Ben Gilby (BG), Tommy Doleman (TD), and Kelechi Osunwa (KO) select their squad of the 30 best players in the competition this season and then reveal their 11 starters and seven substitutes before inviting you to select your starting team from the squad listed (25/9/24).
GOALKEEPERS:
Gabby Dal Busco (Perth RedStar), Rebecca Bennett (Balcatta Etna).
DEFENDERS:
Epril Nossent (Perth SC), Baxter Thew (Perth SC), Andreia Teixeira (Perth RedStar), Annabelle Leek (Fremantle City), Quyen Doan (Perth RedStar), Kimberley McCartney (Perth SC), Mischa Anderson (Perth RedStar), Alyssa van Heurck (Balcatta Etna), Violet Longmore (Hyundai NTC), Sofie Osborne (Fremantle City), Nelli Johnson (Hyundai NTC).
MIDFIELDERS:
Caitlin Doeglas (Perth RedStar), Abbey Meakins (Balcatta Etna), Reina Kagami (Perth RedStar), Olivia Wood (Perth RedStar), Sarah Carroll (Perth RedStar), Daisy McAllister (Perth SC), Charli Wainwright (Perth SC), Tijan McKenna (Perth SC), Ella Mastrantonio (Murdoch University Melville), Emily Dinsdale (UWA-Nedlands), Theodora Mouthiys (Hyundai NTC), Frankie Murray-Hocking (Subiaco).
STRIKERS: Ella Lincoln (Perth SC), Tanika Lala (Fremantle City), Lucy Jerram (Balcatta Etna), Abbey Green (Fremantle City), Marianna Tabain (Subiaco).
Picking from the 30 players listed above, here is our choice of starting line-up and substitutes. Who would you pick? Share your team in the comments section and join the debate!
Goalkeeper
Gabby Dal Busco (Perth RedStar)
The Oxford Dictionary defines insurance as “a thing providing protection against a possible eventuality.” That description is particularly apt when describing Dal Busco this season for Perth RedStar. Just like it’s rare to be involved in an accident, it’s rare that the three-time double-winners are under siege or require intervention between the sticks. But when Tanika Lala was running through on goal, just like insurance, Dal Busco was there to minimize the damage.
Moving from Balcatta Etna, where she’s played throughout the entire NPLW era, Dal Busco fits right in at RedStar. Coach Carlos Vega Mena described the goalkeeper as “a gift from the sky.” Clean sheets are always important, but performances against Fremantle City, Perth SC at home, and Balcatta Etna in the Night Series final are just some examples of Dal Busco’s quality, where her saves proved decisive (KO).
Defenders
Epril Nossent (Perth SC)
Commanding, marauding, imposing, and a nightmare for wingers to face, Epril Nossent played a key role in the Perth SC defence that challenged for and made history as State Cup winners.
Playing right-back in this league often means being tasked with marking the likes of Abbey Green, Lucy Jerram, and Caitlin Douglas—players who are regularly in the running for our Player of the Month award. Nossent has more than held her own in those key duels. Her performance in the State Cup final laid the foundation for victory, and she has added goals to her repertoire in 2024, netting five across all competitions, including a hat-trick against Subiaco.
It’s easy to overlook her contribution to a team with several Perth Glory players, and the league’s top goal scorer, but doing so would mean missing a vital ingredient. Nossent has been the salt in the Perth soup (KO).
Baxter Thew (Perth SC)
It’s been a sensational season for Perth SC captain Baxter Thew. As well as leading her team to silverware in the State Cup Final, and a place in the Top Four Cup Final, Thew has been in consistently outstanding form.
Whether it be keeping red-hot in-form attackers largely quiet in hugely important matches, or giving those around her the benefit of her experience, this has been a stand-out season for the defender.
When asked about her run of excellent performances, Thew told Perth SC’s official online platforms: “Over time you just naturally become exposed to more scenarios within the game and establish good habits…As I’ve become more experienced I think I’m much calmer in my approach when playing.”
Baxter Thew has been immense (BG).
Andreia Teixeira (Perth RedStar)
When a player of Kim Carroll’s class and experience retires at the end of 2023 you wonder whether that will leave a crack in defence for the opposition to exploit. Well, the answer was no, and that’s largely because Andi Teixeira remained as a rock at the heart of the RedStar defence.
Her partnership with Mischa Anderson (unlucky to miss out on a spot in our XI) was pivotal in the nine-game unbeaten run Carlos Vega Mena’s side had en route to winning a third consecutive league title. And remarkably now, Teixera has been in the defence of all three of those sides which puts her in elite company in the context of the NPL era.
Cool, calm, and composed at the back, and also not shy of the challenge. Just a really good footballer and one of the league’s best defenders means she’s a walk-up starter for this team of the year for the second season in a row (TD).
Annabelle Leek (Fremantle City)
If newcomers to the NPL WA Women’s competition were told Annabelle Leek was a flying winger in her younger days at Freo then they would struggle to believe you. And that’s because Leek’s improvement in the centre of defence is such that you couldn’t envisage her playing anywhere else now – and it has earned her a berth in our team of the year for the second season in a row.
After the early season departure of Laura Waltman, Fremantle City had a leadership void to fill and Leek consistently stepped up to be the steadying force among a young squad. And from a footballing standpoint, her passing is often the starting point of the City attack and positionally there was many a game where it seemed she was in the right place at the right time.
Her partnership at the back with Catherine Adams will be key if Freo are to reach the post-season for the sixth successive year in 2025 (TD).
Midfielders
Caitlin Doeglas (Perth RedStar)
One of the eye-catching signings in the NPLW WA off-season was RedStar’s addition of Caitlin Doeglas to further strengthen the champions.
The former Perth Glory striker had stints with Balcatta and Perth SC at the beginning of the NPLW era before heading east to play in the NPLW NSW. But upon returning to WA, she hit the ground running with a hat-trick in March’s Night Series Final win and five goals in three league games, which set the tone for what was to come.
Doeglas predominantly played on the left of the attack in 2024 and showed she was a force both on the transition and when RedStar was building up with possession in the final third. 17 goals in the league saw her finish joint-fourth in the goal-scoring charts for season 2024 and it wouldn’t surprise to see her kick on and score even more next year (TD).
Abbey Meakins (Balcatta Etna)
It was a welcome sight to see Abbey Meakins return to the NPLW in 2024. Last season was a frustrating one, derailed by injury for the former Perth Glory attacker, but she was back to her best this year.
Seven goals in May earned her our Player of the Month award, but it was her versatility that stood out this season. Injuries to the Balcatta squad meant that coach Pete Rakic deployed Meakins as a striker, second striker, attacking midfielder, and even in withdrawn midfield roles. The “Little General” didn’t disappoint.
Seventeen goals in the league and Balcatta’s first-ever Top Four finish are the fruits of their labor, with Meakins serving as a fulcrum for the red and blue. She has also earned a shot at claiming awards in the Gold Medal race. Long may it continue for the attacker, but as LL Cool J said, “Let’s not call it a ‘comeback’; she’s been doing it for years,”(KO).
Reina Kagami (Perth RedStar)
If there was any doubt as to whether Reina Kagami’s debut NPLW WA season in 2023 was a flash in the pan, then that was quickly put to bed with a string of exceptional performances in the Perth RedStar midfield this year.
The Japanese is simply one of the league’s best players, who is capable of doing it all in the centre of the park. But where she thrives most is in that number eight role whether that’s playmaking, scoring long-range goals, or arriving late in the box to make a telling contribution.
Remarkably, she scored 22 league goals to finish runner-up in the Golden Boot race for a second successive season, and that should surely see her at the pointy end of the Gold Medal count once again. Kagami’s inclusion into this XI for the second season in a row was one of the easiest picks for the panel to make and here’s hoping we get to see her playing in the NPLW WA again next year! (TD).
Olivia Wood (Perth RedStar)
One of the feel-good stories of 2024 has been the late-season renaissance of Olivia Wood, as the forward recaptured the form that saw her catch the eye in RedStar’s undefeated and silverware-clean sweeping 2022.
Following a frustrating 2023 with injury, Wood has bounced back in spectacular fashion with 14 goals this term, 12 of which have come since the midway mark of the campaign when RedStar’s title charge mattered most. Factor in as well that she became a serious big-game performer with the winning goal in Saturday’s Top Four Cup Final, the opener in the State Cup Final loss two weeks prior, and also the decisive goal when RedStar met the Azzurri in Round 16’s prospective title-deciding game.
Hopefully, those performances give her a shot at impressing Perth Glory’s new coaching staff, and there’s also a chance she could be the late-season mover when October’s Gold Medal count comes around (TD).
Forwards
Tanika Lala (Fremantle City)
Tanika Lala may have missed both the beginning few weeks of the season and the closing period, but in between, the nugget from the Goldfields was, at times completely unplayable.
After taking a short break following the completion of her first A-League Women season with Perth Glory, Lala came into a Freo side who were struggling for wins after losing a number of key players. The Kalgoorlie-born attacker quickly formed a dynamite partnership with Abbey Green which lifted Lala to career-best form.
The searing runs and ability to finish from both long-range and close-in marked the attacker out as a goal scorer par excellence but Lala was equally deadly in linking up with her teammates around her. She was in sensational form before an injury gained a few weeks before the end of the regular season ruled her out of the remaining games. With time to recover ahead of the new A-League Women campaign, Lala could take the national competition by storm this year (BG).
Ella Lincoln (Perth SC)
It has been quite a year for Ella Lincoln. Her 26 goals in 21 matches – the highest-ever tally during an NPLW WA season – meant that she was an absolute shoo-in for selection for our starting line-up for the second year in a row.
Lincoln began the campaign with an almost telepathically successful partnership with Jess Flannery up front for the Azzurri which was tragically ended when Flannery suffered a season-ending injury. However, the attacker adapted and developed another understanding with Sam Mathers and her side’s talented midfielders which ensured that the goals still came.
What marks Lincoln out as more than just a goalscorer is her work rate for the team, and desire to pop up all across the front third to support her side’s attack. The Perth star’s previous experience as a left-sided attacker gives her the confidence to run at defenders both centrally and out wide to feed her fellow forwards as well as earn the shots on goal that have contributed to her record goal tally (BG).
Substitutes
Quyen Doan (Perth RedStar)
One of the quiet achievers of season 2024 who has proved to be an important cog of the league’s best defence.
Doan has become more and more diligent in her defensive duties over the past 12 months to the point you just expect to see her on the team sheet each and every week. Having played on the right-hand side combating the likes of Abbey Green, Jess Flannery, and Lucy Jerram for most of the season, we saw in Saturday’s Top Four Cup Final that she’s equally as capable when switched across to the left to perform well in that role.
Throw in the fact she’s a set-piece threat after scoring three goals – all from corners and free kicks (TD).
Kim McCartney (Perth SC)
Part of the Balcatta Etna exodus, Kim McCartney found herself in new surroundings in 2024 but with a familiar backline—Epril Nossent to her right and Baxter Thew to her left. It wasn’t long before McCartney was playing at her best again.
A terrific ball-playing defender with exquisite technique, she delivers line-breaking passes into midfield, often accompanied by instructions like “turn” or “hold it up.”
Strong in the tackle, McCartney often strides away from duels in her trademark trot, head up, looking to launch the next attack. When she’s not making timely interceptions or breaking the lines, she’s a dead-ball specialist on a team spoiled for choice.
Her free-kick against Perth RedStar was the winning goal in a 4-3 classic that gave the Azzurri the belief to challenge the champions in both the league and the State Cup. Her partnership with Baxter Thew has been outstanding and is among the best centre-back pairings in recent NPL memory—a testament to their quality (KO).
Tijan McKenna (Perth SC)
Coming back into the NPLW WA late after being part of Melbourne City’s A-League Women Grand Final squad, Tijan McKenna produced a succession of outstanding performances in the centre of midfield that showed exactly why she is a Young Matilda.
After playing more games as a defender than she would have liked previously, Azzurri head coach Danielle Brogan gave McKenna the gig in the centre of the park with a wealth of other talented youngsters alongside her, and Perth Glory’s new signing revelled in the role.
McKenna offered both outstanding vision with her passing game and a strong physical presence in the centre-mid position. These skills, plus the confidence to stride forward and play an integral role in her team’s attack mean that she has shown exactly why so many in the West have been excited about her potential (BG).
Sarah Carroll (Perth RedStar)
Sarah Carroll has always been a key member of whatever team she has played for, and this season she showed that she remains one of the best players around.
Carroll supplied one of the performances for the ages in RedStar’s Top Four Cup game against Balcatta Etna where, thanks to her two goals and an assist, the champions came from behind twice to gain a spot in the Final.
A player who is not only comfortable defending, Carroll is deadly from set-pieces and drives her team forward as a true example to the younger heads around her. Every team needs a Sarah Carroll (BG).
Daisy McAllister (Perth SC)
Playing an integral role in a hugely talented young midfield at Perth SC, Daisy McAllister has grown as the season went on and her team earned silverware.
McAllister has a deceptive strength on the ball which allows her to feed those around her as well as use pace to break through the midfield to both score and supply assists. A succession of searing runs and powerful shots on goal at UWA-Nedlands in August showcases what she is capable of, and it set the trend for a powerful end to the campaign as McAllister stepped it up when it mattered most.
A heartbreaking injury early on in the Top Four Cup Final that necessitated her to leave the pitch meant that the young midfielder’s season ended in a way that no one would have wanted – but she has shown so much that ensures her place in our team of the season (BG).
Ella Mastrantonio (Murdoch University Melville)
In top-level football, the margins are slim, and often one moment can be the difference between zero and one point, or between making or missing your pre-season targets.
The same can be said of elite players—they can make the difference in your season. Mastrantonio was that difference for Murdoch University Melville. The midfield maestro joined midway through the 2024 season and raised both the floor and ceiling of the young, tenacious squad. The former Matildas player’s influence was felt both on and off the pitch, with a crucial free kick against relegation rivals UWA-Nedlands standing out. Her presence in the locker room was just as impactful, elevating standards and instilling responsibility (KO).
A terrific player and an even better person, we are blessed to have her in our league.
Lucy Jerram (Balcatta Etna)
Lucy Jerram epitomizes the equation for force: mass x acceleration. Tiny but mighty, the left winger explodes off the pitch with pace, passion, and a thunderous left foot.
Her impact was immediate as she reintroduced herself to WA football like a wrecking ball, tearing through defenses. Tough and tenacious, few can keep up with Jerram once she’s in full flow, and even fewer want to win as much as she does. While her fiery temperament can land her in the referee’s book at times, when harnessed and focused, her left foot can be devastating for defenders, goalposts, and nets alike.
Her performance against Perth RedStar in the Night Series group stage put the league on notice. After scoring nine goals in the first seven league games, teams had to implement ‘Jerram contingencies’ to contain her. Though injuries and time off the pitch slowed her momentum, she returned with a bang, scoring four goals in her last four games to end the season with 16 goals (KO).
Previous Impetus NPLW WA Team of the Year selections:
2023:
GOALKEEPER: Rebecca Bennett (Perth SC).
DEFENDERS: Tash Rigby (Fremantle City), Annabelle Leek (Fremantle City), Andreia Teixeira (Perth RedStar), Emily Dunn (Perth RedStar).
MIDFIELD: Reina Kagami (Perth RedStar), Laura Waltman (Fremantle City), Georgia Cassidy (Hyundai NTC).
FORWARDS: Ella Lincoln (Perth SC), Tia Stonehill (Balcatta Etna), Sam Mathers (Murdoch University Melville).
SUBSTITUTES: Poppie Hooks (Perth SC), Charli Wainwright (Murdoch University Melville), Marianna Tabain (Subiaco).
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