Women?s Super League Finals Series Week 2 Preview
With a chance to play in the Grand Final the reward for the winning team on Sunday, there has never been a better time to be pushing forward in search of glory.
Keeping a watchful eye from the sidelines this weekend will be Women?s Super League writer Pete Nowakowski who previews the weekend?s football and explain what we can expect to see from two of the most technically gifted sides in the competition in South Nowra.
Southern Branch v Northern Tigers ? 4pm kick off
The drive to Nowra is one which many teams this season have not embraced with open arms thanks to Southern Branch?s overall dominance and vocal supporter base. It is this fortress-esque quality, which could swing in favour of the team in blue, come Sunday afternoon.
With a number of star players amongst their ranks who have the ability and potential to make it in the NSW Women?s Premier League or even the Westfield W-League such as Maddie Jo Costanzo, Chantelle Nakohau and even Amy-Louise Clayton, Southern Branch have a squad who could go on and become Champions.
One of the key ingredients to Southern Branch?s success and consistency this season has been their footballing style. A solid passing game linked up with pace in the forward lines has terrorised teams all season and looks to do the same on Sunday afternoon against the Tigers.
Ultimately where the game could be won or lost for Southern Branch is in the defensive line. The partnership and communication between Chantelle Nakohau and team captain Mel Leedham is vital. With both players able to move the ball out of defence and join in with the attack, it is important that neither centre back is caught out too far up the field during the key moments of the game.
Northern Tigers have shown some outstanding footballing skills during the season thanks to their devotion and focus on a 4-3-3 National Curriculum system of play. The team?s movement on and off the ball has been the reason for their success and been one of the big differences between the Tigers and the rest of the competition.
After breaking her goal drought last weekend scoring two against Southern Districts, Ellana Balicki has her confidence back and things are only getting better for the girl who celebrates her 18th on Wednesday. If Ellana is in her zone, there will be no stopping the physically and mentally strong centre forward.
The finals series is being described as ?the icing on a cake? for the Tigers squad and it is this mental state of ?nothing to lose? which is spurring the girls in green and white to push harder than ever before. For the Tigers to win, they will need to make sure that they use their pace up front and let the ball do the talking. If they start being second to the ball, then there could be some serious issues for the travelling side.
90 minutes is all that stands between a spot in the finals or an early end to the season. Despite the cold weather and potential rain forecast for the weekend, this match will be a hotly contested affair between two sides who deserve their place in the finals.
In the back of their minds though, both teams will be thinking about next weekend and the glory of taking on UNSW Lions in the 2012 Women?s Super League Grand Final.
Full fixture list for Preliminary Finals at Ison Park, South Nowra on SUNDAY
Grade 12: Eastern UNSW Lions v St. George FC ? 9am kick off
Grade 14: Northern Tigers v Parramatta Lady Hawks ? 10:20am kick off
Grade 16: Western NSW Mariners v Northern Tigers ? 11:45am kick off
Reserve Grade: Eastern UNSW Lions v Northern Tigers ? 1:30pm kick off
First Grade: Southern Branch v Northern Tigers ? 4pm kick off
-By Peter Nowakowski
