2018 NATIONAL WOMENS LEAGUE

So finally we have a proper two round competition for the National Womens League which will kick off on Saturday when Southern United host Central. Here is my brief irreverent overview of the league and how I think it will pan out (so in other words some complete random guessing!)

NORTHERN LIGHTS

Northern have rebranded their team this year to the Northern Lights, which may have worked had we been in the Icelandic league, but it really sounds like a dodgy nightclub in the North of England. But at least they are giving themselves a bit of an identity even if it means the loss of the great Black and Pink striped strip they used to wear.

They have also managed to lure last years winning coach, Gemma Lewis, over the bridge from Auckland and they have employed a revolutionary new tactic of not actually naming their team until after the first round of games (I suppose they do have a bye). With a policy of selecting only from clubs within their federation, expect a formidable team made up of Northern League Champions Glenfield Rovers and Kate Sheppard Cup finalists Forrest Hill Milford United players.

THE BIG QUESTION : Will their season be decided in the last minute like it has for the previous two seasons?

PLAYER TO WATCH : Guessing here as they haven't named the squad yet, but I would expect Maggie Jenkins to be in the team and be one to watch

Previous wins 3 (2011,12,15)                       2017 place 4th           2018 PICK 3rd

AUCKLAND

Auckland 2017 NWL Champions Photo NZ Football

Auckland won a record 7th title last season, although it was their first for eight years. It would probably be fair to say that the only ones that probably thought they had a real chance last year were themselves, but two great come from behind wins in the last two games of the season gave them a deserved title. How they do this year is hard to say, they have a good core of Internationals, although this will probably count against them when the U17s head of to the Uruguay World Cup in November.

The Big Question : Can they repeat their win?

Player to watch : Paige Satchell - I've heard lots about this player and she impressed coming of the bench for the Ferns against Japan in Wellington, one to watch if only to see if she has more to her game than pace

Previous Wins 7 (2002,03,05,06,07,09,17)    2017 place WON     2018 PICK  5th

WAIBOP

Best NWL Banner ever Photo Enzo Giodarni

So WaiBOP had built a good following, a base at Cambridge's John Kerkoff Park, great banners ("WaiBOP when you can boogie" was just magic!) great buzz so what have they done this year? Moved games elsewhere! Don't know the full story but it seems odd that due to availability of grounds WaiBOP will be playing home games in Auckland and more bizarrely Palmerston North!

Another team with a  new coach. Michael Mayne, has selected a very young team and I feel this season will be a tough one for them, but they do have talent in that there WaiBOP region as can be seen by the number of players that have moved on from there and are now playing for other NWL teams

The Big Question : How many home fans will make the 800km round trip to see them play their home game against Central in Palmerston North?

Player to watch : Tiana Hill - probably the next star WaiBOP player to move to Auckland!

Previous Wins 0                           2017 Place 6th                2018 PICK 6th

CENTRAL

Like WaiBOP, Central are becoming a feeder club for the league with Sarah Morton (Auckland), Courtney Norman, Molly Woodhead, Meisha Boone (all Capital) departing from last season. Also missing is Amber Philips who will be a big loss at the back. They do have the "terrifyingly excellent" (Copy-write Ella Reilly, In the Back of the net) Mikaela Boxall back after she concentrated on Futsal last season and ever reliable goal machine TJ Lynne-Lewis. Still they will find it tough this season again and will be in a battle with WaiBOP for the wooden spoon.

The Big Question : Who will do the commentary on their live stream now Don Piper is coaching them?

Player to watch : Rose Morton

Previous Wins 0                          2017 place 7th                2018 PICK 7th

CAPITAL FOOTBALL

Capital rebranding as "The Hobbit's" Photo : Photosport

They've done it again, pulled off a coup of a player signing. It seems to becoming a trade mark of coach Emma Evans. It was Briar Palmer in her first season, Sarah Gregorius last season and this season it's football fern, Anna Green, returning from a spell with Reading in England. With some exciting young talent coming through such as Dani Ohlsson (84 goals in 55 games for Wellington United), Charlotte Wilford-Caroll and Western Suburbs Maya Hahn along with the established players such as Kennedy Bryant, Emma Main, Asha Strom and Sarah Gregorius this looks like a team that can be there or thereabouts come the end of the season.

The Big Question : Will rumours that Mickey Robertson may be returning for another season will Capital honour the height of their forward line by rebranding as "The Hobbits"?

Player to watch : Given the recent W-League season I would have said Wellington United's Lucy Jones, but alas she wasn't picked for the squad so I'd say Jemma Robertson and Rosie Wild are the ones to keep an eye out for.

Previous Wins 2 (2004, 10)              2017 place 5th    2018 PICK 2nd

CANTERBURY UNITED PRIDE

A CUP with a CUP? Photo Enzo Giodarni

Whats the collective noun for a group of Canterbury United Pride footballers - must be CUP! And CUP(S) are what Canterbury United Pride (nee Mainland) are used to, being in the final in each of the last 5 years, winning 3 of them. 

The CUP have also employed an interesting strategy of naming their team with two announcements of four players on the 22nd and 24th August and then it was like they forgot  or maybe they thought they could win it with eight players! But then they remembered and have now announced 16 of their squad. And what a squad it is, the CUP have been setting the standard for the last few years and despite a change in coach with Alana Gunn taking over from Mike De Bono it looks as if this year will be the more of the same.

The Big Question : Will the full squad be announced before the league kicks off?

Player to watch : Annalie Longo

Previous Wins 3 (2013,14,16)      2017 Place Runners up   2018 PICK 1st

SOUTHERN UNITED

What a year for Southern football, after four wins in 10 years they reached the semi finals of the National League for the first time ever and club side Dunedin Technical has just convincingly won the Kate Sheppard Cup. But this is NZ football and the habit of shooting oneself in the foot is never far away. Hopefully in dispensing with the services of coach Terry Parle, as they were unable or unwilling  to meet his demands for the female players to be treated on parity with the mens team, Southern United haven't shoot themselves in the foot. 

They will be without Elise Mamahu-Gray and last seasons NWL player of the year Eleanor Issac, but with the likes of Shontelle Smith, Mikalya Gray, Emily Morison, Chelsea Whittaker and the outstanding Mikaela Hunt they will still be a force to be reckoned and no longer the easy beats they once were

The Big Question : Has to be about their own feet and shooting doesn't it?

Player to Watch : Mikaela Hunt, i've watched her since she was at Upper Hutt City and she was good then but from what I've seen since then she has come on leaps and bounds. Anchored the Dunedin Technical defence in the Kate Sheppard Cup final brilliantly and her performances should be registering on the radar of Football Ferns Development  director Gareth Turnbull.

Previous Wins 0                        2017 Place 3rd            2018 PICK 4th