As Impetus gears up for our fourth season of comprehensive coverage of the competition, eight of our writers – Ben Gilby, Kieran Yap, Ryan Miller-Woods, Denise Duffy, Emma Burke, Ben Carey, Genevieve Henry, and Kris Goman provide a detailed preview for every team in the league (11/10/23).
Adelaide United
By Ben Gilby
This could well be a crossroads season for Adelaide United as they look to return to the upper reaches of the ladder.
After the continued improvements in their final ladder positions, culminating in a first-ever spot in the Finals for 2021/22, last season will have to go down as a major disappointment for the South Australian side, who finished down in eighth, just five points above bottom-placed Wellington Phoenix.
Head coach Adrian Stenta has seen the departure of key attackers Chelsie Dawber and Fiona Worts, and the goals and opportunities that this pair have previously provided have played a major part in the Reds’ previous upward trajectory.
The impact of their loss has been softened by the arrival of one of the league’s most talented young attackers. Alana Jancevski has moved to South Australia after two years at Perth Glory. Jancevski is a player who is never afraid to try the unexpected and the inexplicable. Nine times out of 10 it comes off.
Outrageous skill, the ability and confidence to hit long-range screamers from both open play and set-pieces, she is one of the players to watch in the competition. Her departure from Perth is a considerable loss to the Glory – but for Adelaide, her arrival is potentially a real coup.
Up top, Jancevski is joined by another former Perth Glory attacker in Hannah Blake. Signed by the Western Australians as an injury replacement for Rylee Baisden after the American suffered an ACL injury, Blake had an impressive run of form for Perth, scoring three goals in six appearances. The forward has also got international experience with New Zealand, playing at the U17 World Cup (in 2016) and the U20 World Cup (2016 and 2018).
The two former Perth players are joined up front by the hugely promising Young Matilda Emilia Murray, a local product. Murray has a big future ahead of her, and fans should look forward with relish to her potential partnership with Jancevski as two next gen stars with outrageous talents team up.
At the back, Adelaide can call on the reliable presence of Emily Hodgson and Maruschka Waldus, with the additional creativity of Emily Condon and Dylan Holmes in midfield.
This is a Reds side that have real potential, but the challenge for them is to pick up points, particularly away, against the teams who they are likely to be challenging for a top-six spot with.
At the present time, whilst they have a well-organised back line and lots of creativity up top, with Dawber and Worts gone, they lack players who have consistently scored 10+ goals a season, and that could prove to be their undoing.
Brisbane Roar
by Ben Carey
Last season was an extremely tough one for Brisbane Roar. The midfield was generally quite strong, but they struggled in both attack and defence which resulted in a lot of draws (the second most in the league).
It appeared like the Roar might make a miraculous late-season comeback after beating the league leaders, Western United, 2-0 at home. But their massive win was overturned by the APL due to a technicality. After that, the Roar’s spirits were crushed, and they ended up finishing ninth in the table. A very underwhelming finish for the two-time champions and three-time premiers.
This season will likely be another transitionary season for Brisbane Roar as there have been a huge number of changes to their squad. The Roar have lost many talented players since the end of last season.
American goalkeeper, Hensley Hancuff, who was outstanding for the Roar last season has moved to Sweden. Jamilla Rankin has signed with Melbourne Victory, and experienced defender Jessie Rasschaert has retired, which is a shame as last season was arguably the best of her career. 2023 Women’s World Cup star Katrina Gorry, is currently playing in Sweden, and there has been no announcement of her return to the Roar. Finally, Shea Connors, Brisbane Roar’s top scorer last season, has signed with Sydney FC.
But it’s not all doom and gloom. Roar has made some fine additions to the squad as well. American goalkeeper, Jordan Silkowitz, has been signed on loan from Kansas City Current. Following Hancuff, she’ll have big gloves to fill. Two more Americans who play their football in Europe have also signed: central defender Leah Scarpelli from Sporting CP in Portugal and forward Mia Corbin from Parma in Italy. Newcastle Jets forward, Ashlee Brodigan, has also joined the squad. But the biggest and most impactful signing is vastly experienced Matilda, Tameka Yallop, who returns home after playing in Europe for the past two years.
Brisbane Roar face a number of issues this season. Firstly, they are going to struggle to find goals without the likes of Gorry in the midfield and Connors to finish them off. Hollie Palmer did perform well last season alongside Gorry, hopefully, she will be able to do some good work in her midfield partnership with Yallop this season. Corbin, who scored three goals and bagged two assists in the most recent season of the Serie A in Italy, will also have an opportunity to shine in front of goals.
Secondly, without the youthful flair of Rankin and the vast experience of Rasschaert and Swedish defender Kajsa Lind in the back line, Roar are going to find it very difficult to shut down attacks from the very best teams in the league. Teams like Sydney FC, Western United, and Melbourne Victory will surely shred their defences if they are not dynamic, well-organised, and disciplined, which are very difficult things for inexperienced defenders to be. At the very least, it will be an opportunity for young talents, such as Holly McQueen to step up and show what they can do.
Lastly, it’s possible that tactical (or administrative) issues could rear their ugly head again. Head coach Garrath McPherson is very lucky to still have his job considering that his team slipped from sixth place to ninth last season. Certainly, McPherson is not the only one to blame for Brisbane Roar’s lacklustre results last season, but he played a large part.
The APL’s decision to reverse the win against Western United was the nail in the coffin for Brisbane Roar last season, and although officials should never have allowed it to happen, McPherson is still responsible for making the ineligible substitution that resulted in the win being overturned and Roar losing three valuable points. His tactics also allowed the Roar to lose or tie matches they were leading, most famously the match where they led a 10-player Wellington Phoenix at home 2-0 and then ended up tying the match 3-3.
Hopefully, McPherson has learned a lot from last season and will be able to deliver the goods this time around. There is no room for administrative errors or poor late-game management if the Roar want to improve on their standings in the table.
This is a transitionary season for Brisbane Roar, a season of building and adjusting to new players and tactics. It’s very unlikely that the Roar will take home any silverware this season. I think a successful season would be significantly improving upon their ninth-place finish from last year and qualifying for the Finals series, which has been expanded to the top six teams this year. And as the NWSL has shown us, once knockout football begins, anything can happen.
Canberra United
By Ryan Miller-Woods
Two goals were all the difference between Canberra United and Melbourne Victory at the end of the regular season as Victory finished in fourth and went one game away from making a third consecutive Grand Final while United just missed out on making the Finals in fifth.
Canberra last season when they were on were outstanding and hit the fourth most goals in 2022/23 with 35 that kept them in the Finals fight until the final round but when it wasn’t their day, it really wasn’t as they also conceded the fourth most goals with 30 which when compared to Victory who conceded 22, goal difference was crucial when the season concluded.
Njegosh Popovich will remain the Head Coach at Canberra for a second season. Popovich was a very stable head throughout the season and had the right attitude for whatever the situation was which for any player under his management would find a significant positive in the way they play. His guidance will play a significant role in how the club progresses this season.
Chloe Lincoln remains at United for the second year of her current deal. The 18-year-old played in 14 of United’s 18 matches last season where she kept four clean sheets and conceded 22 goals for a 1.58 average.
Lincoln, is an incredibly bright goalkeeper with the future very much ahead of her where a standout season could see rival clubs jump at the prospect of having her in their squad, so it’ll be important for Canberra to keep her at the club at all costs.
In defence for Canberra, Tegan Bertolissio (Macarthur Rams) and Cannon Clough (Newcastle Jets) join alongside Emma Ilijoski, Holly Murray, and Hayley Taylor-Young.
What is most apparent with United’s defenders is that youth is very prominent amongst the ranks with an average age of 20.8 years with Bertolissio (17), Murray (19), Ilijoski (20), and Taylor-Young (21).
The latest addition to the backline Clough is in the prime of her career at 27 with further A-League experience with Brisbane Roar and Newcastle Jets which also fills a gap that has been left by the retirement of Ellie Brush.
With these players, the quality and potential that they have will be incredibly vital in front of Lincoln as should a goal be conceded and how they react to it, could be the difference between making the Finals or not.
Canberra’s midfield will see Mary Stanic-Floody join from A-League Premiers Sydney FC alongside Sasha Grove and Vesna Milivojević. When Grove played for extended periods last season, she was impressive which with star players Grace Maher and Laura Hughes no longer at Canberra, provides her a golden opportunity this season to shine and make the midfield her own.
With Milivojević, there aren’t enough superlatives that can do her breakout season in the A-League enough justice as with eight goals and three assists the role she played, in my opinion, was the most beneficial towards the entire squad and arguably was Canberra’s best player in the 2022/23 season.
If she plays exactly like she did last season and then some, it isn’t out of the question to say that she’ll be the Julie Dolan Medallist at season’s end or at the very least one of the favourites to take it out.
In attack for Canberra will see Nicki Flannery, all-time leading A-League Women’s goal scorer Michelle Heyman, and Maria Cote Rojas who returns to United after last being there in 2019 commanding the goal-scoring opportunities alongside new additions to the club in Deven Jackson (Eastern Suburbs) and Ruby Nathan who both come from New Zealand.
Heyman had another impressive campaign up front as the runner-up in the A-League Women’s Golden Boot with 12 goals. She was integral towards chances having been converted when they were made and was just one goal behind eventual winner Hannah Keane (in the Regular Season).
Heyman is only seven goals away from 100 A-League goals and will be extremely hungry to achieve the feat this season. If she does so, she would become just the third player in the A-League era (Men’s or Women’s) to do that.
The main objective for Canberra this season is first and foremost to make the Finals which with it being an expanded format for 2023/24, provides United with a great chance of doing so but with the very high standards the club commands, simply making Finals won’t be enough, comfortably making it will be the minimum.
With the star power that they have in their entire squad, I can see United finishing a very close fourth or fifth making the Finals in the process for the first time since the 2020/21 season.
Central Coast Mariners
By Ryan Miller-Woods
The return of the Central Coast Mariners for the first time since the 2009 W-League season has been highly anticipated since the announcement of their re-entry on 3rd September 2021.
The club’s head coach, Emily Husband, comes from NPLW NSW side Sydney University where from 2020 to 2023 achieved two Minor Premierships in 2020 and 2022 and also won the NPL NSW 1 Coach of the Year.
She is no stranger to the A-League Women as in the 2020/21 season (previously the W-League) was Vicki Linton’s Assistant at Canberra United which saw United finish fourth in the regular season and one match away from making the Grand Final when they lost to Sydney FC 3-0 in the Semi-Final.
Their goalkeepers will be Chloe Carmichael (Nepean FC) and Sarah Langman (Perth Glory). With Carmichael, she comes from FNSW League One Women’s club Nepean FC where the 20-year-old played in all but two of Nepean’s matches in their most recent campaign as she kept five clean sheets and conceded 33 goals in 24 matches with a 1.38 average goals conceded.
As for Langman, she comes from A-League Women’s side Perth Glory whilst having had further experience with Adelaide United and Western Sydney Wanderers. In Langman’s only season with the Glory, she played in 11 of Perth’s 18 matches, kept two clean sheets, and made a grand total of 52 saves with a 77.6% save rate.
Langman being at the Mariners, will be great having an experienced goalkeeper between the sticks but will also be extremely helpful towards the development of Carmichael.
In defence the Mariners will have Faye Bryson (Reading), Ash Irwin (Sydney Olympic), Taren King (Newcastle Jets), Maya Lobo (FNSW Institute), Annabel Martin (Sydney University), Sophie Nenadovic (the club’s FNSW League One side), Peta Trimis (Bulls FC Academy) and Jazmin Wardlow (Fiorentina).
It is a good and solid backline with A-League experience with King, Nenadovic and Martin, European experience with Bryson and Wardlow, and the potential of youth that exists with Lobo and Trimis who are stars of the future currently within the Young Matildas set-up and were impressive this season in the NPLW NSW.
The signing of Bryson, in particular, is great for the Central Coast not only the fact that she’s played for Everton, Bristol City and Reading in the WSL but has played 93 matches amongst those three clubs which with the quality and style that English football possesses, bodes very well for the Mariners backline and will go a long way for them this season.
Central Coast’s midfield will consist of Bianca Galic (Sydney University), Isabel Gomez (Wellington Phoenix), Tiarna Karambasis (Lions FC) and Tess Quilligan (Sydney University).
Galic’s return to the A-League after missing the 2022/23 season due to an ACL injury with Western Sydney Wanderers the season prior makes for a great addition to the Mariners as the role she’ll play will be essential towards chances being made in the final third and in general, overall build-up in play amongst the squad.
Gomez is a bright talent at just 21 years of age. The way that she plays the game, her tenacity on the ball, her toughness, and how she makes everything look so effortless out on the pitch, makes for a brilliant signing all-round and will massively benefit the Mariners in more ways than one.
The forwards for the Mariners include Rola Badawiya (Sydney FC), Shadeene Evans (Northern Tigers), Paige Hayward (Adelaide United), Annalise Rasmussen (the club’s FNSW League One side), Kyah Simon (Tottenham Hotspur) and Wurigumula (Changchun Jiuyin Loans). Central Coast’s attack is arguably the strongest of the entire squad with years of A-League experience between Hayward and Simon.
Simon’s return to the league is a full-circle moment given the Mariners were her first club in the competition back in 2008. The experience that she’ll bring with 111 caps for Australia and 108 A-League appearances with the Mariners, Sydney FC, and Melbourne City respectively, will take everyone within the squad to another level in how they play and conduct themselves as individuals.
Given it has been 14 years since the Mariners were last in the league, it provides some unknowns as to how they’ll go this season but it might be more of an advantage than some people may realise as while teams will have data on the Mariners as the season progresses until you play each other competitively, you simply won’t know what to expect with your style of play compared to theirs.
With the players they’ve signed and Husband being in charge, I can see the Mariners finishing anywhere between sixth and eighth this season.
Melbourne City
By Emma Burke
While Dario Vidosic’s side has seen some significant losses in players such as captain Emma Checker moving back to cross-town rivals Melbourne Victory, Cote Rojas returning to Canberra United, and New Zealand defender Katie Bowen making the move to Europe after signing with Internazionale (Inter Milan) following the World Cup, the signings and re-signings that have been made in the off-season offer the promise of a longer-term project for the four-time League Champions.
City have brought back club legend Rebekah Stott for what will be her seventh season with the club. Her signing sees her return to Melbourne following her World Cup campaign with New Zealand and a Club stint with Brighton & Hove Albion in England’s Women’s Super League. Stott’s contract is penned for two years, keeping the fan favourite in City Blue until at least the 2024/25 season.
Last season’s leading scorer for City, Rhianna Pollicina has also re-signed for two years, and she’s joined in doing so by Kaitlyn Torpey, Leah Davidson, Holly McNamara, and Leticia McKenna. City have also signed McKenna’s younger sister Tijan McKenna, a midfielder who played with Heidelberg United in the NPLW this year and was previously with Perth Glory.
Other new signings include Canadian goalkeeper Lysianne Proux, American defender Taylor Otto who most recently played with Celtic, and Laura Hughes, a midfielder and formerly a Canberra United favourite.
The club’s player of the season, American International Julia Grosso has also extended her stay down under with a deal that will see her play a further two seasons for Melbourne City.
City will ultimately be pushing to play in finals football once again and look to go a step further than last year when they were knocked out by Melbourne Victory in a thrilling 3-3 semi-final that ended in a penalty shootout and Victory moving on to the final.
In the last season and a half under Dario Vidosic, City has played mostly possession-based football, choosing to send the ball along and around their backline before looking to move forward in attack. You can hardly get scored on by a team that doesn’t have the ball, can you?
They will likely look to utilise the quality of their midfield in Pollicina and Grosso when building up to strike, before releasing New Zealand international Hannah Wilkinson who returns to City for another year.
Having Holly McNamara back in full form after only playing five games last season while still on the return from an ACL injury gives City another powerful attacking option, while the likes of the McKenna sisters offer a different angle in scoring as neither are afraid of attempting scoring from a distance.
Finishing anywhere other than in the top four by the end of the regular season will be seen as a step backward for the club who made their return to finals last season and will not bode well for their future given the longer-term plan Vidosic seems to have in mind for the team.
Melbourne City face Wellington Phoenix, Canberra United, Western United, Sydney FC, and Newcastle Jets in the opening five rounds of the Liberty A-League Women’s schedule, and they’ll be after a start that is in stark opposition to the last five games they played last season where they failed to win a game.
Melbourne Victory
By Kieran Yap
Melbourne Victory have recruited strongly to bridge the gap and reclaim the championship.
Melbourne Victory’s 2022/23 season finished with a semi-final knockout to Sydney FC. Although they finished in the top four once again and knocked out Melbourne City in an epic penalty shootout, they were not in peak form at the end of the campaign in the same way as the two Grand Finalists.
Some of this was bad luck, late season injuries to Paige Zois and Elise Kellond-Knight, depleted their midfield stocks, Catherine Zimmerman similarly missed most of the first half of the season with a leg fracture, and Alex Chidiac had to return to the NWSL at the end of her loan spell.
In the offseason, Victory has looked to address the squad’s needs with high-profile talents. Emily Gielnik, Emma Checker, and Lydia Williams have all signed on to replace fan favourites Claudia Bunge, Casey Dumont, and Catherine Zimmerman.
Former Sydney FC playmaker Rachel Lowe has come in to take up creative duties alongside Beattie Goad. The departure of the brilliant but injury hit Melina Ayres has been addressed with the signing of Kurea Okino. The Japanese striker scored 31 goals in the Vic NPLW for Boroondara-Carey and looks ready to step up to the A-League Women.
Most importantly, Jamilla Rankin has been enticed down from Brisbane Roar. Victory struggled at left-back last season. Gema Simon was unable to play many games, Nat Tathem is better suited to midfield, and moving Goad there took too much away from the forwards.
Rankin is one of the most highly regarded fullbacks in the country and will make a huge difference to this team. With Jess Nash on the opposite flanks, only the best opposition wingers will have any fun against Jeff Hopkin’s new-look defence.
Things are promising, although not everything is ideal. The club has not officially announced it, but it appears that Amy Jackson and Tiffany Eliadis will not be returning this season.
The pair are not the biggest names in the league but have been vital to Victory’s success in the last three seasons. Both are prepared to play wherever they are needed and have the experience to fix any problems that arise in or between games.
Jackson’s positioning and competitiveness was the key to Victory’s defeats over City’s star-studded midfield last season, and Eliadis was a key component to Hopkins’ game plan throughout the campaign.
The absence of either leaves a big hole in the line up, and removes Victory’s historical backup plan for any and all crises.
Victory will likely look to the youngsters in their list more often this season. Ella O’Grady is an exciting attacking talent, The Young Matilda has impressed in the national team setup and will thrive with opportunity. She is a good finisher with a creative eye and impressive off the ball movement for her age.
Alana Murphy ended last season in top form and looks likely to continue her steady upward trajectory. Zois has fully recovered and enters this season after helping to drive Bulleen Lions to an NPLW premiership and Grand Final.
Tricky, 17-year-old winger Ava Briedis was thrown in the deep end last season but impressed enough to excite fans. She has obvious talent but may need to bide her time behind the likes of Lia Privitelli, Goad, and Gielnik.
It is a longer season this time around. Victory have a good mix of youth and experience. The only risk to a squad boasting so many Young Matildas and Under 23 stars is that they may be called up to camp and temporarily deplete playing stocks.
However, Victory have recruited as strongly as possibly could be expected. The rewards of acquiring the best young players in the country outweighs the risks of them missing a few games as a direct result of that talent.
With the amount of new faces, Victory’s biggest hurdle will be the squad adjusting to each other. There is familiarity between many of them at senior and youth Matildas level, but the attackers will be almost entirely new to each other, and the midfield will have a very different look to the last four seasons. The arrival of Americans Tori Hansen and Mackenzie Weinert adds more depth, and both look suited to the league, but things will take time to gel.
There will likely be some early season rustiness to the performances as they look to find their best lineup and develop chemistry, but with the competition changing to a top-six final series combined with the extra rounds of games, there is more room for error and experimentation than ever before.
Overall, this looks like a strong Victory squad and one that has addressed the shortcomings of last season while replacing the departed stars as well as could be expected.
In every third of the field there is a star, an international or a club icon. At their best, Victory will score goals and be hard to score against. The only question is how long it will take to get to that level.
Newcastle Jets
By Ryan Miller-Woods
It was another frustrating campaign for Newcastle last season, recording wins against only against Western Sydney Wanderers, Adelaide United, Western United, and Wellington Phoenix. On top of this they conceded a total of 53 goals in just 18 matches with 2.94 goals conceded on average.
Despite that, they still finished two points ahead of Wellington Phoenix in second last on the table at the end of the regular season, which for the Jets gives them an uphill battle to make Finals for the first time since the 2017/18 season.
Being appointed full-time Head Coach after Ash Wilson’s departure towards the back end of last season, Gary van Egmond remains in charge of Newcastle for 2023/24. Given van Egmond’s experience, especially with the Jets in many different roles throughout the years with both the men’s and women’s teams, he is a very important appointment for the club not only in the short-term but in the long-term as well.
Newcastle’s goalkeepers this season are Isabel Nino (University of Michigan) and Kiara Rochaix (Blacktown City). Rochaix comes from the FNSW Women’s League One side Blacktown City made 28 appearances in total last season as she kept six clean sheets and conceded 49 goals for an average of 1.75 goals conceded.
With the retirement of Clare Coelho, Nino and Rochaix have big shoes to fill in between the sticks this season and they will have to go above and beyond to block out the dangerous attacks that exist in the A-League Women.
In the defence for the Jets this season will be Swiss international Lorenna Baumann (S.F. Damaiense), Claudia Cicco (Wellington Phoenix), Sophie Hoban (APIA Leichhardt), Alex Huynh (Macarthur Rams), Natasha Prior (APIA Leichhardt), Maggie Shaw (Chattanooga Red Wolves), Gema Simon (Melbourne Victory) and Josie Wilson (Northern Tigers) join alongside club veteran Cassidy Davis who will be in her tenth consecutive year at the club.
The signing of Claudia Cicco is an absolute steal for Newcastle. The Young Matilda who in the off-season with APIA Leichhardt in the NPLW NSW was crucial towards their success in the season, has a lot of potential at just 19 years of age and with a second season of A-League experience under her belt, will be an important player for the Jets.
Experienced players Alex Huynh, Cassidy Davis, and Gema Simon will all be integral to how the season potentially shapes up for Newcastle in the backline as the experience they have will be massively beneficial to the development of the younger players within the Jets squad. It also gives hope to an improvement in their defensive record this time round.
Within the midfield, Newcastle will have Rebecca Burrows (Canberra United), Libby Copus-Brown (Lewes), and Lara Gooch where all three players mentioned will be essential towards how chances are made and build-ups in play for the attack. Burrows will be looking to make up for lost time after she tore her ACL before the commencement of the 2022/23 A-League Women’s season.
Copus-Brown returns to the club where she made her debut for back in 2013 after having played for Western Sydney Wanderers as well as a stint in England with second- tier side Lewes.
Gooch also returns to Newcastle where the 17-year-old currently has 13 games of experience and is a prospect for the future.
Despite the lack of depth in attack, both Melina Ayres (Melbourne Victory) and Lauren Allan are great players to have if they can link up instantaneously, then that will be incredibly beneficial towards the number of goals that they are to score this season.
Ayres when she was at Melbourne Victory in 84 appearances scored 30 goals with a goal every 2.80 matches, which with those numbers will play arguably the most significant role of any player at the Jets and a potential run for the Finals.
Newcastle need a combination of more goals scored and far fewer conceded. Whilst this could be a tall order within an even more competitive A-League Women competition, should it be achieved, a position of eighth or ninth is possible.
Perth Glory
By Ben Gilby
After missing out on Finals football by the smallest of margins over the last two seasons, Alex Epakis has assembled another talented young squad in Western Australia – but this time they have lost the services of several key players.
At the end of last season, experienced defensive rock Kim Carroll, former Matilda, brought down the curtain on her glittering career. However, on the positive side of the ledger, there is the welcome return of youngster Claudia Mihocic who missed the whole of last season through injury.
Elsewhere at the back, local star Izzy Foletta returns. As well as providing strong cover in defence, Foletta formed a hugely impressive partnership with Cyera Hintzen in connecting with the American forward in creating key attacking moves for the WA side.
Philippines international defender Jessika Cowart has also arrived to add ballast to the backline along with the experience of captain Tash Rigby and New Zealand international defender Liz Anton, along with the locally produced youngster Bella Wallhead.
The midfield is stacked with exciting young talent, a number of whom are both new to the club and the A-League Women. In terms of the local teenage talent in that midfield, Georgia Cassidy has been a key part of the teenage NTC squad. A local who has a sensational record of scoring jet-propelled long-range free-kicks, Cassidy can also pick out perfectly judged crossfield passes and release her strikers with sumptuous passes. She also loves a crunching challenge.
Grace Johnston has played alongside Cassidy in the NTC side in recent years, and is another teen who has a footballing brain way beyond her years. Johnston does a lot of the hard yards off the ball.
Alongside this pair are three further local stars, Hana Lowry, Sarah Cain, and Abbey Green. Lowry has been the jewel of the locally produced players’ crown in recent years, and continues to evolve in her ability to play a range of roles across the middle. Green has been in the NPLW WA this year with Fremantle City with her twinking toes, sparkling feet, pacey runs, and clinical finishing.
Perth can also point to the returning talent of Sofia Sakalis and Susan Phonsongkham. Sakalis has got better each season that has gone by. She has dancing feet, superb vision, and her continued development will be key. I don’t think we have yet seen the best of Susan Phonsongkham. A player who has had bad luck with injuries, the 22-year-old needs regular football in a bid to push on and become the player that many have predicted she can be.
Two outstanding attacking talents have also departed after two seasons in Perth. First, last season’s joint Impetus A-League Women player of the season, Cyera Hintzen is currently in the NWSL with NY/NJ Gotham. Potentially, there is a window for her to return after duties in North America. Hintzen’s vision, strength, and sharpness in front of goal were a big part of the club’s push for Finals last season.
Also gone is the outrageous talent of Alana Jancevski who has moved to Adelaide United. A player who could reach into her magic wand and create the most incredible pass or long-range screamer out of nothing would be a huge loss for any side. But with Hintzen also potentially gone as well, this could well prove to be the decisive factor in whether they come close to Finals football once more.
To potentially replace the pair in an attacking sense, there are a number of new forwards. Millie Farrow, former England U19 and U23 striker has had WSL experience at Reading, Bristol City, and Leicester City. Farrow scored a hat-trick on her Perth debut against an NPLW WA XI, and Epakis will need her to keep her scoring boots firing into the new season.
Also arriving is former Wellington Phoenix and Canberra United striker Grace Jale, who will be looking to hit the ground running. There’s also the Philippines’ record scorer Quinley Quezada who has 23 goals from 52 international caps.
Potentially the most exciting attacking talent comes in the shape of local stars Tanika Lala and Tia Stonehill. Lala is the best teenage Western Australian striker I have seen since Sam Kerr. Lala has pace, strength, and confident finishing. Her stock in trade is the run through the centre, holding off would-be tacklers and hitting low, powerful shots into the net. How much game time Lala gets this season is questionable, but having received offers from Scottish Premier clubs highlights the potential this starlet has.
Now 26, Tia Stonehill is a player with a sensational backstory. The striker has been one of the best goal-scorers in the state league over the past five years. Stonehill missed the whole of the 2022 season after suffering a potentially career-ending injury as she fractured the bones in her spine that connect muscles to her back. It led to her needing 24/7 care.
Yet the striker is made of stern stuff and made a sensational comeback during the 2023 NPLW WA season with Balcatta Etna where she an absolute shoo-in to Impetus NPLW WA team of the season. An all-action forward with blistering pace, powerful finishing, and real confidence in front of goal, Stonehill really deserves this opportunity, and I expect her to grab it with both hands. If Perth can fire through the midfield to provide her with chances, she will fly.
There are so many “ifs, buts, and maybes” to confidently predict Perth Glory’s season. If the kids can come together and flourish on the biggest stage of Australian women’s football, then Perth’s potential is endless. They could be one of the most attractive sides to watch anywhere in the competition. However, if the large number of players with minimal or no A-League experience find the step up too big, then Epakis’ team could find themselves further down the ladder than they would like.
Sydney FC
By Genevieve Henry
Australia’s most successful women’s side should come into this season high on confidence. They won both the premiership and the championship last season, for the fourth and fifth times respectively, but the first time in the same season. Their resounding 4-0 win over Western United was the biggest Grand Final win in the competition’s history. Ante Juric has a special team and they will be looking to take on new challenges this season.
Unfortunately for Sydney, they lost a group of core players to international opportunities. Prolific scorer Madison Haley, midfield maestro Mackenzie Hawkesby, and young gun Charlize Rule all departed to Brighton and Hove Albion in England. Deborah Anne de la Harpe and Sarah Hunter left for European clubs as well. Sydney had a huge loss in Rachel Lowe signing for title rivals Melbourne Victory. Other players departing to different A-League Women clubs include Rola Badawiya, Shadeene Evans, Anika Stajcic, and Mary Stanic-Floody. Another loss for Sydney is the retirement of Anna Green.
However, through all of these losses are sparks of hope. Sydney have gotten massively lucky to retain Matildas star Cortnee Vine, who was thought to be departing the club after the World Cup. The forward had interest from many top clubs, but chose to stay at home to support and grow Australian football. Princess Ibini and Abbey Lemon are still with the club as well, putting the front line in talented hands.
The injury-ridden Taylor Ray will hopefully make an impact this season if she stays fit in the midfield. In the heart of defence, captain Nat Tobin, Charlotte McLean, and Kirsty Fenton have all stayed with the Sky Blues. The Dos Santos sisters have also remained with Sydney, likely to have bigger roles this season. In the net, all three keepers have stuck around, so one can expect to see some healthy competition between the highly acclaimed Jada Whyman, Katie Offer, and Tahlia Franco.
Some new signings for Sydney are also indicative that they will be pushing to continue their streak of success this season. Young defender Tori Tumeth is a great steal from Melbourne City who will surely strengthen the Sky Blues’ defence. Promising midfielders Zara Krueger and Sienna Saveska will add much-needed bodies to the midfield, while the experienced Shea Connors will bring something special to the attack. Former Adelaide United star and Julie Dolan Medallist Fiona Worts will be an excellent attacking addition to this already talented squad.
An area that could prove to be Sydney’s Achilles Heel is the midfield. Losing Lowe, Hunter, and Hawkesby is a real blow. For a team that had such a strong midfield full of depth last season, the lack of this will be an adaptation.
The mix of youth and experience in this squad gives the Sky Blues an advantage over many opponents. The fact that the young players are so well-versed in the game is remarkable. With young Matildas and senior Matildas amongst the squad, the desire to grow and succeed should overwhelm the losses they have endured. Many of Sydney’s squad are the future of Australian football, with Whyman, Ray, Ibini, and Fenton among the players making names for themselves on the big stage. This personal pressure alongside the knowledge and leadership of players like Tobin, McLean, and Vine should form the perfect blend of energy, passion, and steadiness.
Juric and his coaching staff have a tough task ahead this season as women’s football grows in Australia. This team has consistently been ahead of the curb, but can they emerge triumphant once again?
Wellington Phoenix
By Denise Duffy and Ryan Miller-Woods
You wouldn’t think that the Wellington Phoenix, who finished last for the second season running, had improved in 2022/23 but were quite competitive against many of their opponents.
Matches such as a 5-0 win against Canberra United, which was their first win of both the season and in New Zealand, a 1-0 win against Sydney FC, and a 3-1 win against Adelaide United showed definite improvement. However, it was unluckiness that defined their season, particularly in the second halves of matches.
Wellington has had a different coach for every season so far in the competition. While the quality of play has been high in the previous seasons, with upsets occurring, the results have led to the departures of Gemma Lewis and Natalie Lawrence who have since pursued opportunities in Europe. New Head Coach Paul Temple has stability with a two-year contract and less pressure scrambling for talent in the pre-season with rule changes made for signings.
The Phoenix faced constraints in seasons prior and could only sign overseas players at the expense of New Zealanders. Coupled with a quota of Australian players, made team composition challenging. This season marks a pivotal shift as Antipodean players are now counted as domestic for Wellington, which puts them in line with every other A-League club and doesn’t restrict them on who they can bring in as Visa players.
“Our goal this year is to put the puzzle together and to be able to finish these games that we want to win” states Hailey Davidson, a Texan-born visa player, who will be joining the Phoenix as a right back. Defensive anchors Mackenzie Barry, Michaela Foster, Zoe McMeeken, Marisa van der Meer, and Kate Taylor remain at the club. Rebecca Lake adds depth and physicality to the ranks at Wellington.
First-choice goalkeeper Brianna Edwards aims to capitalise on her A-League experience this season. She’s been within the New Zealand senior squad on and off for over a year most recently on the tour in Chile.
Former Canadian youth international at the U17 and U20 levels as well as Liverpool goalkeeper Rylee Foster has also joined Wellington. She comes back to football almost two years after a major accident in October 2021 left her neck broken in seven places as well as other life-threatening injuries.
The midfield will include last season’s captain, Chloe Knott who for the majority of the last season led Wellington in Lily Alfeld’s absence. Knott’s experience as captain and being well-integrated within the club will be crucial this season. Additionally, if you have Knott playing in the position that suits her best and getting the absolute most out of her, will be a massive benefit for the Phoenix.
Annalie Longo, who originally signed for Wellington last season before suffering an ACL tear that ruled her out will now fill the void left by Betsy Hassett. Longo comes to the Phoenix with both A-League experience with Sydney FC and Melbourne Victory and 131 appearances for New Zealand.
Wellington’s biggest signing for the 2023/24 season is Hope Breslin, a former standout player at the University of Illinois. In the 2022 NWSL Draft, Breslin was Angel City FC’s top pick and spent a season with them before moving to Houston Dash. The A-League has been a valuable proving ground for Americans. Last season, for instance, with Hannah Keane and Hillary Beall at Western United and Madison Haley at Sydney FC the A-League offered them ample playing time to showcase their talent and sharpen their skills.
The Phoenix will rely on Breslin’s New York grit, intelligence, and athleticism to make a significant impact on the field.
The attack will include the rapid and skillful Michaela Robertson as well as Emma Main who shined when given the opportunity towards the end of last season. Robertson and Main will be important for Wellington this season. Kelli Brown returns after a season away where in the most recent NPLW NSW season for Macarthur Rams scored 30 goals in 31 appearances as the Rams won a second consecutive NPLW NSW Grand Final.
Brown was one of Macarthur’s most important players and if she continues that form into the A-League, Wellington have potentially resolved their goalscoring issues in attack.
American-born, Venezuelan international Mariana Speckmaier also joins Wellington this season. As a World Cup replacement player in 2023 with the Washington Spirit in the NWSL, she scored arguably one of the best goals of the season against Orlando Pride from outside the box. It both won Spirit the match and was her first goal in the NWSL.
If she can be a game-changer and score goals such as that from anywhere on the pitch, then the Phoenix will have a much-needed dynamic offensive threat.
Recruitment and the rule changes with the players that the Phoenix have been able to sign, benefit them significantly (and deservedly so) for the season ahead. One area that was their Achilles heel was defending in their box from opposition set pieces. If they can get that under control and connect offensively through their lines, they will be a formidable force in the league. A realistic charge towards Finals is a possibility if everything can firmly fall into place.
Western Sydney Wanderers
By Kris Goman
Western Sydney Wanderers commence their twelfth season in the A-League Women in a state of flux after the shock change of coach just ten days before the season starts.
Kat Smith guided the team to a respectable seventh position last season and had been busy recruiting players in the lead up to the new season. The bombshell dropped on Wednesday 4th October that Robbie Hooker was to replace Smith for the 23/24 season. He admitted he was struggling to just remember the players’ names at that stage but also said he’d trust the current coaching team to assist his knowledge and maintain some balance.
It’s not all bad news though. Hooker is a very experienced coach and player being an ex-Socceroo and the inaugural coach of Canberra United in the 08/09 season. He was also an assistant coach of the Matildas under Tom Sermanni and will be working closely with him again as he’s the Head of Women’s Football at the Wanderers.
Two stars of the World Cup have left the team: Sarina Bolden who represented the Philippines appears to have not been re-signed and defender and last year’s captain, Clare Hunt, has been signed by Paris Saint Germain (PSG) to play in Europe. Three other internationals in Jitka Chlastakova (Czech), Jordyn Bloomer (USA), and Malia Steinmetz (NZ) have also departed the club for this season. Sheridan Gallagher changed codes to Rugby League and a premiership win with Newcastle Knights. Sienna Saveska was signed by Sydney FC for the next two seasons.
However, Hooker inherits a solid team with the right mix of experience and youth and while it looks like all the key players have left, there’s still a very strong core from last season along with a couple of impressive new signings.
Returning are goalkeeper Sham Khamis; defenders Lauren Kier, Cushla Rue, Gemma Ferris, and Ella Abdul Massih; midfielders Amy Chessari, Amy Harrison, Liv Price, Mel Caceres, Danika Matos, Alexia Apostolakis, and Beth Gordon. Among the forwards Sophie Harding and Holly Caspers. Harrison, Price, Matos and Keir were all on the starting team last season and bring a wealth of experience and a number of years playing together. Both Matos and Keir roam the sidelines with attacking runs and very solid defence. Harrison and Price control the midfield and are not shy about scoring either and will take any opportunity presented.
Chessari, Caceres, Apostolakis, Ferris, Rue, Abdul Massih, Gordon, Harding, and Caspers are mostly all in their second season at the Wanderers and many of them are Young or Junior Matildas. There’s plenty of genuine talent and enthusiasm among that cohort and they’ll all be vying to make the starting eleven each week.
There’s a number of interesting new signings this season too. Number one keeper Kaylie Collins is on loan from Orlando Pride for the season. Although she’s only played one match for Pride during the Challenge Cup, she had a very successful college career with USC Trojans. This stint with the Wanderers should be a great opportunity for match time.
Maliah Morris also hails from Orlando Pride and was signed there as an injury and national team replacement player. From Clemson University, the striker is described as “A powerful striker who can carry the ball, hold up play, is strong in the air and works hard for the team”. She was a regular starter at Clemson every year and a prolific scorer which bodes well for the Wanderers if she can find the same form.
Vicky Bruce arrives in Sydney from Bristol City and winning the 2023 FA Women’s Championship which saw City promoted back into the WSL. She comes as a very experienced defender having played in Scotland, Iceland, Cyprus, Sweden, Denmark, Germany and England and being selected for the USWNT U14, U15, and U16 teams. She should be a significant amount of experience and leadership to the team.
Maddy McComasky and Keely Segavcic are both transfers from Canberra United. Maddy is a defender and Segavcicis a keeper. India Breier, Talia Younis and Ischia Brooking are all junior Matildas in their first ALW season. Brooking is only 14 years old and comes fresh from an outstanding season in the NPLW WA with Hyundai NTC..
Finally, Milly Clegg is a Football Fern and was with the NZ team during the World Cup. She’s a prodigious talent and a natural striker and one of very few people that have attended an U20, U17 and senior Women’s World Cup within 12 months. She came from Wellington Phoenix and is on an amateur contract so she can still potentially play in the US college system.
The Wander Women have always had a formidable defence but have been let down up front by not having a consistent striker. This team seems a bit more balanced and while they are both still young, there’s two genuine strikers in Morris and Clegg and it could represent a change of fortune if they live up to their promise and can gel with the team. The team shows the right mixture of age and enthusiasm, experience and passion and skills and natural ability. If Hooker can bring it all together, there’s a huge opportunity to make the finals for only the second time ever.
Western United
By Kieran Yap
They took the competition by storm in their first season but fell agonizingly short of the dream. However, all signs point to Western United being able to go one better this time.
Consistency and quality are the key components of any successful A-League Women side. After finishing runners-up in the Grand Final and ending the campaign in second place on the ladder, Western United has seemingly found the balance between sticking with what works and improving the team significantly.
Missing from last season will be Jess McDonald, Hillary Beale, and Angela Beard. But they have added one of the biggest signings of the off-season. Grace Maher has joined from Canberra United at will add class and experience in a variety of roles.
Maher can be a difference maker whether she is deployed in defence or midfield, and it was an early sign that Western United were not satisfied with second place last season. Joining Maher as a new arrival is Japanese speedster Kiwa Hieda and promising young goalkeeper Natalie Picak, both from Calder United.
Although Western’s midfield still boasts Chloe Logarzo and Jacylyn Sawicki, they have significant depth beyond that. Emma Robers was decisive when called upon, and the Taranto twins, Melissa and Adriana were excellent in their return to the top flight.
Up front, Hannah Keane has stuck around, and although her speed, height, and technique make her a problem for any defence, it will be interesting to see how she manages without the early season support she enjoyed from McDonald. Last season, she was a brilliant surprise package. This time, other clubs will have had six months to come up with a way to stop her.
What was most impressive about Western United last season was their ability to adapt their gameplan depending on the opposition. They were not merely a version of Calder United in the A-League, but a team that could play without the ball as easily as with it.
When they were in form, Western United always had the game on their terms, Mark Torcaso’s side were adept on the counterattack, and could dominate possession when needed.
Their record against the other top three teams was bettered only by Sydney FC, and they beat all three of their fellow contenders throughout the season.
The question coming into 2023/2024 centres around if they can replicate their stunning debut. Other teams have strengthened on paper and recruited well, but Western needed the least amount of improvement of all.
Alana Cerne’s first A-League season propelled her into the Australia Under 23’s setup, Kahli Johnson developed a level of consistency that has made her a talisman of the Young Matildas, and the likes of Stacey Papadopoulos will enter this season with as much confidence as hope.
Western United still have some gaps in the side. It will be hard to replace a goalkeeper as dominant as Beale. Angela Beard leaves big boots to fill at full-back and the club has not signed an exact replacement.
The probable solution is to move Tyla-Jay Vlajnic back into defence, but they will then be reliant on the untested Hieda or Ava Groba to play significant roles. Catherine Zimmerman’s arrival from Melbourne Victory has been another boost to the club’s attacking stocks.
A first-choice attack of Zimmerman, Keane, and Johnson is an exciting mix of forwards who can all interchange positions, score or set up goals.
Western United will also enter this season as one of the hunted. Their underdog status is gone, they have become a destination club and will be seen as a title contender from Round One.
There is no more curiosity about this side, they are one of the teams to beat and a benchmark side. Breaking down their defence is not easy, stopping them from scoring is a whole other problem. Teams will be at their best when they meet Western, it will be interesting to see how they handle their new status.
Having said that, mentality was never an issue for them last season. Even in the Grand Final defeat, they did not look to suffer from stage fright on the big occasion, and they remained consistent both home and away.
Only the bare minimum has changed since they collected their runners-up medals, not much needed to. In this competition that is a good thing. Western United have all the ingredients for success, and the desire to go one step further.
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