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A-League Women Media Wrap

Impetus editor Ben Gilby hears from players Dylan Holmes, Grace Maher, and Chloe Knott plus head coaches Adrian Stenta and Alex Epakis in this week’s media conferences (31/12/21).

Above: Adelaide United in training at Coopers Stadium ahead of tomorrow’s game with Perth Glory Photo supplied to Impetus by: Adelaide United.

ADELAIDE UNITED:

Dylan Holmes On Her Return To Adelaide:

Out of quarantine after her return to South Australia from Sweden where she played Champions League football with BK Häcken, Adelaide United star Dylan Holmes spoke to the media initially about what it’s like to have returned. “It’s really nice to be back home with some of my best friends. The biggest transition for me has been the heat, but I’ve done it before, so the more I train the more I get used to it again.”

The Reds’ have a number of new faces compared to last season, and Holmes offered her assessment of the squad. “There are a lot of changes and a lot of exciting young talent, some from interstate. There is still a real core of South Australians that can continue the culture we built last season. It’s an exciting mix of new and old girls.”

Holmes’ taster of international football earlier this year with the Matildas has made her hungry for more. “I’m very keen (to play for Australia again), and that was one of the main reasons that I came home, to get as much game time as I can going into the Asian Cup.”

Her time in Sweden with BK Häcken is something she cherishes: “It’s been amazing. It was the first time in my life that I truly felt I was a professional footballer and I was really lucky that I ended up at such a great club. I only have good things to say about them and I learned a lot about myself as a footballer and as a person, so I want to bring some of that back to United now.”

Looking ahead to Saturday’s game with Perth Glory at Coopers Stadium, the Adelaide star recognizes that Alex Epakis’ side will be a far tougher prospect than in recent years. “I’m expecting Perth to be a really exciting and dynamic team. They have secured a lot of exciting, young talent from different states. Alex has done a great job with them. It will be a great contest and we’re looking forward to it.

“I didn’t get a chance to play for United at Coopers (Stadium) last season, so this will be my first time. I’m so excited, I can’t wait to be out on the field with the girls and hopefully get the three points.”

Adrian Stenta – Holmes and Sharples Available For “Tough Match”

**Above:** Adrian Stenta talking to the media earlier today. **Photo supplied to *Impetus* by:** Adelaide United.

Adelaide United head coach Adrian Stenta opened his media conference by underlining how much his team are looking forward to being back at Coopers Stadium.

“It’s really exciting, we really enjoyed our last experience here (when Adelaide United broke the record for attendance at a stand-alone W-League game) at the final game last year. We want to make this a home for us. I have hopes that we can play some standalone games here during the season, but there are economics behind that which I understand. It’s great though that we can be here and play on the same day as the men.”

He then made an assessment on Perth Glory, the side that the Reds face tomorrow: “It’s going to be a tough match. They did a lot of good recruitment and they are well-coached. It’s a bit hard to get a gauge on where they are at because they’ve only played one opposition (Brisbane Roar twice) and they haven’t played for a couple of weeks now. We’re expecting a tough match and a really hard-fought contest.

With Dylan Holmes ready to make her return to Adelaide colours tomorrow, Stenta discussed what it’s been like having her back in the fold. “She’s a great person to have in the group. She’s a great footballer and she’s fitted in really well. She’s in good condition having come straight out of the European season (in Sweden), albeit the temperature is a slight adjustment for her! She’s a quality person and a quality player and we’re excited about what she can bring to our team.”

Stenta revealed that American Kayla Sharples is also in contention to play tomorrow: “She could have played in our last game, but it would have been a bit of a stretch. However, she is fit, firing, and ready to go now.”

With the A-League Women having its first covid related postponement this weekend (Newcastle Jets v Melbourne City), the Adelaide head coach emphasized the additional challenges faced by a competition where many players work as well as playing football – thus increasing their exposure risks.

“It’s something else that the players have to add to their thought processes. We’ve asked the players to be smart about what they do. They don’t have to lock themselves away with their doors locked and the curtains drawn, but we’ve asked them to be smart and responsible about how they look after themselves and they’ve responded really well.”

CANBERRA UNITED:

Grace Maher – Building on Momentum Shifting Brisbane Point

Grace Maher began her media conference on Wednesday by reflecting on their incredible comeback with Brisbane Roar, and the potential impact it could have on their season.

“Ah look, a better Christmas present would have been three points and we might have got them if the game had gone on a few more minutes, but to come from 3-1 down is really hard and I’m really proud of the girls for showing the Canberra spirit.

“Fighting to the end is something that is in the Canberra DNA. It’s been there since I came into the team as a teenager. It’s the ability to know how much a full 90 minutes can produce. The game is never over. We also know what it’s like to be on the receiving end of that!

“We know that the whole 90 minutes is super important. We need to start like that and get ourselves in a good position so we don’t need to make those sorts of comebacks, but it’s our first point on the board.

“Just one or two moments in a game can flick a switch for the whole season. We haven’t been playing well, we know that and we’ve been honest with ourselves. We have put the essence of what was good about that last game into preparing for this one. If we can improve physically and impose our style of play to put Wanderers on the back foot (we’ll be in a good place).”

Focusing on this weekend’s opponents, Western Sydney Wanderers, Maher emphasized how impressed she was with their result against Sydney FC last time out. “It’s been an unpredictable season. Sydney had them on the back foot but Wanderers got a draw. Teams aren’t just here to participate. Perth have already turned around their last season in their opening games too.

**Above:** Grace Maher battling it out against Melbourne City in 2019/20. **Photo:** Getty Images.

“Western Sydney have always been a team that like to put it to you. They make you earn the win regardless of how you play, so we know that we need to be up for the challenge. If we take it to them, we know that we have players to get in. We need to put our bodies on the line and do the little extra things to keep things going our way as we have the firepower up-front to cause damage.

“They are very physical and have some very technical midfielders – our former team-mate Bianca Galic and Clare Hunt has been instrumental in their backline. Their strength is their unity. They come out and give what they can. If we can out strengthen than and outplay them in ways that will show that we like to fight too, then we can do it.

“We were lucky as, unlike some teams, we’ve had eight days, nine days, to build a game plan for Western Sydney since our last game. We have an opportunity now to get lots of points in quick succession with the Roar, Western Sydney, and then Perth games.”

Addressing her classic free-kick goal which started the Canberra comeback, Maher enthused, “I love that. I’ve always been someone who wants to take set-pieces when they are important for the team. These are opportunities that are so important. I enjoy the pressure and pressure is a privilege.

“We want the performance that we put on the park to be one that is the best of our ability. If we do that and we shut the opposition down, we’ll come away with the three points. A loss is a reality check and it’s a chance to build and not get too far ahead of yourself.”

PERTH GLORY:

Alex Epakis – We Want To Improve In Every Aspect

Perth Glory return to action after an enforced two-week break due to Covid border restrictions, and head coach Alex Epakis spoke about how much everyone in the camp was looking forward to their return “We’re really excited for the game on New Year’s Day. The opportunity to play at Coopers Stadium is something that the players and staff are really relishing.”

Epakis has a healthy respect for the qualities that Adelaide United has: “I believe that Adelaide have been strong in their performances so far and I don’t think that their results justify where they are as a group. They are a strong team with good players.

“We also have to respect where we are at, and that is with good confidence and with a good idea of what we are trying to do. It’s a tough and exciting challenge and a good way of seeing where we are at after this two-week break that we’ve had.”

In terms of targets for his team on their return to action, the Perth head coach wants to see further growth across the board. “It’s very easy to turn a blind eye to things when you win games. We certainly haven’t done that. If anything, we’ve assessed our performances even more thoroughly and I think we want to improve in every aspect.

“We’re a team that is growing and is building, so as a result of that we expect to be growing in every area.”

Venue Confirmed For Canberra Clash

**Above:** Perth Glory in training this week ahead of their return to A-League Women action. **Photo:** Estybs Photo.

It was confirmed on Wednesday that Perth’s Canberra United will take place at Wanderers Football Park in Blacktown on Wednesday 5 January, with a kick-off time of 2.05pm WST (5.05pm Local/4:05am UK).

The venue is Western Sydney Wanderers’ training base and academy location. It has a capacity of 1,000 with 500 seats and has already seen A-League Women action this year when the Wanderers hosted Newcastle Jets.

WA’s current border restrictions mean that Alex Epakis’s side will spend the whole of January on the road, starting on New Year’s Day when they face Adelaide United at Coopers Stadium (kick-off at 2.05pm WST/6:05am UK).

After that clash with the Reds, the squad will travel to NSW for the Canberra United fixture and then complete a busy first week of 2022 by taking to the field for a third time when they meet Sydney FC at Leichhardt Oval on Saturday 8 January (kick-off at 2.05pm WST).

WELLINGTON PHOENIX

Chloe Knott – Learning Lots In The Search For Consistency

Phoenix midfielder Chloe Knott reflected on her team’s loss to Sydney FC yesterday and emphasized how head coach Gemma Lewis’ words at half-time inspired their improved second-half showing.

“It felt like a game of two halves really. The first half – we were all pretty gutted really about it. The second half we came out and we showed a bit of character to keep them 0-0 for the second half, so we were pretty conflicted.”

“It’s never easy being 2-0, 3-0 down so early in the match. We obviously go into every game wanting to win. To be down so early is a bit of a stink. The first goal for them was a good one, we can’t argue about that one.”

Knott outlined the importance of head coach Gemma Lewis and assistant Natalie Lawrence’s half-time team talk: “It was a very good discussion at half-time. It was ‘You can either roll over and let in a few more goals, or change the script, change the narrative, and put in a good shift’. The first half isn’t how we play or want to play, so that motivated us to go and change things.”

The midfielder believes that the key to Wellington’s improvement in the A-League Women will be an ability to produce consistent performances: “Each game has been different so far. This game, we had a bad first half and came out well in the second. Other games we’ve had a bad last 10 minutes or bad middle 20. We’re learning. To go down so heavily in the first half had never happened before. We’re learning every game but we definitely need to be more consistent. We need to have a full 90-minute performance.

“We are focused on the games and we know what we want to get out of the games. We’re a new team with young players and we need to find a balance on how to prepare properly in the lead-up to games, both individually and as a team. The two-day turnaround was challenging, not to make excuses, but it made it hard to prepare.

“I don’t like losing, I don’t bounce back well from it, but I’m learning and getting better. Even when we lose we have to reset and refocus and make the most of preparation for the next game rather than dwelling on things. Even dwelling on it for one training session can hurt us. The next day has to be a focus on the next week’s match.”

**Above:** Chloe Knott emphasized the impact of the uneven fixture draw for the opening weeks of the season. Photo: Wellington Phoenix.

Wellington’s opening fixtures, which has seen them play Sydney FC, one of the competition’s strongest teams twice in the opening five rounds also feeds into her team’s inconsistent start, according to Knott: “We did well against Newcastle and then came up against Sydney, who we know are a good team and we’ve just lost 3-0 to them the week before. You really have to get up for it because we’ve just lost 3-0.

“Also the teams we play, the week before we play them, they don’t do so well, maybe getting a 0-0 draw (like Sydney did two days prior to facing Phoenix again this week) and they come out firing for us. If we were playing different teams every week, it would be a blank slate, but it is what it is and everyone is dealing with it. It’s learning, and we’re learning lots right now.”

After playing two games in four days, Phoenix now has 10 days before their next game, something which Knott underlines the importance of. “We can now give our bodies and minds a bit of a rest and refocus going into the New Year. Christmas has been challenging being away from family, so January will be a fresh start. Definitely a good thing.”

In terms of how the team are reacting to being in the public eye in terms of recognition and games on TV, a situation that the vast majority of the Wellington team have never experienced before, Knott offered “It’s probably a good thing for us that we’re not in New Zealand at the moment. I know we’re on the news in New Zealand a bit, but we don’t see any of that, so unless you actually go looking for it on social media, we don’t see anything.

“To be honest, most of the feedback is positive. People are getting behind us which means the world when you see comments like that after a 5-0 loss. The players are like ‘Did you see those comments, it’s so nice!’ My sister will message me and say I was on the news in New Zealand, but we don’t see it and it’s probably good that we don’t!”

“Improvements will come and we definitely will score from open play soon.”

Impetus 2021 Awards

It’s been another great year for women’s football and seven Impetus writers, Ben Gilby, Catherine Paquette, Darrell Allen, Jean-Pierre Thiesset, Kate Tigchelaar, Kieran Yap, and Kris Goman highlight their player, coach, moment, and unsung hero of the year. In true Impetus style, there are representatives from the top flight and grassroots levels of the women’s game (30/12/21).

Ben Gilby – Impetus Editor

TEAM: Barcelona. Ahead of the Champions League Final, there were those who felt that they were a great team, but would be found out against Chelsea as they were not used to coming up against such a quality side given the way they demolished their domestic rivals en route to another Primera División title. After all, didn’t Olympique Lyonnais defeat them 4-1 in their previous Champions League Final? The Catalans produced the greatest performance I have ever seen from a women’s club side as they totally blew Chelsea away in that Final. If anything since then, they have just got better. Total domination of their Champions League group this winter means it is very hard to see anyone taking their titles away any time soon.

**Above:** Fran Kirby – a player at the peak of her powers. **Photo:** Chloe Knott – Danehouse/GettyImages.

PLAYER: Fran Kirby. An absolute joy to watch her in the form of her life. Kirby has had battles off the pitch for years with injuries and her mental health. She spoke early in 2021 about the fact that there were times when she didn’t think she’d return to play in 2020/21. But she did, and how she did. Leaving her incredible partnership with Sam Kerr aside, Kirby is absolutely loving her football again and she is red hot in the FAWSL. Completely unplayable and a real role model for the next generation.

COACH: Leading her team to all four domestic trophies available to them in 2020/21 as well as a Champions League Final, Emma Hayes has had an incredible year. Whilst her side’s occasional defensive lapses and Champions League group stage exit might make some question the choice, she is incredibly good at what she does. Her players have huge respect for her and she is a real force of nature at Kingsmeadow.

MOMENT: Sam Kerr scoring at the death to save the Olympic Games Quarter-Final for Australia against Great Britain. It was an incredible game with the Matildas trademark ‘Never Say Die’ spirit coming to the fore. I don’t think I’ve ever shouted as loud or leapt around the living room so much as the result of one goal for a long time. Then having to explain to the neighbours why I was cheering so loudly for a goal that eventually led to Britain’s exit from the competition. It was Sam, it was The Matildas and I loved it.

UNSUNG HERO: In a Chelsea team full of superstars, there is one who maybe doesn’t get the consistent media attention that the likes of Pernille Harder, Sam Kerr, Fran Kirby, and Magda Eriksson do. Erin Cuthbert is a sensational player. The type that I think every team would love to have. She is a real Scottish terrier in midfield, chasing (and winning) lost causes all day long. Erin is the player who will come off a pitch that is in perfect condition caked in mud such is her desire. A legend.

**Above:** Sam Kerr after scoring THAT goal against Team GB in the Olympics. **Photo:** Getty Images

Catherine Paquette – Impetus North America Writer

TEAM: It’s Canada from a national team perspective and Barcelona from club football for me.

**Above:** Canadian celebrations at the Olympic Games. **Photo:** Amr Abdallah Dalsh/Reuters.

PLAYER: Barcelona’s Alexia Putellas.

COACH: Chelsea’s Emma Hayes for everything she’s achieved with her team this year.

MOMENT: Goalkeeper Stephanie Labbé, Canada’s penalty-saving hero in the Olympic Final.

UNSUNG HERO: Formiga (for another great Olympics), Carli Lloyd (for being Carli Lloyd), and Christine Sinclair (for winning a major international honour).

**Above:** Alexia Putellas – an incredible year. **Photo:** FC Barcelona

Darrell Allen – Impetus Grassroots Writer

TEAM: King’s Lynn Town. Nominated for their brilliant start to the season, ending 2021 sitting third in the tier five Eastern Region Women’s Premier Division. It’s certainly surprised those outside the club, although inside they knew this was always possible.

**Above:** *Impetus* sponsored Ashley Cheatley is Darrell Allen’s choice for Player of the Year. **Artwork:** Ashford Town (Middx).

PLAYER: Ashley Cheatley, for all her goals for Ashford Town (Middx). She’s in the headlines every weekend. Ashley clearly loves her football and is also great at interacting on social media with supporters. A player Impetus is proud to sponsor.

COACH: Sophie Gillett (Caister). Formed the new Caister team and has them flying in the tier eight Norfolk Women and Girls League Division Two as well as reaching the Norfolk Women’s Cup Quarter Finals.

MOMENT: Harlow Town coming from 3-0 down to win 4-3 at Norwich City in the FAWNL Division One South East in October.

UNSUNG HERO: Harriet Meers for her fantastic performances whilst at Wroxham. In her time at the club this season, they didn’t lose in the tier five Eastern Region Women’s Premier League and more personally for the help she has given me this year as the only person who understood when I was feeling unwell with mental health and helped me in a way that I will always be grateful. I believe Harriet’s kindness means I’m still here today and she deserves huge credit for that.

Darrell Allen’s review of Norfolk Women’s Football in 2021 will be published on the site tomorrow.

**Above:** *Impetus* sponsored Harriet Meers, Darrell Allen’s Unsung Hero of the Year, in action for Wroxham against Luton Town. **Photo:** Hardy Scott Photos.

Jean-Pierre Thiesset – Impetus French Editor

TEAM: For the first six months, Paris Saint-Germain who won their first D1 Arkema title in 2020/2021 and eliminated Olympique Lyonnais in the quarter-final of UEFA Women Champion’s For the last six months, Olympique Lyonnais with 11 wins on 11 games in D1 Arkema from the start of the 2021/2022 season and sit top of the table. Both teams qualified first in their group of UEFA Women Champion’s League. An honourable mention goes to Fleury who have had a good year and currently are in a battle for third place in D1 Arkema.

**Above:** Paris St. Germain lift the 2020/21 D1 Arkema trophy. **Photo:** Anthony Bibard via Imago

PLAYER: Selma Bacha. She has put in outstanding performances in all games she played with Olympique Lyonnais in 2021/2022 season whether it be at left-back, left midfield or as striker. She scored three goals and made six decisive passes (first rank in D1 Arkema so far); she was elected D1 Arkema player of the month in October, November, and December – the first time anyone has won the award three times in a row since the awards began in September 2020. For her first game with the France team as a left-back defender, she played almost 100 balls, 71 passes with 93% successful and made decisive passes. For her second game with the France team, she played only 25 minutes and scored a wonderful goal from 20 meters.

COACH: Sonia Bompastor – Sonia has given a more enjoyable style of play to Olympique Lyonnais since she took the team as a coach. We retrieved the previous Lyon style of play with more movement and quick passes. All of this with six major players injured: Ada Hegerberg, Wendie Renard, and Griedge MBock at the beginning of the season, they have only just returned. Now Damaris Egurrola, Daniëlle Van De Donk at the end of the year, and Amel Majri who is likely to be out for most of the season.

MOMENT: Olympique Lyonnais failing to win the 2020/21 D1 title with it going to Paris Saint-Germain for the first time. This win for PSG prevented Lyon from adding to 14 successive wins and ending their fellow French side from making it six successive UEFA Women’s Champions League victories. Additionally, COVID 19 stopped Lyon from winning their 12th French Cup as the competition was cancelled.

UNSUNG HERO: This was the most difficult award to decide for me. All of these were contenders – Katriina Talaslahti (for her clean sheets), Mary Fowler (for her goals who saved her team several times), Rachel Corboz (for her team back on the right track), and Delphine Cascarino. All four were important for their team could have been nominated. In the end, I go for Janice Cayman due to her attitude on and off the field but it was a very close call.

**Above:** Sonia Bompastor, Jean-Pierre Thiesset’s choice as Coach of the Year. **Photo:** Philippe Desmazes/AFP.

Kate Tigchelaar – Impetus Canadian Football Writer

TEAM: Barcelona. What is there to say about Barça other than the fact that they are arguably the best women’s team in the world right now. They had a staggering goal difference of 152 in their league for the 2021 season and also won the treble, winning the UEFA Women’s Champions League, Liga Femenina, and Copa de la Reina. They also don’t show any signs of slowing down in 2022 and could be in for another team of the year next year.

**Above:** Barcelona lifting the Champions League trophy after their incredible win over Chelsea. Photo: David Lidstrom/Getty Images

PLAYER: Alexia Putellas. Scored 26 goals across all competitions and was the highest-scoring midfielder in Europe. She also won the Women’s Player of the Year award along with the Ballon d’Or

COACH: Bev Priestman took over as the manager of the Canadian women’s national team in October of 2020 and in less than a year she had them winning gold at the Olympics. With barely any preparation, or playing in tournaments and missing key players from her squad, she managed to make it work and win that gold medal. Changing the colour of the medal was her goal and she accomplished it, having gotten Canada past the US as well for the first time in twenty years.

MOMENT: Canada winning gold at the Olympics. They have won medals in back-to-back-to-back Olympics in women’s football now and this gold may just be the driving force to get us a professional league here. Canada is one of the only top ten teams in the world that doesn’t have one. Canada also had to get through the US in the semi-finals and then an incredibly tough Sweden side in the final. Lots of people didn’t have Canada picked as going all the way which makes it that much sweeter.

UNSUNG HERO: Ashley Lawrence, Paris St.Germain and Canada. Defenders so rarely get the praise they deserve which already puts Lawrence in a good position for this award. She helped lead PSG to the title in the D1 Arkema in 2021 after years of losing to Lyon and was also instrumental in helping Canada grab gold at the Tokyo Olympics. She creates a lot of attacks going forward but is equally good and getting back and making terrific defensive tackles. Everything you want in an outside back.

**Photo:** Canada head coach Bev Priestman, Kate Tigchelaar’s choice as Coach of the Year. **Photo:** Boris Streubel – FIFA/FIFA via Getty Images)

Kieran Yap – Impetus Australian Football Writer

TEAM: Chelsea FC. It was between the London club and Canada‘s gold medalists for me. Although they were well beaten by Barcelona in the Champions League final, they became a must-watch team during their treble-winning season. Even their defensive issues are part of the appeal as a neutral. Apart from a very few exceptions, Chelsea games meant goals and highlights.

**Above:** Teagan Micah – Kieran Yap’s choice for Player of the Year. **Photo supplied to *Impetus* by:** Football Australia.

PLAYER: Teagan Micah. Goalkeeper of the year in the Dolan Awards, Melbourne City’s player of the year. A heroic Olympic campaign and becoming a league champion in Sweden. Micah had a career-making 2021 and delivered at club and national team level.

COACH: Can I be sappy and say every one of last season’s W-League coaches for building teams and getting through a hectic, uncertain season? If I have to choose, it’s Jeff Hopkins of Melbourne Victory. Victoria had no NPL season to judge recruits by, but he gave Kyra Cooney-Cross responsibility and freedom, moved Polly Doran to right-back and trusted Melina Ayres to replace Natasha Dowie. The Grand Final win was a suitable reward for good planning and risk-taking.

MOMENT: Looking back on 2021, I actually think Mary Fowler’s goal against Denmark is my favourite of the year. Not just for the quality of the strike but there has always been some mystery around what she could really do. That goal not only kick-started her international career but in hindsight the Tony Gustavsson era of the Matildas. She’s built on that moment to become a key player as the year comes to a close.

UNSUNG HERO: Erin Cuthbert. She has all the talent in the world but is also the ultimate team player. Cuthbert is a barometer for Chelsea. She can play as an attacking midfielder, a winger or as a (still attacking) right back when needed.

**Above:** Erin Cuthbert, the only player to receive more than one vote for Unsung Hero of the Year. **Photo:** @erincuthbert_

Kris Goman – Impetus Australian Football Writer

TEAM: Has to be Barcelona. Nobody comes close right now. The way they’ve literally thrashed every team they’ve met. They are a class above.

PLAYER: Gotta say that I agree with the FIFA Ballon D’or results and put Alexia Putellas in the number one spot. Great leader, great player, great results.

**Above:** Chelsea’s Emma Hayes, the choice of three of our writers, including Kris Goman for Coach of the Year. **Photo:** Chelsea FC via Getty Images.

COACH: Emma Hayes. Despite very recent results, what she’s done with Chelsea has been phenomenal. Winning all the domestic trophies and getting to the Champions League final says it all.

MOMENT: Canada winning the Olympics. Even though I thought Sweden really deserved the gold and the look on their faces when they were presented the silver was the saddest thing in football this year, the unmitigated joy from the Canadians was something else. And to see Christine Sinclair win a major tournament after all these years was special. Very close runner-up was Sam Kerr absolutely flooring that pitch invader in the Champions League game between Chelsea and Juventus. I didn’t think my respect for her could go any higher but it did

UNSUNG HERO: Closer to home, I’m going with Cortnee Vine, despite her ACL injury that took her out for most of the season. She was absolutely killing it before her injury and her stats spoke for themselves. She’s back this season like she’s never been away, causing havoc, scoring goals, and providing assists. I am really hoping she gets a call up to the Matildas soon and gets the recognition she deserves.

**Above:** Cortnee Vine (far right) – an outstanding comeback from injury and Kris Goman’s choice as Unsung Hero of the Year. **Photo:** Sydney FC.

Home Town Hero’s Hat-Trick In Sydney Stroll

Wellington Phoenix 0-5 Sydney FC (30/12/21)

By Ben Gilby

Above: Sydney FC celebrate after Rachel Lowe put them ahead against Wellington Phoenix today. Photo: Jason McCawley/Getty Images.

Sydney FC ran out comfortable winners over Wellington Phoenix to ensure that they will remain top of the table for at least another week as two teams who were playing their second game in four days faced off at Wollongong.

The Harbour City side created endless chances in their previous encounter, a goalless draw against Western Sydney Wanderers on Monday. Mackenzie Hawkesby was notable in getting shots away in that cross-city clash, but this time both the Wollongong-born midfielder and her team converted their opportunities with five first-half goals the consequence.

Despite the short turn-around in games, Phoenix head coach Gemma Lewis named the same starting 11, which, due young age of her squad raised some eyebrows. Sydney made several changes with Rachel Lowe coming in for her first start of the season. Also reintroduced was Remy Siemsen, who missed Monday’s game with a non-Covid related illness, Jessika Nash and Charlotte Mclean.

Saskia Vosper was under pressure from Cortnee Vine in the early stages in a sign of things to come. Another build-up down the right between Hawkesby and the returning Remy Siemsen caused confusion in the Phoenix defence before Lily Alfeld dropped on the ball.

This was a sign of Sydney’s intent. Just moments later, from a throw on the right, around 25 yards from goal, Taylor Ray found Nash. The 17-year-old’s ball into the box was cleared by Grace Wisnewski straight into the path of Lowe, unmarked centrally just beyond the ‘D’, and her first time shot arrowed into the top left-hand corner.

When Phoenix gained possession, it was notable just how strong Sydney’s press was, with several Sky Blue shirts gathering around the Wellington player in control of the ball to force a turnover.

The Sky Blues were comfortable and had plenty of room to move the ball around in midfield. With thirteen minutes on the clock, they doubled their lead in an ominous warning to the Kiwi side. Ray played a one-two with Princess Ibini and had time to run on and find Cortnee Vine on the right-wing. The Sky Blues’ star exchanged passes with Lowe before finding space to cut back to Siemsen who was denied by Alfeld.

**Above:** All smiles for Sydney FC after another first half goal. **Photo:** Sydney FC.

Yet, referee Lara Lee pointed to the spot. There were two potential reasons for the award as, behind play, Ibini had been pushed to the ground by Wiesnewski and Kate Taylor looked to have handled as Vine pulled the ball back. Local girl Hawkesby, a former Illawarra Stingrays player, stepped up and slotted home comfortably from the spot into the right-hand corner.

Ante Juric’s side kept pressing forward. Ally Green drove along the left and pulled a ball over for Vine who got up slightly too early, allowing Alfeld to gather.

Whilst Phoenix had begun to put together some consistent possession, Sydney were dominant throughout the first period, something that was emphasized in the final 17 minutes of the half. Vosper allowed Siemsen to get free from a throw-in on the right which allowed the Matilda to square a pass across the box for an unmarked Hawkesby to tap home at the far post.

**Above:** Sydney FC’s first half hat-trick hero Mackenzie Hawkesby (centre) is congratulated. **Photo:** A-League Women

Just on the half-hour mark, Kelli Brown conceded a free-kick on the right after making contact with Siemsen after the ball had gone across. Hawkesby’s pass found its way to Ray who lobbed the ball back in for Siemsen to dispatch into the net, but at least one Sky Blue shirt was adjudged to be in an offside position, which saw the ‘goal’ chalked off.

The pattern of Sydney having time and space to drive down the right continued unabated with Ibini and Siemsen taking advantage in addition to Vine’s freedom along that side of the pitch.

The Harbour City side came desperately close once more with 34 minutes on the clock when a corner from the right found Ibini in acres of space, but Alfeld pushed over a vicious shot.

Wellington responded with Taylor pulling away with possession eventually finding its way to Alyssa Whinham who created a lovely exchange of passing which ended with Brown’s shot going wide. Yet Sydney responded with more Vine magic.

Ibini picked up possession on the left and the ball found its way to Vine on the opposite flank via Siemsen. The in-form striker’s footwork got her past Vosper. The after-burners were then switched on allowing her to drive into space and hit a powerful shot across Alfeld into the right-hand corner for 4-0. It was another nudge for Tony Gustavsson of what the 23-year-old can offer the national side.

Two minutes before the break, Wisnewski brought Hawkesby down to the right of centre, around 25 yards out. Green’s lofted free-kick was met by Nat Tobin who got up in the six-yard box to flick a header against the bar which rebounded to Vine whose effort was pushed back against the bar by Alfeld before Phoenix cleared momentarily.

A cross-field flick from Ibini found Siemsen in acres of space on the right. The striker pulled it back to the onrushing Hawkesby who got in between Vosper and Wisnewski to sidefoot home as the hometown hero completed her hat-trick with Sydney 5-0 up at the break.

**Above:** Wellington Phoenix’s Saskia Vosper in possession. **Photo:** Wellington Phoenix.

Paige Satchell, on as a substitute at half-time, fashioned the first opportunity of the second half when she cut inside, looked up, saw Alfeld off her line, and hooked a long-distance shot against the bar.

Also on for the second half was Angelique Hristodoulou who got a shot away from the right-hand edge of the box which was deflected out for a corner just on the hour mark. As the flag-kick came in, Tobin directed the ball goalwards for Satchell to hit a shot high into the net only for referee Lara Lee ruling it out after the ball came off of the Kiwi’s upper arm.

Phoenix showed greater organization throughout the second half and were hard done by in terms of refereeing decisions on more than one occasion. Taylor was yellow-carded after what looked to be a superb challenge on the hour mark, and then play was later waved on after Chloe Knott was on the receiving end of a high boot.

Jordan Jasnos showed great skill with 15 minutes to go after turning beautifully and getting a shot away which was wide of the right-hand post.

The spirit and effort were certainly there from Wellington in the second 45. In order to compete more consistently in the competition, the next step for them is to react quicker when they are struggling in certain parts of the pitch – the right-hand side in the first half being a case in point.

**Above:** Zoe McMeeken (left) looks to hold off Princess Ibini. **Photo:** Jason McCawley/Getty Images.

Speaking after the game, the Sky Blues’ hat-trick hero Mackenzie Hawkesby spoke of her delight: “I can’t believe it. It was a really special day for me being in my home town and in front of my family. It’s such a beautiful stadium. It was a really good performance and I’m stoked for the five goals for the team as well as me to get three goals. We knew we had to show more this week and we did. We just want to build and build and build and we’ve got lots to improve on.”

Princess Ibini spoke about her pleasure in putting the game plan into action on the pitch: “I’m very happy with scoreline, we probably should have got more in the second half and we pushed for it but they defended very well. Our game plan was to just keep pushing forward and we tried but it was a very good performance from all of the girls.”

Sydney FC boss Ante Juric was happy with the win and clean sheet, but still sees plenty of room for improvement: “It was nice to get three points. We were really good in the first half and remain top of the table, so we are happy.

“We’ve worked hard defensively too, so another clean sheet, that’s four, and I’m very happy not to concede again. We aren’t close to our best, we are about 60% and we haven’t been outstanding yet, so we’ve got room for improvement.”

Wellington Phoenix head coach Gemma Lewis was clearly frustrated with her team’s performance: “It wasn’t nice to watch. It wasn’t nice to be a part of for anyone, the girls who were playing in it and us. It just felt like we were pretty soft, pretty passive, pretty lethargic.

“They’re better than that, that’s not who they are so it was a bit disappointing that was the display they put on in the first half. We tend to have a good performance and then the next game is normally night and day.

“I don’t know whether we go in and we’re complacent or whether we’re riding the high of having a really good game and think we’re just going to naturally back it up. At least we kind of came out in the second half a little bit better.”

Addressing the penalty that led to Mackenzie Hawkesby’s first goal, Lewis was hugely disappointed about it being awarded: “That penalty seemed really harsh and…we just couldn’t even decipher where it came from. Safe to say I wasn’t exactly the biggest fan of the ref in this game because I feel like she made some awful decisions throughout.”

Teams: WELLINGTON PHOENIX: Alfeld, McMeeken, Barry, Taylor, Vosper, Whinham, Gomez, Wisnewski, Pritchard, Knott, Brown. Substitutes: Edwards, Jasnos, Jones, Kramer, Walker.

SYDNEY FC: Whyman, Nash, Mclean, Tobin, Green, Lowe, Hawkesby, Ray, Vine, Siemsen, Ibini. Substitutes: Hristodoulou, Hunter, Offer (GK), Rojas, Satchell.

Scorers: Lowe 5′. Hawkesby (pen) 14′, 28′, 44′. Vine 38′.

Referee: Lara Lee.

Attendance: 309.

Clare Wheeler: Growing To Greatness

In the latest of our #MidweekDub series of interviews, Clare Wheeler, one of last season’s top W-League players, spoke to Ben Gilby about Sydney FC’s campaign last year, her move to Denmark with Fortuna Hjørring, and her experiences of international football with the Matildas. (29/12/21).

Above: Clare Wheeler (left) takes on Marta whilst on international duty for Australia against Brazil in October. Photo: Football Australia.

Clare Wheeler was one of the stand-out players in the W-League last season, starring with eventual Grand Final runners-up Sydney FC.

Wheeler’s footballing journey started as a teenager as she reveals: “I started my professional career at Newcastle Jets when I was 15 years old. Following several seasons with Newcastle, I moved to Sydney FC for both my personal life and football ambitions. I enjoyed every aspect of my time with Sydney FC. It was a great environment and the team was super welcoming.”

**Above:** Clare Wheeler in action for Newcastle Jets during the 2019/20 W-League season. **Photo:** Newcastle Herald.

The Sky Blues took the Premiers’ title last season, winning nine of their 12 regular season matches before dispatching Canberra United comfortably 3-0 in their semi-final at Kogarah. This then led to a Grand Final showdown with Melbourne Victory which saw the two sides only separated at the very end of extra time courtesy of Kyra Cooney-Cross’ Olimpico.

As heartbreaking as it was at the time, Wheeler looks back at the outcome philosophically eight months on.

**Above:** Clare Wheeler (left) in action for Sydney FC against Canberra United’s Paige Satchell last season. **Photo:** Sydney Daily Telegraph.

“We would have loved to achieve the double last season, but it was not to be. However, I’m proud to have been a part of the premiership side. I was then given an opportunity overseas at Fortuna Hjørring in Denmark.

“Moving to Fortuna was a difficult decision to make in the midst of Covid but I haven’t looked back since. The decision was made easier by the long history the club has had with Australian nationals and the fact that I would be joined by three fellow Australian teammates and one in the coaching staff.”

In terms of how she’s found the Danish game, Wheeler was clear that it has been a step up.

**Above:** Wheeler in action for Fortuna Hjørring this season. **Photo supplied by:** Fortuna Hjørring.

“Football in Denmark is very technical and many players have great ball skills. There’s a focus here on technical execution.

At Fortuna, we have a goal station and one-on-one training. It has allowed me to add more to my game on the ball.”

Wheeler’s form at Sydney and now at Fortuna Hjørring led to a call-up to the Matildas for recent internationals. It was a dream come true for the Coffs Harbour-born player.

**Above:** Clare Wheeler (right) in action for the Matildas against the USA last month. **Photo:** ESPN.

“I’m extremely grateful to be given an opportunity to represent my country. I believe Tony Gustavsson has provided many players the opportunity to test themselves at the next level as he focuses on the 2023 World Cup.”

As her career develops further, Wheeler is aware of her growing status as a role model for the next generation of footballers in Australia, something that she underlines the importance of.

“I believe it’s hard to be what you can’t see. Hopefully, as the game continues to evolve and grow, more coverage will not only promote the women’s game to future generations but also allow fairer compensation for our elite female athletes to continue to play the game.”

Impetus would like to thank former Matilda Alison Foreman for her assistance in arranging our interview with Clare Wheeler.

Impetus Achievers Awards

Round Four of the A-League Women was memorable for several different reasons. Our team of writers covering the competition, Ben Gilby, Kris Goman, and Kieran Yap hand out their weekly awards (28/12/21).

Above: Hannah Wilkinson (far left), the undisputed choice of Player of the Week, celebrates with her Melbourne City teammates on Boxing Day. Photo: Melbourne City.

PLAYER OF THE WEEK:

Ben: Easiest pick of the season. Hannah Wilkinson was absolutely sensational in the Boxing Day derby for Melbourne City. Her cool finishes in scoring all of her team’s five goals took the headlines, but the link-up play and understanding she showed with Holly McNamara (who, on another week could have taken this award for her own display) was also superb.

Kris: It has to be Hannah Wilkinson with the fastest hat-trick (21 minutes) and matching Kate Gill’s five-goal record. That doesn’t happen very often. That also put her well in front in the golden boot race.

Kieran: Easy. Hannah Wilkinson, five goals, and all great finishes. A fantastic performance.

COACH OF THE WEEK:

Ben: For the second week in a row, I’m going for Rado Vidosic – but this time directly due to his preparation and game plan for the Melbourne derby. All season in press conferences, Vidosic has spoken of his desire to see his side improve their high press and cut down the amount of time opposition have on the ball. All of these were in evidence in spades on Boxing Day and the way his side targeted specific areas of the Melbourne Victory defence were examples of a team that were prepared brilliantly.

Kris: I’ll go with Rado Vidosic. To see City tear apart Victory like that was unusual. Victory were down a few key players, but they are still the champion team from last year so the result was pretty unexpected.

**Above:** Sergio Malfara, Western Sydney Wanderers’ assistant coach who stepped up brilliantly for the Sydney derby yesterday. **Photo:** LinkedIn

Kieran: It’s Sergio Malfara. He stepped into the role for the day after Catherine Cannuli was forced into isolation. It was the second good performance in a row by the Wanderers against another strong team.

EVENT OF THE WEEK:

Ben: Brisbane Roar conceding two goals at the death to blow a lead yet again. The Queenslanders have let goals in from the 85th minute onwards in every game this season. Six goals lost in this period across the campaign have seen the Garrath McPherson’s side drop a potential seven points – a tally which would put them in fifth place, only outside of the top four on goal difference. As soon as Grace Maher hit that free-kick with two minutes to go, there was an inevitability that Canberra would score again to grab a draw, which is exactly what they did through Holly Caspers.

Kris: The hair grab by Sheridan Gallagher on Taylor Ray. While I think some of the reactions are bordering on bullying, it’s also the most talked about event of the round. It’s pretty clear she didn’t do it on purpose but it looked pretty violent and she was lucky to get away with a yellow.

Kieran: Grace Maher’s free-kick for Canberra United with two minutes of normal time left against Brisbane Roar. Perfectly hit and perfectly timed to change the course of the game.

Lack Of Shots On Target But Sydney Go Top

Sydney FC 0-0 Western Sydney Wanderers

Words and Photos By Kris Goman (27/12/21).

Above: Sydney FC’s Cortnee Vine gets above the Wanderers’ defence to get a header in on goal. Photo: Kris Goman for Impetus.

Anyone might have thought they were in Melbourne the way the weather changed at Leichhardt Oval today. One minute I was putting on sunscreen and the next a raincoat and then a hoodie. Previously decorative scarves became highly functional. Thankfully it was just showers but it sent most of the crowd enjoying the sunshine into the shelter of the stands.

**Above:** A tense midfield tussle in the Sydney derby. **Photo:** Kris Goman for *Impetus*.

From there, a scoreless draw played out to disappointed fans from both sides. There was plenty of drama, as expected for a derby match. Quite a few chances but no conversions. Sydney recorded 14 shots but only one on target while Wanderers had 11 shots with two on target. Possession was pretty even but the big differences were in the number of offsides with 6-0 in favour of Sydney and corners 13-2 also in favour of Sydney.

Two minutes after kick-off, Sheridan Gallagher beat Jada Whyman who’s come right out of the box and took a left-footed shot from outside the box which narrowly went wide to the left, despite the open goal.

**Above:** Cortnee Vine gets a shot away for Sydney. **Photo:** Kris Goman for *Impetus*.

Shortly after Cortnee Vine is off alone down the right and finds herself one on one with Langman but uncharacteristically puts the shot into the side netting. Langman applied enough pressure to cause the error. Mackenzie Hawkesby then ran onto a pass from Maria Rojas and sent a shot over the crossbar from the centre of the box.

In one of the most sensational moments of the match, Gallagher tackled Taylor Ray who twisted to evade her. Gallagher reached out and grabbed her hair as she passed and Taylor was yanked backwards and hit the ground face first. Gallagher was awarded a yellow card for the foul but there’s plenty of argument as to whether it should have been a red. It certainly looked bad and Ray got a bit of whiplash as well as a face plant. Not too hard to justify a red card.

**Above:** The most controversial moment of Round Four – Sheridan Gallagher pulls Taylor Ray’s hair and was not sent off.
**Photo:** Jason McCawley/Getty Images.

Later in the match, a cross by Rojas skimmed right past the goal with no one there to tap it in. Ibini arrived a little late to the party to watch Alexia Apostolakis, in her starting debut, put it out. The resulting corner, once again goes right in front of goal with everyone jumping at it but the ball passed harmlessly through.

Just before halftime, it’s another close miss for Sydney when Vine passed to Rojas who one-two’ed it back to Vine who passes out to Charlize Rule on the right. Her cross comes to Ibini. She centred to Hawkesby who lined up the power shot but it deflected off Gallagher who’s thrown herself in its path. This allowed Sarah Langman to smother the ball and get it out of harm’s way.

**Above:** Mackenzie Hawkesby’s effort is thwarted by a block. **Photo:** Kris Goman for *Impetus*.

The Wanderers came out fighting from the halftime break and immediately applied pressure resulting in an early corner. The Sydney defence stands strong and there’s a breakaway down the other end but the Wanderers backline is equally adept.

The first genuine chance of the half comes when Steinmetz passes through for Brylee Henry to run onto in the box. Jada Whyman came out and successfully blocked the play.

**Above:** Cortnee Vine looks to get away from Wanderers’ Danika Matos (5). **Photo:** Kris Goman for *Impetus*.

Straight away Vine retaliated and brought the ball towards the byline and passed back to Hawkesby at the top of the box. Hawkesby’s shot had no power and is deflected by Caitlin Cooper, losing even more speed making it an easy pickup for Langman.

Wanderers have the marginal upper hand and a bit more possession for the rest of the half until injury time when Sydney step up and face the prospect of breaking their winning streak. Paige Satchell had recently come on to replace a battered Ally Green and has injected fresh legs and a bit of pace and enthusiasm. Almost the full five minutes of injury time are played in Sydney’s final third but despite repeated attempts, they can’t break through the Wanderers’ defence.

**Above:** Cote Rojas’ trickery was kept in check by Wanderers’ defender Clare Hunt. **Photo:** Kris Goman for *Impetus*.

Finishing wasn’t the forte of either team today however they both looked very solid in defence. Clare Hunt was outstanding for the Wanderers at the back and wasn’t having any of Rojas’ tricky maneuvers and had her measure.

Both keepers didn’t have too much to do with only three on target attempts the entire game but they both were there when needed.

**Above:** One of Sydney FC’s ex-Wanderers’, Sarah Hunter (left) takes on Teigan Collister. **Photo:** Kris Goman for *Impetus*.

In the midfield, both Ray and Steinmetz looked in control. Upfront, Rojas, Hawkesby, Ibini, and Vine all had plenty of chances but couldn’t put anything away today. Henry, Gallagher, and Teigan Collister had fewer chances but also couldn’t make them work.

In the end, a point each seems fair and still sends Sydney to the top of the ladder to finally stand alone. Wanderers get their third draw of the season and move up to sixth place.

**Above:** Sydney derby midfield action. **Photo:** Kris Goman for *Impetus*.

After the match, Ante Juric, Sydney FC’s coach was frustrated by the outcome: “It was disappointing because I thought we didn’t play well and when you don’t play well and to your standards, it’s always disappointing.

“In saying that the conditions weren’t the best and to lose Remy (Siemsen) two hours before the game obviously makes an impact on the team. They think it was food poisoning and she was vomiting on the way to the game, but I think she’ll be ready for Wellington on Thursday.”

“The first half I thought we had four really good chances. Outside of those maybe it was a bit 50/50 but we needed to score those early on, and then the conditions got even worse. But, I’m not happy we had one shot on target out of 14. One of our targets was to be top of the table and clear and we are that. We didn’t concede again and that’s credit to the girls.”

Teams: SYDNEY FC: Whyman, Green, McLean, Tobin, Rule, Ray, Hunter, Hawkesby, Ibini, Rojas, Vine Substitutes: Offer, Nash, Lowe, Satchell, Johnson

WESTERN SYDNEY WANDERERS: Langman, Hunt, Apostolakis, Cooper, Matos, Copus-Brown, Price, Steinmetz, Collister, Gallagher, Henry. Substitutes: Khamis (GK), Chauvet, Galea, Crofts, Allen.

Referee: Isabella Blaess

Attendance: 1,058

Impetus’ coverage of Australian Women’s Football is supported by The Chicken Salt Co. They are offering every Impetus reader 5% off all orders of Chicken Salt from their website. Go to https://www.chickensalt.co.uk/?mate=impetus and place your order – 5% will automatically be taken off of the cost. The coupon code is impetus.

House The Hero Amidst Heartbreak for Phoenix

Wellington Phoenix 0-1 Newcastle Jets

By Ben Gilby (27/12/21)

Above: Newcastle Jets celebrate Jemma House’s first-ever A-League Women’s goal, which finally clinched the three points on the New South Wales Central Coast. Photo: Getty Images via Newcastle Jets.

Newcastle Jets gained their second win of the season against a Wellington Phoenix side who would have deserved a point from the game for their efforts.

In a match played in wet conditions in Gosford and behind closed doors due to Covid concerns, the Jets got out of the blocks quickly and within the opening minute, Maria Markussen showed that she was in dangerous form immediately as she got clear down the left, cut inside, beat Zoe McMeeken, and get a shot away which Mackenzie Barry got something onto as the effort went behind for a corner.

Importantly, Wellington got their offensive game going early and benefitted from a great press in transition as Grace Wisnewski won the ball back in midfield and set Alyssa Whinham through. The 18-year-old, who joined the club on scholarship forms, drove through the midfield but was not able to get a shot away. Whinham’s start in this game coupled with her efforts against Sydney last time out, identify her as yet another excellent Kiwi talent. She has pace and an ability to drop the shoulder and ghost past attempted tackles. Once she gets more experience playing at this level, she has all the makings of being a star.

Phoenix were giving Emily van Egmond plenty of attention, but the Matildas star was able to get through and got a shot away outside the box to the left of centre which just skidded wide of the left post on the wet surface.

**Above:** Newcastle Jets’ Emily van Egmond ponders her team’s next move tonight. **Photo:** Getty Images via Newcastle Jets.

With 13 minutes gone, Wellington’s energetic press forced a mistake. Taren King played a backpass to her goalkeeper Georgia Boric. The ball was returned to King who played an effort towards Lucy Johnson but the midfielder was dispossessed by Chloe Knott. The Phoenix midfielder played a pass back to Wisnewski. She returned the favour which allowed Knott to get a shot away from just over 20 yards which Boric gathered.

The game was falling into an end-to-end pattern. There were acres of space in midfield which allowed the likes of Markussen, van Egmond, Wisnewski, and Whinham to create, but all too often the final passes were below par.

With the half-hour mark passed, Jets were finding it hard to maintain any momentum and Phoenix were competing well in midfield. Whilst the New Zealanders were not creating the number of chances that Newcastle had, their organization and coherent approach play was a real positive.

Whilst Newcastle’s block defence was keeping Phoenix largely at bay, their attacking press needed an injection of pace.

Ten minutes before the break, Ava Pritchard was in possession centrally, 25 yards out from goal. Her squared ball found Kelli Brown, who was unmarked. The striker’s shot landed in Boric’s midriff.

**Above:** Wellington Phoenix’s Mackenzie Barry looks to get away from Marie Markussen. **Photo:** Getty Images via Newcastle Jets.

Phoenix’s confidence was growing and Pritchard dummied her way past van Egmond in a display that brought loud cheers from the Kiwi bench.

Jets’ frustration grew as half-time approached. Cassidy Davis slightly fortuitously played a long pass forward which fell into the path of Markussen. The Norwegian advanced to a one of one battle with Lily Alfeld, but her shot lacked power.

One further chance came Newcastle’s way before the break when Tiana Jaber pulled a cross into the box from the right towards Tara Andrews who had made a great run across the box which wasn’t picked up, but the Newcastle-born star couldn’t quite get her head on it.

Jets came out firing and pressed high. Alfeld was forced into a save within 20 seconds of the re-start as van Egmond pounced after a poor attempted clearance and fired in an effort from the edge of the box which the Canterbury-born goalkeeper saved.

Moments later, Sophie Harding got away from Kate Taylor down the left and played in a teasing low cross which McMeeken did well to deal with at the far post. From the follow-up, Alfeld had to get down quickly to deny Andrews from close range.

**Above:** Wellington Phoenix defender Kate Taylor involved in an aerial collision. **Photo:** Getty Images via Newcastle Jets.

Phoenix worked hard to ride out the storm and the league’s newcomers were able to gain more possession as the clock ticked towards the hour mark

There were chances at both ends in quick succession. First, Harding had a free header from a corner which narrowly cleared the bar. Then, McMeeken got down the right and found Whinham whose slide-rule return pass saw McMeeken’s effort smothered by Boric before the ball bounced across the box where Knott’s ankle was tapped by Jaber, but the referee saw nothing in it, and play continued.

With ten minutes left, Newcastle came close twice in quick succession. First, sub-Kirsty Fenton fed Markussen on the left. Her cut back found the Liz Eddy, but her powerful effort went wide of the right-hand post. Then the American teed up van Egmond for a typical long-range effort which cannoned off the right-hand post

Yet, it was a case of third time lucky as Davis’ effort from outside the box was pushed onto the bar by Alfeld and fell right into the path of House who followed up at the far post to slot the ball home.

**Above:** Newcastle Jets’ match-winner Jemma House (right) celebrates with her team-mates after scoring her first-ever A-League Women’s goal.
**Photo:** Getty Images via Newcastle Jets.

Eddy could have doubled the Jets lead immediately afterward as she saw a shot fly narrowly over the bar. Despite continued hard work, Phoenix couldn’t fashion a reply and Newcastle saw out the remaining minutes comfortably.

Jets match-winner Jemma House was understandably delighted post-game when she spoke about scoring her first goal in the competition: “It kind of feels surreal, but that monkey is finally off my back now. It’s taken a while so it’s nice to have that done now and it’s nice to have a winning goal to my name.

“Watching from the sidelines before I came on, there were a lot of opportunities and we could have finished the game a long time ago. It was nice to get it done.”

Speaking about the game, Phoenix midfielder Chloe Knott saw the positives for her side: “We fared a lot better than the last time we played them, we stuck to the game plan. We wanted to be aggressive and force them to play with little time.”

Wellington Phoenix head coach Gemma Lewis had mixed emotions afterward: “That game was like chalk and cheese for us. We were competitive in this game. We were struggling to even be competitive the last time we played them.

“It’s one of those things where I’m stoked of the turnaround between games and the performances, and the girls really stepped up. But conceding in the late stages of the game is always a hard one to swallow, especially when I think we had moments to nick it.

“As much as this hurts we can’t sit here and dwell on it and mourn it because actually, we need to take the positives, take the learnings and move on. This is the A-League, we’re in a season, we have to carry on and we have to push forward.”

Teams: WELLINGTON PHOENIX: Alfeld, Vosper, Taylor, Barry, McMeeken, Gomez, Brown, Wisnewski, Whinham, Pritchard, Knott. Substitutes: Edwards (GK), Jale, Kramer, Martin, Walker.

NEWCASTLE JETS: Boric, Eddy, Brewer, King, Jaber, Davis, van Egmond, Johnson, Andrews, Markussen, Harding. Substitutes: Brodigan, Coelho (GK), Fenton, Franco, House.

Scorer: House 82′.

Referee: Georgia Ghirardello.

Attendance: Behind Closed Doors.

Five Goal Wilkinson And City Demolish Big Rivals

Melbourne Victory 1-5 Melbourne City

By Kieran Yap (26/12/21)

Above: Contrasting emotions as City celebrate another goal with Victory’s Kyra Cooney-Cross showing her immense disappointment. Photo: A-League Women.

A historic performance by Hannah Wilkinson and a dominant display from Melbourne City ended their cross-city rivals’ perfect record and sent a warning to the competition.

The New Zealand centre-forward scored an incredible five goals in the demolition of Melbourne Victory. Her first half hat-trick was followed by a second-half brace while the much-celebrated attack of Jeff Hopkins’ side was rendered harmless by a disciplined and committed City team.

**Above:** Holly McNamara (left) up against Claudia Bunge today. **Photo:** Melbourne City.

In the second derby in three weeks, Victory named Tiffany Eliadis at centre-back. Amy Jackson returned to midfield and Alex Chidiac came back into the squad after missing the win in Brisbane due to border restrictions.

City had begun the season with a stutter but hit form against Adelaide United in round three. In that game, Wilkinson scored twice. It was an ominous warning for a Victory defence still trying to find a solution to the absence of Kayla Morrison.

**Above:** Hannah Wilkinson celebrates one of her five goals with, among others Rebekah Stott (13). **Photo:** Melbourne City.

City took only five minutes to start the rout. Wilkinson was slipped in with a beautiful pass by Holly McNamara, she took a touch to take her wider of Casey Dumont and finished coolly. City had attempted to exploit the Victory defence in the previous encounter but did not take their chances. Today there would be no such wastefulness.

The second goal came less than 10 minutes later. It has been the season for goalkeeper calamities. Brisbane, Adelaide, and Canberra have all suffered from uncharacteristic mistakes from their custodians and today it was Victory’s turn.

Casey Dumont has been one of Melbourne’s best players this season and has been largely responsible for their last two wins. However, her attempted clearance in the 13^th minute bounced off a pressing McNamara and fell to Wilkinson.

City’s new star still had plenty to do when she gathered the ball 20 yards from goal. She took a touch inward and finished over the top of Dumont to double the lead.

The Sky Blues were 2-0 up but considering Victory’s firepower, they would need more to put the result beyond doubt.

Her hat-trick was completed in the 26^th minute. A hopeful long ball forward bounced behind the Victory defence and between Eliadis and Dumont. Somehow the pair collided in a moment of miscommunication and poor coordination. Wilkinson was able to claim her third goal and the easiest of the day.

**Above:** Hannah Wilkinson beats Melbourne Victory goalkeeper Casey Dumont to complete her hat-trick. **Photo:** Melbourne City/

In most circumstances 3-0 would not be fatal to a Victory game, they still boasted an attack featuring Lynn Williams and Catherine Zimmerman, both of who had been in brilliant form lately. However, the concern in the game up to this point was that they had been unable to create chances.

City defended well in midfield and forced the midfield of Chidiac, Kyra Cooney-Cross and Amy Jackson to hurry passes or turn over possession.

The defensive unit led by Emma Checker was rarely tested without midfield support. Tyla-Jay Vlajnic was effective as a left full-back in both directions and not for the first time this season.

Rhianna Pollicina’s ability to carry the ball and find space in a crowded midfield area was pivotal to City’s dominance while Rebekah Stott was as tidy and combative as ever.

**Above:** A tough challenge in today’s Melbourne derby. **Photo:** Melbourne Victory.

Even in light of Wilkinson’s goal-scoring feats, the brightest star of this new look City might be Holly McNamara. She is tricky, intelligent, fast, and fearless. The 18-year-old has taken no time at all to adapt to the league and her assist for Wilkinson’s fourth was sublime.

Faced with three Victory defenders on the left flank, she checked back inside and assessed her options in one move. Wilkinson floated clear of her marker but with four players between her and McNamara, the pass had to be perfect.

City’s number nine held possession just long enough to give Wilkinson time to make space but released the ball before she could step offside. The pass itself was floated over perfectly and landed perfectly for Wilkinson to control unopposed.

**Above:** Holly McNamara (left) and Hannah Wilkinson (right) combined with lethal effect for City in the derby today. **Photo:** Melbourne City.

The finish was as brilliant as the assist. Dumont reacted to the danger by coming out to close to angle but in response, Wilkinson lifted the ball over her head and into the goal. There was no margin for error and the goal was perfect in its execution.

City were in cruise control, Victory were fast running out of time and had still yet to test Melissa Barbieri.

In response, Jeff Hopkins brought on Alana Murphy, Melinda Barbieri, and Maja Markovski. City introduced Leticia McKenna and Naomi Thomas-Chinnama into the game.

McKenna took the place of McNamara. The youngster’s job for the day was done with a pair of assists and a menacing performance. McKenna made an impact of her own when she released Vlajnic to cross perfectly for Wilkinson to tap home from close range and make it five for her and five for City.

**Above:** Emma Checker celebrates with Hannah Wilkinson after the New Zealand striker hit her fifth goal Victory’s goal scorer Maja Markovski kneels in frustration on the far left. **Photo:** Melbourne City.

Markovski pulled one back for Victory late to restore some respect but it was too little too late for the defending champions who suffered their first defeat since the premiership decided against Sydney FC last season.

It is no mystery how they lost this game. This was the fifth defensive combination in four matches and City ruthlessly punished errors and exploited gaps.

The bigger question now is how good are City this season? They have beaten their rival and defending champions 5-1 and have clearly addressed last season’s issues with the addition of two genuine A-League strikers.

**Above:** A sensational performance from Hammah Wilkinson, pictured here getting past Alex Chidiac. **Photo:** Melbourne City.

In any case, this was a memorable match. Hannah Wilkinson will end the round comfortably as a golden boot favourite, and joins Kate Gill as one of two players to score five times in an A-League Women’s match.

Whether or not this signals a return to the top for Melbourne City, it was definitely an afternoon to cherish for their fans.

Speaking after the game, City’s five-goal hero Hannah Wilkinson said: “We looked back against the game we played against Victory (a fortnight ago) and we studied hard what we needed to do. It was all there for us, we didn’t really create enough chances or finish them and today was a perfect example of a really unified and cohesive pressing strategy that we’ve been working hard on all pre-season.

“It was amazing. Our team was incredible and that is all a result of that work. They were all Melbourne City goals. All the preparation manifested itself in what came together today. It was exactly how we prepared.

“If you look at us, we’re all knackered now because we were pressing so hard. It was a team effort.

Melbourne City’s build-up to the game was impacted by one player testing positive on a rapid antigen covid test (lateral flow), and for Wilkinson the change in arrangements that caused “makes the win even sweeter. We face adversity and thought ‘never mind’, we went out there and did what we did and that tells you a lot about our team.”

Victory’s goalscorer Maja Markovski said: “I think from the minute the game started they wanted it more. We weren’t winning our individual duels and we got punished for it. We’ve got to take it and move on. It’s going to be really competitive to the end of the season, there’s heaps of good teams, but we’re excited for it.”

Teams: MELBOURNE VICTORY (4-2-3-1): Dumont, Nevin, Eliadis, Bunge, Doran-Cooney-Cross, Jackson, Williams, Chidiac, Privitelli, Zimmerman. Substitutes: Varli (GK), Robers, Murphy, Markovski, Mindy Barbieri.

Scorer: Markovski 84′.

MELBORUNE CITY (3-4-3): Melissa Barbieri, Tumeth, Checker, Heatley, Vlajnic, Stott, Davidson, Torpey, McNamara, Wilkinson, Pollicina. Substitutes: Majstorovic (GK), Malone, Blissett, McKenna, Thomas-Chinnama.

Scorers: Wilkinson 5′, 13′, 26′, 56′, 75′.

Referee: Lara Lee.

Attendance: 4,682.

Jeff Hopkins: We Understand What The Derby Means

By Ben Gilby (24/12/21).

Above: Jeff Hopkins, who made clear his passion for the Melbourne derby. Photo: MyFootball.

Melbourne Victory head coach Jeff Hopkins spoke to the media today ahead of the big Boxing Day Derby with cross-city rivals Melbourne City and began with positive news about player availability.

“Melina Ayres won’t be ready for the game, so we are all a bit disappointed, but apart from her everyone is good. Tiff Eliadis is back in contention, she’s trained well this week. Alex Chidiac and Amy Jackson are back, so we’ve got almost a full squad to choose from.”

With Victory’s defence having a massive Kayla Morrison-shaped hole in it after her heartbreaking ACL injury in the club’s opening game, Hopkins outlined how he is trying to address his defensive roster ahead of the game: “We’ve tried a few things. I think I know what I want to do.

“We’ll have another little look on Christmas Day when we’ll be training at AAMI Park from 7:30am to 8:45am. We’ve done a fair bit of work on the back four this week. To be honest, we have some good options. Amy Jackson did well for us last time. We have three options there – Tiff (Eliadis), Emma Robers, and AJ (Amy Jackson). Most likely we’ll move Courtney Nevin back to left-back this week. We’ll wait until tomorrow to name the team.”

Focusing on the midfield, Hopkins acknowledged the massive selection headache he has due to the sheer number of quality options in the squad. “That’s my biggest and best problem if I’m being honest. Mindy Barbieri has done well, young Alana Murphy had her first start last week and was one of our best players. With Kyra (Cooney-Cross), Lynn (Williams), Alex (Chidiac), as well as AJ who can play there too, it will be a difficult decision to make as to who to leave out. But I know that whatever happens there is a lot of quality. It does though mean that two players will be hard done by missing out because they have all been brilliant.

“I like to have a settled side if I can, I like to find players who can do the job in our game style and keep rewarding them when they do well and equally if they are doing really well in training. When players get into the side, they know they’ve done well to get there and if they keep doing well they will stay there.

**Above:** Jeff Hopkins spoke of his desire for a settled side and his “best problem” – which of his roster of hugely talented midfielders to select. **Photo:** Melbourne Victory.

“We’ve won games, but we still haven’t hit a real consistent level of performance and that’s the reason why we haven’t put the same side out for two or three games on the spin. If we can get some luck with injuries and keep people on the pitch, fit and healthy, we can get the team out we want to and get cohesion. We can also work through the week with those players too. Once that happens we can get the performances going too.”

Last year’s derby clashes with City are fresh in Hopkins’ mind, having won one followed by a defeat a few weeks later. With Victory beating the Sky Blues a fortnight ago, he is keen to ensure there is not a repeat of last season’s return result.

“It’s something we’ve been talking about all week, today as well. We know what a team who is wounded can come out and do. There needs to be some time over the next day or so about the game and our roles, responsibilities and be ready for a real battle. We have to take it to them. We’ll be so ready for the game and come out so quick and aggressive. The rest of the game will then look after itself.

“We really let ourselves down in the second game against them last year. We have really highlighted the fact that it won’t happen this year. Whatever happens, we won’t lose the game through lack of enthusiasm, lack of effort, and lack of running. If we can bring all that and our team plays to the quality of their potential then it’s going to be a great spectacle and I’m confident that will be enough to get us over the line.

“I don’t mind playing them so quickly again. I’d play the derby every week if I could! Since I’ve been here, we’ve made a really big thing about it. For the players, it means a lot. They understand what it means to the club, the board, and the members. It makes and breaks people’s week or even longer until we play them again.”

The Victory coach then addressed the point that potentially A-League Women players are far more at risk from covid than their male counterparts as a number of them have jobs away from playing.”We do have a higher risk as a number of our people are in multi-venues, but it is something that is there all the time. You can try and mitigate risk as much as possible. You can mitigate the risk and then sit back and worry all the time or get on with enjoying life. I try to do the latter. Let’s get on with things and not let this dominate our mindset.”

A-League Women Preview

Ahead of Round Four of the competition, which started today, Ben Gilby heard from three head coaches plus Tiana Jaber on THAT goal, Tara Andrews on putting things right this week, Mie Leth Jans on going into a hub for a month, Kate Taylor on Christmas miles from home, and Alyssa Whinham reviews Phoenix’s last game (23/12/21).

CANBERRA UNITED:

Linton Sees Real Positives In Extra Week Off Ahead Of Big Brisbane Clash

Canberra United head coach Vicki Linton outlined the positives she has seen in the team as a result of having a week off due to their scheduled match in Perth being cancelled due to Western Australia’s Covid border restrictions.

“Sometimes it’s not a good thing (having an extra week off), but I think with where we were at it was nice to have some time to focus, build and spend more time together, so I do think it has been a good thing. This is also a short week for us as we play on Thursday night. It allowed us to get over the Adelaide game (which was played in hot conditions) and the travel as well as time to prepare for the Brisbane match.

“One of the benefits was being able to get a deeper look at our players. It took everyone a long time to get here during pre-season and get on the field, so it’s probably taken us an extra couple of weeks to start to gel and find combinations, so I’m looking to see the results of that on Thursday night.

“Karly Røstbakken got her first ninety minutes in Adelaide for a very long time, so another positive in having the extra time off is recovery for her. That’s massive for her and massive for us. The same goes for a few other players who haven’t played a lot of football. It’s been good for Allira Toby, she should be good from now on in terms of her match fitness.”

In terms of the condition of her squad in general, Linton spoke of how “real pleased” she was with the fitness levels of her players. “The Adelaide game in hot conditions – we haven’t been used to that sort of heat in Canberra this summer so far and we got through that game without anyone cramping.

“Now we need to play with a bit more sharpness and intensity. That’s what we’re building on and we might see that on Thursday.

The game with the Roar takes on added importance with both teams still searching for their first wins this season. “They are a very proud team, and like us, they will be fighting for that win. They’ve had some tough times so I’m expecting them to come down here and battle.”

NEWCASTLE JETS:

Ash Wilson: An Honest and Positive Week of Preparation

Newcastle Jets head coach Ash Wilson began by outlining how preparations have gone this week for Monday’s game with Wellington Phoenix at Gosford.

“Training has been good…credit to the girls, we were pretty critical of the performance (against Western Sydney Wanderers last week). There were some great opportunities to get three points which we were not able to capitalize on. We have another game and have to move forward. It’s been a positive week though in training.

“I think honesty is very important – also being honest about the things we did well, and we created lots of chances. Sometimes I think we went long too many times. We need to look at the timings of the game around our management. Wanderers scored their goal right at the end. We had lots of chances between the 60th and 87th minute to put the game to bed. Little things like that we can get better.

“We need to have a good honest look at ourselves. The players are taking feedback on board to make them better. I couldn’t fault the character of the players. It was a challenging week (with Covid issues). People are now able to train now so that’s a positive.”

Jets record this season in their three games is a win, a draw, and a loss. The head coach is clear about what she is looking for from her team. “Consistency is the key word. The previous game against Wellington was dominant but the other games against Western Sydney and Sydney were very patchy. We were not as composed as we should have been at both ends of the field. The girls know what they are capable of, we just need to be doing that week in, week out regardless of who we are playing.”

**Above:** Ready for the Phoenix – Ash Wilson knows complacency won’t be an issue. **Photo:** Newcastle Jets.

With Jets recording a 5-1 win over the Phoenix a fortnight ago, Wilson knows “Complacency is potentially there in the background,” but it is not something she sees as a danger for her team. “The girls know that every game is different. Phoenix have nothing to lose, they have great attitudes and great energy. We will focus on us being the best version of ourselves on the park.

“If we play anything less than we did against them last time, then it will give them a sniff. They are a good team, they’ve been in their matches so far. We have to be at our best in order to beat them. Then we can move on to playing City, Victory, Roar, Glory, and Adelaide.”

With Covid outbreaks beginning to show their hand, particularly at A-League Men’s clubs, Wilson outlined what work the club and APL are doing to minimize disruption. “We’re all working hard to take precautions and being proactive. Rapid testing every day and PCR tests before every game. Players and coaching staff need to be aware that this is the climate we are in right now. There are things we can’t control, but we need to do the things we can control.

“Some of our girls work too, so that means they go into different environments, but we’re being careful where we can. Little extra things in training and match play can help to protect us a bit where we can.”

The Jets head coach then spoke about the influence that Emily van Egmond has had on the team since she arrived: “The intensity that she trains with and how she conducts herself on the pitch is such a positive impact on our players. She takes a lot of control and keeps people coming into games. She has quality. It’s great for us to have her back and for the league to have someone of her calibre – even for a short time as it helps build the fan base and giving the youngsters something visible to aspire to.”

Tiana Jaber on THAT Goal

**Above:** Newcastle Jets’ Tiana Jaber speaking to the media via Zoom on Tuesday. **Image via:** Newcastle Jets.

Newcastle Jets 21-year-old defender Tiana Jaber began her media conference by reflecting on a big game for her personally against Western Sydney Wanderers last weekend.

“It was a memorable day for me. It’s really unfortunate that we only came out of the game with one point, not three and it feels like a bit of a loss as we definitely had chances to capitalize. It was a tough game.”

In terms of the incredible goal that Jaber scored to put the Jets ahead, the youngster said: “I didn’t see any other of our players around me, I didn’t have any options and in that moment, I thought, ‘Well, I’ve cut in on my right, I’ve got space, so, why not?’ So, I meant to shoot, but, yeah, it was a bit lucky.

“I didn’t actually realise how far out I was. I’ve done a few shots like that before, but they’ve never gone in, so I guess practice makes perfect! We’re playing in a style where our defenders get forward and attack quite a bit, so here and there I’ve had a few shots, but, yeah, that kinda came out of nowhere!

“I’ve always wondered what my reaction would be if I scored and I think everyone saw my reaction, I just lost it! It was a dream goal for me and now I have to keep performing.”

In case you missed it, Tiana Jaber’s rocket shot goal for the Jets at Western Sydney Wanderers:

JABER, WAY DOWNTOWN… BANG! BANG! OH WHAT A SHOT FROM JABER!!#WSWvNEW #WeAreALeagues @LibFinancial @ParamountPlusAU https://t.co/vy86m9ZBza pic.twitter.com/aNkMKZ8SJ6
— Liberty A-League (@aleaguewomen) December 17, 2021

Looking back more widely on Jets’ game at Western Sydney Wanderers, Jaber said: “It was a quite gritty game and I think we need to focus on having more control and playing our football. We have better things we want to achieve. We’re doing well, we’ve had a good start, but there’s more things we want to achieve.”

The defender spoke finally about the influence that American signing Liz Eddy is having on her: “She’s very experienced and she talks a lot. You feel very comfortable with her by your side. She gives us guidance and calms us down when we need to chill.”

Looking ahead to the Jets’ upcoming games, Jaber is hugely positive: “We know what we are capable of and we definitely have high hopes so we’re ready to go smash it!”

Tara Andrews – What We Need To Do To Put It Right

**Above:** Tara Andrews reviewed Jets season so far and looked ahead to Monday’s game with Wellington Phoenix. **Photo:** Newcastle Jets.

Andrews opened her media conference by reflecting on the prospect of facing Wellington Phoenix once more. “Last time we played pretty well against them. We’re pumped to play them again and hope we can get another good result. As a striker, you are always hoping to score goals, I got two against them last time. Any goal is good for me!”

“We’re confident about the game but we don’t write them off, they are a good team. Defensively they are quite solid, and they scored against us, so we take nothing for granted.

“They are young and have a lot of energy and will run, run, run and do what they can to stop you scoring. They are good at keeping you out from getting the first goal. “Our final pass and finishing will be critical in this game against them.”

With Jets having a mixed bag of results so far, Andrews reviewed how she sees the team’s start: “The Western Sydney game, we went long way too much and played the same game as they did. We’re looking at playing through the middle and keeping the ball for longer in the build-up through the midfield and into the strikers and create something through that. We’ve relaxed a bit more this week.

“Ash has been honest with us this week. She’s not a shouter, but she points out where things went wrong and we want to learn from that. It was frustrating for us and for her, but it’s all done in a constructive way.

“I think this season is more exciting for me at the club than the last couple of ones as we have some really good players from overseas on top of those who have been here for a while. Our midfield and forward line are dynamic and are starting to work together well, so it’s exciting for me and the rest of the team.”

PERTH GLORY:

Alex Epakis’ Thoughts On New Schedule

On Monday of this week, Australian Professional Leagues (APL) issued an update to the A-League Women fixtures as a result of the impact of Western Australia’s coronavirus border restrictions.

As a consequence, Alex Epakis’ side are poised to play at least six consecutive games outside Western Australia during the month of January, starting on New Year’s Day with a fixture against Adelaide United at Coopers Stadium.

After taking on the Reds, Glory will face Canberra United on January 5th (venue TBC, set to be in New South Wales – NSW – or Canberra), Sydney FC at Leichardt Oval on Saturday 8th, Newcastle Jets on the 16th at their No. 2 Sportsground home, Western Sydney Wanderers (date and venue TBC, also in NSW) and Wellington Phoenix on 29th (venue TBC, also in NSW). The Round Five home game against Adelaide United, originally due to be played over the New Year weekend, has been rescheduled for Wednesday 2nd March at Glory’s home ground of Macedonia Park.

The consequence of the announcement is that the club will lose three home games from their schedule.

However, speaking on Wednesday, head coach Alex Epakis said: “Look, it is what it is. It’s something we have to do to assist the competition. We get an opportunity to play a lot of games in quick succession as a group and we have to look at that as a positive. We’ll be going over to do a job and we’ll come back with the job done.”

Epakis asserted that he believes he’ll be able to take his full squad away during the hub period in January: “We’re just waiting to hear from the competition organisers on what that might look like. Playing so many games back to back is a tough ask if you don’t have everyone there from a load point of view. To have the whole group there as part of the experience is pretty critical.”

With Perth Glory having won both their matches this season so far, the club’s head coach emphasized the positive mood in the camp. “We’re really pleased to have the points in our pocket and we’re happy that we’ve had this break to get everyone better for our next game. The overall mood is positive and we’re excited for the next games to come.

Mie Leth Jans – Hub Life Will Be A Good Experience

**Above:** Mie Leth Jens recognizes that the next month will be a big challenge for the club’s young players, but she believes it will be a good experience.
**Photo:** Perth Glory

Perth Glory’s Danish international outlined her thoughts on the unique challenge that the team face during January.

“It’s going to be like playing in one of the big tournaments. It’s going to be hard, but a good experience, especially for some of the younger girls to be in an environment like that and see how it impacts you mentally and physically to be around the same people for a month and longer.

“There will be a lot of games and I think it will be a good experience for this team. Hopefully, we can come out the other end with a lot of points and be in a good position. I do think we can do it because we have prepared ourselves mentally.

“I do feel a little bit sorry for the girls who are having to go away from their families, that will be tough for them, but we are a family here as well and we’ll all take care of each other, so I expect us to have a really good trip.”

WELLINGTON PHOENIX:

Kate Taylor On Sydney & Jets Games Plus Christmas In The Hub

Phoenix vice-captain Kate Taylor began by reviewing last week’s loss at Kogarah to Sydney FC: “It was a hard one and the heat didn’t help either as we weren’t really used to it – us Kiwis especially found it hard.”

“We were very tired by the end of the game and lots of people’s legs had been used to maximum capacity. There were some things that didn’t go to plan. The first goal was a bit too easy for Sydney and if we could have avoided that, hopefully, the game could have changed. We had some spells and can be happy with how we played, but not with the scoreline.”

In terms of specific improvements, Taylor said that they know they need to defend the back post better, and “the communication between the back four can be improved, but overall things are pretty good.”

The defender recognizes it is a fine balance between wanting to play out from the back and not conceding possession as a result under pressure: “We got caught a few times against Sydney trying to find someone in the midfield, so we need to decide what to do with the ball quicker. We have to be quicker because if we slow down, the opposition will pounce on us. We also need to mix things up every week so we don’t become predictable.”

**Above:** Taylor admits that “Christmas will be hard” for her team based 1,380 miles away from Wellington. **Photo:** Wellington Phoenix.

Phoenix face Newcastle Jets this week in Gosford, just a fortnight after facing them at McDonald Jones Stadium. Despite losing that game 5-1, Taylor is positive ahead of the re-match in Wollongong. “I’m excited. We want to prove ourselves and they have all the expectations on them after what happened last time. We want to show them what we can actually do. We need to improve off the ball and get closer to them.”

Due to the pandemic, the Phoenix team will spend Christmas in their Wollongong hub. Their vice-captain outlined how they are planning on spending the Festive period: “Ah! We have plans! We have a Secret Santa and all the Kiwis and the coaches are going to have a Christmas lunch, so I hope that will be fun. We’ve got some games planned and it will be a chilled time.

“It will be hard though. Waking up on Christmas morning will be a shock. We’ll all have each other though which is cool. It will be a new type of Christmas, but we’ll be missing home.”

Alyssa Whinham On That Chance Against Sydney And Developing Her Game

**Above:** Alyssa Whinham was open, honest, and engaging when she faced the media on Monday. **Photo:** Wellington Phoenix.

Whinham started her chat with the media by addressing her great run against Sydney which presented the Phoenix with their best goalscoring opportunity. A spurned chance that she looked exceptionally frustrated at missing.

“Aww, I haven’t actually looked back at the footage of it and I don’t really want to! I knew as soon as I passed the ball that it was the wrong decision. I think I was so flustered that I even got myself into that situation, you don’t see it often, getting past those Sydney players.

“My game is about setting up goals rather than scoring them and I think my inexperience showed there. It was obvious that I needed to shoot then. I think that if I had shot and scored then it would probably have changed the whole game,” admitted the 18-year-old midfielder.

Whinham recognized that, with Phoenix still so early in their existence as a team and also with so many youngsters in a squad with an average age of 19, taking chances when they come is vital.

“Yeah, we know we might not get too many chances during a game, that’s quite obvious. I need to back myself and have more confidence. Next time! I’m very happy with how things have gone. I thought I wouldn’t get a go until late in the season, but I’ve come off the bench twice and started on Sunday.”

“Starting the game is harder because when I came on as a sub there was far much more space at that time of the game which benefits my style. Don’t get me wrong though, I love starting!”

Looking ahead to their Round Four clash with Newcastle Jets, the midfielder said: “Aw, it will be hard, but I think all the girls are ready for it. The result, hopefully, will be a lot different compared to the first game. We weren’t happy with the performance that we put out against them and we’ve definitely built on that from this week. We gave them too much respect and too much on the ball last time.”

Phoenix’s Positive Start Brings New Sponsor On Board

Buoyed by their positive start to their first-ever A-League Women season, Wellington Phoenix have been further boosted by another local business stepping up to support them with sponsorship.

SHOTT Beverages has signed on as a corporate partner of the team and will be their front of shorts sponsor. Eagle-eyed observers would have noticed the SHOTT logo on the players’ shorts in their third-round A-League match against Sydney FC on Sunday.

After a frustrating long search for a sponsor, it is hugely pleasing for the club that three local businesses have stepped forward over the past five weeks to back the A-League Women club.

SHOTT Beverages is a Wellington business, founded in Petone in 2006, that manufactures fruit and coffee syrups made from real ingredients with no artificial colours, flavours, or sweeteners.

“Being founded and headquartered in Wellington is something we are immensely proud of as a business, and for some time we have been looking at ways we can support the local community,” SHOTT Beverages CEO David Shearer said.

“Upon hearing that the Wellington Phoenix women’s team would be entering the A-League, we immediately knew that partnering with this team would be the perfect fit for our business. We can’t wait to see what they achieve this season and look forward to working with the wider team.”