Futsal Premier League 2 Open Women’s Season Preview
The Futsal Premier League 2 Open Womens season returns full of action and intrigue as eight teams battle for the Premiership. There is also the addition of the stop clock which will add more futsal excitement to every game.
Let’s get onto the preview.
Let’s kick things off with the newbies. APIA FC Futsal comes into the competition with a point to prove in 2023. They do have the experience of Caitlin Jarvie who will guide the team around alongside Zoe Zaczek.
There is some youthful energy around the team including Rosie Sullivan and Maya Abidin for a team ready to make a statement. They kick off their campaign with probably their toughest test against South Coast Taipans in Unaderra.
Next up, Phoenix Futsal Club endured a tough campaign in 2022 and finished in eighth spot so they will be looking to rise back up next season. They have plenty of talent in the squad to help them to that goal including bringing over Chaeli De Brincat from Sydney Futsal Club and Grace Gilhawley.
They have also kept a lot of the talent from last season including keeper Emma Vandervelde, Teresa Morabito and Ashley Limnios that should help them pick up more victories in the new season and possibly challenge for the finals.
Raiders Futsal Club had a solid season in 2022 and finished in fourth before they fell in the semi finals to the eventual champions Boomerangs FS. They are always a side which competes hard and won’t be a pushover this season.
Their squad remains the same from the side which did well last season. Nicole Ossio, Ellie Smyth and Gemma Morgan were all stars from that campaign and will shape up as their biggest threats going into this one.
Moving onto SD Raiders Futsal, they had a solid first half of the 2022 season before fading away to finish in seventh spot on the FPL2 ladder. They will continue to have Caitlin Britton between the sticks who has been a solid contributor in recent campaigns.
Otherwise, they changed their squad with further additions of Antonia Sarikakis, Dione King and Aleesha Santos to the team. Jessica Neville remains a constant for SD Raiders Futsal patrolling the middle of the pitch.
Our next team, South Coast Taipans might be the team to beat in the FPL2 Open Womens competition this season. They have assembled a team which will make Illawarra Hockey Centre a tough road trip for anyone.
One big addition has been Bronte Trew who was scoring for fun in outdoor while Jordan Baker and Bronte Pyke both will give them more firepower. Kyle Del has taken over coaching duties and will have the side firing.
Another team which has high hopes for the season is Sydney City Eagles. Roy Perre is very enthusiastic about them headed into 2023. He has recruited some talented players including Jorja Smith and Jamaica Marshall.
Perre has also elevated some of their youth players to bolster the squad which is looking to soar to new heights this season. Other players to watch include Melina Manna, Isabella Sollecito and Alessia Perre in their games.
Sydney Futsal Club had a middling season in 2022 and hope to break back into the finals discussion headed into this season. The side will have the experienced John (JJ) Jiggins at the helm to push them forward towards their goals.
Annalise Schiraldi will lead the team again alongside recruits Neisha Monteleone and Abbey Harrison which will help their goalscoring efforts. Cassandra Nader will be the goalkeeper for the team this season.
Our last team to look over is West City Crusaders. It will be a youthful team for the Crusaders but they remain excited for the start of the season. Grace Chambers will lead the team around the pitch to push forward.
That should allow players like Tia Berg and Courtney Atkins to create good combinations. It a tag team coaching effort from Warren Ladd and Andrew Ienna to propel them into the finals discussion for the 2023 season.
Round 1 kicks off on Saturday afternoon 16/09/2023 with the fixtures listed below:
Sydney Futsal Club vs West City Crusaders – NC of Indigenous Excellence 3:30pm
Raiders Futsal Club vs Phoenix Futsal Club – Thomas Hassell Anglican College 3:50pm
Sydney City Eagles vs SD Raiders Futsal – Morris Iemma Indoor SC 4:20pm
South Coast Taipans vs APIA FC Futsal – Illawarra Hockey Centre 5:20pm
By Justin Davies (@JustDavies90)
