Seven Impetus writers who will be covering the league for us this season come together to provide a team-by-team preview (30/10/24).
Above: Sydney FC celebrate during last season’s Grand Final – can they repeat that success again in 2024/25. Photo: A-League Women.
Adelaide United
by Jonathon Hagger
Adelaide United starts the season with a fresh new look, fresh thinking, and a desire to show that they have what it takes to be competitive. While the previous season’s disappointing last place was hard to fathom for many, there is a lot to be excited about for the upcoming season.
Adelaide supporters will have a chance to see a lot of change and difference compared to last season. There are several positive additions to the playing squad and team philosophy. Starting with a big challenge against the Melbourne Victory, the Reds will be wanting to establish themselves early on as a threat to the top sides.
Off season recruiting for United went very well with Lucía León being attracted to play in South Australia. Coming to the A-League from tier three side Watford in England, León will bring flair and finesse to a team in need of both. Locking down the right back defender role will be her number one aim followed by developing the players around her.
Chelsie Dawber and Fiona Worts are two names that are synonymous with the club. Due to Adelaide’s underwhelming previous results in the previous season, these two stars may not have been given the limelight they deserve. Dawber’s reduced match appearances for United in 2022-2023 corresponds with the team’s poor results. Worts returns after a short stint at A-League champions Sydney FC where she scored three goals in her six matches.
Emily Condon is another player whose football career has been through thick and thin with Adelaide. The nuggety midfielder has modified her style of play and achieved exceptional pass completion statistics which sees her playing the role of distributor. With quality attackers in front of her, Condon’s role is going to be crucial.
Erin Healy moves to Adelaide from Portugal where she played topflight football scoring eight goals in 24 matches. Healy will likely sit in the midfield behind Dawber and Worts but can easily slot into the front line when needed.
“Motivation will almost always beat mere talent” – Norman Ralph Augustine.
Adelaide United comes into the 2024/2025 season with a team that is both motivated and talented. With a diversity of player strengths and styles in the squad, this team will flex and flow with the momentum of the match. Expect to see a lot of formation fluidity as versatile players keep the opposition guessing as to what is coming next.
Stringing together results, be those a win or a draw, is very important. It may take a few rounds for the chemistry to click for Adelaide so at minimum securing draws will be vital. Every A-League side will do well not underestimate the threat of Adelaide United or they will be punished. Adelaide United – more than you expect.
Brisbane Roar
by Joe Rosedon
Brisbane Roar will be looking to combine stability and improvement heading into the 2024/25 season.
Last year’s campaign was typified by precariousness. Current manager Alex Smith replaced Garrath McPherson only four games into the 23/24 campaign. Following his appointment, Smith did not get a win in his first six league games. The patchy form continued for the rest of the season, with the Queensland side eventually finishing in ninth place.
Smith himself admitted that last season was tough in his first preseason press conference “Coming in last year was a bit difficult in midseason, working with players that didn’t necessarily fit the way I wanted us to play. “I’ve had an opportunity to really focus on recruitment over the last six months.”
One of the key areas of recruitment has been improving the forward line. Brisbane scored 28 goals last season, the third-lowest in the league. They have added Bulgarian international Evdokiya Popadinova from Lazio alongside Danelle Tan from Borussia Dortmund.
Tan looks a real prospect, having had no issues finding the net both domestically and internationally for Singapore. It will be interesting to see if they will be enough to solve Brisbane’s goalscoring woes, especially after the departure of last season’s top goal scorer Mia Corbin to Carolina Ascent FC.
There have also been defensive additions too, in particular, the signing of Momo Hayashi from Gold Coast United is the standout. In total, the club have signed ten new players. It will be crucial for Smith to be able to balance such an influx of new players with those already at the club.
However, the most important deal the club made in the offseason is the extension of Sharn Freier’s contract. Freier had a breakthrough campaign last season, culminating in her debut for the Matildas against Mexico in April followed by representing her country at the Olympics.
The 23-year-old has established herself as the new star at Brisbane and will be looking to take herself and the team up a level. Smith himself said about Freier: “It’s something we’re very proud of as a staff and a club to see players like that go onto bigger and better things.
They have also held onto stalwart and captain Tameka Yallop. Her experience will be vital in guiding the younger players and new additions in the squad.
After back-to-back ninth place finishes, the club really needs to push on towards the upper end of the table. Smith has been given time to both bring in the players he wants alongside developing a playing style that he feels that can be successful. If this does not lead to a positive season, his future at the club may be in question.
Canberra United
by Kieran Yap
There is a bit of excitement around Canberra United going into 2024/25. Amid plenty of uncertainty and upheaval at the club, Canberra have the potential to respond to last season’s disappointing ladder finish.
In a league that rewards squad consistency and youth, they will have at least one of those things. Darcey Malone, Maja Markovski, Jynaya Dos Santos, and Aideen Keane headline the exciting arrivals. They have also retained fleet-footed New Zealand striker Ruby Nathan, and Mary Stanic-Floody has extended her stay in the capital.
An important, slightly underrated return to the squad is Hayley Taylor-Young. She is one of the league’s most versatile players. Taylor-Young missed almost the entirety of last season with injury and given that depth was Canberra’s biggest issue, her availability alone will give new coach Antoni Jagarinec plenty of options in formation and personnel.
Pre-season hitouts seem to suggest that new striker Markovski will play on the wing or at least wide of star Matilda Michelle Heyman. Markovski is tall, but explosively fast with the ball at her feet, and can hold up the ball or run at defenders just as effectively.
Her 22-goal NPLW season with Bulleen was her best so far in senior football. Opportunities for the forward were limited at Melbourne Victory, but in her return to the A-League Women, Canberra fans should be excited about what she can do.
Sally James returns between the sticks to replace Chloe Lincoln. After two seasons away with Melbourne City and Perth Glory, James will be eager to reclaim her spot as Australia’s best young goalkeeper. Injuries and the rapid rise of Morgan Aquino have limited her game time since she left Canberra, but she was the last goalkeeper to guide them to finals and James is a strong local signing for the club.
The biggest name to join Jagarinec’s squad is undoubtedly Heyman. The A-League’s record scorer will lead the line for Canberra United and although she will have support, her form will largely dictate how their season pans out.
Although they finished above only Adelaide United on the ladder, Canberra United were competitive last season and played some brilliant, fast-paced football. In many ways, they were a victim of their own success. Key players were called away for Young Matildas duty throughout the season and they did not have the depth to replace them.
They were also victims of an unstable club future. Towards the end of the campaign, the players were unsure of whether the club would even exist the following year. Although they managed some brilliant performances in that time, it must have had an effect. For the time being, things look stable, and although this is Jagarinec’s first season in the top job, the former assistant will know how to replicate what worked from 2023/24.
On paper, there is a lot to like about Canberra United. It looks like a balanced and exciting team. Liz Anton will anchor the defence, and Michelle Heyman will lead the line. In between them is a squad of proven players and exciting young footballers.
As with any team that has a large turnover of players, Canberra’s success will depend on how well they link up, but a 6-0 win over the NPL All Stars indicates they could easily hit the ground running.
Central Coast Mariners
by Kieran Yap
Central Coast set a high bar for themselves last season. In their return to the league, Emily Husband’s team made the semi-finals and provided some of the league’s best highlights.
A penalty shootout win over Melbourne Victory was the biggest, but there was also Ash Irwin going in goal, Peta Trimis dribbling her way from scholarship player to her first full-time contract and an U20 World Cup squad, and the exploits of Wurigumula in attack.
They were instantly competitive and rapidly became a team to watch. However, the second season may be more difficult.
The outs are significant. Faye Bryson was one of the best overseas signings in the league and Kyah Simon has joined the English defender at Sydney FC. Wurigumula has departed and Rola Badawiya has moved to the USL Super League.
There have been some exciting additions though. Jade Pennock and Brooke Nunn bring experience from England and Scotland respectively and it was one of the coups of the off-season when Jessika Nash arrived. The Young Matildas captain can play at centre back or full-back and was one of Melbourne Victory’s best individual players over the past two seasons.
The Mariners midfield looks genuinely exciting. A trio of Bianca Galic, Isabel Gomez, and Taylor Ray should be able to disrupt or dominate any team on their day. These are three players capable of winning the ball, maintaining possession, and driving it forward.
In attack, Shay Evans returns, and will likely join Nunn and Pennock as the striking options. Trimis was exceptional last season. Her ability to cut inside from either wing and dribble past multiple players was capped off by her passing and decision-making in the final third. She was a true prodigy last season and gives the fans reason to be excited for this one.
However, it will mean pinning the attacking hopes of this team on an 18-year-old playmaker and two new arrivals to the league.
The loss of Casey Dumont in goal was an unfortunate one, but Husband seemed happy to rotate between her and Sarah Langman last season. Whether this was due to form, opposition or indecisiveness, Langman looks set to be the regular number one in 2024/25.
An exciting return is captain Taren King. The defender has signed a two-year extension with the club, and after recovering from an ACL injury, she will be a huge inclusion for Husband’s side.
If King can recapture her early season form, Trimis continues to grow and the new signings settle, The Mariners will once again be a threat. However, that is a lot of “If’s.”
Central Coast won’t be a surprise anymore, and it feels unlikely that they can go a step further into the Grand Final this season in what amounts to a mini-rebuild. But no opposition will have an easy game against them, and between their new signings, a balanced squad with every position covered, and Husband’s obvious tactical nous, expect them to make finals again.
Melbourne City
by Ava Elliott
Melbourne City took last year’s A-League season by storm. The reigning premiers will undoubtedly be looking to do the same this year, but will be wanting to strive for more after narrowly falling short of a win in the Grand Final.
It’s evident that some noticeable switches have been made to both the squad and the management at City. One of the most apparent being the loss of previous Head Coach Dario Vidosic, who stepped away from his role at the end of last season to join Brighton and Hove Albion in the Women’s Super League. Despite the change in the managerial department, City will be raring and ready to go under the new leadership of former footballer Michael Matricciani, who was appointed to the role at the end of August.
Alongside Matricciani, the club has brought forwards several new signings who boost City’s already impressive roster.
Young Matildas defender Alexia Apostolakis is amongst the new recruits, signing from Western Sydney Wanderers on a two-year deal. At just 18 years old, Apostolakis is already a huge rising talent who boasts a range of experience between her appearances for the national team and in the A-Leagues. She brings in a unique, technical style of defence that she can comfortably exhibit in more central roles or out in the wider areas.
Alongside stabilising the defence, City have added strength to their attack in the form of Mariana Speckmaier, who signed from Wellington Phoenix on a two-year deal. After the departure of Hannah Wilkinson, new power in the attack was exactly what was needed in the City squad, and Speckmaier brings exactly that.
A player who brings versatility and pure brilliance to the frontline, scoring ten goals in 21 appearances for Phoenix last season. In addition to Speckmaier, attacking midfielder Lourdes Bosch joins the team as a highly-rated college talent from the USA.
After a two-season spell at Western United, Tyla-Jay Vlajnic is another signing, although she is no stranger to City. The Serbian international was a foundation member of the team during their first entry to the A-Leagues, winning two Premierships and four Championships with the club across a seven-year spell. City’s other signings include goalkeeper Malena Mieres, who steps in to fill the gap left by the departures of Lysianne Proulx and Barbara, plus talented Matilda’s youngster Emilia Murray.
Ahead of the 2024-2025 A-League season, the squad has already been up and running, participating in the first-ever AFC Women’s Champions League. City have stormed through the group stages, reaching the inaugural quarter-finals that are set to take place in March 2025.
Melbourne Victory
by Kieran Yap
Melbourne Victory have had some big changes for the new campaign. After finishing last season in the Elimination Final, Jeff Hopkins has brought back some popular names and added some exciting talent.
Jessika Nash, Tori Hansen, and Jamilla Rakin have all departed, with former Wolverhampton Wanderers (tier three, England) defender Ellie Wilson and returning hero Claudia Bunge come into defence.
In attack, Victory has added Nikki Flannery, Sophia Sakalis, and Alana Jancevski. Combined with Emily Gielnik, Alex Chidiac, and Rachel Lowe, this team has firepower and experienced nearly unmatched on paper.
That is the big question though. Can the impressive looking squad gel quickly? Victory fans will hope so and there is a concern over left back. Beattie Goad has experience in the position at the highest level, but her talents are better-used up-field.
The midfield looks set to be anchored by either Alana Murphy or Sara D’Appolonia. Paige Zois is currently recovering from injury but will also be a good asset in that number six role.
In contrast to last season’s transfer business, only Ellie Wilson is unfamiliar with this league and might need to take some weeks to adapt. All other arrivals have significant experience in the league or even at the club and should be able to settle in quickly.
Crucial to Victory’s success will be how Hopkins uses his enviable arsenal. Jancevski, Sakalis, Flannery, and Gielnik can all play anywhere across a front three, while Flannery has consistently been one of the league’s best wingers, and can also operate on either flank.
If Victory are missing anything in attack it is another out-and-out number nine. Gielnik is the obvious choice, but tends to drift wide in general play, and for all of the great wide players, they lack a forward known for getting on the end of crosses. Kurea Okino struggled to adapt last season and has not been retained by the club but might have been the perfect target to stay central.
Ella O’Grady is the perfect option to step into the centre-forward role. The Young Matildas striker shares many of the same attributes as Gielnik, is strong on the ball, fast and composed in the 18-yard box, and can finish from anywhere.
In midfield, and attack, they have depth and class. In defence, much hope will be stakes on the fitness of Kayla Morrison and Claudia Bunge. The pairing are Grand Final winners at the club, and two of the best individual centre backs in the league.
Rosie Curtis and Laura Pickett are rising stars and will be able to deputize if needed, but Victory may need to recruit against through the season for defensive cover, or a specialist left back.
Anything short of a trophy will be a disappointment for this squad. The midfield is settled and the attack is dangerous. Every player except Lydia Williams is a goal threat and the names on Victory’s team sheet will have every opponent cautious on match day.
This team has been assembled to put the opposition on the back foot from the opening second of a game. If they can keep a short injury list and find some momentum and chemistry quickly, there could be no stopping them.
Newcastle Jets
by Jonathon Hagger
Newcastle Jets enter the 2024/2025 season looking to fly higher than their 2023/24 achievement in which they narrowly missed out on making the semifinals. Two words describe the core of this coming season’s team – potential and capability.
The Jets begin the season being able to build on the strong foundation of a squad who have stuck together. Keeping the core talent that shone through last season will be a huge advantage. Consistency of players in the squad provides the capability.
Strong new attacking players, quality retention of last season’s core squad and the inclusion of up-and-coming academy players – this Jets team has everything it to be competitive. The stronger attacking focus brings the potential.
Newcastle will be flying in attack formation – albeit without Sarina Bolden – and will be looking to maximise their speed and agility. Striking hard and fast will likely be a hallmark of their play.
Lauren Allan will be excited to be joined by Sheridan Gallagher, who returns from rugby league, and top gun Lara Gooch.
The maturity of the midfield generals – Libby Copus-Brown and Cassidy Davis will chart the Jet’s way forward. Adding speed on the wings through new signings Deven Jackson and India Brier will give impetus to play counterstrike football. Any soft turnovers and loose ball from opposition teams will be punished.
At the back new signing Bel Rolley joins Laurena Baumann, Natasha Prior, and Claudia Cicco who will provide the defensive lockdown. Rolley, who grew up in Newcastle, comes into the A-League after studying at college in the USA.
The Jets goalkeeper group consists of import player Danielle Krzyzaniak and last season’s rising star Tiahna Robertson.
Unfortunately for the Jets, two particularly significant players are not in the squad this season.
Melina Ayres is taking a break from football in the short term. Ayres is a formidable competitor who made a huge contribution to the Jets red hot form last season. We all wait to see if the new players can fill the big boots that she leaves vacant in the foreseeable future.
The Jets also farewelled Sarina Bolden who made a huge impact scoring 12 of the 42 goals last season. Making the shift from a lethal force to a more distributed approach will take some getting used to.
The early rounds of play are especially important for the Jets as they may be able to secure early wins due to the strength and familiarity of their team composition. While other teams will likely take a few weeks to develop on-field chemistry, the Jets will already have this as an advantage.
As the season kicks off, Newcastle Jets’ destiny truly is in their own hands. The blend of an experienced squad, hot new talent, and a clear strategy from the coaching staff makes the Jets a hot prospect.
Perth Glory
by Ben Gilby
A much-changed squad, a new head coach, and a plethora of locally produced young players – this campaign is going to be one hell of a ride for Perth Glory.
Last season was an exceptionally frustrating season for the Western Australian side. A strong start results-wise saw Glory established at the top of the ladder in December. However, a failure to win after the New Year saw the side fall to a final place in the bottom three.
In the end, head coach Alex Epakis departed his role and the club suffered some major losses on the roster – notably Morgan Aquino, Tash Rigby, Liz Anton, Hana Lowry, Claudia Mihocic, and Sofia Sakalis.
Aquino had a sensational campaign for the team making a league record 126 saves with a success percentage of 81.1%. Mihocic made a strong comeback from a debilitating injury at the back, and Sakalis offered dancing feet and an attacking threat. The loss of Rigby and Lowry is huge. Both were so often the face of the club publicly and offered commitment and a huge amount of skill. Anton had been a mainstay for the whole of Epakis’ tenure.
However, on the other side of the ledger, there have been some impressive interstate arrivals under the lead of new head coach Stephen Peters, who has achieved multiple silverware with Macarthur Rams in the NPLW NSW.
Those coming in include Australian international goalkeeper Casey Dumont and Young Matildas star Naomi Chinnama. Whilst Dumont will miss the first month of the campaign due to her AFLW commitments with Hawthorn, the Glory will likely hand the starting spot between the sticks to returning 21-year-old locally produced keeper Miranda Templeman who has experience at both Melbourne Victory and Adelaide United.
Peters can also rely on a large number of exceptionally talented local players. Last season saw the emergence of teenage duo Grace Johnston and Georgia Cassidy on the A-League Women scene. Johnston’s debut campaign was tragically cut short by injury, but she has returned to impress in the NPLW WA with Perth SC and will be a key component in the Glory side again this time round.
Tanika Lala, from the Western Australian Goldfields, has long been thought of as a huge star of the future by regular watchers of the local women’s football scene. Whilst she didn’t get the game time she may have deserved last season, Lala hit the back of the net against Melbourne City and can point to an exceptionally impressive NPLW WA campaign. She has the presence and finishing power to break through this season.
Tijan McKenna’s return home from Melbourne City is a major signing for Glory. A local teen with Junior and Young Matildas experience, McKenna’s physical presence in the centre of midfield combined with outstanding passing vision makes her a key part of this team.
There is also the potential of two more locally produced newcomers – 20-year-old duo Charli Wainwright, and Ella Lincoln. Wainwright is an elegant midfielder with an excellent range of passing skills, with Lincoln a rumbustious attacker.
However, there is the query over how quickly so many new faces can gel and how the local youngsters handle the step up to the league. This Perth team is, I feel, a long-term project. This season is likely to be very challenging at times, but the potential is there for some exciting flashes of brilliance, so the opposition needs to be very wary of this new-look Glory side.
Sydney FC
by Genevieve Henry
Last season’s champions, Sydney FC will once again look to win trophies. Although they have lost valuable stars in Cortnee Vine, Jada Whyman, and Charlotte Mclean, they will be boosted by a plethora of exciting signings.
Led by one of the very best in Australia, the Sky Blues are lucky to have Ante Juric at the helm. The most successful coach in A-League Women history will surely be ready to impress, especially as he is rumoured to be in consideration for the Matildas head coach job. In news that some think could distract Juric further, he will also manage Sydney United 58. If he can juggle his responsibilities, he could prove that he truly is the cream of the crop.
New players include legend Kyah Simon, Young Matildas Hana Lowry, and Amber Luchtmeijer, and experienced English duo Millie Farrow and Faye Bryson among others. They will look to replace the likes of Vine, Whyman, McLean, Taylor Ray, and Aideen Keane. But, with all the ins and outs, the Sky Blues have maintained a strong core and will look to build on what they achieved last season.
At the back, New Zealand keeper Brianna Edwards will aim to fill Whyman’s massive shoes, and she certainly has the ability to. The defence will be anchored by the return of captain Nat Tobin, along with last season’s breakout star Jordan Thomspon, and the ever-solid Tori Tumeth. They will also be joined later in the season by Kirsty Fenton if she can recover from her ACL injury in good time.
The midfield will be led by the commanding Mackenzie Hawkesby, who’s return last season boosted the Sky Blues in unimaginably good ways. She will be joined by Lowry, who has the ability to become one of Australia’s best, as well as Shay Hollman and Maddie Caspers.
Up top, Sydney will not struggle for options. With young phenoms Indiana Dos Santos, Luchtmeijer, and Caley Talon-Henniker alongside experienced players such as Princess Ibini, Shea Connors, and of course, the aforementioned Farrow and Simon, Juric will have his hands full with a welcome selection headache.
As with every club, Sydney FC works in cycles; bringing in new talent, building identity, and ultimately finding success. From an outside perspective, it seems as though Sydney are in the rebuilding phase once again, after the previous cycle of stars have departed, and new young talents Indiana Dos Santos and Caspers really starting to thrive. If they find their groove, this team could very well be excellent and will surely challenge for silverware.
Wellington Phoenix
by Kieran Yap
Wellington Phoenix is up against it this season. It is not their fault, but rather a result of everything that they have done right.
Macey Fraser, Michaela Foster, and Kate Taylor all attracted moves abroad, with Fraser rumoured to have earned a reported record transfer fee for the club and league.
Kelli Brown has moved to Perth, Marian Speckmaier has been signed by Melbourne City, and popular goalkeeper Brianna Edwards has joined Sydney FC.
Wellington did their best to move quickly. Carolina Vilao was signed as Rylee Foster and Edwards’ replacement. The former Benfica goalkeeper is an exciting addition and a signal of the club’s continued ambition.
Olivia Ferguson joins the attack after stints at Celtic and Bristol City, and Grace Jale returns to the club after two years away at Canberra United and Perth Glory.
Alongside Emma Main and Alyssa Whinham, the attack begins to look dangerous. Whinham is a rapidly developing playmaker and will be looking to step into the roles vacated by Fraser and Milly Clegg before her.
Whinham can shoot, spot a pass, and has an array of tricks and turns to create space for herself and others. She is a fun player to watch and an effective and dangerous playmaker. All that is missing from her game is consistency, but she has all the tools to become a star this season.
Jale’s return is genuinely exciting. The Football Fern is a powerful, direct winger who can score goals and immediately put defenders on the back foot. She is a player who makes an impact and has the ability to turn matches in a moment.
In midfield, Annalie Longo returns to knit things together, and Mebae Tanaka has signed on after starring for Preston Lions in the NPLW Victoria.
Tanaka is a quick, creative player who can maintain possession or scrap for it. She is nominally a winger, but can move centrally and her dribbling ability opens up space for others. She can draw players and find free teammates under pressure. There is always an adjustment needed for players to step up to the A-League from NPL, but Tanaka has the tools and that most important attribute for players making the step up, pace.
Despite some impressive new additions, Wellington may still struggle this season. It feels like a transition from the old team to the next one, and some of the outgoing players feel irreplaceable. Michalea Foster’s set-piece delivery alone is a threat that cannot easily be replaced.
If Whinham can go to the next level that many expect her to reach, Vilao’s form matches her reputation and the new signings settle in quickly, Wellington can make an impact this season.
In any case, under Paul Temple’s guidance, they will be a match for most sides, and Phoenix fans can be assured that although the departures hurt, the club looks to have signed some exciting replacements.
Western Sydney Wanderers
by Ava Eliott
The Wanderers narrowly missed out on the finals last season at the very last hurdle. Within this approaching season, they’ll be looking to eliminate that fine margin that cost them last year.
So far, the club has seemingly made very few changes to the side for the year ahead. Few new signings have been brought into the squad, with three young talents joining the group for the 2024-2025 season.
After signing a youth development deal with the club at the beginning of the 2023-2024 season, Milly Bennett has signed a scholarship contract. As a talented midfielder rising through the Matildas’ youth groups, Bennett has her A-League debut set in her sights as her next goal.
Alongside Bennett, Talia Kapetanellis has signed her first-ever professional contract with Wanderers. Similar to Bennett, Kapetanellis was previously on a youth development agreement with the club before a one-year spell with NPLW NSW side, Sydney University. The forward is hopeful to make a consistent impact across the season, aiming more specifically to push for a spot in the finals that just fell out of reach last year.
The club has one returner in the form of Sienna Saveska, who made her A-League debut for Western Sydney Wanderers in 2023. Just seven games into the season, she departed the club for Sydney FC, helping the reigning Grand Final winners to score gold over Melbourne City.
This season, Saveska has come back to where her journey started in the hopes she can make an impact. Head Coach, Robbie Hooker, outlined Saveska as a promising figure in the next generation of young Australian footballers, showing a more long-term plan in the team’s recruitment.
Despite new signings to strengthen, one of the most important factors for Wanderers was retaining key players. Sophie Harding, who had one of the most phenomenal breakout seasons last year, is amongst the several names that the club has re-signed, hoping to build on last year’s success. The attacker scored 12 goals across the season, breaking the club record and etching her name into the history books. In the 2024-2025 campaign, it seems inevitable that Harding will excel, making her one to watch.
Western United
by Emma Burke
Kat Smith’s Western United will be looking to build on last season’s success where they finished third on the ladder but lost their elimination final against the Newcastle Jets in extra time.
While United have lost a number of players in the offseason including foundation players such as inaugural Captain Jaclyn Sawicki, Emma Robers, Hannah Keane, and Stacey Papadopoulos, the club has been proactive in signing plenty of exciting young talent to fill the gaps.
New signings have included an exciting young duo from Canberra United of Sasha Grove, and Chloe Lincoln.
Grove is a versatile defender who can play on either side of the back line and even on the wings and her speed and tenacity both on and off the ball have made her a formidable player at only 19 years old.
Also only 19, goalkeeper Chloe Lincoln has long been considered one of Australia’s top prospects in the position. After having spent three years with Canberra United, and racking up 39 ALW appearances in that time, Lincoln will be looking to make a mark on Western United and compete for more time on the pitch.
Attacker Alana Cortellino and defenders Claudia Mihocic and American international Isabel Dehakiz have also joined Western United for the 23/24 season, with all three having played together in this year’s NPLW Victoria for Bulleen Lions.
One of the most exciting prospects for Western United in this 2024/25 season, is the potential for a full season of American attacker Catherine Zimmerman. Zimmerman was signed by United from Melbourne Victory last year but had her season cut short by a terrible run of injury.
In the five appearances she was able to make last season, she scored in two of them. Now, injury-free and with a full pre-season under her belt, there’s no telling just how far Zimmerman will be able to go.
United are also joined by two more international players that will add something new to their play. Sandra Ibarguen, a 22-year-old striker from Colombia, who scored six goals in 12 games during her most recent season with Deportivo Pasto, and Sara Eggesvik, a Filipina midfielder who played for the Philippines during last year’s World Cup.
These new signings will be alongside well-known Western United players in Captain Chloe Logarzo, twins Adriana and Melissa Taranto, Kiewa Hidea, Khali Johnson, Grace Maher, and more in the 2024/25 A-League Women’s season, where they’ll look to contend with the big name clubs of Melbourne City and Sydney FC for silverware and success.
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