Steph Catley: Typical Melbourne

Typical Melbourne. That was my most used phrase this week after our clash against Sydney FC last weekend.

Image Credit: Zee Ko

We’d prepared ourselves for a 38 degree day and we’d played the first half in that exact heat only to return to the field after half time to gale force winds and frosty conditions. It was very confusing for everyone involved and turned what was set to continue as a classy game full of quality into a scrappy contest where the main dispute was the battle between the ball and the wind.

We had started slow and the early goal showed that Sydney had switched on earlier than we were. We fought our way back into the game and dominated possession in the second part of the first half, stringing together some really smooth combinations in the midfield.

Enza Barilla, who had been battling illness all week had come out and really demonstrated what our team is all about. She ran and ran, and ran some more until she literally couldn’t run anymore.

Jess Fishlock was again creating just about everything through the midfield, a constant threat and a classy work horse who is fast becoming one of my favourite players of all time. And Brianna Davey was incredibly solid in goals, considering the ball was floating around everywhere in the second half.

Considering how close the competition is this year we were really looking to keep on the winner’s board but accepted the one point in the end.

This week we take on defending champions Canberra United in the televised game on ABC at 5pm.

It will be a vastly different Canberra from our 3-0 win against them last time, so we’ll be expecting an extremely tough contest. The importance of this game makes it feel like a final.

We’ll be looking to have a strong performance and stamp our authority early in the match. With one more session tomorrow before travelling to Canberra on Saturday, we’re itching to get onto the park and jump back into the winners circle.

Read all of Steph's columns for The Football Sack.

Winner of 2011/12 Female Footballer of the Year in the Australian Football Fan Awards, young star for Melbourne Victory Women Stephanie Catley is a current Matilda and is a born and bred Victorian. Catch the W-League every week at your local ground or if you can't make the game watch it on ABC1.