Meet the Gladiators team aiming for the 2020 title
‘We don’t just want to go one better this year, we want to make it to the grand final and win it’
Gympie
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FOOTBALL: The Gympie United Gladiators women’s premier side players have their eyes on the prize – a grand final victory at the end of the season.
Coach Adam Cross took the girls in their inaugural year to the preliminary finals but rather than go one better, Crossy is confident his team can win.
“We finished third for the year, our re-entry into the Sunny Coast comp was beyond expectations,” he said.
“We want to go all the way. We don’t just want to go one better this year, we want to make it to the grand final and win it.”
Losing a few players has not been easy but recruiting a gun former Adelaide United FC player and ex-Gympie girl Jayah Brown is the kind of X-factor the Gladiators need.
“We have gained some players and the knowledge our current players gained from last year, we are definitely in a better position,” Cross said.
“We have a few young girls coming through but the major signing was Jayah who trained with the Matildas and trained with the Sunshine Coast Wanderers.
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“It is a good buzz for the girls, to have a player of that calibre come in is a buzz all around. To have her working in conjunction with our captain Sammie Sutton and Tiahni Webber in the middle. The three of them will create havoc against other teams.”
With plenty of girls contenting for the top 11 spot, it is the best problem a coach can have.
“When a few players pick themselves it is great, but when you have nine girls vying for five spots it is a headache. But it is a headache any coach would prefer,” he said.
“It is good because then the depth carries over to the players which may not play this week, strengthen the reserve grade spot.
“You want players to know that every training session counts because if they don’t perform, they don’t get picked because someone else is knocking on the door. It keeps them on their toes.”
Gladiators’ first game is Friday, March 13, against Caloundra FC at Caloundra Field 1 at 8.30pm.
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