They fight for control of a weighted puck, using flippers to propel themselves across the pool's tiled floor.

Theirs is a game where team talks are rare, and "taking a breather" has added importance.

Welcome to the world of underwater hockey - a global sport that has built a strong following in Tasmania.

The sport emerged in the state in the 1980s, and has particularly caught on in Hobart, where 240 players compete in three pennants leagues each week.

The Launceston Aquatic Centre also sees some action.

In 2009, after a 10-year absence, the refurbishment of the council- owned facility saw underwater hockey return to the north.

The main pool's tiled playing surface is of a national standard, and is enjoyed by a group of 20 social players every Tuesday night.

Steane, a registered nurse, has been playing weekly for four years.

The 24-year-old said the eventual aim was for Launceston to have its own league.

"But for now it's just a good social sport - ideal for people who have never played before," she said.

"We get people aged from 10 through to 60, some who have experience and some who don't.

"We usually just divide the players into two teams and teach the rules as we go."

A game of underwater hockey lasts for two 15-minute halves.

Teams are 10-a-side, with six players each allowed "on the court" at one time.

The game is non-contact, with players using a 30-centimetre bat to hit a 1.5-kilogram puck into the goals.

Players engage on the bottom while holding their breath, while team play needs to occur without verbal communication.

The Tasmanian Underwater Hockey Association is the state's governing body, and can be credited with building the game to its current position.

TUHA spokesman Gary Davidson said he started playing in Hobart 20 years ago because of his background in ocean diving.

"A lot of the underwater hockey fraternity have experience in diving, but we tend to see a lot of people from other water sports as well," he said.

"Swimmers who are sick of swimming laps up and down find it a really interesting way to get into the water.

"Some people also find it a really good `second' sport, one that is not as hard on your joints as land-based games."

Tasmanian players are also regarded among the nation's finest - as evidenced by January's national championships in Hobart.

The home state defended its men's masters and women titles, while placing second in the under-15s, under-19s and open men's competition.

The Tasmanian squad's success was reflected in the selection of the national sides that will compete in the Underwater Hockey World Championships in Hungary next month.

Jack Robert-Tissot, Nick Martyn and Nick Yong will play for the elite men's team, while seven out of the 12 Australian women's squad are Tasmanians: Kate Howard, Eliza Game, Hannah Robert-Tissot, Fiona Walsh, Camille White, Alice van der Woude and Katelyn Ten Bensel.

Ten Bensel, 22, is the sole Launceston representative in the squad.

The medical student was a regular in the Hobart A grade pennants competition before she moved North this year, and has previously played in trans- Tasman games against New Zealand.

She attends the Launceston Aquatic Centre sessions when her studies allow.

"The surface up here is better than a lot of pools I've seen on the mainland," she said.

"It would be great to see more people take advantage of it."

Steane admits that the Launceston competition is a work in progress - but one with great potential.

"We're talking with a couple of schools up here, which would be a big step forward if they got involved," she said.

"That is what makes the competition so strong in Hobart.

"You get the young people coming up through the ranks, and they are welcomed into the competition by the guys with experience."