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Last season’s W-League (2009) Minor and Major Competitions was won by Sydney FC with the best attack (25 goals for) and equal third defence (10 goals against). Sydney is a star-studded side with a wealth of talent featuring many Matilda’s including strikers Sarah Walsh and Leena Khamis leading up front.
Also of note is forward Kyah Simon, hard working captain Heather Garriock, midfielder or defender Servet Uzunlar and defender Fatty Alesha Clifford. Sydney also had the services of two International Danish players Julie Rydahl and Cath Paaske and with a coach who has been around the traps they proved to be a formidable side. Sydney also tied for the Fair play award so all in all a very successful year for the girls!
Second in the Minor competition was Central Coast Mariners with the best defense and equal second in the league for goals scored. I thought this team did very well; the girls were well drilled, kept their shape well and on the field looked to be a team.
Michelle Heyman was a lovely success story for CCM, she could not get a start at Sydney FC and never attended the elite(ist) junior development programs. But sheer talent and persistence saw the youngster awarded the Golden Boot and Player of the Year for the W-League, then going on further representing Australia in Asia - well done.
CCM Goalkeeper Jillian Loyden was awarded Goalkeeper of the W-league and coach Stephen Roche was joint winner of Coach of the year. The Mariners also boasted players like Trudy Camilleri, Jenna Kingsley and three internationals from the USA; DF Kendall Fletcher, Mid Lydia Vandenbergh and of course Keeper Jillian.
Brisbane Roar came in third and lost in the Grand Final. A disappointing result for a team chock full of quality players, but with the W-League being such a short season (10 rounds) any loss or draws prove costly. The Roar finished with the equal best defense and equal second in attack.
Young midfielder Elise Kellond-Knight was joint winner of Young Player of the Year, and with players like Keeper Casey Dumont, defender’s Clare Polkinghorne and Karla Reuter, midfielders Tameka Butt, Lauren Colthorpe plus forwards’s Lana Harch, Courtney Beutel and Sasha McDonnell – Brisbane has quality.
The final team to squeeze into the finals was Canberra United. A team I enjoyed watching with plenty of quality youth coming through and a fine coach and joint winner of Coach of the year in Ray Junna (who is also married to Australian walking Legend Kerry Saxby). Canberra came away with the third best defense and attack of the W-League.
Dual Australian international (Soccer and Cricket at the same time) Ellyse Perry was joint winner of Young Player of the Year. Other quality players included Keeper Lydia Williams, fellow captain - defender and goal scorer Ellie Brush, Thea Slatyer, Midfielder’s Emily Van Egmond, Cian Maciejewski, the Sykes twins plus two Taiwanese internationals Chiung Ying Lin and the red (and sometimes purple) headed crowd favorite Shu O Tseng who were all impressive.
Unluckily for Canberra they were missing injured Matilda’s Caitlin Munoz and Amy Chapman along with Sally Shipard who could not get an international release from her Spanish futsal team. Canberra was joint winners of the Fair play award. Well done girls!
Out of the finals was Melbourne Victory who do have some good players in their team but never really looked like a threat for a top position. Melbourne boasts Australia’s Captain and Keeper Melissa Barbieri and also had three internationals from USA, Canada and New Zealand respectively.
Perth Glory came in next with a poor defensive record that cost them dearly. With absolute talent up front with Australian strikers Kate Gill and pint sized Lisa De Vanna (who’s bad discipline cost her team) not to mention the hard working Collette McCallum in midfeild, the team should have performed better. Consolation was Striker Sam Kerr being awarded Goal of the Year and Players Player.
And finally bringing up the rear were Adelaide United and Newcastle Jets, with obvious administration problems preventing the Novocastrians to shine.
Overall it was a good second season of the W-League with Central Coast and Canberra having good performances and Sydney FC taking home the chocolates.
The big news for the upcoming season is Central Coast dropping out of the W-League, Melbourne Victory appointing the first female coach in their W-League history and the number of rounds remaining at ten.
An extra side-note for all interested, Canberra United publish a brilliant Annual Yearbook (unique to any other club in the W-league) with team stats, player profiles/photos, match reports and season summaries from coaches/players/fans/media. Limited copies are for sale; 08/09 (Year 1, made Grand Final) $5 and 2009 (Year 2, made Finals) $10. Prices include mainland Australia postage with overseas extra. Contact us if interested.