W-LEAGUE: 2012/13 Team of the Year

A very competitive season has nearly come to an end for the girls this year with only the Grand Final to be played between third placed Melbourne Victory and fourth placed Sydney FC. It's also time for our always controversial 2012/13 Westfield W-League Team of the Year.

Player of the Season. Courtesy: Emily Mogic - The Womens Game

With no real stand out players in 2012/13, what has been highlighted is the quality of overseas players coming Down Under to participate in the short Westfield W-League season.  World class players like Kristen Mewis, Jess Fishlock, Ariane Hingst, Petra Larsson, Carly Telford, Louise Fors, Danielle Johnson, Jess McDonald etc.

As always in The Football Sack Team of the Year, selections are made not on reputation but on form in the 2012/13 Westfield W-League season alone.

Some of the Contenders

Goalkeepers:
• Carly Telford – Perth. International from the UK. Unfortunately injury stopped her finishing the season for Perth.
• Brianna Davey – Melbourne. One of Australia’s top young performing ‘keepers.
• Kate Stewart – Brisbane. Not a lot of game time but looks to be the goods with more development.

Centre Backs:
• Abby Erceg – Adelaide. Kiwi international, she tried her best for Adelaide.
• Danielle Johnson – Melbourne. U.S international who helped give Melbourne the competition’s best defence.
• Hayley Crawford – Newcastle. A hard working centre back who could move up the park when Newcastle needed an X-Factor.
• Ariane Hingst – Canberra. German international who also played in the defensive midfield position for Canberra.
• Maika Ruyter-Hooley – Melbourne. Anchored the backs for Melbourne this year in a highly professional manner.
• Renee Rollason – Sydney. A midfielder who moved into the backs this year and as usual did her job well.

Wing Backs:
• Stephanie Catley – Melbourne. A young but mature player. Who will ojnly get better
• Georgia Yeoman-Dale – Canberra. Another young player who makes good penetrating runs.
• Elise Kellond-Knight – Brisbane. Typical hard working year for Elise. Great to see in her return season from a long term injury.
• Emma Checker – Adelaide. Did her best for her team.

Defensive Midfielders:
• Clare Polkinghorne – Brisbane. Always a strong player and one of Brisbane’s finest.
• Emily Van Egmond – Newcastle. A strong hard working midfielder.
• Teresa Polias – Sydney. Holds the midfield with great vision.
• Petra Larsson – Melbourne. Swedish international. A true ‘control the middle of the pitch’ player.
• Aivi Luik – Perth. One of Perth’s new players this year that performed very well.
• Kristie Mewis – Canberra. U.S international and former USA U17 captain, Mewis is one of the world’s best up and comers but only played a couple of games for Canberra.
• Servet Uzunlar – Western Sydney. Always a steadfast player with great abilities and attitude.

Attacking Midfielders:
• Katrina Gorry – Brisbane. Another great year from this young player first year in Brisbane.
• Vedrana Popovic – Brisbane. Solid player. Performed very well again for the Roar girls.
• Tori Huster – Newcastle. U.S international. This season was her first year playing in Australia and she tried to get some momentum for her Newcastle side.
• Louise Fors – Western Sydney. Swedish international who is always a danger.

Wing Forwards:
• Hayley Raso – Canberra United. Had some great lightening runs this year. Still developing, though increased game time helped this season.
• Tameka Butt – Brisbane Roar. Came good again at the end of the season.
• Jessica Fishlock – Melbourne Victory. Welsh captain who only played six games but made an impact despite being out of position.
• Amy Chapman – Brisbane Roar. Well balanced. Amy’s best year so far.
• Laura Spiranovic – Melbourne Victory. Another hard to mark player. Natural finisher with potential.
• Sam Kerr – Sydney FC. A player with a lot of ability.

Centre Forwards:
• Emma Kete – Sydney FC. Kiwi international who was always a handful.
• Emily Gielnik – Brisbane Roar. The classic number nine who is still young and should develop even more in the future.
• Lisa De Vanna – Perth Glory. The speedy forward who was suited to the long-ball style of Perth.
• Rosie Sutton – Perth Glory. The new girl on the block who made a great impact this year for her team.
• Jessica McDonald – Melbourne Victory. U.S international with a great heading and running with the ball ability.
• Sarah Walsh – Western Sydney Wanderers. In her last W-League season, she never stopped giving her best.

Coaches:
• Mike Mulvey – Melbourne Victory. Finished his appointment early with the Melbourne girls to head to Queensland and coach the Brisbane Roar A-League side. Mike left his legacy of keeping good shape and, building-up with last year’s coach Vicki Linton work, the Melbourne girls played a good possession game.
• Belinda Wilson – Brisbane Roar. This was Belinda’s first year coaching in the W-League and the highly qualified and decorated coach got the Roar girls humming; especially in the second half of the season.

Final Eleven for The Sack's Team of the Year

Goalkeeper: Brianna Davey - Melbourne

Centrebacks: Maika Ruyter-Hooley - Melbourne, Danielle Johnson - Melbourne

Wing backs: Georgia Yeoman-Dale - Canberra, Stephanie Catley -Melbourne

Defensive Midfield: Petra Larsson - Melbourne, Aivi Luik - Perth

Attacking Midfield: Katrina Gorry - Brisbane

Wing Forwards: Jessica Fishlock - Melbourne, Amy Chapman - Brisbane

Centre Forward: Emily Gielnik

Coach: Belinda Wilson - Brisbane

Awards
Best Defender: Maika Ruyter-Hooley
Best Midfielder: Katrina Gorry
Best Forward: Emily Gielnik
Player of the Season: Maika Ruyter-Hooley
Most Improved/Young Player of the Season: Brianna Davey