Bulls FC Academy crowned 2026 NPL Women’s NSW Champions
Bulls FC Academy have completed back-to-back league doubles after earning a dramatic victory on penalties against UNSW FC following a 1-1 draw after extra time to secure the National Premier Leagues Women’s NSW Championship at Jubilee Stadium.
The Bulls just edged over the Students in a game that was incredibly balanced throughout, with goalkeeper Ashley Hughes leaving the decisive mark on the Grand Final with two huge saves to win player of the match and, more importantly, secure the Championship for her club.
It was a cagey opening half between the two sides with very few clear-cut chances, the first one coming in the 30th minute when Daniella Naeimi unleashed a powerful effort from the left side of the box that went over the crossbar.
The premiers had another chance in the 34th minute when Gemma Ferris stepped up to a free kick just outside the box, though her strike was caught well by keeper Erin Nayler near the top right corner.
UNSW came out of the break strong and produced two opportunities in quick succession.
The first arrived in the 52nd minute when a quick attack saw Alexia Karrys-Stahl send a pass across goal to Ava Collins in the box, whose air swing at the ball was the only thing that prevented what felt destined to be the game’s opening goal.
Collins then had another chance a minute later in the 53rd when she was played through expertly by Karrys-Stahl during a rapid counter-attack, with the winger this time able to strike the ball only for goalkeeper Ashley Hughes to intervene with a vital save.
The Bulls came agonisingly close to bagging the opener in the 66th minute after Gemma Ferris came on the end of a corner and produced a bouncing header towards goal.
Aya Yamahata stepped up with a crucial intervention on the line as she just managed to reach the rising ball with her head and knock it up into the underside of the crossbar before it was then cleared away.
The premiers nearly broke through in the 86th minute with an initial shot from Claudia Valletta smacking into a defender before Petria Phillips received the ball at the right side of the box, though she sent her effort wide of the left post.
The scoreline remained goalless, forcing the game into extra time.
The first goal finally arrived in the 105th minute and it came in style as Sarah Hunter released a bullet of a free kick strike into the top left corner to give the Bulls the lead.
The game then took a dramatic turn in the 120th minute as UNSW equalised with Demi Koulizakis producing a fantastic corner header to keep their Championship hopes alive.
The Students remarkably nearly took the lead minutes later when another corner led to a goalmouth scramble in the 120+2nd minute that somehow did not result in a goal, with the game ending 1-1 and progressing to penalties.
The Bulls took the early lead after the first spot-kicks with Hunter converting hers into the top left before Ashley Hughes saved Yamahata’s strike in the bottom right.
The next two sets of penalties were all scored, Phillips and Ferris for the Bulls and Poppy Channing and Koulizakis for UNSW.
The Final then concluded with the fourth set of penalties as Olivia Vanderlaan scored hers before Hughes stopped Daniela Naccari’s effort at the bottom right, sealing the win, the premiership and back-to-back league doubles for the Bulls.
Bulls FC Academy coach Marti Graces credited the team’s belief as key for them getting over the line in the game, especially with the game going to penalties.
“There was almost a sense of ‘never in doubt’, that’s how strong the belief was. But you never know when it goes to penalties,” Graces told Football NSW.
“I was really pleased; there was a lot of research done into penalties. so I’m really pleased that they took that on board and did what they did.”
He noted the players were well-prepared for the challenge of extra time, saying the energy from the players on the field as well as the substitutes is something they have prepared for through their hard work all season.
Reflecting on achieving consecutive league doubles, Garces said:
“It’s an aspirational group, an aspirational club. We have just got to keep doing what we do. It’s business as usual. We will continue to grow. Every season can’t be the same, so we have got to make sure that we’re keeping up with them and progressing as well.”
Match Stats
Bulls FC Academy 1 (Sarah Hunter 105’)
UNSW FC 1 (Demi Koulizakis 120’)
Sunday 13 September
Jubilee Stadium
Referee: Alana Zic
Assistant Referees: Hannah Pola and Ella McGarity
Fourth Official: Nina Cortese
Bulls FC Academy: 1. Ashley Hughes, 2. Petria Phillips, 4. Gemma Ferris, 5. Elizabeth Barwick-Grey, 8. Claudia Valletta, 10. Tamires Souza (13. Olivia Vanderlaan 90’), 11. Daniella Naeimi (6. Gracie Bishop 63’), 12. Jasmine Meli, 14. Jynaya Dos Santos, 30. Sarah Hunter, 33. Jade Guichon (3’ Siena Hawkins 120+4’)
Substitutes Not Used: 15. Asha Franklin, 17. Arddun Surjan, 18. Chelsea Harpur, 61. Nicole Simonsen
Yellow Cards: Nil
Red Cards: Nil
UNSW FC: 1. Erin Nayler, 4. Alexia Karrys-Stahl (29. Daniela Naccari 116’), 5. Leia Puxty, 6. Aya Yamahata, 7. Poppy Channing, 8. Demi Koulizakis, 9. Lexie Moreno (14. Leah Burton 71’), 10. Chloe Smith (21. Jennifer Kokoris 71’), 11. Ava Collins (24. Milan Hammond 85’), 15. Abbey Lemon (16. Skye Casacchia 90+4’), 17. Angelique Hristodoulou (13. Sonali Singh 116’)
Substitutes Not Used: 99. Dimitra Vais
Yellow Cards: Nil
Red Cards: Nil
-By Dimitri Kallos
