WSL2 (Editor)

An extended break for the team this week, with a scheduled BYE. With only two games left, against Richmond Yellow and Richmond Tigers, the girls would need to win at least one game to guarantee their place in the major semi final (1 Vs 2).

WSL3 - Report by Lisa Murray-Segal

We had good numbers this week, with 11 girls available, but were missing our swim up champ in Gen. So our quarters didn't start off as well as they could have. Up against former premiers Old Ivanhoe, we struggled for much of the game to find some form and space. We had plenty of ball possesion, but again failed to set up and use the space in front of goal to our advantage. Twice we gained a double exclusion, giving us 6 on 4, but gave up the ball inside 5 secs attempting to shoot through defender arms, instead of working the ball around to look for the gap. We swam hard chasing down players on the turnovers, with some nice interceptions but could have avoided conceding goals if we'd kept our eye on where our opponents were. With plenty of newer players in the team, we are still falling short on some basics which may require a white board and some extra bodies at training. Old Ivanhoe put away 7 goals in the first half and 5 in the second, and despite our best efforts, we couldn't manage to find the net.

Special thanks again to Brona, for covering table duty!

Essendon were defeated by Old Ivanhoe : 0 - 12  

MSL4 - Report by Sam Brown

Tonight the boys took to the pool ready to prove that experience and teamwork still beat youth and speed. 💪 DVE Aquatic might be sitting on top of the ladder, but after a 9-all draw last time, we came in excited, energetic, a bit cold, but we were determined to tip the balance our way — and we did just that with a solid 6 goal win 🔥.

Right from the start, Essendon played with composure and confidence. Each quarter was full of strong communication 🗣️, smart switches 🔄, and sharp covering. The team worked like a unit — reading the play, stealing the ball cleanly, and turning defence into attack time and time again ⚡.

At the back, Matt “The Wall” Lattrell 🧱 lived up to his name, blocking everything that came his way. Across the pool, the steals were top-tier — everyone got a hand in somewhere, and it showed on the scoreboard 📈.

Of course, it wouldn’t be water polo without a bit of drama 😅 — 💥Andrew taking a shiner to the face 🥴, Liam copping a few head knocks 🤕, team morale took a minor hit when we realised Millsy shaved his moustache, and even the referee seemed unsure at times whether he had it in for us or not! 🤨 But through it all, the team kept their cool and played with grit. 💯

And just when we thought we’d seen it all, we went all in on 5-metre penalties and got them all🎯 — a rare and glorious moment for Essendon! 🙌 well done, Riccardo (there were others but I don’t remember them 😅)

Special mention to Marcus Jones for bench pressing 🏋️on behalf of the team!

All in all, it was a brilliant game from the lads — smart, physical, and full of heart ❤️. The old dogs (rats) showed the pups how it’s done 🐾.

Essendon defeated DVE Aquatic : 11 - 5    Goals : TBC

MSL5 (Editor)

Game result TBC

Monash White/Essendon Vs the Melbourne Collegian Chiefs : ? - ?   

**SPECIAL REPORT**

17&U Junior Girls - Report by Amber Mink

Our first game against UNSW Wests was very challenging for all of us, as it was our first time playing together. We were still getting used to how each of us played, learning how to use our individual strengths, and figuring out how to work effectively as a team. We also had a new coach, Jamie, who hadn’t coached most of us before, so he was still getting to know our playing styles and where best to position us in the pool.

After that first game, Mum had a chat with Jamie about us Essendon girls. Since he had watched us play, he gained a better understanding of our strengths and how we worked together. He then came up with positions for us that we kept for the rest of the tournament, with only small tweaks depending on the game and how we felt.

After a long team talk, our second game against Woden Waves was slightly better — we managed to score twice. Before our next game, we played a fun round of volleyball together, which helped us bond as a team and communicate more effectively in the pool.

We played our last game of the day against CGS, losing 1–16. Despite the result, we came back the next day fired up and ready to improve. After several team talks, we faced Illawarra and pushed hard. This game was the most disappointing of the tournament because we knew we could have won — but we went down 5–9. We got inside our own heads and didn’t play as well as we could have if we had kept a more positive mindset.

Our final game was against the Wagga Wagga Bidgeegators, which was equally disappointing. We didn’t really take on board our own advice from the previous game and lost 1–9. Even so, the second day was much better overall — we were driving more, playing stronger as a team, and showing more cohesion. We just struggled to get back in defence at times.

Despite the ups and downs, we had an amazing time in the outdoor facility in Canberra. Even with chlorine and sunscreen stinging our eyes, it was such a great experience to play alongside girls from other clubs, work with new coaches, and learn so many new things.

I would like to thank everyone at DVE for giving us this opportunity, as well as Jamie and Joanna for coaching us throughout the weekend. Thank you also to all the girls from DVE, MC, Northcote, and Ballarat who helped put the team together and played their best in Canberra. I’m so grateful to everyone who made it possible and for making it such a great experience. I hope to see everyone again soon and play together in the future.

BELOW : The girls 17&U Canberra Cup team (group photo courtesy of Denise Atallah, Essendon girls courtesy of Sandra Mink-Grobbe)

17&U Junior Boys - Report by Ilona Elmore

This was our first Canberra Cup and it was a great experience (and great Merch!),  a weekend full of competitive, very fast-paced water polo and great energy both in and out of the pool. Pretty cool we spent the weekend at the AIS! 

The U17 DVE boys team brought together players from DVE, with a player from each Geelong, Northcote, and Essendon (with Jack proudly representing the red and black). As Jack said with a grin “the kids are definitely bigger in U17!”

The team came out firing, winning their first game convincingly, which then set them up for a tough run against the strong Sydney teams for the rest of the tournament. With a mix of new faces and a coach who was also new to many of the boys, there was plenty of learning, new teamwork, and adjustment along the way.

Jack hadn’t played with some of the older DVE boys before and it took a bit of time to find his place, having to quickly adjust.  His game skills continue to improve every week, he's grown so much in WP confidence and  it really showed in how he approached each game.

By the end of the weekend, there were some very tired bodies, but also plenty of smiles and pride. It was a great introduction to the Canberra Cup, and an experience the boys won’t forget anytime soon.

With plans for a U16 team travelling to AYC in 2026, the more pool time and hard competition the better. 

BELOW : The boys 17&U DVE Canberra Cup team, featuring Jack (kneeling, front and centre) - photo courtesy of DVE