With the A-League Women’s season kicking off next month, all eyes will be set on reigning champions Melbourne Victory as they seek to repeat last year’s heroics. One player hoping to be amongst the action is goalkeeper Melissa Maizels, who has re-signed for the club she supported when she was younger.
“I’ve been an MVFC fan for about 12 years, so it’s every player’s dream to play for the club you grew up with going to live games,” Maizels said.
“To be back for my third season, I’m super excited to get stuck into the girls and get cracking to see if we can go back-to-back.”
Our @aleaguewomen #GKunion is locked in for the season as @CaseyDumont makes her return!
Read more: https://t.co/rbkzPaNwrF pic.twitter.com/x1hZ0viUQm
— Melbourne Victory Women (@mvfcwomen) October 5, 2021
Maizels was the deputy to starting goalkeeper Gaby Garton as Victory finished third in the regular season. She says that the confidence in the squad was a big factor in taking Victory all the way to Grand Final success.
“It’s indescribable,” said Maizels.
“It was a weird feeling because I feel as though we all thought deep down that we can do it. There was this cohesive kind of feeling running into the finals series that ‘this is ours’ and I feel that translated onto the pitch in our performances. Our collective belief in the player group literally took us to the 120th minute.”
After a 6-2 thumping of Brisbane Roar in the semi final at Lions Stadium, Victory faced arch rivals Sydney FC in the Grand Final. Kyra Cooney-Cross was the hero for the navy blue as her 120th minute Olimpico sealed the Championship.
Maizels has recently re-signed with NPL Victoria side Heidelberg United for 2022 and says that despite the shortening of the season due to lockdown, the 2021 NPL Victoria campaign was probably the most similar to a W-League environment that she has experienced.
“That’s contributed to the quality of my coaching staff at Heidelberg, in head coach Johno Clemente,” Maizels said.
“United supported us just as well as any NPLW team could within the constraints of funding and facilities. Our facilities were sensational and they gave us a W-League environment away from the W-League, and I feel that really set me up coming into this season.
“I’m surrounded by so much support and my sessions were of such a good intensity that I felt like I had a really good campaign this season.” Heidelberg finished sixth after 12 games, with Maizels making eight appearances.
Maizels is known for being a plant-based athlete and gave us a run down on what that means and how it contributes to training and games.
“A few years ago I made a choice to not consume any animal products and basically fuel myself with plant-based foods and to eat as close to vegan as possible. I find I have a lot more energy and I just enjoy the food a lot better, don’t really miss anything that I choose not to eat anymore. It’s something I do for me and it helps me feel better generally, on the pitch and to recover better.”
Maizels concluded our chat with her goals for the upcoming A-League Women season and how she hopes to bounce back from a recent injury suffered while in training.
“That’s a great question. <laughs> I’ve not played a whole heap of football for Victory in the past and not played a W-League game for MV as of yet,” Maizels said.
“Coming in to this season I did step everything up over the NPLW season in order to prepare myself to put my best foot forward to take the pitch. At the end of the day that decision is going to be up to the coaching staff but I’m trying to do all the right things.
“Unfortunately I fractured my scaphoid a couple of weeks ago and everything I’ve been doing in the build up won’t go to waste, I’ll make sure. We’re professional footballers and injuries do happen so I need to be able to maintain my focus on what I do want to achieve and that will be now just a minor shift.
“My preparation will mostly now be just rehabbing in the short term and then it will turn into just getting that fitness back up to where it is, where it’s been and I’ve built a really good foundation. I’m really excited to get cracking on rehabbing and coming back nice and strong so I can give the coaching staff a headache when it comes to picking a starting keeper.”
The opening game of Victory’s A-League Women campaign is against Adelaide United on Sunday 5th December at AAMI Park. Kickoff is at 4:05pm.
Follow our A-League Women coverage here and our Melbourne Victory coverage here.
