The core of the team has been together since the four-a-side days of 2016. Anthony Whitten began coaching in 2017 and his coaching background plus the team’s own talent helped the team grow from half a dozen beginners to the dozen or so skilled players we have today. Like all children, the team don’t recognise in themselves the massive development that has been clear to all the parents. Thanks to Ant, the wonderful Aspire program, and of course their own talent the players will now do stepovers, feints, and defence splitting passes. They have also learned to work together as a team, valuing the quick pass and pulling a defender out of position as much as scoring. “Great goal” in 2017 has become “Great pass” in 2020. The team has learned that winning one week guarantees nothing for the next week unless it is accompanied by hard work, and that losing requires good grace and determination to do your best in the future. The team shows its real character in the training session following a defeat. The whole team thanks the parents for their time commitment and vocal support. The team loves the game and it is the commitment of parents that helps grow the next generation of footballers.

We have now played 2 practice games and at the risk of peaking very early we have won both and showed some great team development and played some very good football scoring plenty of goals and showing some fantastic strength at the back. Bring on the div 2 South competition we are ready to go.

On the playing front we welcome Jess Thompson back this year with her fearless approach to goal keeping and she will again lead our side as Captain. Our defence has gone from strength to strength with Zoe returning from Brazil to lock down the middle letting us release Alicia to go forward a destroy opposition defences. Kelsey joins us this year at centre half and we have full backs that play both sides with the ever-dependable Ruth joined by awesome new players in Alex, Bec and Angela meaning our defence is as good as they come and is the foundation of our game stopping the opposition and feeding our midfield on the counter attack.

The midfield is largely made up of returning players and is also strengthened by some more of the new team members. Kaz, Coz and Andrea are joined in rotation by Nicole returning from last year and Bec and Alex when they are not defending and Jana when she isn’t up front.

Our forward line is also a mix of the old and the new with Legs and or Jana on the left, Alicia and Ruby and Nicole sharing the centre forward space and then Ruby, Shai and Coz attacking from the right.

Our team has strength on the park and on the bench and with our continued focus on possession football, passing efficiency and composure when we shoot we look forward to being very competitive this year and welcome the challenge of meeting cross town rivals Forrestfield at home in round one.