Yesterday they jetted to the other side of the country ready to embark on another national championship campaign, representing NSW against state teams from across the country.

NSW has two teams entered – the Blues and Waratahs – with Martin and Fisk in the Waratahs side.

The format for the tournament is round robin games, and likely two or three a day.

It will be some intense water polo, but Tony Fisk was looking forward to the step up and the opportunity to experience a new city.

“I haven’t been to Perth. All my state trips have been to Brisbane,” he said.

It’s his second nationals event after playing at U16 level last year.

He is one of two keepers for the Waratahs and said making the state 18s was a goal, although he was hoping it would be for the Blues.

That opportunity may yet come.

“I’ve still got two years in the U18s,” he said.

As does Martin, who is also only 16.

They have been regularly travelling down to Sydney for training, and Fisk said the side was coming together well.

“We think the hardest team will be the NSW As (Blues),” he said.

They do though know a little about how to play their rivals, coming up against them a few times in training.

“We go all right against them. We’ve beaten them once or twice,” Fisk said.

The championships will run through to Saturday.

Meanwhile, former Olympian and Australian captain Nathan Thomas made a belated Christmas trip back to Tamworth on the weekend to catch up with family and impart his water polo knowledge on some young local talent.

Thomas has regularly conducted clinics on visits to his former home and on Saturday morning ran around 30 youngsters through their paces.

“There were a lot of familiar faces and some new ones which was great,” Thomas said.

The participants ranged in age from U14s through to U17s, and included state representatives and first

seasoners.