One Game, One Champion: Bulls And UNSW Battle For NPL Women’s NSW Glory

The day we have all been waiting for in the National Premier Leagues Women’s NSW competition is finally here.

After a long regular season, dramatic Semi-Finals and months of football, it all comes down to 90 minutes and possibly even more at St George Venues Jubilee Stadium on Sunday afternoon at 12pm.

The Premiership-winning Bulls FC Academy will face second-placed UNSW FC in a Grand Final that promises to deliver an enormous battle between two of the competition’s leading sides.

There is history, silverware and the chance to be crowned 2026 Champions on the line.

Bulls FC Academy (1st) v UNSW FC (2nd)

12:00pm, Sunday 13 September – St George Venues Jubilee Stadium

Grand Final day opens with a midday kick-off as the Premiership-winning Bulls FC Academy face off against second-placed UNSW FC.

The Bulls have been the benchmark throughout 2026 and enter the biggest game of the season full of confidence after dismantling Western Sydney Wanderers 6-2 in their Semi-Final last weekend.

Even more impressively, six different players found the back of the net in that victory, underlining the extraordinary depth available to coach Marti Garces.

Now the Bulls are gunning for the double.

Having already secured the Premiership, they are chasing the Championship to complete an incredible double-double after finishing first in 2025 and going on to win last season’s Championship decider.

A victory on Sunday would therefore see the Bulls claim back-to-back Premierships and back-to-back Championships — a remarkable achievement for a club that has established itself as the team to beat.

Last year’s astonishing, heart-stopping extra-time victory over APIA Leichhardt will still be fresh in the minds of the Bulls players.

Garces will be hoping his side can draw on that experience of playing on the biggest stage and use it to get over the line once again.

There is plenty of Grand Final experience within the squad, with Tamires Souza, Claudia Valletta, Jynaya Dos Santos and captain Liz Grey all having scored in last year’s decider.

All four will be available again on Sunday afternoon.

Grey, in particular, has been fantastic once more this season.

One of the stalwarts of this Bulls side, her leadership and influence for Garces’ team has been unrivalled, and she will be crucial in keeping the side composed when the pressure inevitably rises.

Gemma Ferris has also been in great form this year and will be one to watch out for.

The Bulls have also demonstrated that their attacking threat goes well beyond one individual.

Even without their top scorer Amber Luchtmeijer, they have remained potent in front of goal, with 16 different players finding the net throughout the season.

Seven of those players have scored five or more goals, making the Bulls incredibly difficult to contain.

That depth could prove particularly important in a Grand Final, where one moment of quality can change the entire contest.

The Bulls will know, however, that standing in their way is a UNSW side that has plenty of reasons to believe they can cause an upset.

UNSW will be keen to add further silverware to what has already been a very successful 2026 after securing the Sapphire Cup earlier in the year with victory over Manly United.

Zoran Naumovski’s side came into the season with big expectations, and they have delivered.

A trophy already secured, a second-placed finish in the league and a Grand Final spot now confirmed — but there is still one major piece of business left.

The Students pushed the Bulls all the way to the final round of the regular season, falling just short of claiming the Premiership.

Six draws and one loss in the second half of the season ultimately cost them a closer battle for first place, but UNSW appear to have found their form at exactly the right time.

That resurgence has coincided with the return of Alexia Karrys-Stahl, who has added further quality and creativity to the side.

Her ability to link with goalscorers Chloe Smith and Demi Koulizakis will be one of the key storylines to watch on Sunday as well as the experience and aura of Angelique Hristodoulou.

Koulizakis was particularly influential in the Semi-Final victory over APIA, scoring twice as UNSW secured a 3-1 victory to book their place in the decider.

Then there is Lexie Moreno, who could prove to be the difference in the front third.

Her ability to unlock a game and create something from nothing is among the best in the competition, and UNSW will need that creativity if they are to break down the Bulls.

Perhaps the strongest part of the Students’ squad, however, is their defence.

Goalkeeper Erin Nayler has conceded just 20 goals across 26 league matches, giving UNSW the best defensive record in the competition.

With Aya Yamahata and Leia Puxty also providing protection in front of Nayler, UNSW have the defensive structure to frustrate even the most potent attacks.

The season record between these two sides is split, with one victory apiece.

UNSW cruised to victory in their first meeting all the way back in Round Four, securing a 4-0 victory.

Milan Hammond, Demi Koulizakis and a Georgia Plessas double were on the scoresheet that day.

Interestingly enough, that Round Four defeat remains the last time the Bulls have lost a competitive match in 2026.

That is a remarkable statistic and one that demonstrates just how difficult Garces’ side has been to overcome since that early-season defeat.

The second meeting, on 28 June, went the way of the Bulls, with Amber Luchtmeijer scoring the only goal of the game at Northbridge Oval.

That result will give the Premiers confidence that they can get the better of UNSW when it matters most, but the Students will know they have already shown they can defeat the Bulls.

Everything points towards a fascinating Grand Final.

The Bulls have the Premiership, the experience and the remarkable unbeaten run.

UNSW have the Sapphire Cup, the competition’s best defensive record and the belief that they can topple the reigning Premiers on the biggest stage.

One side will leave Jubilee Stadium as Champions.

The other will be left wondering what might have been.

After months of competition, it all comes down to this.

One game. Two teams. One trophy.

The 2026 NPL Women’s NSW Championship will be decided at Jubilee with Teo Pellizzeri, Annabelle Banfield and Emily Arnold calling the match live on Football NSW’s YouTube channel.

By Nikola Pozder