With the Asian Cup now in full swing, this is a good point for us to assess how the A-League Women teams have gone so far. Here is our review of the teams who unfortunately haven’t had the results they wanted – can they climb up the ladder?
8th: Western Sydney Wanderers
(by Eric Subijano)
They say that defence win championships. However, the red & black faithful in Sydney’s west may beg to differ.
First, the positives. Credit must go to Catherine Cannuli who, in her first season as an A-League Women head coach, has built a well-drilled defensive unit that is awkward to play against. The Wanderers have the second stingiest defence in the competition with five goals conceded in seven games, and their tally of three clean sheets is bettered only by runaway leaders Sydney FC.
Clare Hunt’s performances in central defence give plenty of hope that the former Young Matilda’s injury woes are finally a thing of the past. The retention of ace shotstopper Sarah Langman has been equally important, while Cannuli has played a blinder by recruiting 15 year old right back Alexia Apostolakis, who has handled the step up from Football NSW Institute’s U17 side to the A-League Women competition better than anyone could have anticipated.
However, there is a sting in the tail for Western Sydney.
Western Sydney have only troubled the scoresheet twice in 2021/22 – Ashlie Crofts’ dramatic and heartwarming 90th minute equaliser against Newcastle, and Bryleeh Henry’s match-winning penalty against Brisbane. The side seems to lack cohesion whenever the ball enters the final third, and this inability to consistently threaten opposition backlines puts extra pressure on their own defence (which has performed admirably given the circumstances).
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Finals are not out of reach and there is definitely the potential to improve. Henry is one of this country’s brightest young talents and her fellow attackers have the speed to make any defence wary, while Alex Huynh’s return to the club will add more strength and experience to their excellent backline.
9th: Canberra United
(by Steffen Moebus)
There were high hopes for Season 14 after coach Vicki Linton steered the team in green to a 2020/21 semifinals place. However, the loss of half of last season’s squad (even while maintaining the Canberra core) and the challenges involved with attracting players to a regional town in the COVID era have hit Canberra hard, as has an unsettled gameday lineup and the rub of the (Ally) green going against them. At the time of writing, Canberra United is one of only two clubs yet to record a victory in 2021/22.
If team cohesion was a major factor in the previous campaign’s success, it has proven elusive this time around. There have doubtless been bright points in the form of Ashleigh Sykes‘ return to the national competition, much of keeper Keeley Richards‘ work and the creative X-factor that Grace Maher brings. These have been offset by needless turnovers, players playing in unfamiliar positions (in fairness, most teams have faced the ‘close contact challenge’ and its effect on game day lineups), defensive and midfield frailties, and a skinny squad with insufficient cover in some areas at times of need.
There is plenty of skill in evidence – witness the ball skills of Maher, Margot Robinne, and Allira Toby to name a few – but Canberra United will be looking to Orlando Pride imports Chelsee Washington and Ally Haran to continue their growth in this competition. The team would also benefit by following captain Michelle Heyman‘s lead in recognising the importance of defending all over the park as an effective means of supporting the defensive line.
Robust progression up the ladder is not beyond this Canberra United team in the second half of the season.
10th: Wellington Phoenix
(by Lachy France)
Given the situation they were placed in prior to the season – afforded just a couple of months to cobble together a team, long after most of the local talent had already been snapped up – many wondered whether the Wellington Phoenix would be remotely competitive in their inaugural A-League season. However, those doubts were quickly allayed following an opening day stalemate in Wollongong against Western Sydney Wanderers. Since that day, Wellington’s form has swung wildly in their first campaign. At times, their opponents have been forced to pull out all the stops to get a win. However, as with most inexperienced teams, there have also been some days that they would prefer to forget.
The ‘22’ in the goals conceded column of the table may make for grim reading, but 12 of those goals came in three games against Sydney and Melbourne City, and it’s a rare team that doesn’t concede multiple goals against those outfits. A 5-1 loss to Newcastle in Round 2 was perhaps Wellington’s nadir, but a 1-0 loss to the same opponent two weeks later suggested even that was an aberration. More evidence of improvement has come in the last two weeks, never more than against Brisbane Roar as Alyssa Whinham and Grace Jale put the Phoenix up 2-0 inside 25 minutes, before the Roar’s experience shone through to secure the three points with a 3-2 comeback victory. Despite that performance, a first win remains elusive, and with the Phoenix scoring in only two of their eight games, that chase for an inaugural three points is made far more difficult.
Returning to the topic of Whinham, the 18-year-old could be the revelation of the season. Signed as a scholarship player, the midfielder has carved out a role for the Phoenix, and her goal (and subsequent celebration) against the Roar was the cherry on top of an electric start to her A-League career. However, Whinham is but one of a number of Phoenix players to introduce themselves to Australian crowds in a favourable manner. Among them is Kate Taylor, who has demonstrated why she was voted vice-captain at the age of 18, slotting straight in as a rock-solid member of the defence, belying her lack of experience. Meanwhile, Grace Wisnewski continues to demonstrate why she has been tabbed as one of New Zealand’s top prospects since her efforts at the 2018 FIFA Under 18 World Cup.
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With games against the other two members of the bottom three and two contests against a Perth Glory side forced to live out of their suitcases to come, there are some real opportunities for the Phoenix to pick up more points and potentially lift themselves off the bottom of the table, as they sit just a point behind Canberra United. However, they will need to be at their best throughout their run home to do so. The performances against Brisbane and Adelaide in their last two games should inspire confidence; the question now is whether that confidence can be turned into victories.
Whatever happens from this point, the Phoenix have given themselves a solid foundation from which to build upon heading into the 2022/23 season, prior to which they will actually have a proper off-season in which to prepare for the campaign.
