W-League 2016/17: Fixture, squads, TV and season guide
THE premier football league for women in Australia is back, bigger and better than ever. Our guide to the 2016/2017 W-League.
Women's sport
Don't miss out on the headlines from Women's sport. Followed categories will be added to My News.
- W-League Rd 4: Five minute wrap
- W-League Rd 3: Five minute wrap
- W-League Rd 2: Five minute wrap
- W-League Rd1: Five minute wrap
- Super netball: What you need to know
THE premier football league for women in Australia is back, bigger and better than ever.
Teams have been strengthened, squads bolstered and rivalries have been sharpened ahead of the 2016/2017 W-League.
Here’s what you need to know about the new season with the latest news.
ALL W-LEAGUE PLAYERS TO BE PAID
CAITLIN FOORD RETURNS FOR SYDNEY
TV
FOX SPORTS and ABC Television will broadcast 14 matches throughout the regular season as well as every match in the 2017 Finals Series.
Check your guide for full details.
THE CLUBS
Western Sydney Wanderers
Sydney FC
Newcastle Jets
Brisbane Roar
Adelaide United
Canberra United
Melbourne City
Melbourne Victory
Perth Glory
WHY YOUNG STAR WON'T WANDER OFF
THE MATILDAS
Australia’s best players — the Westfield Matildas — are sprinkled throughout the league./
These players include Brisbane Roar’s Clare Polkinghorne, Canberra’s Michelle Heyman, Melbourne City’s Steph Catley, Perth Glory’s Sam Kerr, Sydney FC’s Kyah Simon and Alanna Kennedy, Western Sydney Wanderers captain Caitlin Cooper and young teammate Ellie Carpenter.
THE INTERNATIONALS
Players from more than 20 nations are represented in the Westfield W-League this season.
These include USA international Erika Tymrak and England forward Natasha Dowie.
Also playing is former Women’s World Cup winner Yukari Kinga of Japan with Canberra United.
FAST FACTS
Current champions: Melbourne City (1st title)
Current premiers: Melbourne City (1st title)
Most championships: Brisbane Roar, Sydney FC. Canberra United HAVE TWO EACH.
Most premierships: Brisbane Roar, Sydney FC and Canberra United have two titles each.
HOW IT WORKS
The season kicks off in November and will conclude in February.
The W-League boasts 12 rounds in the regular season.
The finals series playoff culminates in a grand final to determine the 2016/2017 champions.
The premiers host the fourth-placed team and the second-placed team host the third-placed team in the first week.
The winner of the each semi-final will advance to the Westfield W-League Grand Final which will be hosted by the higher ranked of the two teams.
THE CHAMPIONS
W-League winners: Year, premiers, grand final winners
2008—09: Queensland Roar, Queensland Roar
2009: Sydney FC, Sydney FC
2010—11: Sydney FC, Brisbane Roar
2011—12: Canberra United, Canberra United
2012—13: Brisbane Roar, Sydney FC
2013—14: Canberra United, Melbourne Victory
2014: Perth Glory, Canberra United
2015—16: Melbourne City, Melbourne City
THINGS YOU NEED TO KNOW
#The Westfield W-League 2016/17 season kicks off on November 5 with Brisbane Roar FC hosting Sydney FC.
#There are 19 confirmed Westfield W-League/Hyundai A-League double headers throughout the season
#There will be 57 matches played this season — 54 in the regular season plus two semi-finals and a Grand Final.
DON’T MISS MATCHES
Melbourne derby between Melbourne City FC and Melbourne Victory in Round 4 and Round 12
Sydney Derby between Western Sydney Wanderers and Sydney FC in Rounds 2 and 9
TOP AWARD
The Julie Dolan Medal is now awarded to the player voted to be the best player in the W-League. The medal is named after former Matilda’s captain and football administrator Julie Dolan.
PREVIOUS JULIE DOLAN WINNERS
2008-09 Lana Harch, Queensland Roar
2009 Michelle Heyman, Central Coast Mariners
2010-11 Kyah Simon, Sydney FC
2011-12 Sally Shipard, Canberra United
2012-13 Clare Polkinghorne, Brisbane Roar
2013-14 Tameka Butt, Brisbane Roar
2014 Emily van Egmond, Newcastle Jets
2015-16 Ashleigh Sykes, Canberra United.
FOOTBALL WRITER TOM SMITHIES ON THE W-LEAGUE
IT promises to be “the best season yet”, and stars of the W-League believe it will be more of a showcase for women’s sport than ever.
With last season’s runaway winners Melbourne City again heavily backed, beaten grand finalists Sydney FC are adamant they can hunt City down and secure another title. Western Sydney, meanwhile, with a new coach, aim to emulate the success of the A-League side, and make the finals for the first time.
With Adelaide United having taken the United women’s team back in house, Melbourne City pouring money into their side and Sydney FC pledging to spend the whole salary cap, the bar has been raised across the board.
The 12-round season opens with Brisbane Roar against Sydney FC on Saturday, and Sky Blues striker Kyah Simon said the competition would be buoyed by the success of the Matildas at the Olympics in Brazil.
“I think it’s really promising for the future of the game to see how much investment is going into the women’s game,” Simon said. “Hopefully in representing Australia at the Olympics we show there is a return on that investment.
“The game’s come on leaps and bounds, the interest from international players in playing in the W-League is going through the roof and the quality is too — I think this will be the best season yet.”
One of the international names is American defender Kendall Fletcher, now at her fourth W-League side, and one of the faces brought in by new Wanderers coach Richard Byrne to make a tilt at the finals.
“What the W-League has done, and what the Matildas have done, has really built a stage to bring attention to the women’s game — one worth investing in and worth watching,” she said.
“It’s nice that the men’s side of the game is starting to partner with us, and it highlights what this country has been doing in terms of sport for women, and that’s exciting.
“The W-League across the board is becoming more even across the competition, which is the sign of a healthy league, and I really hope this year highlights that.”
On the pitch the target remains to reel in City, who won every one of their regular season games last year and defeated Sydney in the grand final.
“I’m not sure you ever get over that — we got pipped at the post by City and it was a tough one to swallow,” said Simon. “But there’s plenty of opportunities to get over them this season, go all the way to the grand final and hopefully go one better.
“I’ve been in a similar situation with Sydney before where we won the championship and tried to back up. We fell short, and there’s a lot of pressure.
“There’s definitely an opportunity for the other teams to knock City off their perch.”
RECENT FIXTURE CHANGES
Sat 5 November 2016 Brisbane Roar, Sydney FC. Spencer Park, 4pm Venue update
Sun 20 November 2016 Brisbane Roar, Canberra United, A.J. Kelly Field, 4pm Venue update
Sun 20 November 2016 Newcastle Jets. Perth Glory, McDonald Jones Stadium, 2.30pm Venue name change
Sun 4 December 2016 Brisbane Roar, Melbourne City, A.J. Kelly Field, 4pm, Venue update
Sun 4 December 2016 Newcastle Jets, Sydney FC, McDonald Jones Stadium, 2.30pm, Venue name change
Fri. 16 December 2016 Newcastle Jets, Melbourne Victory, McDonald Jones Stadium, 5.20pm, Venue name change
Mon 26 December 2016 Newcastle Jets, Western Sydney Wanderers, McDonald Jones Stadium, 3.05pm, Venue name change
Sun 1 January 2017 Brisbane Roar, Melbourne Victory, A.J. Kelly Field, 3pm Venue update
Sun 15 January 2017 Newcastle Jets, Brisbane Roar McDonald Jones Stadium, 2.30pm Venue name change
‘Why can’t we?’: Matildas’ truth bomb
A core group of Matildas players that have been part of the national team for several years need to take responsibility for the side’s current form.
Matildas want coaching ‘surety’ from Football Australia
The Matildas have lost a third successive match in a ‘massive wake-up call’ ahead of next year’s AFC Women’s Asian Cup.