San Ġiljan take on Valletta in the opening match of the first round proper of this season’s Premier League at the National Pool after the preliminaries concluded on Wednesday with a pulsating 14-all draw between rivals Neptunes and Sliema.

The Saints, runners-up to Neptunes last year, launch their first-round commit-ments as the early leaders in the top division on six points after winning their clashes with fellow Premier League sides Sirens and Exiles in Group B.

Valletta, back in the upper echelon of Maltese waterpolo on the back of their third-place finish in Group A, have no points after losing to heavyweights Sliema and Neptunes in the preliminary round but they sealed their place in the top flight after finishing way ahead of Marsascala and Ta’ Xbiex.

In tomorrow’s opening match, Nep-tunes, who are level with Sliema on four points, meet Exiles, who have no points.

The Blues, who staged a remarkable fightback on Wednesday to peg back their neighbouring adversaries after falling 10-4 behind, meet Sirens who have three points.

In Division One, Marsaxlokk start off against Marsascala while Otters, the early leaders with three points, meet Ta’ Xbiex.

The format of the league competitions this season has been changed in a bid to make them more interesting.

The first three-placed teams in each preliminary group will compete for the Premier Division title while the last two make up the four contestants in the First Division.

After the two rounds in the Premier and three in the First Division, which are due to end on August 9, the competition will enter the final stages.

The top division will be divided into the Championship and Relegation Pools of three teams each.

The teams will play two more rounds with the top side in the elite pool being crowned champions and the bottom team in the relegation cohort facing off against the team finishing top in the lower division.

Starting classifications
Premier League: San Ġiljan 6; Neptunes, Sliema 4; Sirens 3; Valletta, Exiles 0.
First Division: Otters 3; Marsascala, Ta’ Xbiex 1; Marsaxlokk 0.

Fixtures

Today: 18.45 Marsaxlokk Fischer vs Marsascala Mor€; 20.00 San Ġiljan Allcare Insurance vs Valletta McDonald’s.

Tomorrow: 17.00 Ta’ Xbiex Amigos vs Otters Nivea; 18.15 Neptunes Grimaldi vs Exiles Ferretti; 19.30 Sliema Frank Salt Real Estate vs Sirens Ritter Sport.

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