Transformation of Alicia Woods and young stars highlights Brisbane Roar’s A-League Women’s resurgence
The Roar have stumbled against Wellington Phoenix but the rise of Alicia Woods and a handful of young stars has proven Brisbane can compete without their Matildas stars. Erin Smith dives into The Tackle.
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A little over a year ago Alicia Woods was so timid she was too scared to introduce herself to teammate Tameka Yallop – now she is one of the most commanding midfielders in the A-League and a key reason Brisbane Roar are shaping as title contenders.
Roar ran into some early trouble against Wellington Phoenix on Sunday but battled to get themselves back in the game despite the absence of Matildas duo Yallop and Sharn Freier.
The 2-1 loss away from home without key personal showed the depth of the squad and ability to contend for the title.
Youngsters Emily Pringle, Tamar Levin, Chelsea Blissett and Woods – all bench players last season – can now hold their own.
All of them played a role in the loss to the Phoenix in blustery conditions and Pringle equalised just before halftime.
Wellington took the lead again in the 69th minute on the back of a goalkeeping error.
The Roar relentlessly tried to secure a draw but couldn’t adjust to the wind behind it.
The stats showed the Roar was well in the game with 11 shots, four on target and 51 per cent possession.
Despite the loss, the Roar is third on the ladder with three wins from five games.
It’s a big turnaround when you consider the side finished ninth last season with just seven wins from 22 games.
If the form holds, there is little doubt the Roar will be finals contenders. The club hasn’t played in a grand final for a decade.
Going into the game against the Phoenix without Yallop and Freier, Woods knew it was a chance for her to prove what she could do.
The 20-year-old is playing with a new level of confidence.
Woods attributes it to a number of factors. The leading reasons are coach Alex Smith and her time with the Young Matildas.
“When I went away with the under 20s (to the World Cup), that was a big confidence booster for me, just playing in that team and knowing that, you know, I was representing Australia, and that I was one of the best under-20s players in Australia was a massive confidence booster for me,” Woods said.
“To come back and to have been playing at that level for a couple of months and training with those girls and come back into the Roar environment, I just then came back in and knew my place a little bit more than I did last season.
“Knew that I had more to give and that I was worth something.
“Last year I was still learning the ropes and learning the dynamic between the team and what I had to offer.”
When Woods joined the roar on a scholarship deal midway through last season she wasn’t even brave enough to introduce herself to her hero Yallop at their first training session.
“I rocked up to training one day, and she was sitting on the mat, and I didn’t go over and introduce myself, because I was too scared to approach her,” Woods said.
“So I didn’t actually introduce myself for like, a week, until we started training together, and she had to know my name then we started talking, but it was a little bit awkward at the start, because I was too nervous and too shy to go and talk to her.”
This season they look as if they have been playing together for years.
Woods said there had been a “dynamic” shift at Roar in the off season.
“I think the girls that we’ve brought in and the chemistry that we all have, we just get along so well,” she said.
“I think that’s been brought into the games like we can have a go at each other a little bit more, and we can rely on each other a bit more, and we’re all playing for each other.
“It’s obviously paying off for us.
”I think we have a lot of depth in the squad, and like (Smith) has said in the past, our bench players could be playing starting positions at other A-League clubs.”
Roar will face a nervous wait on Bulgarian striker Evdokiya Popadiynova who was taken off the field with a suspected hamstring injury early in the second half.
ALARM BELLS FOR SKY BLUES
Reigning premiers Sydney FC have just one win from five games now – a record that will seriously hurt their ability to lift a trophy this season.
The Sky Blues fell to an undermanned Western United 2-1.
It was a fairly even game, Sydney had 51 per cent possession and 13 shots. United had 49 per cent possession and 16 shots.
What the Sky Blues are missing is a striker. Their key signing for the season Kyah Simon is yet to make a squad list let alone get on the park. She was supposed to be the side’s answer to losing Cortnee Vine to the NWSL.
Simon has reportedly picked up another calf injury and her return date is unknown.
The win is a big confidence boost for Western United who sit fifth on the ladder.
GOAL SCORERS
Western United: Kahli Johnson, Kiara De Domizio
Sydney FC: Amber Luchtmeijer
ALL EYES ON FIONA WORTS
Fiona Worts’ return to Adelaide United is proving beneficial for her and the club. Worts, had a challenging season at Sydney FC last year – playing just six games due to a knee injury.
After the tough season she headed back home to the UK – thinking her time in the A-Leagues was done. But the time away from the game made her realised she had some unfinished business with Adelaide.
She retuned mid pre-season and has wasted no time making her mark on the field.
Worts scored both goals in Adelaide’s 2-0 win over Newcastle Jets – making her equal golden boot race winner alongside Victory’s Emily Gielnik.
Adelaide now sit third on the table – a big jump up from the wooden spoon position they claimed last season.
Interestingly to note the last time Adelaide played in the finals was in 2021-22 – when Worts was in flying form – scoring 13 goals and winning the Julie Dolan Medal.
If Worts remains on fire and Adelaide can maintain their high tempo they are sure to get a crack at finals this season.
GOAL SCORERS
Adelaide: Fiona Worts (2)
HEARTBREAK FOR CASEY DUMONT
A spectacular penalty save wasn’t enough to give Glory’s keeper Casey Dumont a fairytale return to the A-Leagues.
The shot stopper has missed the opening four rounds of the season while playing for Hawthorn in the AFLW.
Dumont was so close to finishing with a clean sheet after denying Melbourne Victory’s Rachel Lowe a penalty in the 69th minute - keeping the scores locked at 0-0.
But a rocket shot from 19-year-old Alana Murphy put Victory in the lead in the 92nd minute.
The 1-0 lead sees Victory jump Roar into second place on the ladder, now just one point behind Melbourne City.
Regardless of the result Dumont still earned a spot in the record books this weekend - as the first keeper to play 150 A-League’s Women’s games.
The 32-year-old has played in every season since the league’s inception in 2008 - playing for Brisbane Roar, Sydney FC, Western Sydney Wanders, Melbourne Victory and Central Coast Mariners along before landing at Glory this season.
GOAL SCORERS:
Melbourne: Alana Murphy
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