismantle stubborn defences.

Geraldton also have players drafted by other sides. Olivia Higgs will be playing for Peel, while local sporting legend Selina Kiddle will be representing Busselton.

In the men’s division, veteran Bruce McDonald will turn out for Mandurah and family members Laird and Peter Manuel will both be playing for Busselton.