Melbourne Victory defender Laura Alleway says W-League getting the recognition it deserves

MELBOURNE Victory defender Laura Alleway says the W-League should be proud it has survived and thrived a decade, and is amazed at how far the women’s competition has come.

Megan Rapinoe is a star of the US women’s national team but had a stint with Sydney FC in the W-League.

WHILE Melbourne Victory’s women’s team will celebrate its 10th birthday against Adelaide United at Lakeside Stadium on Saturday, star defender Laura Alleway has said the entire league can be proud it has survived and thrived a decade.

The Matildas veteran was at Victory for its first two seasons and, after time at Brisbane and Melbourne City, is back in navy blue.

STONEWALL: CITY BOSS STAYS SILENT ON CAHILL

EXIT: PHOENIX LOSE FINKLER AFTER COACH FALL OUT

And she said the differences between her debut seasons at Victory and this campaign were stark, both for her club and the W-League as a whole.

“It’s chalk and cheese from year 1 to year 10, let me tell you,” Alleway, 28, said.

“We’ve gone from basically having purely domestic players to now having big names from other leagues and other countries coming in.

“As a whole that has strengthened the league, but I think also raised the bar for Australian players.

“You look at names like Jess Fishlock, she’s one of the best players in the world, you’d never even dreamt of that happening at the start of the league, with Australia being so far away.

Victory defender Laura Alleway says the W-League has gone from strength to strength. Picture: AAP

“A few years ago Megan Rapinoe was playing and she’s a massive name for the American national team and they’re the world No.1, so if we can ­attract players like that people are only going to keep coming.

“Nowadays the W-League has got such a good name for itself, it’s quite a prestigious league.

“It might not be the best league in the world, but I think it’s getting there.

“When players get here they are usually pleasantly surprised by the standard, and usually once people have come here once they like to come back — I don’t think any player would do that if they thought it was a waste of time.”

While Alleway has come, gone and come back again, fellow defender Gulcan Koca has been a feature in Victory colours since the second season.

Not only is Koca in her ninth season as a player, she is also in her third year as a community soccer co-ordinator, organising halftime activations during A-League games and running clinics at schools and local clubs.

“While I was just a player I was obviously passionate, but when I got involved in the back of house work in the background, that passion just went to another level,” she said.

“You realise there are so many people putting in that eff­ort for the teams and to make things work for the club.

“And also being involved with things at a community level, seeing the kids and introducing them to Melbourne Victory, it’s just a completely different perspective.”

Gulcan Koca is in her ninth season of the W-League. Picture: AAP

Victory won the 2013-14 W-League championship and has been runner-up once.

Alleway is hellbent on adding to that trophy cabinet, and hopes a former teammate who she considers to be Victory’s all-time best player returns to help out one day.

“I’d have to go with Steph Catley as Victory’s best ever,” she said.

“I think that was a massive loss for the club. She’s a massive player for the national team and is still only so young.

“She’s got such a wise head on her, she captained Victory at a young age, won a championship here, so you’d be silly not to pick her.

“It’d be amazing to have her back one day.”