The Chronicle runs the rule over TFL Premier Women’s key players

MUST WATCH: Top 5 TFL women’s stars to keep an eye on

COOL HEAD: Striker Joyce de Wit (left) adds leadership and a goal threat to the Rockville Rubies side.

FOOTBALL: Willowburn edged out a determined and equally impressive Highfields in last year’s TFL Premier Women’s grand final.

Both sides played positive attacking football over the course of the season and traditional TFL powerhouses Rockville were also in the mix.

Willowburn and Highfields enter the 10-team competition with new look squads this season and will need to be at their best if they hope to reach the grand final again.

Here are our top five players to watch in 2021.

Sophie Fuller (Willowburn): Fuller was a diamond in the West Wanderers rough last year. The attack midfielder has crossed the “black and white divide” to join rivals Willowburn and brings plenty of high quality traits. Playing in behind her strikers, Fuller adds another dimension to the Willowburn attack and rival defences will need to be on their guard.

Rahni Pritchard (Highfields): Pritchard adds a wealth experience to a young Highfields squad crying out for it after losing several players to the SWQ Thunder this season. The former Australian schoolgirls representative and NPL player can play just about anywhere on the field, however she will most likely be deployed upfront as she can strike the ball with either foot. Pritchard has great game awareness and ball distribution as well.

Rachel Bartley (USQ FC): After coming home from Bundaberg last year, Bartley joined USQ and featured in a number of games. Bartley is a great reader of the game and strong on the ball. She has quickly established as a positive leader on and off the field and knows how to get the best out of the players around her.

Melony Baker (Hawks): The box-to-box player was almost unstoppable last year for Hawks. Baker often won the ball near halfway and then drove forward to launch counter-attacks in next breath and scored the majority of her side’s goals. If she can get a few more quality players around her this season she could be an even bigger threat on goal.

Joyce de Witt (Rockville Rubies): de Witt is the cool and calm head the youthful Rubies need. Her composure on the ball is one of her strengths and if the Rubies midfield can give her quality ball she will find the back of the net. A great teammate and leader she will be an asset for the Rubies.

Originally published as The Chronicle runs the rule over TFL Premier Women’s key players