PS4 NPL NSW Women’s 1 Season Preview
The PS4 NPL NSW Women’s 1 season begins after Easter after a long and grueling preseason for all clubs. This year we will see two more teams enter the fray, expanding the competition to 10 teams for the 2015 season.
Blacktown Spartans
Last season the Blacktown Spartans had a disappointing season, finishing up in last position on the league ladder. A lack of goals scored and the equal second worst defensive record were their downfall.
An improvement was needed for the girls from Blacktown and its been evident already that some changes have been made. A positive Preseason Cup saw the Spartans only slightly miss out on the fight for the silverware, going down to eventual winners Illawarra in a winner takes all final Pool game.
The Spartans have recruited well over the long break, bringing in Rachel Doyle, Liz O’Reily – who spent a few years in the US college system – along with Linda O’Neill from the Western Sydney Wanderers.
Spartans coach Paul Constantini is pleased with his squad but is also excited about the club’s youth system.
“We want to push our juniors through and this year some of them will get a run.”
Constantini is confident his team will improve compared to years gone by.
“Over the past few years we haven’t been as strong but this year we’ll push for a top four spot and finals football.
“We’ll be the sleeping giant.”
Central Coast FC
The Central Coast swept all before them last year in the NPL Women’s 2 competition, only losing two games and picking up 57 points on their way. Central Coast didn’t satisfy themselves with the Premiership though, taking the Grand Final as well where they smashed six passed Sydney Olympic, winning 6-3.
This earned them the right to promotion to the PS4 NPL NSW Women’s 1 and they will be one of two new clubs for the 2015 season. Coast have already found how tough the new year will be, not registering a point in the Preseason Cup.
Emerging Jets
In a plan to further develop women’s football in the country, Northern NSW side Emerging Jets have been given the opportunity to play in the PS4 NPL NSW Women’s 1 competition. With development key, the Jets will look to set up a structure allowing girls from this area an opportunity to play in the state’s premier competition.
Similarly to the Football NSW Institute, the Emerging Jets playing roster will be made up mostly of under 17’s girls with the exception of a small number of overage players.
Football NSW Institute
Last years Champions will not be taken lightly this year. With all teams aware of the threat and attacking, flowing football the team plays, it will be a question of whether they can be contained.
The likes of Princess Ibini-Isei and Lorena Bugden exploded onto the scene last year and it will be interesting to see who the next young gun to come through will be. One thing is for sure, this team won’t be dubbed the surprise packet this season.
The Institute will play under the watchful eye of Sally Wolifson and her main focus is the progression of her players.
“We want to move forward and develop players for the national team.
“I’m sure we’ll be competitive, we have a very good side.”
Following through with the Institute’s mandate of development, the likes of Elie Carpenter, Princess Ibini-Isei and Panayiota Petratos were selected in the U19’s Matilda’s squad and travel to Vietnam in May.
Illawarra Stingrays
The Illawarra Stingrays took the first piece of silverware in 2015, taking out the Preseason Cup and destroying the NWS Koalas 6-1 on their way. Positive signs are already there for the Rays as they head into the season undefeated.
Illawarra will however be hoping history doesn’t repeat itself. Last year the Stingrays picked up the Preseason Cup as well but after a slow start to the year they cruelly missed out on finals football on goal difference.
The Stingrays lost a vital player from last year’s squad in Jess Cooper who moved to Victoria. Coach Graham Shaw admits it’s a big loss but is pleased with the replacements that have come through the club’s own ranks.
“Successful players from our Championship winning 17’s have come up, some of them include Lucy Nolan, Nikita Woods and Katelyn Leadbeatter to name a few.
The core group of the 17’s have come up and want to continue to develop our youth so they’re ready to be senior footballers.”
Picking up the first piece of silverware this year, Shaw knows what he wants from his team.
“We want to be competitive, it showed throughout the Preseason Cup that we will be strong.
“It’s a long year and consistency will be the main thing.
“We’ll be a challenge for every team and play with the right mentality and attitude.
“Finals football is our goal."
Macarthur Rams
The Rams were crowned Premiers of 2015 with four games to play, completely dominating the regular season. They averaged more than three goals per game on their way to first place on the league ladder. The Rams couldn’t complete the double however and were defeated in the Grand Final by the Football NSW Institute in an enthralling match.
If Preseason Cup form is anything to go by, the Rams have started the season very much like the last. They finished in fourth place in their Pool with one victory but exploded once the regular season games got under way.
New coach Norm Boardman is pleased that the likes of Renee Rollason, Hayley Crawford and Georgia Yeoman-Dale will be back following their Westfield W-League campaigns. Kylie Ledbrook also makes a return after having a baby along with Leena Khamis who played her first minutes over the weekend following a knee reconstruction.
“We have a competitive squad this season with players fighting for places all over the park,” Boardman said.
Boardman is excited by the youngsters that are coming through at the club.
“There are a few juniors coming through that will certainly see some senior football at some stage of the season. Look out for Trudy Cameron and Daniela Brekic to name a couple.”
With the loss of Rams number one Trudy Bourke, Boardman is more than pleased with her replacement Jada Mathyssen-Whyman.
“She’s an unbelievable talent, one of the best I’ve seen come through.”
The Rams coach took a realistic approach to the forthcoming season.
“We may have a slow start but when the whips are cracking I’m sure we’ll be there and to make the top four would make us happy.
Manly United FC
Manly United have found finals football very difficult to come by. Their football is deserving of it but in the past few seasons they continue to narrowly miss out. The team will look to turn the corner this year and see their good football also brings them results and the finals football they crave.
Manly had a decent Preseason Cup, narrowly missing out on a Grand Final spot and finishing in equal second place in Pool Two. The team registered two victories, a draw and a loss on their way ahead of the new campaign.
The club from the Northern Beaches managed to pick up Chole O’Brien and Tia Gavin from the Football NSW Institute as well as Emma Stanbury from Westfield W-League team Newcastle Jets. On the flip side, Tiarn Powell, Jesse wharapouri and Caitlin Campbell are notable losses for United.
New coach Gwynne Berry believes his side has had some bad luck throughout preseason.
“We lost some senior girls which leaves us with a very young squad.
“So far we’ve had an up and down preseason which has been difficult with the high amount of injuries but we’re improving every week.”
Finals football is something both the club and Berry would enjoy.
“I’d love a top four spot and it may be more realistic next year but we need to translate our junior success into our senior side.”
Berry is proud of the amount of local talent his side has.
“95% of girls are home grown players at our club.”
North Shore Mariners
The North Shore Mariners (formerly Northbridge FC) finished the 2014 season is seventh place on the ladder. After being in and around finals contention for most of the season, the Mariners dropped off and only registered four points in the final eight games of the competition.
Their Preseason Cup form hasn’t been at a desired point, finishing in fourth place in their Pool. In their four games they were unable to register three points, drawing two games and losing the other two.
North West Sydney Koalas
The North West Sydney Koalas had a strong 2014 season, finishing in second place on the ladder and falling at the last hurdle before the Grand Final. Hannah Beard was an integral part of their team and much the same will be expected of her this season.
From the start of the Preseason Cup the Koalas have seemed to be the real deal. A force to be reckoned with, they’ve scored 13 goals and only conceded two in their first three Pool victories. In their last Pool match, Sydney University smashed six past them as they went down 6-1. Even with this result they progressed to the Grand Final but the same fate awaited them there, this time the Stingrays did the damage, also winning 6-1.
The Koalas have looked to their youth team this year to promote players to the senior squad. Their coach Albert Di Sciascio knows where he wants his team to be.
“We want to be at the finals at the end of the year, this will be our plan.”
Di Sciascio has been impressed with what he has seen so far from the opposing teams.
“The competition will be strong this season, it was displayed in the Preseason Cup and hopefully we can do well.”
Sydney University SFC
Sydney University took the last finals place in 2014, finishing in fourth spot. In what was a titanic battle for the last few positions, University snuck through on goal difference. They couldn’t take the opportunity though and lost to Institute in the first Elimination Semi Final.
Their Preseason Cup campaign saw them post some good results, the stand out was the massive victory over eventual finalists Koalas. They finished the Cup with two wins, a draw and a loss so consistency will be something Uni will look to improve on this season.
Uni has been busy in the off-season, bringing in Amy Harrison and Trudy Burke from Macarthur Rams, Evelyn Chronis from Marconi, Victoria Guzman, Claire Woods, Naomi Nguyen and Olivia Price.
Olivia Kennedy and Sam Spackman have been two notable losses for the girls in yellow.
Sydney University coach Heather Garriock is confident in her sides abilities.
“We’ve picked up some good players and I’m really happy with the squad we have.
“Our main objective is to maintain consistency as we have a really young side.
“We’d like to make the top four.”
by Nikola Pozdar
