So the third season of the Westfield W-League starts this weekend, but why should you part with the 10 bucks or so it will cost to see a gals game? Here are five reasons you should.
THE WORLD CUP
Earlier this year, the Matildas won a little thing called the Asian Cup. That also earned them entry into another pretty sweet tournament, the 2011 FIFA women’s World Cup in Germany.
So be prepared to see Heather Garriock (Sydney FC), Collette McCallum (Perth Glory), Sally Shipard (Canberra United), Clare Polkingorne (Brisbane Roar), Kate Gill (Perth Glory), Sarah Walsh (Sydney FC) and Elise Kellond-Knight (Brisbane Roar), and the rest all at their best as they aim to hit form.
And keep an eye on those like Michelle Heyman (Canberra United) and Casey Dumont (Brisbane Roar), who will be aiming to convince Tom Sermanni they deserve a place on that plane.
The most important ones to keep an eye on? Defenders.
The Matildas defence has been the most hurt by the round of retirements since the last World Cup (Cheryl Salisbury, Joey Peters, Di Alagich, Rhian Davies all long gone), and it’s badly in need of a stabilising centre-back pair.
Why?
Did you catch any of that defence against South Korea in the Peace Cup final or against Germany?
They were forced to backpedal way too often. Kim Carroll (Brisbane Roar) is most likely to be one half, with the other probably one of these, with Thea Slatyer (Newcastle Jets) and Servet Uzunlar (Sydney FC) a good chance to be the other.
Slatyer has done it before, it’s just that she missed most of last W-League season travelling and now seems to have slipped down the Matildas starting order.
THE INTERNATIONALS
So yes, there is the argument that international players take up roster spots that could go to home-grown talent, but I think that having quality internationals in the team can only improve the league, plus it’s helping get the W-League worldwide recognition.
This summer watch out for Americans Alex Singer (Perth Glory), Allison Lipsher (Newcastle Jets) and Lydia Vandenburgh (Sydney FC), and Perth’s Scandinavians Tine Cederkvist (Perth Glory via Denmark) and Alexandra Nilsson (Perth Glory via Sweden).
But the one you can’t shouldn’t miss, and probably won’t, is Canberra United’s Tseng Shu-O.
The Chinese Taipei forward injected pace and grit up front last season, all under a perfectly coiffed bright purple bob. It sparked copy-cat wigs, sported by girls on the hill at McKellar Park.
This year, Shu-O is back after spending a year playing in American football, one level below the Women’s Pro Soccer League, and has a fluoro orange do. But that will fade into the background once you start to watch her feet, she’s seriously skilled.
CANBERRA UNITED
Brisbane Roar and Sydney FC have each claimed a W-League championship so far, and both teams soundly beat Canberra United when it came down to it (Brisbane in the first season decider and Sydney FC in last season’s semi), but 2010/11 could be the Capital’s year.
But just because they are a chance to win isn’t why you should watch them.
United coach Ray Junna spent almost 10 years at the Australian Institute of Sport, helping to craft the current generation of Socceroos, but made his first foray into women’s football last year.
But he brought the Institute’s philosophy with him, free-flowing, dynamic football. In Sally Shipard, Tseng Shu-O, Caitlin Munoz, Ellyse Perry, Cian Maciejewski and Emily van Egmond, they have players who can carry that off.
LISA DE VANNA
She’s been seemingly dumped by Perth Glory, after coach John Gibson explained they chose not to re-sign her, and it still isn’t clear where she is headed, although all the rumours point to Brisbane Roar.
She has quite a temper and not exactly the best team player, hence her reputation as the Matildas most controversial player. But whatever you say about her sportsmanship, she’s also one of the only Matildas who plays overseas, is genuinely a world class striker and brilliantly entertaining to watch.
Worth the entry price alone.
THE FOOTBALL
Say you have a one of those football sceptic friends, brought up on a diet of the Australian codes, who is always arguing that football is full of whinging divers.
Please bring them to a Westfield W-League game. These women don’t dive. The game is equally physical and technical, and generally, there are plenty of goals. It’s a rare W-League game that finishes 0-0. In most cases, it’s a perfect example of the beautiful game.
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