South Australian Women’s National Premier League prepares for Round One as soccer participation in Australia rises
Youth is the key to the 2020 South Australian Women’s National Premier League season, according to one of the competition’s stars. Here’s the players you should keep an eye on.
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Chilean 2019 FIFA women’s World Cup star Maria Jose Rojas’ return to Adelaide has coincided with the most important decision for the wellbeing of women’s soccer in Australia this year.
FIFA is expected to announce in May or June the winner of the hosting rights for the 2023 Women’s World Cup, where Australia and New Zealand have lodged a joint bid.
Salisbury Inter has landed superstar Rojas aka Cote on loan from Chilean club Santiago Morning before she returns to the club for the Copa Libertadores (Champions League) qualifying playoff.
The Chilean has become an ambassador for young WNPL players craving to be on the world stage.
Rojas gained a huge following during her time with Adelaide Uni, where she scored 65 goals in two seasons.
Rojas revealed she had coached three players – Stella Dracopoulos, 13, Lara Kirkby, 17, and Georgia Iannella, 18 – who featured in The Advertiser’s women’s NPL preview detailing the youngest regulars of the 2020 season.
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“It’s so cool to see these girls are improving and taking the step up,’’ Rojas said.
“But it’s important that we keep working hard to get the World Cup in Australia.
“Australia deserves this tournament, I know we still need to work hard in the professional aspect, but it needs to grow in clubs a bit more.
“Not just for contracts and a little bit of payment, but also to make the environment more professional.
“It wasn’t easy coming from a professional environment in Chile, I’m also a contracted player for Santiago Morning that requires the same (fiscal) contract here on loan.
“Inter is a club that could provide me with that, we have (ex-Matilda) Tracey Jenkins as coach she pushes me hard.
“I like the challenge and I like to keep improving, it’s exciting and a new club for me, they have been great.”
Rojas faces her old SA club in Round One in a double header at Angle Park on Thursday night before Football Federation Australia is on Monday expected to release data showing a spike in female participation.
In 2018, more than 1.8 million played the game where female participation was at 141,487, which is encouraging a whole raft of young players to stick with the WNPL game.
Talented teenagers Talia Bilardo, 17, Kirkby, Iannella, Caitlin La Roux, 17, Christine Skrembos, 17, Dracopoulos and Mikayla Vidmar, 18, told The Advertiser why they love the game.
The WNPL talent
Metro United
Talia Bilardo
Age: 17
School: Year 12 at Nazareth Catholic College
Idol: Samantha Kerr (Matildas)
Other sports played: Dance
How did you get into the game: “Through my brothers, they played it a young age and I tried out for Fulham.”
Goal: “I want to play for Australia.”
West Adelaide
Lara Kirkby
Age: 17
School: Year 12 at Walford Anglican School
Idol: Rose Lavelle (US national soccer team)
Other sports played: Swimming, athletics
How did you get into the game: “I saw a flyer and tried out at Adelaide City, I did more cartwheels in my first year than played soccer.”
Goal: “It would be nice to play for Australia one day, the Matildas.”
Adelaide University
Georgia Iannella
Age: 18
Study: UniSA – Exercise and Sports Science
Idol: Ellyse Perry (ex-Matilda and current Australian women’s cricket team player)
Other sports played: Cricket (Former SA U18 wicketkeeper)
How did you get into the game: “My brothers. I used to play against them in the backyard.”
Goal: “I would like to play for Manchester City overseas.”
Fulham United
Caitlin La Roux
Age: 17
Study: Year 12 at Sacred Heart
Idol: Grandmother Judy La Roux
Other sports played: N/A
How did you get into the game: “I was eight and two of best friends played, and I said ‘I want to have a crack at that’.”
Goal: “I want to get into the national team, no matter how long it takes me to get there.”
Adelaide Comets
Christine Skrembos
Age: 17
Study: Year 12 at Wilderness School
Idol: My dad, Arthur Skrembos
Others sports played: Netball, basketball, touch footy, swimming, dancing
How did you get into the game: “My older brother used to play, so when I was five I asked dad ‘I want to have a go’ and I have never looked back. My little brother plays as well.”
Goal: “I just want to have a good season, make it my best.”
Football SA NTC
Stella Dracopoulos
Age: 13
Study: Unley High School
Idol: My father George Dracopoulos
Others sports played: Netball
How did you get into the game: “I used to see the girls playing at recess and lunch and I always wanted to have a shot, and that’s how I started at six-years-old.”
Goal: “I definitely want to play for the national team.”
Adelaide City
Mikayla Vidmar
Age: 18
Study: UniSA – Human Movement
Idol: Virgil van Dijk (Netherlands and Liverpool)
Others sports played: Cricket, athletics, gymnastics, swimming
How did you get into the game: “Because my friends played it when I was about 11 or 12, I didn’t want to play because dad (Socceroos legend and current assistant) Tony Vidmar played it.”
Goal: “I just want to start every game that I can and hopefully one day to represent Holland or Australia.”
The WNPL squads
Adelaide City
Coach: Max Primaro
Captain: TBC
Squad: Grace Abbey, Alicia Nickolas, Matilda McNamara, Daniela Di Bartolo, Alyce McCauley, Dylan Holmes, Georgia Campagnale, Bianca Gray, Chelsie Dawber, Tiarn Powell, Isabel Hodgson, Kendall Jenner, nanako Sasaki, Mikayla Vidmar, Caitlin White
2019: Premier, champion, women’s premier and division one cup winner
Adelaide Comets
Coach: Tony Mansueto
Captain: Victoria Mansueto
Lea Ann Cutshall, Vanja Todorovic, Hannah Wall, Carlotta Maag, Rukshaan Du Plessis, Lisa Hurcombe, Elise Garlick, Christine Skrembos, Victoria Mansueto, Georgie Nicola, Emma Wiltshire, Sarah Chappel, Albane Navicet, Savannah Francis, Mariah Aplin, Chantelle Reed, Leslie Queguiner, Rosie Coleman, Emily Gale, Monique Varricchio, Caitlin Wegener, Taylor Garrett
2019: Seventh
Adelaide Uni
Coach: Kosta Jaric
Assistant Coach: Andrej Djakovic, Mark Bosio, Dakota Ochsenham
Captain: Pirrie Weeks
Evelyn Goldsmith, Ellie Pirintzis, Gemma Macfarlane, Alysia Panagakos, Mia Lundquist, Nora Peat, Valeria Guajardo, Georgia Iannella, Meleri Mullan, Georgia Box, Mabel Day, Pirrie Weeks, Velvet Klass, Natalie Hayman, Ellie Sparrow, Deva Kljajic, Trinity Tytler-Kelly, Sophie Burke, Elyse Moon, Nicole Robertson, Daphne McLeod, Margarita Fitzharris, Lauren Mather, Aimee Benton
2019: Fourth
Football SA NTC
Michele Lastella
Captain: Zoe Tolland / Ella Tonkin
Kahl Adam Khan, Michaela Belmonte, Aimee Benton, Katie Bowler, Sarah Branford, Abbey Burns, Victoria
Costanzo, Libby Davy, Gabriella DeMarco, Lily Di Colo, Stella Dracolopolos, Jonti Fisher, Michaela Hadaj, Danielle Harmer, Elisa Karas, Abby Middleton, Tanaye Morris, Emilia Murray, Hayley Needs, Olivia Ravno, Nicola Scalzi, Ella Smith, Nadia Sultani, Mawa Sumaoro, Zoe Tolland, Ella Tonkin, Inana Toovey, Alanah Ursino, Angelique Vreugdenburg, Anastasia Willoughby, Madeleine Wright
2019: Bottom
Fulham United
Coach: John Ebbs
Captain: Natasha Vella
Susan Bassett, Matilda Comley, Kara Davies, Amielia Ebbs, Fiona Worts, Sarah Hunt, Caitlin LaRoux, Karin Yajima, Mia McGranagham, Sarah Mills, Chloe Mortimer, Laura Niejalke, Frankie Queale, Micaela Quinn, Katherine Ebbs, Josephine Trimboli, Zoe Turner-Davey, Natasha Vella, Charlotte Walters
Susan Bassett, Kara Davies (Football SA NTC), Fiona Worts (Coventry
2019: Sixth
Metro United
Coach: Tony Scalzi
Assistant Coach: Brenton Ellul and Emilio Librandi
Captain: TBC
Hunter Strudwick, Annie Green, Chrissy Panagaris, Donna Cockayne, Ebony Kyriacou, Ellie Bills, Emma Cotgrove, Hunter Strudwick, Isabella Scalzi, Kristy Moore, Laura Stockdale, Millie Scott, Mirella Scalzi, Olivia Bunge, Romy Franceschilli, Roxanne Dodd, Shelly Draper, Stella Rigon, Talia Bilardo, Vanessa Reed
2019: Fifth
Salisbury Inter
Coach: Tracey Jenkins
Captain: TBC
Sian McLaren, Melanie Comyns, Mackenzie Gardner, Amelia Moretti, Isabella Kouimtzis, Nicole Calder, Meleri Mullan, Emily Condon, Sophie Fleming, Chrissa Pavlomanolakos, Nikki Frazzetto, Chantelle Ryder, Ruby Smith, Emily Heazelwood, Sharni Tansell, Tia Pavlakos, Sofia Tipouikidis, Maria Pacheco, Maria Jose Rojas, Erin Hood, Shokria Hussain, Zoe Pinnegar, Mia Kasperski, Rebecca White, Breannah Harmer, Penny Lokolo, Khatima Sultani. Adhour Kuol, Nicola James, Hannah Toomey
2019: Third
West Adelaide
Coach: Adrian Santrac
Captain: Elena Psaroulis
Elena Psaroulis, Ali Atkins, Abby Touchette, Christie Hillyer, Christina Papageorgiou, Lara Kirkby, Georgia Macri, Harriet Burnett, Anna Pritchard, Emily Hodgson, Nicole Tilley, Maddie Durieu, Dragana Kljajic, Izzy Czechowicz, Mina Nishitani, Erin Murphy, Justine Hall, Laura Johns, Siena Covino.
2019: Second
WNPL – Round One
Thursday
Comets v Football SA NTC at The Parks: Kick off: 6.15pm
Salisbury Inter v Adelaide Uni at The Parks: Kick off: 8.15pm
Friday
Metro United v Adelaide City at TK Shutter Reserve: Kick off: 6pm
Fulham United v West Adelaide at West Beach Parks Football Centre: Kick off: 6.15pm