Women’s Premier League Season Preview 2011
In 2011 the Football NSW Women?s Premier League has a cast of twelve clubs, with the inclusion of the 2010 Women?s Super League Premiers, Blacktown Spartans and the 2010 Women?s Super League Grand Final Champions, Central Coast Lightning. All of last season?s Football NSW Women?s Premier League clubs remain in the competition; some looking to repeat last year?s successes, others hoping to make a move up the ladder from last year?s final standings.
Defending Premiers the Illawarra Stingrays will again be tough to beat. After successive Football NSW Women?s Premier League titles the girls from the South Coast will be looking for the elusive ?three peat? in 2011. With club legend Michelle Carney leading the way Illawarra will be the benchmark to which others aspire. Whilst the club has lost some talented players in the likes of Trudy Camilleri and Samantha Muscat they have signed Sydney FC W League goalkeeper Dimi Poulos, promising Macarthur Rams youngster Laura Donnelly, Tenealle Hay and Jordan Marsh from NSWIS USA import Kim Bonilla and Melissa Cox from Marconi Stallions. The Stingrays also welcome back exciting youngster Ann Mayo after her stint at NSWIS. In addition to the remainder of the 2010 championship winning squad this shapes as a formidable outfit.
Last season beaten Grand Finalists, Inter Lions, have not fared so well in the off season. A number of influential players have left the Lions’ den; most notable being their inspirational Captain, Catherine Cannuli. Coach Joe Baldacci is going to have his work cut out shaping his new side into title contenders but Inter won?t go down without a fight. Can some youngsters step up to fill the void left by the likes of Cannuli, Tomkins and Bain?
Manly United FC has fallen just short in the last two Football NSW Women?s Premier League seasons after looking strong contenders right up until the finals. Last year a late Inter Lions goal in the Preliminary Final saw them miss out on a Grand Final berth. The Manly Captain, Gill Foster, will start the season on the sideline after being sent off in the 2010 Final. The former Matilda?s presence in the side is always an asset for the girls from the peninsula and they?ll miss her in the season?s opening exchanges. However, Manly are sure to be right in the firing line come finals time in August/September.
Macarthur Rams were the other finalists in the 2010 Women?s Premier League season. As always Coach Matt Turvey has been playing his cards close to his chest in the build up to the season?s commencement. The Rams mentor always has plenty of confidence in his squad and Macarthur is a club who?ve become used to success in recent seasons. The loss of Laura Donnelly to the Illawarra Stingrays will be felt but shouldn?t be terminal. The Rams can never be written off and they?ll be favoured to be challenging for the finals as the season progresses.
Every season we look for a side to emerge from the shadows and challenge the league?s perennial frontrunners. Towards the end of last season Sydney University showed considerable promise. Their season had begun poorly after a shocking run of injuries to influential players. Olivia Kennedy led the way; eventually winning the Platinum Medal as Women?s Premier League Player of the Year. With natural improvement, and a little more luck on the injury front, Sydney University are a side to watch out for in 2011.
The other team likely to make a move up the ladder this season could be the Marconi Stallions. In 2010 their very talented band of youngsters succumbed to a busy junior representative schedule, coupled with their Women?s Premier League commitments, and faded out of the picture after a promising start. Coach Rob Pearce has recruited judiciously in the off season, enticing back former Stallions Trudy Camilleri and Samantha Muscat from Illawarra Stingrays, along with the experienced Jodie Bain, Joanne Saliba and Renee Tomkins from Inter Lions. Sophie Svinos and Evelyn Chronis have made the move from NWS Koalas whilst young goalkeeper Bianca Alchi spent last season at Sutherland. Lyndsay Glohe, who has just completed a successful W League season with Canberra United and was also a Stingray in 2010, was the last piece to the Marconi recruiting puzzle. Coupled with their outstanding young stars the Stallions loom as a side everyone will be wary of this season.
Blacktown Spartans and Central Coast Lightning will attract a lot of interest in 2011. It?s never anticipated to be an easy task to make the jump from the Football NSW Women?s Super League into the Football NSW Women?s Premier League. However, Illawarra Stingrays and Inter Lions have both made a successful transition in recent seasons. Whether or not these two newcomers have quite the depth of talent in their squads as Illawarra and Inter bought with them is a matter for conjecture. But the off season has seen both teams working hard to be ready for Premier League football. They may surprise a few people with their ability to compete.
The NWS Koalas and Western NSW Panthers had mixed seasons in 2010. The Koalas, whilst they had some bright moments, never really came into finals contention. The Panthers, on the other hand, started surprisingly well and remained in the finals battle until the closing weeks of the season when their hopes faded. This could prove a challenging season for both clubs. The Panthers are always hard to beat at home; no side relishes a trip to Western?s Bathurst stronghold. The Koalas will not relish being out of the upper echelon of Premier League competitors. However, I can?t see either side making the finals on disclosed form.
Southern Branch and Sutherland Shire both experienced miserable seasons last year. There will need to be a significant improvement from these two teams to see them move up the ladder from their lowly finishing spots in 2010. Sutherland have a lot of new faces in their squad; Southern are once again likely to look for their young players to hold the fort. Coaches Michael Michael (Sutherland Shire) and Shane Duffy (Southern Branch) are experienced campaigners though so they?ll be doing their best to produce some positive results from their respective teams.
It?s difficult to go into too much detail in the opening round of the season but there are some interesting match ups this Sunday.
Last season?s semi finalists, Macarthur Rams and Inter Lions, clash at Lynwood Park. I?d like to see Inter Lions new line up before I pass judgement but I feel that Macarthur may get away to a successful start to the season with a win here.
Western NSW Panthers host the Premiers, Illawarra Stingrays at Alec Lamberton Field. The Stingrays will be looking to hit the ground running. They will be without Jessica Cooper and Ashleigh Connor through injury whilst Kim Bonilla is still awaiting her overseas clearance. The Panthers would like nothing better than to snare Illawarra?s scalp to kick start their season. The Stingrays still look the winners to me.
Sydney University meet Sutherland Shire at Hensley Athletic Field. As I?ve nominated Sydney University as finals contenders this season I?d expect that they?d start their season on a positive note against one of 2010?s more disappointing sides. However, the new faces at Sutherland may wish to make a strong impression so University should beware. I?ll go for a comfortable Sydney University win.
Marconi Stallions play Central Coast Lightning at Marconi Stadium. Again, after giving Marconi a wrap as likely dark horses this season it?s hard for me to tip against them. On paper the Stallions look formidable. Central Coast will give it their best shot but I believe that Marconi will prove too strong.
At Ison Park in Nowra Manly United FC meet Southern Branch. Looking at the 2010 premiership ladder it?s hard to go past Manly as the winners of this one. Southern?s late season form in 2010 was impressive; if they can maintain that level they may make manly work for the points. Manly to win.
Finally, at Francis Park Blacktown Spartans begin their Football NSW Women?s Premier League campaign against NWS Koalas. This could prove to be an interesting matchup. The Spartans will still be smarting from their early exit in last season?s Women?s Super League finals series. What better way to erase those memories than with a day one win in season 2011? I don?t know if it would be considered and upset or not but I?m tipping The Spartans to get home in this one.
So, let the battle begin! It looks like a wonderful season ahead. Will the usual powerhouses dominate again or are their some new contenders ready to spring into the limelight? Who?ll be the star players who?ll come to the fore? These questions and plenty more will be answered in the coming weeks.
See you at the game this weekend.
-By Ross Anderson
