For this week’s WA On Wednesday feature, Fremantle City’s Annabelle Leek spoke to Ben Gilby about her footballing journey, life at Freo, and her aims for this season in the NPLW WA (19/7/23).
Above: Annabelle Leek plays a pass for Fremantle City against Balcatta Etna. Photo: Denyse McCulloch, supplied to Impetus by Annabelle Leek.
Annabelle Leek is part of a Fremantle City side who are building up a head of steam as the NPLW WA heads into the second half of the season.
This season, Leek is playing in a previously unfamiliar centre-back role, something that she feels she is gradually growing into.
“I’ve always thought of myself as an attacking player, previously playing as a midfielder or forward but this season has seen me transform into a ball-playing centre- back. At first, I was hesitant to move into defence but my experience playing elsewhere on the pitch and my knowledge of the game has helped me to adapt.
“I’d describe myself as an intelligent player with good composure and vision, all of which I have channelled into my centre-back role in which I endeavour to create and lead from the back. I’ve found having the whole pitch in front of me has played into my strengths and I’ve been playing with a level of confidence lately that I perhaps haven’t always had.”
For Leek, her current status as a key member of the Freo side all dates back to time spent watching Manchester City with her father.
“My footballing journey was inspired by my Dad and watching Man City play every week. I would dream of playing for a club and my first season at Kelmscott when I was 11 lived up to it.
“The year after, I moved to Beckenham where we had a very successful season and my coaches encouraged me to trial for the NTC. I stayed at NTC for four years until the end of 2018, making my way through the different age groups. My experience in the U15s was a highlight, particularly at the National Youth Championships in 2017 when we finished second.
“I owe a lot to the coaches I had at the time for the immense influence they had on my growth as a player and understanding of the game. The following year at NTC was a major challenge for me and it saw my confidence plummet. I was always told that I needed to believe in myself more but there was a period where I really struggled to do this.
“Luckily, moving to Freo and playing for my school, John Curtin, helped me get out of this negative mindset. My development was taken to new heights over my time at John Curtin. Being exposed to a group of amazing coaches every day for five years, each with a wide breadth of knowledge, was a privilege. Not only would we train, but we would also learn the ins and outs of the game in a classroom setting.
“We were fortunate enough to travel to the UK in 2018 where we played local academies and other school teams, and was undoubtedly the highlight of my footballing journey. I joined Freo for the 2019 season and was met with such a refreshing environment and a culture that was unrivalled by other teams. For me, the culture of a team is what I value the most and I can only see it getting stronger this season.”
Last season was one of ups and downs for Fremantle City despite making the top four at the end of the campaign, as Leek reflected.
“It was difficult to get into a really good run of form. The hardest part for us was the inconsistency in our starting 11. We knew we had the ability to compete against the top teams but for one reason or another, we were missing key players almost every week.
“Most notably, we struggled to get results against Perth SC and Perth RedStar, which unfortunately had us falling behind the leading pack. However, having the likes of Jamie-Lee Gale and Tash Rigby return as well as recruiting Kat Jukic to the squad was pivotal to our season. They added that extra level of experience and intensity to the team, helping us cement ourselves in the top four.”
Ahead of the 2023 campaign, Fremantle City appointed Faye Chambers as head coach, and Leek reveals that preparations started that little bit earlier than usual in order to become accustomed to the new coach, and help new faces to gel.
“The main focus was to welcome the new faces into the team and maintain the culture we have at Freo, whilst also creating a sustainable environment for future years. It can sometimes be daunting when there’s a lot of movement within a team, whether that be coaches or players, but the time during the off-season enabled everyone to integrate with ease.
“Our new players contribute a perfect balance of youth and experience to the squad. Abbey Green has had an instant impact since joining the team. After playing with her at NTC I knew right away that her direct attacking style and ability to beat defenders would see her fit swimmingly into the squad.
“Olivia Trueman has also been key to our season so far, scoring important goals and adding even more pace up front. We’ve also had some new defenders join, which I’ve been lucky enough to play next to on the pitch. Catherine Adams has been my centre-back partner this season and we have gelled so quickly in such a short period of time. Her passing from the back and composure on the ball is exactly what we need for our style of play.
“Maya Spatafore has brought extra pace and a desirable work ethic, being able to drive forward and combine with our wingers, as well as put in crucial tackles when we need it most. Also coming into the team this year is Carys Hawkins, another experienced player who has extensive knowledge of the game and is a natural leader.”
At the present time, after an up-and-down start to the campaign, Fremantle City are firmly placed in the top four – something Leek puts down to the combinations between new and returning players solidifying, and the addition of statistical analysis.
“We started the season a bit shaky, but I think we have since found our footing and have progressively improved with each game. We have been building our own brand of football and it’s really exciting to see our efforts amount to good results.
“Our style of play and chances we create are second to none, and this is further supported by the stats we receive from Emma Smith at Squared Ball Analytics. It gives us that extra bit of confidence that, even if we’re drawing or trailing at halftime, we have the capacity to win.
With Freo now beginning to fire on all cylinders, the centre-back sees only good things ahead.
“Now that we’re in a patch of good form and performing consistently week in and week out, myself and the team have high hopes for the season. We always say, ‘Trust the process,’ and it’s this trust that we have in each other, the coaching staff, and the brand of football that we’re building, that leaves me thinking the remainder of the season could go really well for us.
“We now have the consistency and squad depth that we have struggled with previously as well as the versatility to adapt to different setups that we come up against. The points may have been taken from us at the start but one thing that can’t be taken is our belief and desire to work for each other.”
Fremantle’s rise in the league has coincided with that of Perth SC’s winning run with Hyundai NTC threatening with a number of games in hand. Yet it is last season’s champions Perth RedStar that hold a commanding lead at the top of the NPLW WA once more.
“The league this season is unlike it has been for a few years,” observes Leek. “We’ve seen a number of surprise results that have made the top four spots harder to predict than ever. It seems every week there is a big game that can alter the league standings.
“What RedStar have previously had over the other teams is their consistency in both the league and finals, which makes them undoubtedly the team to beat. It’s tough to reach the top but even harder to stay there, yet they have managed to do this so well. However, this season has already been unpredictable so I think if we’re able to sustain our recent run of form, there’s no reason why we can’t rival them.”
In terms of Freo’s own potential for this season, Leek believes that the time is nigh for the port city club to lift some silverware.
“A trophy would be amazing. We’ve made top four a number of times but always come up short in the finals so to rectify this would be immense for the club. If we’re able to stay on this upward path I think sooner or later it will amount to some silverware.
“In terms of further growth, consolidating our style of play and maintaining the cohesion we have within the squad is always a priority, and will not only benefit us this season but also seasons to come.
“We also get to work alongside the Gaining Ground program, which has already achieved so much in empowering women and girls through sport. This is my fifth year at Freo and I have a lot of trust in what the club is building and believe we have already made a lot of progress this season with plenty more to come.”
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