Perth Glory Women’s Coach Nicola Williams believes she’s now got all the ingredients together for her side to push for a place in the inaugural Westfield W-League finals.
Perth Glory Women’s Coach Nicola Williams believes she’s now got all the ingredients together for her side to push for a place in the inaugural Westfield W-League finals.
A confidence boosting 3-2 victory over Adelaide last weekend sees the club just three points adrift of the top four with a winnable game against seventh-placed Newcastle coming up this weekend.
With Australian striker Lisa de Vanna looking in menacing touch during her first two matches of the season, Williams feels the star Matildas striker will only boost the performances of her other national representatives, Collette McCallum, Marianna Tabain and Ella Mastrantonio.
“It’s good to have our full squad back together,” said Williams who-ll also welcome back Sam Kerr this weekend from Australian U16 duty.
“(It’s) very positive and training been really positive and intensive this week.
“We did miss them (Tabain and Mastrantonio), whether they weren’t there or weren’t ready to come back in the squad and Collette was trying to get fit in the first couple of games (as well).
“But now all things are rolling well. Hopefully with those girls in there we’re back to where we decided to be at the start of the season,” Williams said.
A tough introduction to the new competition has just strengthened the resolve of the West Australian girls and Williams is confident Glory can climb the up the table in the remaining six rounds.
“At first we were not up to standard… not having our key players,” Williams said.
“I think it’s achievable that we can keep climbing up and try and get ourselves off the bottom this weekend.
“It helped that other teams have had mixed results, so the table isn-t not running away from us,” she admitted.
Williams, though, is expecting a robust encounter from a Jets side that will also be desperate to step-up their campaign.
“I think it’ll be a really difficult game in terms of the strength and experience that Newcastle has,” Williams said.
“With out smaller and younger players, that could play a bigger role there but I’m looking for a good result, I always want to be positive.
“Hopefully we can get all our stars from last week coming together and … it should be good,” she said.
Westfield W-League Rd5
Newcastle Jets v Perth Glory
Sunday 23 November
Wanderers Oval, Broadmeadow (NSW)
Kick off 1.00pm AWDT
Referee: Kate Jacewicz
Perth Glory squad: 20.Maya DIEDERICHSEN (gk), 2.Stacey LEARMONT, 3.Carys HAWKINS, 4.Sam KERR, 5.Shannon MAY, 7.Ciara CONWAY, 8.Tanya OXTOBY (c), 10.Ella MASTRANTONIO, 11.Lisa DE VANNA 12.Dani CALAUTTI, 13.Elisa D-OVIDIO, 14.Collette McCALLUM, 15.Elle SEMMENS (gk), 17.Marianna TABAIN, 19.Emily DUNN
In: 4.Sam KERR (return from international duty)
Out: 6.Katarina JUKIC
Unavailable: 1.Kate STEWART (injured – long term)
Newcastle Jets squad: 1.Alison LOGUE (gk), 3.Samantha WOOD, 4.Elizabeth SHARPE, 5.Cheryl SALISBURY (c), 6.Amber NEILSON, 7.Gema SIMON, 8.Leia SMITH, 9.Rhali DOBSON, 10.Joanne PETERS, 11.Stacey DAY, 12.Katie GILL, 14.Nicole JONES, 15.Emily VAN EGMOND, 16.Kirstyn PEARCE, 18.Rebecca SMITH, 19.Sanna FROSTEVALL
* One to be omitted
In: 15.Emily VAN EGMOND, 18.Rebecca SMITH, 19.Sanna FROSTEVALL
Out: 30.Harmony ATTWILL (gk), 21.Taleah DOYLE
Unavailable: Nil
