Back-to-back A-League Womens premiers, three-times-consecutive Grand Finalists, and the only Australian national league team to have qualified for every finals series since its foundation, Sydney remains for many the benchmark of women’s football in this country. Blessed with incredible depth, consummate professionalism, and continual support from their loyal fans, they’ll be looking to shrug off the trauma of losing five of the last seven championship games and reclaim the glory of 2019.
Last Season
Looking to defend its A-League Womens premiership, Sydney started 2021-22 like a team possessed, opening the campaign with a seven-week unbeaten run before losing 1-2 to Melbourne City. That defeat was to prove their only one for the remainder of the home-and-away season, handing them back-to-back premierships and a home semi-final, in which they needed extra-time to eventually do away with Melbourne City at Jubilee Oval. With one last hurdle before them, the Sky Blues stumbled at the crucial moment, and were once again victims of a classic Melbourne Victory smash-and-grab, losing the 2022 Grand Final 1-2 to the club’s oldest rivals.
Key Facts
| Coach | Ante Jurić |
| Last season | Premiers & grand-finalists (lost to Melbourne Victory) |
| Venues | Moore Park (4) Jubilee Oval (2) Leichhardt Oval (2) Cromer Park (1) |
| Membership | $110 |
Line-up
The Coach
Now into his sixth season as head honcho at the Sky Blues, Canberra-born Ante Jurić is among the most consistently-successful coaches in A-League Womens history. Until recently also head coach of NPL Mens NSW side Sydney Olympic, Jurić is on track to surpass current Philippines women’s national team coach and former mentor Alen Stajčić as Sydney’s longest-serving custodian.
Ins & Outs
Ins:
Deborah-Anne de la Harpe (Perth Glory), Indiana Dos Santos (Football NSW Institute), Jynaya Dos Santos (Football NSW Institute), Shadeene Evans (Adelaide United), Kirsty Fenton (Newcastle Jets), Anna Green (Capital Football, NZ), Abbey Lemon (Blacktown Spartans), Madison Haley (Stanford, USA), Anika Stajčić (Football NSW Institute).
Outs:
Ellie Brush (Canberra United), Ally Green (Vålerenga, Norway), Angelique Hristodoulou (Western Sydney), Kahli Johnson (Western United), Jessika Nash (Melbourne Victory), María José Rojas (Melbourne City), Paige Satchell (Wellington Phoenix), Remy Siemsen (AIK, Sweden).
Key Players
New Zealand international defender Anna Green will make her first foray back into professional football since stepping away from the game full-time four years ago, but her decade of experience at the highest level for both club and country will be sorely needed by a Sydney defence looking a shadow of its 2021-22 self.
In midfield however, things have changed very little as Mackenzie Hawkesby leads the midfield three with her usual tenacity and incredible work-rate. Voted Sydney women’s Player of the Year in 2022, the 22-year-old was included in the Matildas’ squad for friendlies against Spain and Portugal in June but is yet to make an international appearance.
When it comes to newly-minted Matildas though, Cortnee Vine is the talk of the town – and rightly so. Blessed with rapid pace, a feather-light cross, and timing like a Swiss watch, the Queensland-born winger has racked up 11 caps for her country since the 2022 Women’s Asian Cup, and looks to be a star in the making at international level.
One To Watch
With club legend Teresa Polias yet to return to football full-time and Taylor Ray sidelined with a long-term knee injury, 19-year-old Sarah Hunter will start this season as Sydney’s defensive midfielder of choice. Despite her long history of serious injuries, the Young Matildas’ starting number six will be hoping to put her case forward as a potential bolter ahead of the Women’s World Cup in July 2023.
Prediction
To quote DJ Khaled, Sydney have a bad case of Suffering From Success. With Siemsen and Green heading to Scandinavia in the off-season, Ray on the long-term injured list, and bit-part players such as Nash, Rojas and Satchell looking elsewhere for opportunities, Sydney will be under pressure to produce a winning hand from a freshly-shuffled deck.
Savvy recruitment of youth in de la Harpe and Lemon coupled with the explosive brilliance of Vine and Ibini should see them make another run at the finals, but with the two established Melbourne clubs recruiting just as strongly, Sydney may not earn that coveted double-chance come April 2023.
Fixture
Round 1
Adelaide United vs Sydney
ServiceFM Stadium, Gepps Cross SA
Sunday 20 November – 3.30pm ACDT (4pm AEDT)
