The Australian Water Polo League (formerly known as the Australian National Water Polo League) is the premier Australian domestic water polo competition. The men's league was established in 1990 with the women's league following in 2004. The league is administered by Water Polo Australia, and is contested by 10 clubs, each fielding a women's and a men's team. As of 2026 five clubs are based in Sydney and one each in Melbourne, Brisbane, Fremantle, Newcastle and Perth.
Seasons of the AWL run from January to March and include an 18-round regular season, followed by a finals series playoff involving the six highest-placed teams, which culminates in a grand final match.
Competition format
Regular season The regular season runs during the Australian summer, from January to March of each year. The competition consists of 18 rounds, with each team playing every other team twice. Each match sees the teams awarded points based on the following scale:
Win in Normal Time: four points Win in Penalty Shootout: three points No result (game cannot be conducted due to uncontrollable factors): two points each Loss in Penalty Shootout: one point Loss in Normal Time: zero points Disqualification/Forfeit: zero points
All games require a result, and as such it is impossible for a game to result in a draw.
At the conclusion of the regular season, the top six placed teams from each of the men's and women's divisions will progress to the finals series, with the position of each team determined by the highest number of points accumulated during the regular season. The remaining four teams are awarded final placings based on the number of points accumulated over the course of the regular season. If two or more teams are level on points, the team which won the game between those two teams will be determined as being higher ranked. If three or more teams are level on points, the following criteria are applied in order until one of the teams can be determined as the higher ranked:
The points of the games among the tied teams; The goal difference (excluding goals from a penalty shootout) among the tied teams; Total goals scored among tied teams; The games played between the tied teams; The results against the highest placed team; Toss of a coin.
Finals series The top six clubs at the conclusion of the regular season progress to the finals series. The finals series culminates to the Australian Water Polo League grand final, where the winner is crowned AWL champion. The club that wins each grand final is presented with the AWL Champions Trophy.
Competition venues AWL games are played across a total of 27 approved venues throughout the season. The following venues were accredited for use for the 2026 season. PoolClubLocationPool TypeNew South WalesDawn Fraser BathsUTS Balmain TigersBalmain, NSWTidal BathsSt Joseph's CollegeHunters Hill, NSWOutdoorSutherland Leisure CentreCronulla SharksSutherland, NSWGunnamatta Bay i Cronulla, NSWTidal BathsDrummoyne Swimming Centre Drummoyne DevilsDrummoyne, NSWOutdoorLambton PoolHunter HurricanesLambton, NSWQueens Wharf i Newcastle, NSWTidal BathsPeter Montgomery PoolSydney University LionsDarlington, NSWIndoorShore SchoolNorth Sydney, NSWAshfield Aquatic CentreUNSW Wests Magpies (M) / Killer Whales (W)Ashfield, NSWOutdoorSydney Olympic Park Aquatic CentreNeutralSydney Olympic Park, NSWIndoorPymble Ladies' CollegePymble, NSWRyde Aquatic Leisure CentreRyde, NSWAuburn Ruth Everuss Aquatic CentreAuburn, NSWOutdoorOasis Aquatic CentreWagga Wagga, NSWQueenslandValley PoolQueensland ThunderFortitude Valley, QLDOutdoorAll Hallows' SchoolBrisbane, QLDStuartholme SchoolToowong, QLDMusgrave Park Swim CentreSouth Brisbane, QLDKawana Aquatic CentreNeutralBokarina, QLDGold Coast Aquatic CentreSouthport, QLDWestern AustraliaBicton BathsFremantle Mariners (M) / Marlins (W)Bicton, WAOutdoorPerth HPCUWA TorpedoesMount Claremont, WAUniversity of Western AustraliaCrawley WAVictoriaMelbourne Sports and Aquatic CentreVictorian PhoenixAlbert Park, VICIndoor/OutdoorCaulfield Grammar SchoolCaulfield, VICIndoorSouth AustraliaAdelaide Aquatic CentreNeutralNorth Adelaide, SAIndoor
Notes i Special Event Venue only.
Current Teams The Australian Water Polo League is contested by 10 clubs from across Australia.
Club AWL debut State/Territory Location(s) TotalLastTotalLast Cronulla Sharks19631990New South Wales Sydney (Cronulla)5199932026 Drummoyne Devils19042008New South Wales Sydney (Drummoyne)120240— Fremantle Mariners (M) / Marlins (W)19461992Western Australia Fremantle7201252014 Hunter Hurricanes20062006New South Wales Newcastle0—0— Queensland Thunder20182019Queensland Brisbane0—32024 Sydney University Lions18921990New South Wales Sydney4201832023 UNSW Wests Magpies (M) / Killer Whales (W)19651990New South Wales Sydney (Ashfield & Kensington)9202612018 UTS Balmain Tigers18841996New South Wales Sydney (Balmain)0—0— UWA Torpedoes19791990Western Australia Perth120160— Victorian Phoenix20212022Victoria Melbourne0—0—
Notes
Former Teams
ClubState/TerritoryLocation(s)First seasonFinal seasonAlso Known As Adelaide JetsSouth Australia Adelaide19912025Adelaide/Canberra Jets (2000) Brisbane BarracudasQueensland Brisbane19902018Brisbane Tugun (2000)Brisbane Redbacks (1997 - 1998)Brisbane Barracudas (1999 - 2018) Queensland BreakersQueensland North Brisbane20032018KFC Breakers Victoria TigersVictoria Richmond, Victoria19902016Richmond Tigers (1990 - 1995)VIS Tigers (1996)Hawthorn Tigers (1997 - 1999)Victoria Tigers (2000 - 2013)Victorian Seals (2014 - 2016)Hobart HammerheadsTasmania Hobart20042009AIS FinnsAustralian Capital Territory Canberra20042009Canberra DolphinsAustralian Capital Territory Canberra19902006Kiwi StingraysNew Zealand New Zealand19992003New Zealand Stingrays (2001-2003)SingaporeSingapore Singapore20022002Canadian CanucksCanada Canada19991999Brisbane QWPIQueensland Brisbane19951996Melbourne BarbariansVictoria Melbourne19901992Hobart Institute of Sport (TIS)Tasmania Hobart19901990Hobart Tigers (1990)
Men's champions As of the conclusion of the 2026 season, nine clubs have won the championship trophy. UNSW Wests Magpies are the most successful men’s AWL club, having won nine championships. TeamChampionshipsYear(s) won UNSW Wests Magpies92008a, 2014, 2015, 2017, 2019, 2022, 2023, 2025, 2026 Fremantle Mariners71998, 2000, 2001, 2006, 2009, 2011, 2012 Victoria Tigers61990b, 1991b, 1992c, 1993b, 2010, 2013 Cronulla Sharks51994, 1995, 1996, 1997, 1999 Sydney University Lions42002, 2003, 2005, 2018 Drummoyne Devils12024 UWA Torpedoes12016 Queensland Breakers12007 Brisbane Barracudas12004 Victorian Phoenix0– Queensland Thunder0– Hunter Hurricanes0– UTS Balmain Tigers0–
Notes a Championship won pre-merger as Wests Magpies. b Championships won as Richmond Tigers. c Championship won as VIS Tigers.
Women's champions As of the conclusion of the 2026 season, six clubs have won the championship trophy. Brisbane Barracudas & Fremantle Marlins are the most successful women's AWL clubs, having won five championships each. TeamChampionshipsYear(s) won Brisbane Barracudas52009, 2010, 2011, 2013, 2015 Fremantle Marlins52004, 2005, 2007, 2008, 2014 Queensland Thunder42019, 2022, 2024, 2025 Cronulla Sharks32006, 2012, 2026 Sydney University Lions32016, 2017, 2023 UNSW Wests Killer Whales12018 UWA Torpedoes0– Victorian Phoenix0– Hunter Hurricanes0– Drummoyne Devils0– UTS Balmain Tigers0–
See also
Water polo in Australia
References
External links