Australia's Best Sport Team Rankings Released For 2023

The UNSW Wests Magpies water polo men’s team have been ranked 4th in Platinum Asset Management (Platinum) and GAIN LINE Analytics (Gain Line) analysis on Australia's (Australia and New Zealand) Best Sport Team (ABST) 2023. This is a huge honour for the team who in 2022 ranked at 13th place. The Magpies are also ranked 2nd in NSW in 2023 being beaten out by the NRL's Penrith Panthers.

The club said “this is great recognition for all the hard work done by the players, coaches and support staff plus all our volunteers and supporters. The club would not be celebrating this success without them. The club is extremely proud of the efforts of the Magpies team and look forward to the years to come”. Another feather in the cap for the club with the 2023 title to wins in 2019 and 2022 (COVID wiped out 2020 and 2021). They have won six of the last eight competitions. 

The annual analysis looks at every game in Australasian sporting competitions conducting a home/away or equivalent competition with Australian teams. Rankings consider rolling five-year outcomes (2019-2023), for 21 competitions, including 10 women’s leagues, and unisex esports, covering over 8,400 individual matches.

ABST evolved from Platinum and GAIN LINE working together and brings an analytical approach to understanding how relationships within teams (‘cohesion’) impact outcomes. This is often overlooked as conventional analysis tends to study talent and leadership. ABST seeks to measure and recognise success while emphasising that the way a team is built is critical. Along with supporting good causes, a goal is to drive conversations about greatness, reward success and unearth some hidden gems.

Douglas Isles, Head of Investment at Platinum, commented “GAIN LINE’s theories on cohesion continue to resonate with my understanding of the strength of Platinum’s investment team. In parallel with the sporting context, there are countless examples in the corporate world, where cohesion, or lack of it, determines outcomes. ABST recognises sporting excellence while supporting great causes and is an opportunity to make a difference by following up on the work we have done on ourselves”.

A fantastic year for the UNSW Wests Water Polo club and an incredible achievement to finish off with in 2023. We are super excited to see what next year holds – UNSW Sport would like to share their congratulations on behalf of the UNSW sporting community.