Normally would have started this thread back when the draw was released, but this year's NWSL season had me more engaged than the previous two years did (not to mention went longer into the fall). Anyway! Season starts on November 5th, less than a month from now! I'll leave it to more-connected Aussie fans to talk more about each team, but I thought I'd highlight a few transfers I've checked out today so far. My favorite team Canberra have apparently lost Williams to ??(City?) and Munoz to ACL, but are regaining Steph Ochs (Houston Dash) and Hayley Raso (Portland Thorns) and have brought in Japanese WWC veteran Yukari Kinga (INAC Kobe L.) [ @blissett @zaku_II ] WSW are bringing on four Americans: Fletcher and Nielson (Seattle Reign), Stengel (Washington Spirit), and Arlitt (FCKC) Perth also have four internationals they've brought in that I can see, returning Stanton (Sky Blue FC) and adding Mautz and DiBernardo (Chicago Red Stars) and ex-NWSL Mexican Romero (IBV). I seriously hope that Williams isn't going to City. After they absolutely steamrolled the league last year, I'm hoping they don't get either title this year, and certainly not both titles. One thing I'm glead to hear, though, is the increase id double-headers and (apparent?) increase in broadcast games, to 19 and 17 respectively. Hopefully that gets the W-League more exposure so they can start paying their players half-decent amounts. Sucks that it's still going to be just a 12-game season, though. Would it really be that hard to add another month and make it a full double-round-robin? (Well, by how little they're paying the players already, maybe yes it is that hard to justify more playing time.)
I'll leave current roster analysis to people who've been paying more attention to the W-League over the past two months than I have, but Canberra is one of the "big three" clubs in the league - maybe "big four" now that City's joined. Before last season when City stomped over the entire league to both titles, three teams (including Canberra) had four titles each while no other club had more than one, and those three made 19 of the 28 playoff spots up to that point (now 22 of the 32 playoff spots accounted for). So, just based on history and on the fact their roster looks fairly good again this year compared to what I've seen previously, I'd say Canberra definitely has a shot. Assuming City isn't disgustingly good again.
City has to prove they're not a one-hit wonder in order to be called a big club. Until that happens, it will still be Brisbane, Canberra, and Sydney as the big 3.
https://www.theguardian.com/footbal...-pay-cut-before-new-season-starts?CMP=soc_568 I'm disgusted by this news.
Another American heading down under, and it's the most decorated yet this season - two NWSL Championships, one Player of the Month, and one Rookie of the Year to her name, it's Erika Tymrak. Three guesses - heck, no, just take one guess - at which W-League team would most salivate at a pedigree like that. Hint: I'm not happy. Dunno how I missed this last week... To be honest, I'm lukewarm about that move. I haven't followed Jas much, she seems like too much of a situational player to my liking. She had one lukewarm season in NWSL with WNY but three cold seasons (DC, other one in WNY, ORL) in contrast to being very good for Sydney. If she can take her Sydney success down the road to Canberra, then that's great. But this doesn't look like an incredibly impactful move on Canberra's side to me at the moment, unless and until it does.
ESPN 3 will be televising the wleague in the USA for in Season 9.— Ann Odong 🐨🇺🇬 (@AnnOdong) October 31, 2016 Best news EVER!
In "look at this 180!" news.... Roar backs down from player dispute THEN All players in the league will be paid (Interesting notes in the second article, from what this new minimum will look like to which two clubs pay close the the league salary cap)
I am extremely happy that, for once at least, the rights of workers who had signed a contract in bona fide were respected! I am also happy for what this means for women's football in Australia (and in general in the world) in terms of professionalism and for the respect that the sentence shows for women workers' dignity, but what relieves me the most is the feeling that, in all straightforwardness, justice was done.
This wasn't quite the same as last year. Newcastle really made them work for the shutout. But maybe that doesn't matter, since the Jets were the one team in the regular season last year that gave City huge problems. I'm more annoyed at the BS second yellow that Foord got. If there's a matchup that's produced more reds than Brisbane vs Sydney, I can't find it.
can you please tell me the schedule for the streamed games? I've skimped through all of ESPN's listings and the only thing they keep listing is the men's A=League
cool news! Found the link to at least see the replay of W'-League's game of the week. The ADL/MVC game should be on this front page http://www.foxsports.com.au/football/w-league notes; the youngest player in the W-League is a 15 year old named Jackie Galabadaarachchi, try correcting me on that! blissett
There is a W-League game tonight, and it is listed on ESPN3. And no, it's not an A-League game, although it's listed under A-League.
If Canberra had finished their chances, they'd have won that game. Scoreline is deceptive in this case. Williams basically had to stand on her head at times to keep Canberra off the scoresheet. BTW, Newcastle vs Perth is the ESPN game this week. Still listed under A-League, though.
Which makes the loss all the more upsetting for a Canberra fan. And impressions aside, it doesn't change the ladder.