An exciting new season in Australia's Westfield W-League started this past weekend, the eighth consecutive season for the league Down Under, which has seen interesting developments on and off the field during the off-season.
For the 2015-16 season, the league welcomes a ninth team for the first time in Melbourne City (it's A-League club began as Melbourne Heart during the 2010-11 season) and the league will have a weekly televised game before the A-League Weekly Match on Fox Sports. In addition, there are twelve confirmed Westfield W-League/Hyundai A-League doubleheaders scheduled on Sunday afternoons. The league has built steadily over the years and should gain more attention on the back of their national team's strong run to the quarterfinals at the Women's World Cup this past summer, including a historic round of 16 defeat of Brazil.
The Westfield W-League 2016 Finals Series will see the first placed team host the fourth placed team, and the second placed team at home against the third placed team. The winner of each Westfield W-League 2015-2016 semi-final will advance to the Grand Final, which will be hosted by the higher ranked of the two teams at the end of January.
We look at each team's prospects (in order from their 2014-15 regular season finish) and some changes from last season.
PERTH GLORY (1st)
Perth had their finest season in 2014-15, winning the Premiership (league table) before falling to Canberra in the Grand Final by a 3-1 score. Perth Glory FC striker Bobby Despotovski takes over as head coach from former teammate Jamie Harnwell, who is now with Adelaide. Despotovksi, a former Socceroo, played 241 games for Perth Glory between 1996 and 2007 and is the club's all-time leading goal scorer (113 goals).
Despotovski will have retired Perth Glory Women's captain and Matilda Collette McCallum as his assistant coach. McCallum played 50 W-League games for the Glory Women and made 81 appearances for Australia, scoring 11 goals for the Matildas.' McCallum, born in Scotland, played for Lincoln City for a short time in 2012 and in the United States.
Mackenzie Arnold, who was third choice goalkeeper with the Matildas in Canada, is back as keeper. She was Goalkeeper of the Year last season and two years before that as well when she was with Canberra United. In front of her she will have long-time national team defender Kim Carroll, who comes from the Roar and once played in Denmark with Fortuna Hjorring. Carroll just missed out on the Canada roster last summer.
Two important national teamers who play in the NWSL are also coming back to the Western Australian side: 20 year old defender Caitlin Foord (Sky Blue FC), who had such an impressive World Cup last summer, and forward Sam Kerr (Sky Blue FC), who had a phenomenal season in Perth but was injured late in the season. Kerr won a W-League title with Sydney in 2012-13.
Also coming from Sky Blue is midfielder Nikki Stanton, who played at Fairfield University and with Seattle Sounders in the USL W-League in 2012, when a number of national team players joined the side ahead of the Olympics.
MELBOURNE VICTORY (tie for 2nd)
Melbourne Victory finished tied for second with Canberra United last season (20 points) and then lost to the capital city side in the semifinals on penalty kicks after a scoreless deadlock. Head Coach Dave Edmondson, who guided Victory to their first Grand Finals title win two seasons ago, returns after a difficult time as manager of Bristol Academy of the FA WSL. The club finished seventh of eight teams in 2014 and was sitting bottom when he was released of his contract early this season.
2015 WWC Matilda Hayley Raso joined the Washington Spirit after the Women's World Cup and played the last two seasons in Australia with the Roar. Fellow Matilda and long-time Victory goalkeeper Melissa Barbieri returns after a spell in Adelaide. U.S. international Christine Nairn returns again after appearing in all 20 regular season matches for the Spirit in 2015. She recorded five goals and four assists in D.C. after scoring two goals in Australia last season. Also back is long-time Turkish international midfielder and Melbourne native Gulcan Koca along with goalkeeper Cassandra Dimovski and defender Alex Natoli. New Zealand 2014 U-20 Women's World Cup player Briar Palmer is a new import this season.
In other important news for the league, the Melbourne VictoryA-League men's side has assumed all management responsibilities of the W-League side, taking over sole control from Football Federation Victoria, who had assisted the Victory in a joint venture and was the primary funding source. Similarly to England's top women's sides, many W-League teams share the name of the local A-League men's club but their funding comes from other sources—mostly governmental. A league announcement explained: "This will see Victory's team operations streamlined and sit alongside the club's Hyundai A-League, Foxtel National Youth League and PlayStation 4 National Premier League teams."
Melbourne Victory Chief Executive Ian Robson felt that integrating the W-League team into their entire football operation was a positive: "The prominence of women's football is growing all the time and we are thrilled to be able to bring the team under our care and help to further enhance the profile of the Melbourne Victory players and women's football in general. Given our commitment to the development of players within our elite football program at all levels, we believe the decision to manage the W-League team operation is a pivotal one for the club."
CANBERRA UNITED (tie for 2nd)
Reigning champions Canberra United will attempt to capture their third title in 8 years with an important signing from abroad: English international Jodie Taylor, on loan from Portland Thorns. Taylor was a huge success with Melbourne Victory in two seasons with the club, scoring 12 goals in 21 appearances in 2010-11 and 2011-12. Taylor has the knack to score wherever she goes and she should do well in Canberra.
Mexican international Veronica Perez is also coming on loan from the Washington Spirit, the first Mexican to play in the league. New Zealand international forward Emma Kete joins United for the second time, having played for Perth Glory and Sydney FC; Kete won a league title with the capital city side in year four and played briefly with the Western New York Flash in 2014. Also returning is goalkeeper Lydia Williams, who returns from a knee injury last winter that cost her the season, but recovered sufficiently to backstop the Matildas to last summer's quarterfinals at the World Cup.
Matilda defender Ellie Brush (who joined the Houston Dash after the Women's World Cup) is a native of Canberra and has been with the club since year one. Kendall Fletcher (Seattle Reign) also returns along with World Cup forward and United veteran Michelle Heyman (WNY Flash). Emma Checker transfers from Melbourne Victory and also played for Adelaide United.
SYDNEY FC (4th)
Sydney FC, like Canberra and Brisbane, is aiming to be the first W-League side to win three titles. They lost in the semifinals last season to rampant Perth 3-0. High scoring American forward Jasmyn Spencer (Western New York Flash) is returning to the harbor city and goalkeeper Michelle Betos should be an excellent addition on loan from the U.S. professional league. The reigning NWSL Goalkeeper of the Year stepped in while Nadine Angerer was away on World Cup duty and made 45 saves and in 14 games and scored a tremendous game-tying goal on a header from a corner late in injury time against two-time champions FC Kansas City - the only goalkeeper to do so in the three year history of the league.
Betos talked about coming to the Sky Blues: "I'm really excited to spend this upcoming season with Sydney FC. I was so impressed with the Matildas during this past World Cup and have heard great things about the league from Steph Catley and Claire Polkinghorne, my club teammates in the U.S. league. Jasmyne Spencer also said her experience with Sydney FC last year was top notch and learning about the different cultures of the world, both on and off the pitch, is an opportunity that I could not pass up."
Australian international forward Kyah Simon, who had two goals with Boston Breakers in seven matches after the World Cup in Canada, is very important to Sydney's success, having missed most the 2014-15 W-League season due to an injury.
NEWCASTLE JETS (5th)
Newcastle Jets have only made the playoffs once in seven seasons (way back in 2008-09) but came close last season - finishing fifth and missing the semifinals by one point behind Sydney FC. Former Jet A-League player Craig Deans is the new coach. The Jets, who traditionally import Americans, are bringing in two Washington Spirit 2015 season rookies: defenders Caprice Dydasco and Megan Oyster on loan. Both played together at UCLA. Dydasco, 22, appeared in 6 regular season matches for the Spirit this season.
Oyster, 23, played every minute in 2015 and recorded 1 goal. Tara Andrews returns after a stellar summer leading W-League Colorado Pride to the league final as the league MVP and leading scorer. Emily Van Egmond has left for Frankfurt in Germany after the World Cup.
BRISBANE ROAR (6th)
The 2015-16 season is important for the Roar, who missed the playoffs last season for the first time in their history. German goalkeeping legend Nadine Angerer has retired and two imports are tabbed to take her place: Carrie Simpson comes from English side Bradford City along with Seattle Reign goalkeeper Haley Kopmeyer, who appeared in 11 matches while starting when U.S. World Cup keeper Hope Solo was away. Kopmeyer came into her own in 2015 and had a phenomenal year, with four shutouts and a goals-against-average of 1.00 for third best in the league.
Veteran Matildas Clare Polkinghorne (who finished this NWSL season with Portland Thorns), Tameka Butt (who played with Boston Breakers in WPSL Elite in 2012 as well as in Germany and Japan), and Katrina Gorry (who won the 2014 NWSL title with FC Kansas City) are back along with nine new players. Veteran Matilda (62 caps) Elise Kellond-Knight will not return this season as she is playing in Germany with Turbine Potsdam.
ADELAIDE UNITED (7th)
Adelaide has never made the playoffs in their seven seasons in the league and last season finished seventh on ten points. Jamie Harnwell, who led Perth Glory to the Grand Final last season, replaces Ross Aloisi as head coach at Adelaide. U.S. U-20 World Cup winning midfielder Sara Killion comes from Sky Blue FC along with defender Abby Dahlkemper from the Western New York Flash; both were rookie performers in NWSL in 2015 and teammates in college at UCLA. Three-time Women's World Cup veteran goalkeeper Melissa Barbieri, who after two seasons shuttling to Adelaide, returns to her original hometown club of Melbourne Victory.
Adelaide is bringing in two new imports from Glenfield Rovers in New Zealand: Kaitlyn Savage, who played for Sydney a few years ago, and Elizabeth Milne. Milne played for Ottawa Fury in 2013 and had a previous stint in the W-League with Perth in 2012-13.
Some significant departures from last season include England's Katie Holtham (ex-Notts County, Chelsea and Doncaster) and Lisa-Marie Woods (Norwegian international, now with BIIK-Kazygurt, Kazakhstan).
WESTERN SYDNEY WANDERERS (8th)
The Western Sydney Wanderers - such a tremendous marketing and playing success on and off the field on the men's side, including an Asian Football Confederation Champions League title in 2014 - look to make the playoffs for the first time in their fourth season in the W-League, after finishing last in 2014-15.
Seattle Reign Captain Keelin Winters, who led Seattle to the NWSL regular season crown the last two seasons and is mentioned by many as a possible future fixture for the U.S. National Team, is coming back to play with the Wanderers. She told this correspondent after the 2015 NWSL Final in Portland: "I'm excited about going back to the Wanderers, with a great fan base, get games in, train and live in a beautiful country."
Winters won the team Player of the Season and Golden Boot award last season. In Seattle she is a defensive midfielder behind former Melbourne Victory and Wales international Jess Fishlock, Scottish international Kim Little and American winger Megan Rapinoe, but with the Wanderers, she played in more of an attacking role, and finished last winter with 5 goals. Kendall Johnson also returns to the Wanderers for a second stint in 2015 - last year she was with Sky Blue FC but this year played in Portland - her hometown. Canadian international defender Carmelina Moscato, who has played for Boston, Chicago and Seattle in NWSL and in three World Cups, is a new import for the Parramatta-based club.
MELBOURNE CITY (Expansion club)
Melbourne City, despite being an expansion franchise, has to be considered a serious threat to reach the Grand Final after signing some top international talent, including four Matilda World Cup stars and two imports from the U.K.
Matildas forward Lisa DeVanna (who played in NWSL with Sky Blue FC and Washington Spirit and in Sweden), joins from Melbourne Victory as does Matilda wing defender Steph Catley (Portland Thorns). Catley (39 caps at only 21 years of age) played at Melbourne Victory for six seasons. Catley was an ever-present in the 2015 Women's World Cup team that advanced to the quarterfinals for the third consecutive tournament.
Two-time WWC defender Laura Alleway, who spent time in the FA WSL with Lincoln Ladies in 2012 but encountered visa problems and only played a few matches, has joined City from the Roar. Alleway won a league crown with Brisbane in 2011. Head Coach Joe Montemurro, who played in Australia, Italy and Switzerland, joins from the Victory and also has national team pool goalkeeper Brianna Davey (19), who spent time in Sweden with Linkoping FC in 2013.
The two U.K. imports are Welsh international Jess Fishlock, who had two fine seasons with Victory a few years back, and Scottish international Kim Little, both on loan from Seattle Reign. Fishlock and Little have been instrumental in Seattle winning the last two regular season NWSL titles and making the final both years, and are important elements in their respective national teams. Fishlock will also be an assistant coach to Montemurro.
Other W-League veterans joining City are New Zealand international Rebekah Stott (from Victory with Montemurro), Larissa Crummer (Brisbane Roar) and Marianna Tabain (Perth Glory).
WESTFIELD W-LEAGUE ROUND 1
In the opening round of W-League matches on October 17-18, expansion side Melbourne City destroyed Sydney FC 6-0 behind two goals from 19-year-old Larissa Crummer, who came from the Brisbane Roar.
2014-15 Premiership winners Perth Glory went to Melbourne Victory, who finished tied for second last season, and came away with a 2-1 victory. Australian 2015 WWC stars Caitlin Foord (45th) and Sam Kerr (69nd) both scored for the Glory on October 17th. Victory has to face rampant City next week in the first ever Melbourne women's derby.
Adelaide United, which finished seventh last season, entertained 2014-15 season bottom side Western Sydney Wanderers, with both teams gaining a point in a 2-2 tie, and Adelaide fighting back from 2 goals down.
Brisbane Roar beat Canberra City 2-1 on October 18th on goals by Tameka Butt and newcomer Ruth Blackburn within the first 11 minutes of the match. The Newcastle Jets had a bye week.
Note - Players Strike Does Not Prevent China Trip:
Though the Australian national team strike is not resolved as of yet, Westfield Matildas head coach Alen Stajcic is taking a 21 player squad to China for international matches from October 19-28, including a match against 2015 Women's World Cup bronze medalists England on October 23, and players are hopeful that the labor dispute, which resulted in the cancellation of two friendly matches against the U.S. national team last month, will be settled soon.