W-League: The Sack Wrap

What a great season from the girls this year in the Westfield W-League. The season may have been small (ten rounds) but the excitement level was not.

Time for a wrap-up on the teams as they finished, bottom up;

Adelaide United- Only two wins in three years speaks for itself. The girls are not to blame, or the coach even as some have said. It was just not meant to be in the first place. It was a nice idea to include Adelaide in the W-League but the player numbers were never there. To only have a small local competition and having to fly players in for matches every week is totally unsustainable. There is no argument that Adelaide is a great footballing city, it is simply not ready for the W-League just yet. It’s time to make way for a more competitive side. The best thing about Adelaide this year was their home games being curtain-raisers for the Hyundai A-League. Other clubs take note!
Best: Victoria Balomenos, Katrina Gorry, Racheal Quigley, Stacey Day.

Newcastle Jets- Well coached by Wayne O’Sullivan, they did well considering a distinct lack of notable players in the team. Northern NSW football has had a reputation of being poorly run with plenty of driftwood within the organisation - unfortunately at the expense of player and coach development. However the young ones stood tall this year. Newcastle can also lay claim to being one of only two teams to knock-off the Minor Premiers, Sydney FC.
Best: Thea Slatyer, Melissa Feuerriegel, Tara Andrews, Gema Simon.

Perth Glory- Almost the opposite of the Jets, a side full of talent but very poorly coached. Perth’s performance this year was not the fault of the players at all. Being on the sideline or in the stands at Glory matches, all that can be heard is the coach screaming at the girls, dictating EVERY play. It begs the question; “Hey! What’s training for?” Coach good football, no more ‘HIT IT LONG!’ rubbish, then step back and let the girls play. Disappointing to watch and disappointing for the girls to have to play under.
Best: Samantha Kerr, Elisa D’ovidio, Tine Cederkvist, Tanya Oxtoby.

Melbourne Victory- After watching their first televised match, The Football Sack predicted they were genuine fourth place contenders and they didn’t disappoint. Well coached by the only female coach this season, Vicki Linton, they were a young side with a nice sprinkling of older heads. Excepting the occasion of the Semi-Final they held fast and played above themselves. Well done girls.
Best: Kendall Fletcher, Marlies Oostdam, Jodie Taylor, Caitlin Friend/Ashley Brown.

Canberra United- With high profile players and good recruiting, Canberra promised so much at the beginning of the season. Yet in the end they were a little disappointing despite taking it to Brisbane Roar in the Semi-Final. No doubt Canberra had the best defensive combination in the competition with their back six (four backs, ‘keeper and holding midfield), but lacked real fluidity, teamwork and penetration up front.
Best: (their back six) Lydia Williams, Ellie Brush, Lyndsay Glohe, Caitlin Cooper, Ellyse Perry, Sally Shipard.

Brisbane Roar- The team started the season a little gingerly with a loss to Sydney FC and finished the same way with a pair of scoreless draws, but had the best Finals Series. Mature level headed players own finals and it showed. The coach was constantly trying new and different combinations throughout the short season, not helping to build consistency but the late signings of two world-quality strikers helped the Roar girls immensely.
Best: Tameka Butt, Clare Polkinghorne, Casey Dumont, Lisa De Vanna.

Sydney FC- A combination of the top two teams of last year (Sydney and the now defunct Central Coast Mariners), they did seem a cut above the rest. Well coached with a few master strokes, especially Alen Stajcic’s allocation of player positions. There was quality throughout the squad especially in the go-forward department. Sydney FC took the Minor Premiership and were unlucky not to take the double, perhaps having some nerves on the day. Another day could very easily have brought a different result.
Best: Kylie Ledbrook, Renee Rollason, Kyah Simon, Caitlin Foord (pretty much all of Sydney really).


I trust you enjoyed the coverage of the Westfield W-League from us here at The Football Sack! From myself and our new W-League contributor and resident photographer Nick Guoth (who next season will take on a more active role in writing as well as his great snapping ability) to The Sack’s resident A-League journo’s and twitterers who picked up some W-League games for us all around Australia!

Thanks and kudos must also go to the fabulous articles and insights from the Brisbane Roar’s Captain Clare Polkinghorne. Hopefully we can keep Clare for next season and arrange a few more W-League Captains, as I’m sure you will agree it’s much tastier to hear the drum from the inside.

Credit too, to the editors here at The Sack, the FFA, sponsor’s Frank Lowy and Westfield, and of course the coverage by the ABC. Stay tuned for any other relevant Women’s Football over the course of the W-League off-season, in particular the World Cup coming up in June and July!

And finally I hope all the girls, from Matildas to 5th Grade Women to the Under 5’s play during this winter and help “Soccer to be the choice of Sport for Australian females.”

Cheers, Chris Layland.