GRAND Final weekend for the Water Polo WA 2017-18 season produced some thrilling results culminating in the first of the Premier League Cross Conference deciders with the Women’s competition won by UWA Rangers and the Men’s by the South Fremantle Bloods.

It was a new-look Premier League put in place for the 2017-18 season by Water Polo WA with the competition broken up into the Fremantle and UWA Conferences.

That saw last weekend the finals in each of those conferences with the South Fremantle Bloods beating the Port Colts, both teams from Melville, to claim the Men’s Fremantle Conference while the UWA Flotsam beat UWA Rangers in a penalty shootout to take out the UWA Conference.

And in the Women’s competition, the Melville Marlins beat Applecross to win the Fremantle Conference and UWA Rangers beat Triton to take out the UWA Conference.

That set the stage for the Premier League Grand Finals on Sunday March 25 at Bicton Pool.

The Premier League Grand Final action got underway with the Women’s match up between the Melville Marlins and UWA Rangers.

Both teams were largely made up of players from the Australian Water Polo League’s Fremantle Marlins and UWA Torpedoes so it was a high quality contest at Bicton Pool.

In the end, it was the UWA Rangers who beat the Melville Marlins 13-10 to win the 2017-18 Women’s Premier League premiership.

Tayla Walsh ended up scoring six goals for the Rangers, Madi Rigo two, Michelle Martinelli two and Alyssa Diacono two. Chloe Nella scored three goals for the Marlins, Pia Rodgers three, Mercedes Ralph two and Madeleine Quinn two.

Afterwards, Michelle Martinelli was awarded the Andy Meloncelli Award as best player in the Grand Final.

Melville’s Erin Redbond was named fairest and best player of the 2017-18 Women’s Premier League season.

Then it was time for the Men’s Premier League Grand Final at Bicton Pool and that saw the South Fremantle Bloods defeat UWA Flotsam 19-7.

Nick O’Halloran ended up scoring six goals for the South Fremantle Bloods, Petar Tomasevic five, Will Mackay two and Nick Elphick two. Nick Hughes scored two goals for Flotsam and Drew Lilleyman two.

Nick O’Halloran won the Tom Hoad Award as the best player of the Grand Final.

Meanwhile, Joel Swift of the Melville Sharks was named fairest and best of the Men’s Premier League 2017-18 season.

The Premier League Grand Finals were far from the only premierships decided across the weekend though.

It began on Saturday March 24 at HBF Stadium with the other senior Grand Finals taking place.

The day concluded with the Women’s Reserves Grand Final that saw the Melville Pearls defeat Triton 8-5.

Amity Reid of the Melville Pearls was named fairest and best for the season.

The Women’s Division 1 Grand Final saw the Stirling Raiders Valkyries defeat the Phantoms Ghosts 6-4.

The fairest and best player of the season was Caitlin Read of the Peel Piranhas.

The Women’s Division 2 Grand Final had the Pink Pointers beat the Phantoms Heroes 8-7.

Amanda Brown of the Pink Pointes was named fairest and best of the season.

The Women’s Division 3 decider saw the Peel Piranhas defeat the Melville Mystics 8-7.

Shelda Bairstow from Triton was named fairest and best for the season.

And in the Men’s Grand Finals on Saturday, Dolphins beat UWA City Beach PCs 11-7 in the Reserves decider.

Fraser Smith of the UWA City Beach Bulls was named the fairest and best player of the season.

The Men’s Division 1 Grand Final saw the Melville Meerkats beat the UWA City Beach Oils 3-2.

Charlie Liggins of the UWA City Beach Oils was named fairest and best of the season.

The Men’s Division 2 decider finished with the Melville Saints beating the UWA City Beach Hop Bears 7-5.

Harry Bruce of the Melville Saints was named fairest and best for the season.

The Men’s Division 3 Grand Final saw the North Coast Phoenix prevail 3-2 over the Somerset Seals.

Scott Modra from North Coast Phoenix was named fairest and best of the season.

And the Men’s Division 4 Grand Final ended with the Melville Sharks defeating Phantoms Devils 9-4.

Daniel Wilde from Phantoms Devils was named fairest and best for the season.

It was the underage Grand Finals turn on Sunday at HBF Stadium.

That saw the Boys 18 & Under A Grand Final won by UWA City Beach Bears who defeated Melville Sharks 6-4.

Taz Williams scored two goals for UWA City Beach with Oliver Davis, Matt Hughes, Riley Maurich and Hamish White all scoring one each. Oliver Chiari, Tom Harries, Harry Bruce and Rory Orrells scored for Melville.

The Boys 16 & Under A Grand Final saw UWA City Beach Blues beat Melville Sharks 4-1.

The Boys 16 & Under B Grand Final had Dolphins defeat Phantoms Devils 8-3.

The Boys 14 & Under A Grand Final had Melville Sharks prevail 9-2 over the UWA City Beach Bears.

Patrick Dart scored three goals for Melville, Harrison Grattidge two and Luke McManus two. Anton Komninos scored both goals for UWA City Beach.

The Boys 14 & Under B Grand Final saw Melville Stingrays beat Phantoms Ghosts 7-6.

The Girls 18 & Under A Grand Final saw UWA City Beach Bears beat Triton 7-5.

Pippa Pedley scored five goals for UWA City Beach with Ella Fracaro and Nikki Cullingford scoring one each. Heather Laird scored three times for Triton and Claire Whitaker twice.

The Girls 16 & Under A Grand Final featured Triton beating Melville Marlins 5-0.

Erin Gray scored two goals for Triton with Emma Putt, Hannah Nelson and Natasha Oberman the other goal scorers.

The Girls 16 & Under B Grand Final saw Triton beat Phantoms Devils 8-1.

The Girls 14 & Under A decider ending up with the UWA City Beach Bears beating Melville Marlins 6-2.

Zelma Koka scored two goals for UWA City Beach, Sophie Johnson two and Isabella Sayer two. Arabella Marsh scored both goals for Melville.

Then the Girls 14 & Under B Grand Final had the Melville Mackerels defeating North Coast Phoenix 7-1.

WATER POLO WA GRAND FINALS WEEKEND
SATURDAY MARCH 24
Men’s Division 4: Phantoms Devils 4 lost to Melville Sharks 9

Men’s Division 3: North Coast Phoenix 3 defeated Somerset Seals 2

Women’s Division 3: Melville Mystics 7 lost to Peel Piranhas 8

Women’s Division 2: Dolphins Pink Pointers 8 defeated Phantoms Heroes 7

Men’s Division 2: UWA City Beach Hop Bears 5 lost to Melville Saints 7

Men’s Division 1: Melville Meerkats 3 defeated UWA City Beach Oils 2

Women’s Division 1: Stirling Raiders Valkyries 6 defeated Phantoms Ghosts 4

Women’s Reserves: Triton 5 lost to Melville Pearls 8

Men’s Reserves: Dolphins 11 defeated UWA City Beach PCs 7

SUNDAY MARCH 25
Girls 14 & Under B: Melville Mackerels 7 defeated North Coast Phoenix 1

Girls 18 & Under A: UWA City Beach Bears 7 defeated Triton 5

Boys 14 & Under B: Phantoms Ghosts 6 lost to Melville Stingrays 7

Boys 18 & Under A: Melville Sharks 4 lost to UWA City Beach Bears 6

Girls 14 & Under A: UWA City Beach Bears 6 defeated Melville Marlins 2

Girls 16 & Under B: Phantoms Devils 1 lost to Triton 8

Boys 16 & Under A: UWA City Beach Blues 4 defeated Melville Sharks 1

Boys 16 & Under B: Phantoms Devils 3 lost to Dolphins 8

Girls 16 & Under A: Triton 5 defeated Melville Marlins 0

Boys 14 & Under A: Melville Sharks 9 defeated UWA City Beach Bears 2

Women’s Premier League: Melville Marlins 10 lost to UWA Rangers 13

Men’s Premier League: South Fremantle Bloods 19 defeated UWA Flotsam 7