A big pair of lungs, the ability to stay calm under pressure, and speed in the water.
Those are just some of the skills needed to compete in underwater rugby.
The bizarre sport, which is hugely popular in parts of Europe, is relatively new to our shores.
"It's like quidditch underwater," explains 28-year-old player Bobby Chen. "Or wrestling in space."
Rules of play
The concept is simple enough: each team has six players and their task is to dunk the ball — weighing three kilograms and filled with saltwater — in the opposing side's basket.
The problem is the game takes place at the bottom of a diving pool, five metres below the surface.
"Everyone who starts says 'Oh, it's so hard. I can't hold my breath. How do you stay underwater?' but you get used to it and it gets easier," said captain of the national women's team Nicola Maher, 26.
Holding your breath
The game certainly has tense moments.
This is especially true for goalies, who are required to swim to the bottom of the pool to protect their basket against attacks from the other side.
To do this, they lie across the basket with their back facing down.
As they try to maintain their position, they are simultaneously being shoved by their opponents and pinned down by their teammates.
Again, all while holding their breath.
To make life easier for all involved, a buddy system ensures players can come up for air and swap positions with a teammate treading water on the surface.
Staying safe
When observed from the underwater viewing platform at Brisbane's Sleeman Sports Complex, the game appears chaotic.
Players wearing fins and snorkels kick the water ferociously as they chase the ball and "tackle" one another.
Despite the frenzied activity, enthusiasts maintain underwater rugby is safe.
"There are rules," Hannah Barrenger points out.
"You obviously can't grab anyone around the neck or the head. You can't kick anyone."
Unsurprisingly, players report occasionally coming to the surface feeling a little woozy.
Taking on the world
Australia is now preparing to send both a men's and women's team to compete in the World Championships in Colombia next month.
Buoyed by a recent victory over Singapore at the Pan Pacific Championships, the players are focusing their attention on other new entrants including the United States, Canada, and Venezuela.
Coach Ricardo Iriarte, who used to play for Spain, has been tasked with bringing the relatively inexperienced Aussies up to speed.
"We have been training maybe four, five days a week," he said.
"If we want to play the strongest teams in the world, we need to be fit."
The training schedule might be intense but the players rarely have the chance to practice together.
"One of the challenges with all of us being spread out across Australia is we don't really get a lot of opportunities to all gather in one place and train as a team," men's team captain Oliver Barrand said.
The tyranny of distance is likely to prove a major disadvantage for the Australians when they come up against the giants of the sport.
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