2009 Arrive Alive Women?s Super League Season Preview

Women?s football has taken a quantum leap on the back of the inaugural season of the W League. Apart from some dazzling football played by the best female players in the country the W League also showcased the talent of our players through television coverage. Whilst that sort of exposure can?t be offered to the Arrive Alive Women?s Super League, unless I buy my own television station before next Sunday, it has shown the traditional football lover that female football has much to offer.
Hopefully this will guarantee more bums on seats at this season?s matches. A strong work ethic, team spirit, determination and skill are not things that are unique to one gender. Our girls deserve plenty of support in the coming season.
Most of the off season discussion has revolved around the successful recruiting drives at both Inter Lions and newcomers, Sydney Tigers. Both sides have added considerable starch to their line ups with the inclusion of WPL players such as Alicia Cavanagh (Sydney Tigers), Natalie Spirovski (Inter Lions), Danielle Calvi (Inter Lions) and the W League stars Lisa Gilbert and Jodie Bain (SydneyTigers). These two sides obviously have big plans towards winning promotion to the Arrive Alive Women?s Premier League in the near future. Inter Lions appear to have the greater depth through their grades for now but The Tigers won?t be backing away from turning their Premier League dreams into reality sooner rather than later.
The Lions have already made a successful start to 2009 with wins in the Mitchell Cup and Mitchell Shield tournaments in Bathurst during February. Coach Joe Baldacci is exuding plenty of confidence in his squad. The side certainly has plenty of firepower to call on this season. Sydney Tigers Coach Tarek Madani isn?t lacking in confidence either; the round one clash between these two clubs may prove to be just as exciting on the benches as it will be on the field!
The Western NSW Panthers FC and Southern NSW FC clubs have proven very competitive in recent seasons. The Panthers were only a hair?s breadth away from winning promotion in 2008 and came away with the Minor Premiership on their trophy belt. Southern NSW FC reached the penultimate match of the season before bowing out after an uncharacteristically slow start to their year. Western NSW looked very competitive in the recent Mitchell Cup Final against Inter Lions. Paul Waine appears to have the ability to get his sides to play football that not only gets results but looks good in doing so.
Despite some losses from last season?s playing roster I would expect that The Panthers will be right in the firing line again in 2009. Southern NSW is a powerhouse of female football with a seemingly endless supply of talent. One would expect that they too will be planning for a finals appearance at the business end of the season.
Central Coast Lightning have dropped back to the Arrive Alive Women?s Super League after a disastrous 2008 Premier League campaign. A lot of hard work has taken place in the off season so that The Lightning girls can hit the ground running in 2009. The Central Coast is an area where football is thriving with the Central Coast Mariners A League and W League sides attracting tremendous support. Central Coast Lightning feel that they belong in the top rung of NSW women?s football. Expect the club to bounce back strongly this season as they seek redemption!
Gladesville Ravens were a very competitive side in 2008. Coached by former Socceroo Captain Paul Wade, the Gladesville lasses put together some top class performances last season. Consistency may have been their Achilles heel but on their day The Ravens were capable of matching strides with any team in the league. Coach Wade has lost a couple of his more experienced faces for the coming season but I?m sure he?ll have his team primed for a solid effort in 2009.
What the season holds for Northern Tigers, Blacktown Spartans and St George FC will be interesting to watch unfold. Northern Tigers and St George both looked finals chances at various stages last season.
St George FC were still in the hunt until virtually the final round of competition but were unable to come up with the best results in the run to the line. They will be hoping to make finals action a reality in 2009. Northern Tigers, once again, are relying on a squad of talented youngsters to take them forward. Of particular interest to this writer will be the progress of young Tigers star Georgie Eastoe who showed plenty of promise last season. Georgie may almost be classed as a senior player in 2009!
Blacktown Spartans had a forgettable 2008 season; a fact that amazed me given what I saw of them during my rounds. Their side appeared to have plenty of talent but couldn?t produce consistent results on the paddock. There have been some changes on both the playing roster and the coaching staff this season. I will wait with interest to see if those changes spark a revival of The Spartans fortunes in 2009.
At the time of penning this preview we were still awaiting the result of negotiations for a possible replacement in the competition for the Bankstown Wildcats. It?s sad to see the demise of The Wildcats but hopefully whoever takes their place will bring as much interest and excitement to the league as the Bankstown club have in the past.
There are many pundits who are questioning whether ore not the Arrive Alive Women?s Super League will actually be the women?s competition that captures all the headlines this season. Given the array of talent that many clubs have recruited during the off season it?s obvious that followers of the league are in for a bumper season of entertainment. I am certainly looking forward to covering the competition for Football NSW. I?m hoping to see plenty of supporters in the stand alongside me cheering long and hard for their respective teams. Let?s start the action!
 -By Ross Anderson