Manly United’s promising young striker Nicole Stuart has had a great season soaking up the knowledge of her W-League teammates and is looking forward to returning to the encouraging environment when football returns post-lockdown.

The northern beaches side had a slow start to the season but we’re starting to find their form just before the lockdown break.

“I think we’ve been a little bit unlucky this season,” Stuart explained.

“I think towards the back end of the season we were starting to get out groove back and were starting to play well and play together.

“So that’s been a bit unfortunate that the season has come to a halt when we were getting on the right track.”

The challenge of playing in the NPL NSW Women’s competition has been eased by the wealth of knowledge and experience of the players around her.

“It’s been good, I think I’m sort of settling into my position within the team.

“Getting to train alongside such great players like Remy and Cassidy and all the W-League players, it’s really helped me improve my game.

“The environment we’re in is a lot more a lot more intense, but in a good way where it helps you grow.”

While the lockdown has stopped Stuart from being able to train with her teammates, the 23-year-old is working hard to stay fit and keep following her fitness program.

“It’s a little tough, but I’m definitely trying to stay fit.

“We get a fitness program every week from our physio and coach, and they obviously adapt to whatever the restrictions are.

“Previously when you were allowed to exercise with more people it was a little different but now it’s just on your own and doing gym work where you can.

“We are able to talk to our physio as well if we have any problems and they’re always available to chat, our coaches as well.

“Running around the block is just not the same as running at training, so it’s a little tougher, but you’ve got to get it done, and hopefully it’s not for much longer, then we can be back out training with everyone.”

In the meantime, Stuart is keeping in touch with her teammates through messaging and video chat.

“Some of my best friends in the team with me so I’m on FaceTime with them every day.

“Nothing changes – if we can’t see each other in person, we’re seeing each other over the phone.

“We’re all really good friends and everyone just stays in touch with each other anyway.”

With plenty of time and potential left in her football career, Stuart is eager to get back onto the pitch and work to reach some goals for herself and her team.

“In my personal game, I just want to keep growing my confidence on the pitch and improving as a player.

“With the team, when we went into lockdown we were at a really good spot, and it would be nice to see us get some wins for the back end of the season and maybe work our way up the table.”

-By Madeline Riley

 

 

 

For Manly United’s Remy Siemsen, their position at ninth on the ladder in the National Premier Leagues NSW Women’s competition is not an indication of the potential her squad has in 2021.

The team, full of talent and plenty of W-League experience, is a close-knit bunch that certainly isn’t lacking the chemistry to make magic on the pitch, but more importantly, they make up an incredible football family off the field.

“We’re like a family at Manly and I feel like we just had a bit of a slow start,” the Future Matilda explained.

“I’m loving my football and I’ve been really enjoying playing back at Manly with a great bunch of girls, I think we’ve been pretty unlucky not to get some results go our way.”

Considering how much time they spend together between training and games, being away from her football family is a strange feeling, but the lockdown isn’t stopping them from staying close.

“Some of my best friends are from my team, and a lot of my teammates from Sydney FC I’ve been keeping in touch with.

“I feel like everyone’s really watching out for one another and it’s a time where we should really connect with one another because it can be lonely during these times.

“I consider my teammates from both Sydney FC and Manly United, and a number of teams that I’ve played with, as some of my best friends so I’m very fortunate to be able to call them my football family and connect with them.

“It’s just great to have friends that can really understand where you’re coming from as well as your training loads and knowing what we need to continue doing during this lockdown, so it’s been really nice and keeping connected with everyone is always a really nice feeling and I’ve got some great friends and great teammates.”

While the break has come at an inconvenient time for the Northern Beaches side, Siemsen has an incredible attitude towards her time off, working just as hard, if not harder, than usual to work on her game during the break.

“I feel like right before this COVID break we were starting to really come together, and I felt like we were going to really hit form at the perfect time so I hope that the season can get underway again and I know that everyone is itching to get back out there.

“It’s not ideal but we just have to adapt and overcome so I’ve just been keeping super busy with some training and thankfully the Future Matildas have given us a program that we can follow for the next couple of weeks.

“I’ve been going on a lot of walks and surfs – I enjoy surfing as a hobby but it’s been really nice to go out and enjoy the ocean while we can.

“I’ve done a lot of beach coastal walks with my mum and I’m spending time with my family and that’s been really nice.

“I’m sort of just taking it day by day but I’ve been very, very busy training every single day, twice a day and trying to fill in the time with some things I need to touch up on.

“I’m feeling like I’m really trying to utilise this time to improve and develop my game even further and if that means pushing my body to the limits I can definitely tell you I’ve been doing that.”

While her focus is on making the most of her time during the lockdown, the Sydney FC star can’t wait to get back on the field with her Manly United team.

“As a playing group we definitely want to be in finals contention and obviously with the slow start, we’re going to have to really push to make the top five this season, but I have full faith and full confidence in my team.

“We’re definitely a second half season team so I know that we will pull things together and I hope that we can definitely achieve that goal as a squad.

“For me individually, I want to keep growing as a player.

“I’m just trying to be the best player and person I can be both on and off the pitch and I feel like I’m the best environments that I can be in at the moment.”

-By Madeline Riley

 

It will be an emotional day for Manly United’s well admired National Premier Leagues NSW Women’s coach Chris Williams who will manage his final game after announcing he will take a year off football as his underdogs face Premiers Sydney University SFC at Valentine Sports Park on Sunday.

After spending a solid sixteen years at the Northern Beaches club involved with the Boys as well as the Women’s programs, Williams was over the moon with how his fearless Manly United side knocked out the highly fancied Sydney Olympic side in thrilling fashion.

“I think the victory in the semi-final showed another side of our game, resilience, character and adaptability.

“To be honest it wasn’t our best footballing performance all year and we know we can play better.

“But we adapted really well to the challenges that Olympic set us and I’m really proud of the players for working so hard for each other, for remaining calm and for believing right until the end that we could win that match by staying true to the way we want to play the game.”

Taking over Manly United Women’s head coach role in 2013, Williams understands that his squad will need to produce something extra special to defeat a silverware hungry Sydney University SFC outfit full of current W-League and Matildas stars.

“We’re really excited by the challenge of playing Sydney Uni in the Grand Final this weekend.

“They have been the leaders in the competition for the last few years and Alex and his squad have really pushed everyone in the league to raise their standards, so we can’t wait to test ourselves and play them on Sunday.

“Sydney Uni play some great football and I know everyone looks at us as underdogs, but I’ve got so much trust and belief in my players and we’re really confident that if can play at our best we can push them all the way and maybe spring what many people might consider a surprise.”

Asked which of the many female superstars Sydney University SFC will be ones to watch out for, Williams stated that they have match winners across the park.

“It’s really hard to pinpoint one or two players form their squad as the reality is they have internationals, and current and ex W-League players across the park and on the bench.

“The fact that they could call on the likes of Michelle Heyman and Rach Soutar off the bench against the Northern Tigers last weekend says it all.

“However we really believe that no matter who we play, we can beat anyone if we stick to our plans, work hard for each other and play our football.”

With Manly United carrying the underdog tag come Sunday, the one-time Tongan Men’s National Team coach stated that both teams have played a pivotal role in the further development of the female game in the state.

“I think both clubs have done a lot to push and raise the standards of women’s football in the NPL over the last few years. Both clubs have great youth development set ups, we both have a core group of players who have been at the club for a number of years.

“For example, depending on injuries/availabilities up to 9 or 10 of our matchday squad on Sunday could be Manly United juniors and both teams like to get the ball on the ground and play what I believe, to be some of the best football in the competition.

“Alex has done an amazing job there over the last few years and I’m really looking forward to what I’m sure will be a great game of football on Sunday.”

Following the match on Sunday, Williams’ legacy will be carried on by his long term assistant Tom Hopley, but first things first, the Manly United girls will be hoping they will be sending off their ‘supercoach’ a Championship winner come Sunday afternoon.

Manly United’s ‘Assist Queen’ Libby Copus-Brown had the Northern Beaches club bouncing on ceilings after her five-star performance in the club’s epic 3-2 victory over Sydney Olympic, but her focus has now been pointed directly to this Sunday’s Grand Final against Sydney University SFC.

“I think it showed character for us to be able to come back after being down majority of the game, but it wasn’t our best game of football I know we can be better.

“But I’m so proud of the girls for never giving up and fighting hard and sometimes that’s finals football.

“I don’t think it was the best Manly can be football wise and that’s including myself, it was a great feeling to be able to help the team but at the end of the day it was a team effort and I’m just glad that I was able to play my part.

Manly United fans are hoping of more of the same from Copus-Brown who hopes her troops can push the Premiers to the limit come Sunday afternoon and send head coach Chris Williams off a Championship winner.

“The girls are in good spirits; we are fine tuning and working on what we need to do to be better.

“I know that everyone is pumped for the big dance this Sunday and doing everything they can to make sure we prove what Manly United is really about and send our coach Chris Williams off in a way that he deserves.”

The 22-year-old English born star who is also a Childcare Educator has earmarked former Matildas star Michelle Heyman as one to watch out for at Sunday’s huge clash.

“Sydney Uni are a solid team, they have depth right through and majority of the girls have played together for a long time now.

“They have the likes of ex-Matilda Michelle Heyman and plenty of current and ex W-League girls who are all class.

“It won’t be an easy challenge but we will be definitely up for it.”