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Brisbane and Sydney have won the title previously and Melbourne have made their first finals series. In season one the Roar beat Sydney in the semi final and then defeated Canberra in the grand final. In season two Sydney beat Canberra in the semi final and then beat Brisbane in the grand final.
There is no doubt that each of these four teams have reasons to win and will be out seeking revenge for past encounters. If that’s not motivation enough I don’t know what is. I know personally, from losing the grand final against Sydney last year, what it feels like to lose a final and we do not want to feel like that again. I’m sure the Canberra and Sydney girls would agree that losing a final is not a great feeling. But that’s the thing about football, there is going to be one winning team and three other teams that are left to wonder ‘what if’.
Coming off two goalless draws to finish the season, it would be fair to say that we are disappointed in the way we finished out season, especially with some good wins leading into the end of the season. Having a bye in the last round of the regular season has given us that extra week to get back into a routine of solid training and get back to the basics. The last week or two we have focused on doing the little things right and doing them well. We are all very excited to get out and play Canberra this Saturday at Ballymore, 2pm.
On a personal note I was very disappointed to pick up an injury at training just before our last game against Newcastle and had to watch that game from the sidelines. It was very hard for me to watch, knowing that I couldn’t be out there helping my team. Two weeks after I picked up the injury I am back on the training paddock and working my way back to full fitness, in hope that I can be out there in the semi final.
The girls are looking sharp at training and we are looking to get back to the type of football that has won us games this year and find the spark that allowed us to win finals in the past. We need all hands on deck when we take on a very talented Canberra side. It is shaping up to be a very exciting matchup. Whenever the Roar women come up against Canberra, there is rarely a dull moment. Keep an eye on Tameka Butt and Lisa DeVanna who are both big game players and can win games for us.
Enjoy the finals this weekend and I look forward to seeing who will fight it out in the grand final.
Clare has a strong passion for football and the women's game in particular. Captain of W-League side Brisbane Roar, Clare is also a current Matilda. Catch the W-League every week at your local ground, or if you can't make the game watch it live on ABC1. To read Clare's other columns for The Football Sack, click here!