Central Coast Women’s Premier League: final preview and players to watch
It’s finals time in the Central Coast WPL. We’ve previewed the blockbuster clashes and taken a look at the players to watch from each team.
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After five months of exciting football, the Central Coast Women’s Premier League finals are finally upon us, with two blockbuster semis planned for the weekend.
On Saturday evening at 7pm Umina take on Kanwal in the elimination final, while on Sunday afternoon at 5pm it’ll be one versus two when minor premiers Terrigal face off with free-scoring East Gosford in the major semi-final.
The stakes are high in both games, to be played at Pluim Park, with the loser of Saturday’s fixture to be eliminated from the competition and the winner of Sunday’s game booking a spot in the grand final.
Ahead of the big clashes we’ve taken a look at all four sides’ path to the finals, how they’re shaping up ahead of this weekend and highlighted a couple of players to watch during what promises to be a big weekend of football.
Catch up with your ultimate WPL guide below.
Terrigal United
1st (18 wins, three draws – 48 points)
It has more or less been a perfect season for Terrigal, who’ve gone through the 18 regular season rounds undefeated in what has been a fantastic 2023.
Led by longtime Mariners’ academy player and coach Gabrielle Blanch, who joined the club as a player-coach this season, the team has been a pillar of consistency to drop just six points all year and take out the minor premiership.
“The number one thing for me, and it’s been very clear and obvious throughout the season, is that we’re not a team that just relies on a strong defensive line or a couple of talented goalscorers,” said Blanch.
“At any stage all 11 players on the pitch are all contributing to what it is that we aim to achieve on game day.”
And while the coach has shied away from highlighting any one part of the team’s performance, it’s clear that Terrigal’s defensive work as a unit has been the bedrock of their success, with the side conceding an incredibly miserly seven goals across 18 games.
The team will take on free-scoring East Gosford in the qualifying final and, with a full complement of players to choose from, will be hoping to continue its excellent record against the Rams in the league this year, having recorded two wins and a draw from their three matches.
Gabrielle Blanch
She might have spent the best part of the first half of the season on the sidelines with the clipboard in hand, but Blanch has certainly made an impact since strapping on the boots for Terrigal.
Playing in an unfamiliar role as a striker, the player-coach has netted 15 goals to be the team’s leading goalscorer, with her vast experience set to be a huge asset for the team during the finals.
“It’s been a lovely transition,” she said.
“I’ve been playing up front, which is a new role. It has been different, it has been enjoyable and I’m still learning lots while also being in that coaching and leadership role.”
Caitlin McMahon
The centre-midfielder is a key cog into the Terrigal machine, breaking up opposition attacks and launching raids of her own from the middle of the park.
“She’s probably been one of our most consistent players this year. She’s just gritty and plays with 150 per cent intensity with every scenario of every single game,” said Blanch.
“She’s just a player that you want to have on your team. She’s a smart football player, she reads the play really well and not only contributes defensively but is a real playmaker as well.”
Caitlin Johnson
The team’s captain might well have played the majority of the season at centre-back, but in somewhat of a curveball is expected to line up in a more advanced position over the course of the finals series.
“With a few roster changes we’ve found playing her in an attacking role has been really positive for our style of play,” said Blanch.
“I’d say moving forward in the finals campaign we’ll start to see Caitlin have a real positive impact in the way that we play forward, in the way that we attack and the way that we set up to score goals,” she added.
“She’s an absolute natural. She’s a ball-player, she comes with experience and she’s our fittest player, so that’s what you require in an attacking ball-player.”
East Gosford
2nd (13 wins, two draws – 41 points)
If you were to make a highlights reel of East Gosford’s season, you’d want to make sure you had plenty of time set aside, with the team having played some sparkling football over the course of 2023.
Scoring a remarkable 96 goals in attack – some 31 more than the next best attacking team – the Rams have been the real entertainers of the competition with their free-flowing attacking football.
It’s perhaps no surprise that striker Kelly Hogan won the golden boot for most goals in the regular season with 27, while teammates Tahlor Thackray (23) and Kayla Vanderfield (18) finished in second and fourth, respectively.
“That just gives you an indication of the type of football that we play,” said coach Jorge Chavez.
“We believe football should be entertaining, that we should enjoy it and scoring goals is a way of enjoying it the most, so we attack as much as we can. We still focus on defence, but attack is the best form of defence sometimes.”
Chavez says key to the team’s success has been the fact that goals have come from different places.
“We’ve got multiple threats up front, we play a possession-style football and try to create chances. We don’t just provide for one player but have multiple players who are a threat,” he said.
And while Terrigal has had the better of the Rams this season in the league, winning 1-0 on two occasions and then recording a 3-3 draw back in round six, Chavez says his team will take plenty of confidence into this weekend’s clash.
“Terrigal has a very good, talented, fit young squad who run at you all day, so they focus a lot of structures and play a great style of football.
“They’re hard to break down, but we have scored goals against them in the past and beat them in the Association Cup semi, so we know we can do it but we’ve just got to grind those wins out.”
Kelly Hogan
When it comes to players to watch, it is hard to go past the Rams’ sharpshooter, who bagged an incredible 27 goals this season to win the golden boot.
“You’ve got to aware of where she is at all times,” said Chavez.
“She’s very talented on the ball, can strike it with both feet and likes to keep the ball moving and hold onto possession.”
Tahlor Thackray
The striker’s return of 23 goals over the regular season is impressive enough in itself, but her performances are even more remarkable when you consider that she missed around one-third of the season.
Partnering with Hogan up front, Thackray is one incredibly important part of the Rams’ dynamic duo.
“For me, she’s one of the best players that I’ve ever coached,” said Chavez. “She can turn a game on its head.”
Grace Kay
While she might not see her name up in lights as often as her teammates up front, the centre-back is certainly recognised by those in the squad as centre to the way East Gosford play.
“Grace is amazing, she’s one of the most talented performers I’ve ever met and could be playing at a higher level easily,” said Chavez.
“She controls the game for us and is a big part of what we do by building up from the back.”
Umina United
3rd (11 wins, three draws, four losses – 36 points)
It has been a slightly tougher season for last year’s competition winners, with the Eagles finishing the regular season in third place as a series of key absences over the course of 2023 took their toll.
And while this finish is lower than their return from previous years, the team has come home with a wet sail, winning eight of its last 10 games to give coach Steve Donaldson confidence that his chargers can once again challenge for the title.
“We’ve got a lot of experienced players in our team,” he said. “We’ve had a lot of players come back into our squad from holidays overseas and injuries over the past couple of weeks, so I’m looking forward to getting our full team on the park this weekend.”
The Eagles will face off with Kanwal in the elimination semi-final, and while the Bulls have gotten the better of Donaldson’s side twice this season, the coach will be hoping they can repeat their performance of three weeks ago, when Umina downed their rivals 2-0.
Kate Styles
The former competition golden boot winner has been a stalwart for the Eagles for the past decade and has continued her form in 2023, netting 16 goals to once again be the club’s highest goalscorer.
“She’s more than a striker with the way she picks up the ball and plays in the rest of the midfield and defenders. She’s very important for us,” said Donaldson.
Chelsea Campbell
The captain is an absolute inspiration for the team with her ability and work rate down the right wing.
“She epitomises the force of our team,” said Donaldson, who noted that Campbell recently showcased her athletic talents to a wider audience by winning the first series of the reality television series Million Dollar Island.
“She went and won that, so I’d say she’s probably the strongest player in the comp.”
Frejya Murray
The centre-back is one of the most important cogs in the Eagles’ side, with her return from an overseas holidays unsurprisingly coinciding with the team’s return to form.
“The way we play is very much based around how she plays, so she’s key for us,” said Donaldson.
“We probably had our worst run while she was over there but since she’s come back we’ve probably played our best football.”
Kanwal
4th (11 wins, seven losses – 33 points)
One of the biggest improvers of 2023, Kanwal will take part in this year’s finals series after missing out on last year’s top four by a considerable margin.
“We’re very happy with the way we’ve gone this season,” said coach Ben Raychaudhuri.
“To be up there and to have been in with a chance of finishing second with two rounds to go is a great turnaround by us and I’m really proud of what we’ve been able to achieve.”
It’s not just the results that have changed for the Bulls, with the team’s attacking style of play – which has yielded the second-most goals in the competition with 65 – also a departure from previous seasons.
“It’s actually very different to how I’ve coached teams previously,” said Raychaudhuri. “We’ve always started with a defensive base and built from there, but I wanted to come back this year and get the girls to attack a bit more – and we are doing that.”
And while the team will take on a Umina side in very good form, Raychaudhuri says his Bulls will look to play their natural game and take confidence from the fact that they have defeated the Eagles twice this season.
“We won’t go too far away from our base and what we’ve worked on all season. With these top-four teams, anyone can win on their day, so it’s just a matter of executing on the day and taking your chances,” he said.
“Umina are quality across the park, they don’t win the comp for no reason. They’re very good and we just have to match it with them and make sure we’re clinical in front of goal.”
Jordan Evans
The striker, who returned to her junior club this season after stints in the Mariners’ academy and playing in the Newcastle competition, has been an absolute star for Kanwal, netting 21 goals to finish third in race for the golden boot.
“She just has an eye for goal, she has a really high work rate and has been a breath of fresh air in her first year back,” said Raychaudhuri.
“Her work ethic is second to none and she deserves everything she’s had this year. She’s exciting to watch – put her in front of goal and more often than not they’re pulling the ball out of the back of the net.”
Maddi Dunlop
With an infectiously positive attitude, the right full-back is considered as the “barometer” of the team and a key motivator for the squad.
“She brings the energy and enthusiasm, and she does a lot of things that other players don’t like to do: she’ll put her body on the line, she’ll make that tackle that needs to be made – she gives 110 per cent in every minute of every game,” said Raychaudhuri.
Grace Heinemann
The 18-year-old has been a revelation for the Bulls in her first year with the club, striking up a lethal combination with Evans that had been a huge reason behind the team’s success.
“She’s quick, has got a very good shot and is very skilful. I think a lot of Jordan’s goals have come from Grace’s hard work, while she’s in double-figures herself for goals scored.”
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