The players to watch in the Women’s NPL Victoria competition this season

It is going to be a cracking Women’s NPL Victoria season with some of the attributes and accolades of the players. Here’s the ones to watch in 2023.

The Women’s NPL Victoria season is just hours away from kicking off.

Can defending champions Calder United win three in a row or will another team take the elusive honour this season.

Bulleen has been in the last three grand finals but the Lions have devastatingly fallen short on all three occasions.

Can they finally claim the championship in 2023. Time will tell.

It will no doubt be another exciting campaign with plenty of talent on show.

Here’s a list of the players to watch ahead of the Women’s NPL Victoria 2023 season.

Star forward Nicole Blackett has joined Heidelberg United this season. Picture: Supplied.

Nicole Blackett (Heidelberg United)

The Heidelberg United new recruit arrives from West Adelaide Hellas in South Australia where she captained the club to a treble winning season. Blackett made a name for herself as one of the best attackers in Adelaide. She has previously attended Junior Matilda’s camps, been involved with Adelaide United and has been awarded NPLW South Australia’s Player of the Year award.

Molly Burke (Alamein)

The defensive midfielder is set to excite this season at Alamein after spending the past few seasons with Casey Comets. Burke has represented the Australian school girls under-19 side before and will be a key this season at Alamein. The former NTC program member is a strong leader who has great vision and distribution of the ball. Burke also played in the Football Victoria representative squad.

Alamein new recruit Molly Burke. Picture: Supplied.

Mel Camilleri (Preston Lions)

Camilleri has come out of retirement and will put the boots back on this season. The forward brings a wealth of experience and a history of goal scoring to the Preston Lions. She is a strong target centre forward who brings other players into the game and creates goal scoring opportunities.

Kylo Charambolous (Heidelberg United)

Charambolous joined Heidelberg from a championship winning season in NSW with Macarthur Rams. Notably, she has been a key player in the A-League with multiple seasons at Perth Glory and Canberra United.

Kylo Charambolous is a player to watch at Heidelberg United this season. Picture: Supplied

Isobel Coppel (Southern United)

Coppel comes to Southern United FC from the UK after successful campaigns with the Northern Ireland under-19 international squad, Edinburgh University Club and Leicester City. She is a versatile player who impacts the game in any position. She has seamlessly transitioned from the midfield to defence for the 2023 season.

Versatile footballer Isobel Coppel. Picture: Supplied

Olivia Edwards (Preston Lions)

Edwards is technically fantastic on both feet and brings an attacking threat from deep to the Preston Lions. Before joining Preston Lions in 2021, Edwards was at the Bulleen Lions.

Ava Groba (Calder United)

The forward has an amazing turn of speed and can break lines like no other. It has caught the attention of Western United where she is now a train on player. Groba also has the ability to score and be a huge focal point in the front third for Calder. She is a product of the Calder development pathways and a proud player through and through.

Larni Guidice (Preston Lions)

Within the first three months of signing at Preston, Guidice was promoted to the senior playing group. The centre back has fantastic composure and distribution of the ball.

Keiwa Heida (Calder United)

The centre midfielder has spent many years in the Japanese uni system and arrives at United after spending last year at Preston Lions. She has unbelievable composure and is so calm on the ball. Heida dominated the NPLW last season and now looks to set the competition a light.

Georgia Henderson (Preston Lions)

Preston Lions picked up the South Australian to add a new dimension to their midfield. Henderson brings strength, grit and determination to win the ball.

Sarah Johnston from Southern United is a player to look out for. Picture: Supplied.

Sarah Johnston (Southern United)

A strong, dynamic midfielder who brings a wealth of experience to Southern United. Most recently, Johnston played for the Illawarra Stingrays in the NPL NSW competition and for Canberra Olympic in NPL Canberra.

Dragana Kljajic (South Melbourne)

The attacking midfielder from Motherwell and Salisbury Inter will be one to watch in the South Melbourne side this season. after an instrumental role in a treble winning season.

Attacking midfielder Dragana Kljajic is a player to watch for South Melbourne this season. Picture: SMFC media

Ashleigh Lefevre (Alamein)

The winger has good acceleration, dribbling skills and an ability to beat a player. Lefevre played for Alamein seniors as a 16-year-old before moving to America on a full scholarship at D1 College Illinois. She returned to Alamein last year. Worth mentioning, Lefevre was in the Young Matildas team in 2016 and 2017.

Former Young Matildas footballer Ashleigh Lefevre is a player to watch for Alamein. Picture: Supplied.

Kiera Meyers (Southern United)

Meyers has enjoyed great success over the last few years in Southern United’s junior NPL squads. She has gone from strength to strength in the midfield and as a forward. Meyers has been training with A-Leagues’ Melbourne City squad throughout the season and recently signed as a replacement player. The youngster has been called into the Junior Matilda’s extended training squad and is working hard to earn a place in the team that will take to the field in the AFC U17 Women’s Asian Cup (2024) qualifiers campaign.

Kiera Meyers is on the rise at Southern United. Picture: Supplied

Alexis Mitchel (Calder United)

The American international spent many years in the college system until transferring to Australia to commence a professional career. She is a hard wiring midfielder that can create and score. She is a great link up midfielder that will cause problems for opponents.

Miri Nishimura (Preston Lions)

Nishimura has been with the club since 2019 and has brought her wonderful technique to improve our squad. She has good passing skills and vision, and is unbelievably technically gifted. She has the ability to create and score goals.

Former A-League player Alyssa Rose is a player to watch this season. Picture: Supplied

Alyssa Rose (Heidelberg United)

Rose makes the switch to Melbourne from NSW’s powerhouse Blacktown Spartan where she played a key part in their successful midfield. Rose made her A-League debut with Western Sydney Wanderers and was involved with the Junior Matildas, earning a call up to a Senior Matildas camp in 2017.

Akeisha Sandhu (South Melbourne)

The South Melbourne co-captain will be a player to look out for this season in her wingback position. She was the captain of South last year as well and is also training with Western United.

Wingback, Akeisha Sandhu, will be firing for South this season. Picture: SMFC media

Yuka Sato (Southern United)

Sato is an exciting midfielder who has speed and agility that will lift the pace of the game. She has played high levels of football in Japan since 2013, most recently for Ehime FC Ladies in the Nadeshiko League.

Yuka Sato in action for Southern United. Picture: Supplied

Rachel Stirton (Preston Lions)

With pace and an eye for goal, Stirton is one player to look out for at B.T. Connors Reserve. She has spent time at Bayside United in the past. She will bring raw power and passion to win at the Lions.

Danielle Wise will be a player to look out for in front of goal for South this season. Picture: SMFC media.

Danielle Wise (South Melbourne)

The striker won the golden boot last year for Heidelberg United. Wise has jumped across to Lakeside Stadium this season and been appointed the 2023 South Melbourne co-captain. She also has previously represented Gold Coast United.