2024 NPL Women’s NSW Season Preview
Season 2024 arrives for the National Premier Leagues Women’s NSW competition with clubs readying themselves for a massive year of football.
The 2023 season saw APIA Leichhardt finish as Premiership winners as well as inaugural Sapphire Cup Champions and Macarthur Rams secured back-to-back Grand Final wins, with the regular season going down right to the wire and the finals serving up plenty of surprises.
Undoubtedly, the 2024 season is set to build on the competitive football we saw throughout 2023, with the action kicking off from North Turramurra Recreation Area this Saturday evening.
As clubs, coaches, players, fans and volunteers prepare for another exciting season of football, have a read of our Season Preview to get some insight into what you can expect from teams this campaign.
APIA Leichhardt FC
The Premiership winners are set for a significant season in 2024 with changes aplenty being wrought on and off the pitch.
Following the departure of head coach Spencer Prior in the off-season, APIA will be an intriguing outfit to watch under the tutelage of new manager Brad Attard, who will seek to maintain the side’s high level of achievement in recent years.
Though they finished the 2023 season atop the ladder, APIA Leichhardt would be defeated in a tough semi-final battle by surprise package Bulls FC Academy, and therefore will be looking to rectify this under Attard. As somewhat of a consolation however, APIA would run out as winners of the Sapphire Cup after defeating the Northern Tigers in a hard-fought 2-1 win in September.
Striker Ashlie Crofts would finish the year with a stellar 24 goals and win the Golden Boot for the NPL Women’s competition. Opposition defenders will no doubt be looking for ways to keep the ruthless striker at bay this season.
Complimenting the plethora of options in attack for APIA is the signing of Emerging Jets youngster Brinley Gentle, one of the brightest young stars in the NPL Women’s competition.
APIA have also added to the immense stack of talent available at Lambert Park with the signings of Angelique Hristodoulou from Sydney Olympic, Teal Kilbride and Mona Walker from the Northern Tigers, Annabelle Ghabach and Mia Golding from Football NSW Institute, and Alice Bowles who arrives via the United Kingdom.
Intelligent recruitment, with three signings still expected from the A-League Women’s, alongside a club culture accustomed to success means APIA are best-placed for another strong year in the NPL Women’s.
Blacktown Spartans FC
Blacktown Spartans step into the 2024 season accustomed to the challenges of competing in the NPL Women’s competition having staved off relegation last year.
Playing out of Blacktown Football Park, the Spartans were locked in a relegation battle throughout 2023, but were able to keep away from the drop and remain in the National Premier League for this season.
The experience will no doubt have been beneficial for the side as they now look to navigate a competition which has shown time and time again to be improving year in, year out. Though, considering how closely fought the race for finals football was by the season’s end the Spartans will undoubtedly need to be at their best.
A lively pre-season has already seen the Spartans triumph over a Blacktown District Soccer Football Association All-Stars side filled with burgeoning talent in a matchup dubbed the ‘Battle for Blacktown’.
Adding to the excitement leading into the new season is the impressive pipeline of female talent making their way up through the Spartans, with the likes of Allyssa Ng Saad and Poppy Channing representing the Junior Matildas, and youngsters Jirelle Boutros and Isabelle Preston being called up for the Philippines under-17 national squad.
Retaining an established core of playing talent will be key to the Spartans taking the next step after last season.
Bulls FC Academy
The quintessential unexpected dark horse of the 2023 NPL Women’s season, Bulls FC Academy will be buoyed by their efforts from the previous campaign and will hope to carry on their positive momentum into the new year.
Having successfully made the transition from Football NSW League One to NPL after promotion in 2022, the Bulls went on to leave their mark on the competition after earning their place in the top four and securing a spot in the Grand Final after upsetting Premiers APIA Leichardt.
With Jamie Gomez remaining as head coach, and the battle-hardened spine of experienced keeper Trudy Simmons, Jess Seaman and Tamires Souza retained by the club, the Bulls are well-positioned to maintain the impressive level of their performances this season.
Leading the way for their new arrivals is the signing of APIA Leichardt forward Isabella Coco-Di Sipio, who will no doubt be looking to have an immediate impact for her new side. In addition, Blacktown Spartans star Amber Luchtmeijer has jumped on board with highly-touted Football NSW Institute youngsters Alice Thompson, Daniella Naeimi, and Alessandra Valle. Fans also can expect a few returning faces to light up the season upon completion of the A-League Women’s season.
For the Bulls, the sky is the limit for a squad bursting with talent guided by the tactical nous of 2014 NPL Women’s winner Gomez.
Emerging Jets
A challenging series of results left the Emerging Jets rooted to the bottom of the ladder in 2023, with 2024 giving the team a chance at a fresh start.
Though the Jets were unable to notch a win throughout 2023, it was not for lack of trying. The youthful side were often capable of troubling teams but found it difficult to withstand the pressure opposition sides put them under.
A sensational year from Brinley Gentle – who finished in 3rd on the overall goalscoring charts with a stellar 15 goals – was the highlight for the Emerging Jets. Gentle has since made the move to Lambert Park to join up with premiers APIA Leichardt in a move that will likely see her take her game to a whole new level.
It is only up from here for the side representing a Hunter region brimming with junior footballing talent, and with the club intent on nurturing the generations to come it will be exciting to see how they progress as the season unfolds.
Shoring up the defence will be a key focus of the Jets coaching staff, alongside finding a reliable source for goals to make up for the departure of Gentle.
Football NSW Institute
A rollercoaster 2023 season meant that Football NSW Institute were unable to deliver results consistently, however 2024 presents itself as an opportunity for the side filled with potential and ability beyond their years to make a serious impact.
Despite the fact they would only secure a total of four wins throughout the regular season, Football NSW Institute remained a tough side to beat no matter the opposition. Had a few results gone their way, it would have been a different season entirely for the side based out of Valentine Sports Park.
Often FNSW Institute were undone by their gifted crop of talent being selected for junior national team camps, meaning any run of positive results they would look to string together was often halted.
Several players have left the side in the off-season, with Alice Thompson, Daniella Naeimi, and Alessandra Valle heading to Bulls FC Academy and Annabelle Ghabach and Mia Golding off to join a high-flying APIA Leichardt.
The experience of competing at NPL level will undoubtedly be instrumental in the growth of these players, with coach Lisa Warrener now familiar with having to work with a new set of young stars every season.
Consistency will be key for a side that is blessed with an abundance of playing talent at their disposal. The likes of players such as Jasmine Black, Caley Tallon-Henniker as well as Amelia Bennett are just some of the names to watch out for in 2024.
Gladesville Ravens
Backed by a wide breadth of talent within the squad, the Gladesville Ravens will enter 2024 seeking to improve on an exciting season last year.
Following their promotion after winning the NPL League One Women’s competition in 2022, the Ravens never looked out of place in their step up to the big time, though they appeared to run out of steam come the end of the season.
An inspiring debut season in the top flight saw the Gladesville Ravens provide plenty of surprises on their way to a solid 9th place finish, with the likes of Romina Parraguirre, Jess Wootton, Georgia Vlangos and Keiko Tanaka providing the thrills each week for their loyal fans at Christie Park.
The club acted swiftly to set the momentum for their upcoming season by announcing their new head coach, the Ravens moving to replace the departed Andrew Galbraith with 2023 Football NSW League One winner with UNSW FC, Guillermo Rubio.
Under Rubio, the side are expected to evolve their attacking brand of football and become a stronger defensive outfit.
Having played a series of pre-season fixtures against rival NPL Women’s sides NWS Spirit and Northern Tigers, as well as Gungahlin United FC, and led by club captain Kim Davey, the Ravens are ready to take on the competition in 2024 with the added talent of APIA Leichardt’s Isabella Edwards, Annie Daczko and Shelby Milton.
Illawarra Stingrays
The Illawarra Stingrays were one of the best performers in the latter part of the 2023 season, and head coach Steve Gordon will be hoping his side can begin the new campaign as they finished the last one.
Having been unable to secure finals football in some time, the Stingrays have enough talent and self-belief in their squad to secure a top four spot this year. It is now just a matter of earning the results needed to take them there.
The mid-season arrival of Japanese recruit Sakura Nojima last year was enormous in helping the Stingrays to find the form that saw them come within four points of finals football. For context, the Stingrays earned 14 points out of a possible 39 points in the first half of the season. They followed that up with much-improved 24 points earned in the second half of the year.
Securing the services of Nojima for another season is a huge boost for the club, but so is the arrival of fellow Japanese player Ami Dekimura. Moreover, retaining club stalwart Michelle Carney and South Coast locals Danika Matos, Caitlin Cooper, Chloe Middleton, Sasha Grove and Alex Mackenzie will be key to the club firing in 2024.
Macarthur Rams
Back-to-back Grand Final wins will have plenty of clubs looking for any way to put a stop to a barnstorming Macarthur Rams outfit achieving a third successive Championship.
Though the departure of the ever-reliable Leena Khamis in the off-season will naturally lead the Rams to look elsewhere for goals, the talent at their disposal is enough to guide them toward the top end of the table yet again.
Head Coach Stephen Peters has shown time and time again that he is capable of regenerating his squad and keeping them on a path toward success, and this season appears no different.
New signings include 2023 Football NSW League One Women’s top scorer Bronte Trew, young stars Erin Gordon, Libby Morris and Tea Mucinski from Football NSW Institute, and Bankstown City’s Angelina Scamardella.
In addition, the return of A-League Women’s players Tegan Bertolissio, Madison McComasky, Bethany Gordon, Sham Khamis, India Breier and Mel Caceres – among others – will only add to the wealth of football expertise available to the Rams.
The Rams concluded the 2023 season with a remarkable unbeaten run that they successfully took in their stride to overcome Bulls FC Academy in the Grand Final, and the expectation is that they will look to extend this as best they can.
Manly United FC
Making Cromer Park a fortress again is key to Manly United having a successful 2024 campaign.
The Cromer Park faithful endured a rocky 2023 season, with Manly most crucially struggling to break a torrid mid-season winless run and finishing in 11th place as a result of their difficulties on the park.
At times Manly were able to conjure up silky, deft and swift counter-attacking football through the likes of Emily Minett and Caitlin Jarvie, but it was rare that these moments of individual brilliance effectively translated into wins.
With fans well-acquainted with many of the returning faces this season, including Nicole Simonsen, Emily Bastow, Phoebe Gilbane, Ruby Jackson, Nicole Stuart, Grace Arnold, Daisy Arrowsmith, Tegan Biasi, Emily Minett, Mia Bales, Leah Burton and Alexia Forner, Manly coach Tom Hopley is hopeful that the club can move toward a more fruitful 2024 season.
Gemma Wooley returns to the club this season, which adds to the theme of familiarity Hopley believes will be critical to forming the type of squad bond that can steer the team to success. Significantly, the club also secured the services of Ariella Cabezas from rivals the Northern Tigers.
An ever-present National Premier Leagues side through the years, Manly United are more than capable of fighting for a place in the top four come the end of the season.
Northern Tigers FC
Having just missed out on a spot in the 2023 NPL Women’s finals series, the Northern Tigers enter 2024 reenergised and readied for the campaign ahead.
Though they underwent a notably tough season where injuries hampered them throughout the year, the Tigers were still able to push all the way to the Sapphire Cup final before eventually falling 2-1 to APIA Leichardt in what was a competitive contest.
There will be some fresh faces around the club this season, with a new manager in Chris Wood tasked with taking charge. Former coach Jake Stephenson took up an opportunity as an assistant at the Central Coast Mariners in the A-League Women’s competition.
Joining Wood is the arrivals of New Zealanders Amy Hislop, Nicola Dominikovich and Charlotte Mortlock, and an electrifying talent in former Northern NSW NPL star Ameera Makunja.
Led by the likes of captain Lily McMahon and experienced defender Jessie Wharepouri, the Tigers are renowned for their tight-knit club culture and will be intent on coming together to secure a top four finish in the NPL Women’s this year.
The Tigers have the honour of kickstarting season 2024 at their beloved home at North Turramurra Recreation Area in what will be an intriguing matchup against a sturdy NWS Spirit side.
NWS Spirit FC
After finishing in 3rd place in 2023, NWS Spirit will be itching to go one better and push their rivals for a spot at the top.
Spirit will hope for greater stability in their defence this season, having conceded 35 goals across 2023. There was no trouble delivering at the other end of the pitch however, with Spirit ranked 3rd in the league for goals scored after notching a total of 49.
Spirit’s attack was boosted by the signing of 2022 NPL NSW Women’s player of the year Rola Badawiya last season, whilst striker Sophie Harding’s recent call-up to the Matildas squad more than exemplifies the flair available to the North Sydney based side up front.
Last year’s head coach, Tiana Gauci, moved on at the end of last season to join up with Perth Glory’s A-League Women’s side as an assistant. Gauci would be replaced by former Marconi First Grade Men’s coach and Blacktown City coach Tony Candy, a suitable choice who already had six years at the Spirit under his belt.
A full pre-season under the helm of new coach Candy, after a successful year with Gauci, leaves the side best-placed to improve on a strong 3rd place finish and to close the gap on APIA Leichardt and Macarthur Rams.
Returning stars Nat Tobin, along with Erin Pridmore and Morgan Roberts – who finished as the club’s top goal scorer for the 2023 season – will also hold the Spirit in good stead.
Sydney Olympic FC
After an erratic year of results in 2023, Sydney Olympic will be hoping to go one step further and finish in a finals spot in 2024.
Last season was typified by uncertainty each week as it was tough to predict which version of Olympic would turn up each round. Five points separated Olympic and finals football last year, and the club will no doubt be looking to avoid making it tough on themselves in the same way they did toward the back end of 2023.
Although they did not hit the level expected of them, Olympic remained a competitive side throughout the year. Kiara De Domizio and Allira Toby showed plenty of quality in attack for Olympic throughout the season, whilst Taylor Ray intelligently dictated proceedings behind them in midfield.
2024 will be a major test for a squad blessed with a load of talent, though losing Angelique Hristodoulou to rivals APIA Leichardt will be a challenging hurdle for Olympic to overcome as they strive to improve on a 7th place finish.
Sydney University SFC
It has been an off-season of transformation for Sydney University, who land in 2024 with a major changing of guard happening off the pitch.
A major shift occurred for the club with Amy Shepherd replacing the club’s Director of Football John Curran as Director of Football – Women’s, Girls Youth and SAP. Curran dutifully served the club for 15 years, seeing several key talents come through the side during his tenure, and elected to retire at the conclusion of the 2023 season.
Furthermore, long-time coach Emily Husband earned a much-deserved move to the Central Coast Mariners in the A-League Women’s this season, meaning 2024 will likely see a different Sydney Uni side to the one we are used to.
Taking the reigns as head coach will be English coach Oz Rowley, a UEFA B qualified coach who previously worked in the men’s space at Sydney Uni as their Men’s 1st Grade Assistant Coach and as SAP Technical Director.
A late run of positive form proved to be not enough for Sydney Uni to push for a spot in the finals last year, and Rowley will be tasked with improving on the club’s 10th place finish.
Sydney Uni is known to be one of the competition’s powerhouses and will be hoping to retain their status as one of the NPL Women’s outstanding performers this year. It was only a few years ago that they set an unbeaten record of 18 games for the NPL Women’s competition.
UNSW FC
Newly promoted to the NSW Women’s NPL competition this season, UNSW FC will be primed and ready to prove that they are more than just there to make up the numbers in a tough league.
2023 was a huge success for UNSW as they triumphed in the Football NSW League One competition. The side, who were buoyed by the mid-season arrival of Sydney FC dynamo Princess Ibini, set the standard in League One with their energetic performances.
Fresh from the high of promotion, new head coach Patrick McCann has the responsibility of focusing a squad who will have to move on quickly from losing their title-winning coach Guillermo Rubio to the Gladesville Ravens.
Key to UNSW’s success will be the retention of striker Hannah Beard, as well as former Girondins De Bordeaux midfielder Margaux Montegut, who remains with the club in 2024. Montegut will be looking to bring her tenacity and tactical ingenuity to NPL. Marcella Santos is also another player to watch out for this year.
UNSW FC are well-versed in competing at the pinnacle of Football NSW’s competitions, and will be looking to shake up the league as they take to the field this season.
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-By Matthew Badrov
