‘Silencing the knockers’: Melbourne City stars reveal motivation behind W-League three-peat

MELBOURNE City’s victorious W-League stars said one of the burning motivations to win a third-straight title was to silence the knockers that wanted to see them finally fall.

Melbourne City coach Patrick Kisnorbo with his team.

MELBOURNE City’s victorious W-League stars said one of the burning motivations to win a third-straight title was to silence the knockers that wanted to see them finally fall.

City became the first side to win three W-League championships with a 2-0 grand final win over Sydney FC at Allianz Stadium.

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Five players - Steph Catley, Jess Fishlock, Aivi Luik, Rebekah Stott and Amy Jackson - played in all three grand finals.

Yeeees! Jessica Fishlock scores. Picture: Getty

Fishlock celebrates after chipping the Sydney FC keeper.

Jessica Fishlock reacts and celebrates after winning the title. Picture: AAP

City players celebrate. Picture: Getty

Princess Ibini-Isei of Sydney competes for the ball against Lauren Barnes. Picture: AAP

Alanna Kennedy of Melbourne chases Lisa De Vanna of Sydney. Picture: AAP

Princess Ibini-Isei rises for the ball. Picture: AAP

And Fishlock said this win was extra sweet.

“There were so many people out there who want us to fail, don’t want us to succeed and can’t wait for that moment,” Fishlock said.

“The best way to silence those people is by winning.”

Stott agreed.

“We see the things said on social media,” Stott said. “It just eggs us on more to win.”

Captain Catley said the feeling was that opposition teams treated games against City like grand finals.

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“It’s a compliment because you know people want to beat you, but it’s tough to back up and back up when you’re the hunted,” Catley said.

“But in the big games and the big situations we had the experience and the depth to do this again.”

City never fell out of the top four this season, but did not secure their finals position until their final round win over Newcastle.

The team didn’t concede a goal in its last three games.

Coach Patrick Kisnorbo said the win “means a lot” to him.

“When we set out we had a lot of people doubting us,” Kisnorbo said.

“We knew it would be a tough this year, with the competition growing and the standard getting higher.

“But it just shows with the belief we have among the group and a special bond that no one could break, what we have at this club is very special.

“It’d be very hard to find another group like this ever again.”

Leena Khamis of Sydney clashes with Alanna Kennedy of Melbourne City. Picture: Getty

Emily Sonnett of Sydney and Jodie Taylor of Melbourne City rise into the air. Picture: Getty

Rebekah Stott leaps over Princess Ibini-Isei. Picture: Getty

Melbourne City coach Patrick Kisnorbo with his team.

For winger Kyah Simon it was bitter sweet as a right hamstring injury sent her off in the second half, putting her Algarve Cup campaign with the Matildas at risk.

Striker Jodie Taylor has FA Cups in England and a Cup in Sweden to her name, but this was the first professional league championship she’d won.

“I’ve come over to the league a few times, but never actually won it. So it’s certainly up there in terms of my career,” Taylor said.

“To score and to actually win, it’s special.”

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IT was three in a row for Melbourne City.

And it was two in a row for Jess Fishlock.

That is, two player of the grand final awards in a row, with the Welsh wizard yet again reminding everyone of why she is regarded as one of the world’s best players.

But it may be the last we see of her on Australian soil for some time, with the 31-year-old revealing post match she may not be returning to help City strive for a fourth-straight title.

“I’m tired,” Fishlock said.

(L-R) Jessica Fishlock, Rebekah Stott and Lauren Barnes with the trophy.

“I’ve played in this league for four years and won four titles.

“I think next year I’m probably going to take a holiday, go home, see my family and rest a little bit.

“But that’s not for certain, I haven’t made any decisions yet, but I’m not getting any younger and I have to look after myself a little bit.”

Fishlock’s 35th minute opener was mired in a little bit of controversy, with Sydney coach Ante Juric claiming his goalkeeper Aubrey Bledsoe was fouled in the build-up, causing the American to be off her line.

But there was no denying the class of Fishlock’s finish, after she dispossessed Georgia Yeoman-Dale before almost instantaneously sending the ball back over Bledsoe’s head from about 25m.

“I’m not going to lie, it felt great, scoring a goal,” she said.

“But the goal comes from our preparation. We know that they break from the goalkeeper on the counter attack and we had to set up to stop that. And that’s what the goal came from.”

Originally published as ‘Silencing the knockers’: Melbourne City stars reveal motivation behind W-League three-peat