Long before the Olympics got underway, Australian Sharks coach Tim Hamill said he hoped his men’s water polo team could “surprise the world”.

In beating two-time defending Games champions Serbia by a phenomenal 8-3 scoreline at the Paris Aquatic Centre on Tuesday, the Aussies have well and truly done just that.

Luke Pavillard scored four goals, Matthew Burns two, and goalkeeper Nic Porter conceded just three times in a stunning performance that sent shock waves rippling through the entirety of Pool B.

“I’m happy to be the one to put them away, but we’ve got multiple guys on the team that on any given day can step up and be the guy that’s scoring,” Pavillard said.

“It was my role today to do that and I’m just glad I could help the team.”

Moreover, it was a stunning response to losing their opener 9-5 against European champions Spain, a result that seemingly sent dire premonitions of what to expect for Australian fans in Paris.

“We know we’re a fit team. We know we can hurt teams with our swimming,” Pavillard said after the match.

“If we can keep teams to one or two goals, whether we score or not, in the first half, we know that’s really going to give us the advantage in the second. 

“They’re going to be in the red and we know we’ll have that advantage when it gets to that stage.

“This team has a lot of belief in itself. The belief in the team is high and that can really help us go a long way.”

It leaves three-time world champions Serbia with a 1-1 record and a negative goal differential in the six-team pool.

Temporarily, at least, the Sharks went top of the pool, with four to qualify for the quarterfinals.

Make no mistake, this is a powerful Serbian team. 

Strahinja Rašović was top scorer at the 2023 World Championships with 25 goals, leading a team packed with experienced players playing professionally in the world’s best leagues.

He could only beat Porter — one of the few Aussies who plies his trade overseas, alongside Pavillard at CN Atlètic-Barceloneta — once in this game.

“We relied on our system. We relied on our blocks. We relied on our goalkeeper and it all worked out,” Pavillard said.

“When you’ve got Nic Porter in goal behind you and he’s playing that well, the blocks are in the right places, the communication is good, it feels like he fills all the holes.”

Porter, who saved nine of the 12 shots he faced, backed the defensive system as much as his own role in it.

“That number is not a reflection on just me. It reflects our entire defence,” the 201cm tall Sunshine Coast athlete said.

“For the boys to only concede 12 shots on target against a team like Serbia is a testament to just how good our defence was.

“They did their job incredibly well. They were all fantastic and I’m so proud to be an Aussie today.

“I just played a small part. They were the boys doing all the hard work out there. I just float there in the goal and try to get my arms up.

“I can’t remember the last time any team managed that [restricting Serbia to three goals]. I’m a bit speechless right now.”

Pavillard, who will leave Club Natacio Atlètic-Barceloneta to return to Australia this summer, said Porter was the player of the match.