The 24 players who have surprised in the A-League’s Women’s opening rounds
It has been a crazy opening eight rounds for the ALW - the reigning champions sit on the bottom of the table but these are the 24 surprise packages so far this season.
Football
Don't miss out on the headlines from Football. Followed categories will be added to My News.
It has been a crazy eight rounds filled with plenty of shocks – the reigning A-League Women’s champions are on the bottom of the table – but the biggest surprise has been the number of rising stars.
Take Laini Freier, the twin sister of Sharn. She is the only player to score back-to-back hat-tricks in the league’s history and she did it in her only two starts this season.
Melbourne City’s Lourdes Bosch has become a huge crowd favourite and returning Adelaide United striker Fiona Worts is seemingly unstoppable.
Here are the biggest surprise players of the 2024-25 ALW season.
LAINI FREIER (Brisbane Roar)
Plucked from the NPL to play alongside twin sister Sharn at Brisbane Roar, no one expected Laini to outshine her sister so quickly. Laini had a delayed start to the season after injuring her ankle in the NPL grand final.
However, the 23-year-old, who was mostly unknown when the season kicked off, has done what no one else had – not even the great Sam Kerr – by scoring hat-tricks in two consecutive games. The statistic becomes more impressive when you add in that they happened in her first two starts in the ALW. Laini is now equal first in the Golden Boot race.
MOMO HAYASHI (Brisbane Roar)
Japanese midfielder Momo Hayashi has been a huge surprise package. The 29-year-old was signed after playing six seasons with Gold Coast United in the NPL, where she scored 20 goals. After being named Gold Coast United’s player of the year and in Football Queensland’s team of the season, Alex Smith found the goal-scoring machine too hard to ignore. Hayashi has seamlessly linked up with Tameka Yallop in the midfield to bag four goals and two assists.
LOURDES BOSCH (Melbourne City)
Melbourne City picked up the attacker from the US when she was overlooked for a NWSL contract following a sensational college career. The 23-year-old has quickly become a fan favourite. She has three goals and two assists but what stands out is her ability with the ball at her feet. She is agile, quick and a nightmare for any defender.
MARIANA SPECKMAIER (Melbourne City)
Coming into a powerhouse club such as Melbourne City is never easy but Speckmaier has slotted straight in. The Venezuelan national played in the NWSL before a stint with Wellington Phoenix. She has been a key player for City with four goals.
FIONA WORTS (Adelaide United)
Returning to Adelaide United has been a very wise move for Worts, who has now scored six goals in eight games. After an injury-hampered season at Sydney FC, she almost gave up on playing in the ALW. She returned home to the UK but felt she had unfinished business with Adelaide United. Her form could well be the key ingredient to the side playing in the finals.
MATILDA McNAMARA (Adelaide United)
McNamara has been a key part of Adelaide United’s impressive defence. She returned to the club after a stint in the Danish league and has some of the best defensive statistics in the league. McNamara has the highest clearance rate of any other Reds defender and has won 76.5 per cent of her 34 duels in the first eight rounds.
SHAMIRAN KHAMIS (Western Sydney Wanderers)
The goalkeeper is no rookie or stranger to the ALW after making her debut in 2014. However, she has found a new level this season and been the league’s top-ranked keeper. She has the highest save percentage from the highest number of shots on target. If it weren’t for Khamis, WSW would be much worse off.
A HAT-TRICK IN JUST 17 MINUTES 🤯
— Ninja A-League (@aleaguewomen) December 14, 2024
This was the moment 18-year-old Sienna Saveska scored her third goal and it was an absolute beauty 🔥
📺 Watch #WSWvWUN live and exclusive NOW on Paramount+ pic.twitter.com/QEgL0lFObv
SIENNA SAVESKA (Western Sydney Wanderers)
After switching to Sydney FC, the Wollongong teen is back in the red and black and finally getting a chance to show what she can do. Saveska, 18, has scored four goals this season, including an impressive hat-trick in 17 minutes.
TIJAN McKENNA (Perth Glory)
The 20-year-old has cemented herself as a regular starter for Glory while playing a new role in the midfield. McKenna played for her home club as a teen before moving to Melbourne City, where she was part of the grand final squad. She has been versatile and is putting to good use all the skills she learned from former City coach Dario Vidosic.
GRACE JOHNSTON (Perth Glory)
A serious ankle injury at the tail end of last season seems long forgotten by the 19-year-old midfielder/defender. Johnston has been in top form for the Glory and picked up right where she left off before her injury. Her efforts have earned call-ups to the Young Matildas. With one assist already, she has more to deliver.
INDIANA DOS SANTOS (Sydney FC)
The striker is only 17 but has won two ALW titles and isn’t showing any signs of slowing down. Dos Santos, who has become a regular starter for Sydney FC, has a goal and an assist this season.
MADDIE CASPERS (Sydney FC)
The 17-year-old is no longer a rookie or bench warmer but a regular starter. The Young Matilda has not scored but hasn’t been afraid to take a shot when presented with a chance. She has the talent to be lethal near the goal.
NATASHA PRIOR (Newcastle Jets)
What year it has been for Tash Prior. Six years ago she had retired from the game after sustaining her sixth concussion while playing football. She made a steady return – having a standout season with Newcastle Jets last season and her form has continued into this year. Her on field efforts earned a call up to the Matildas for their November/December window. She scored a goal on debut in the Matildas 3-1 win over Chinese Taipei. This season has been a bit of a rollercoaster for the Jets but Prior has remained a constant force on the field.
SHERIDAN GALLAGHER (Newcastle Jets)
From NRLW to ALW – Sheridan Gallagher made the transition look easy. Gallagher has incredible ability with the ball at her feet and can also get herself into goal scoring positions – if she can tidy up her composure in front of the net Gallagher could go a long way to helping Jets into the race for finals.
SASHA GROVE (Western United)
Sasha Grove made the bold move from Canberra to Western United in the off season and she hasn’t missed a beat since she hit the pitch. Grove, 20, has started all eight games and rarely misses a tackle in the backline – her tackle success rate is 93.8 per cent.
KAHLI JOHNSON (Western United)
On average Kahli Johnson has scored a goal every 178 minutes for Western United this season – a total of four goals. The 20-year-old striker has made 22 shots at goal with 11 on target – a very decent strike rate. It is her third season with the club – she has already scored more goals this season than in previous years.
COURTNEY NEWBON (Melbourne Victory)
With Lydia Williams out injured Courtney Newbon has taken on the starting role between the sticks for Victory. Victory have conceded the least number of goals out of any other ALW’s club and Newbon has played a big part in that.
AVA BRIEDIS (Melbourne Victory)
She hasn’t started in every match, in fact called into just five games so far this season, but the 18-year-old midfielder has used her limited minutes to prove she has plenty of potential. In her limited field appearances Briedis already has a goal and an assist.
PETA TRIMIS (Central Coast Mariners)
The 18-year-old attacker might not have her name on the scoresheet but she will by the season’s end – more than once. Trimis’ agility makes her a nightmare for defenders – she has had five shots at goal and all five were on target. She isn’t afraid to work hard in defence either.
JESSIKA NASH (Central Coast Mariners)
The 19-year-old is a key part of Emily Husband’s Central Coast Mariner’s squad. She has great attention to detail and doesn’t get flustered in high pressure situations. Nash was called into the Matildas squad for the November/December window making two appearances.
MARY STANIC-FLOODY (Canberra United)
It can be hard to stand out in a team that includes Matildas striker Michelle Heyman but 19-year-old Mary Stanic-Floody is bucking the trend. The 19-year-old has played in all eight games and has passing rate of 71.6 per cent. The midfielder has taken six shots on goal with four on target and two hitting the back of the net.
MAJA MARKOVSKI (Canberra United)
Back in the league after a year off Maja Markovski has proven lethal. Of her 10 shots on goal eight have been on target making her one of the most accurate in the league – three have hit the net. She also has a 70 per cent passing accuracy and wins more than 60 per cent of her tackles.
ALYSSA WHINHAM (Wellington Phoenix)
Alyssa Whinham was a bench player for the Phoenix last season until injuries opened a door for her and the midfielder made sure to make the most of the opportunity. It landed her a starting role in this season’s squad. The box to box midfielder loves to be involved in every play. The 21-year-old has had 10 shots at goal, six on target but it yet to get her name on the scoresheet.
ZOE McMEEKEN (Wellington Phoenix)
An athletic defender known for her daring runs down the wings – Zoe McMeeken is asserting herself as a key part of the Phoenix squad – even scoring her first ALW goal this season. The 20-year-old has an 85.7 per cent tackle success rate. She has made eight shots on goal with four on target.
More Coverage
Originally published as The 24 players who have surprised in the A-League’s Women’s opening rounds
Ange cracks over historic embarrassment
A brutal, viral fan video said it all as Ange Postecoglou’s team blundered its way to something only seen four times in history.
The Tackle: There’s a selection headache coming at Sydney FC
A hat-trick from a Sydney FC young gun might not be enough for a starting berth and the one club you must watch. Socceroos great ROBBIE SLATER and MARCO MONTEVERDE talk all the big issues in The Tackle.