WE’RE BACK BABY!!!
It’s been a long offseason, full of local footy blessings out in the freezing cold, but finally we are back where we belong. In front of the TV, riding every high and low as our team takes us through the rollercoaster ride that is the short season of W-League. Also, side note, this Tasmanian is headed to the Mainland! Meaning I get to see a bunch of matches between round 2 to 10 and will get to give you some quality banter, stories and analysis having been at the ground, watching the thing in the flesh.
So here we are. It’s the Thursday before matches start, which means we are all about to be blessed with Prediction Thursday. This season is really upping the ante to my organisation skills, with matches on a Thursday night most, if not all, rounds. Meaning I’ll be aiming to have these to your computer screens before Thursday lunchtime, so you can enjoy your sanga and read up on the round of matches on game day.
So let’s do it yeah?
Western Sydney Wanderers v Sydney FC
7.30 pm Thursday October 25th – MyFootball and FoxSports
Much like bringing in the New Year with fireworks, we’re bringing in the new season with the fireworks of a Sydney derby. Who doesn’t love fireworks?? Yes the one thing shared by fans in blue and those in red and black is the anxiety ride which are these games, but this is seriously a banger of a way to kick things off. The best thing is both sides have so much to prove.
Sydney FC struggled early season last time round, but once finding their gears were close to unstoppable. Whilst WSW just would really like to pull one over their eastern neighbors. Making things interesting, is a number of key players have made the move over West, such as Khamis, Ledbrook and Siesman. All these players will be raring to get one over their old club. While Sydney have bolstered their ranks, not looking back, gaining the likes of tried and W-League tested Americans Huerta and Colaprico, whilst also seeing Sayer make the move over from Canberra (though the youngster will be on international duty for this one). Both sides are shaping up to challenge, but it’s early days and with both squads undergoing fundamental changes, despite glimpses familiarity amongst the squads, this could be a whole new ball game for both. It’ll be an exciting one. And since seeing the fixture I’ve back Sydney, with their 100 attacking players they seem to have on their roster, to win it 3-2, with Khamis bagging a double for her new red and black squad.
When this happens just remember I said picked it first man.
Prediction: Western Sydney Wanderers 2 – 3 Sydney FC
Brisbane Roar v Perth Glory
2.30pm Sunday 28th October – MyFootball, FoxSport and SBSViceland
Much has been said about Sam Kerr. And rightly bloody so. But word on the street is she’s staying out west and not making the long ride up to Brissy. Thus we shall leave words for Kerr for another day. Instead I’m going to gush for a moment over Brisbane’s pick up of Yuki Nagasato. Legit, Yuki is magic on the field. Like you would believe in Santa and the Easter Bunny if she told you they exist type of magic. Her ability to thread a pass and see possibilities on the field are exquisite. That our league has acquired such a player excites me and makes me even happier all games are accessible to watch on a screen this season. So now I get to drool all season long over Roar games where she is in the starting line up.
Ok, so player gushing is now over, the match! Glory went out with a bang last season, with Hill proving to be a brilliant forward, even without Kerr. Plus Glory have gone out in the offseason and picked up some super handy hard working players in Naughton and Mautz, plus retaining Stanton who works harder than your dad does fixing the garden. On the flip side though is the Roar, keeping their 12 goals only let through the whole regular season last time round, defence, plus replacing a maestro in Butt with another maestro in Yuki. Despite Roars possible lack of goal threat, I’m going to have to back the home side to have this one and kick their season off in style the way they ripped my heart up 12 months ago against Sydney.
Prediction: Brisbane Roar 2 – 1 Perth Glory
Canberra United v Melbourne City
4pm Sunday 28th October – MyFootball
Look I’ve got a bag full of emotions for both sides right now. Garriock is doing something at Canberra that I just can’t decide whether I like it or not, a bit like my feelings towards beetroot. I mean I love the beetroot jam on my pizza, but not keen for a chunk of it on my burger. Meanwhile City have shown what it looks like to take women’s football seriously in Australia and have raised the bar to standards that were well unreached 4-5 years ago. But I totally don’t want to see them holding up the Championship trophy again. We’ve all been there, done that, it’s time for someone else to do it. So therein lies the conundrum.
Whilst Canberra is as wild as a mixed bag of lollies right now, so could wind up being blowing us all away, the experience of City, plus the familiarity of much of the side (especially that Seattle Reign defence 2.0) for me means they’ll have the edge and bring the win home. Honestly expecting the City back line to hold the ball up for what’ll feel like hours, then for a run in behind the defence by someone like Kyah Simon, who’ll control the ball beautifully, chip the keeper and see City clinch it 1-0.
Prediction: Canberra United 0 – 1 Melbourne City
Melbourne Victory v Adelaide United
4pm Sunday 28th October – MyFootball
Now this one. Gee. Both sides I’m half gunning for this season, you know just to mix things up and create havoc on the traditional top four sides. But to have these two meet so early in the season is a hard one to pick. Right now, my hunch is something special is happening at Victory, even if the sky blue side of me is in denial. But I’m always a sucker for Adelaide, and would be super keen to see them ruck up some good games and points this season, especially with Heyman hopefully being their talesman.
Whilst Canberra against City will be a game to keep an eye on, this is my pick of the 4pm Sunday matches, solely because I’m banking on goals here. Both sides have picked up some quality attacking player, and will be looking to make their mark on the league to set the tempo for the season with a win. Whoever takes the points home will have not only the advantage of a three point cushion so early on, but the swagger and confidence that will no doubt come from it. Neither side will be wanting to park the bus and just grind out an unlikely 1 nil game. Instead they will both be thinking this is a winnable game and want to come out firing, much like how I’ll be approaching my exams over the next five days to finally get to the end of my law degree.
Prediction: Melbourne Victory 3 – 1 Adelaide United
MOLLY'S FOOTY RANTS 