National Women’s League Set To Be Best Yet
Story by Jeremy Ruane

The Lion Foundation National Women’s Soccer League kicks off around the country this afternoon, with plenty at stake for all those participating in it, players and teams alike.

While the latter have the annual lure of winning the league as their carrot, the on-field performances of the numerous individuals involved in the competition will be just as crucial this time round, with a Women’s World Cup Finals year just around the corner.

In what is envisaged will be a decidedly busy year on the international front for New Zealand’s women’s soccer stars, qualifying for China 2007 is the prime focus on the agenda at present, so with this in mind, striving to be part of these plans is the prime objective for a number of New Zealand’s finest female footballers at present.

Nicky Smith is a prime example. The seventeen-times-capped international was treated decidedly poorly by the previous national coaching staff, and had all but given up on her chances of playing for her country again as a result.

But the appointment of Allan Jones as national coach has given the jack-in-the-box striker a new lease of life, and so keen is she to proudly sport the silver fern once more that she has returned home after a spell in Australia to play for Capital Soccer, with the specific objective of recapturing her place in the national squad.

With New Zealand not having played a senior international since a clash with Japan in May last year, incumbents and others all have a chance, over the course of the league, to force their way into Jones’ selection plans, so a highly competitive and intense campaign is expected to unfold over the course of the next two months.

Starting this afternoon, with competition favourites Capital Soccer entertaining the battle-hardened Soccersouth selection at Miramar’s Centennial Park. Player-coach Wendi Henderson has selected a very strong and capable Capital combination, Smith just one of a multitude of incumbent and potential internationals who will be keen to relieve title-holders Auckland of their crown.

The “A Team” are, similarly, strong in all departments, co-coaches Jill Gilmore and Jill Fromont having selected a squad boasting just three players who have yet to represent New Zealand at any level. Their quest to win a fourth National Women’s League crown in five years begins at Skoglund Park in Palmerston North.

There, they take on Central Soccer, last year’s beaten semi-finalists whose selection suggests they are entering something of a transitional phase under new coach Glenn Kastrinos.

That is also the case with Waikato-Bay of Plenty, whose blend of youth and experience hosts North Harbour at Hamilton’s Gower Park. Like their opponents, the league’s northernmost combination is a largely young combination, with defensive dynamo Rebecca Simpson and midfield maestro Anna Barlow the keys to the success of their campaign.

At Christchurch’s English Park, the only 1.30pm kick-off - all other games commence at 1pm - sees newly-named Mainland Pride take on the NZ Under-18 Development Squad, which is taking its first steps towards qualifying for the 2008 FIFA Under-20 Women’s World Cup Finals in Chile by participating in this competition.

With a number of the squad which helped New Zealand finish thirteenth at the 2006 Finals in Russia available to him, John Herdman will have a highly competitive squad on his hands, and they won’t make life easy for any team in this league, even though the emphasis is very much on development.

Mainland, meanwhile, will feature a healthy mix of youth and experience, and will be looking for a considerable improvement on their efforts in 2005, a campaign in which they finished well off the pace.

Expect Auckland and Capital to be there come play-offs time at the end of November, with the other spot set to be closely contested by Mainland, Central and North Harbour.

Lion Foundation National Women’s League squads: North Harbour: Anna Barlow, Ashleigh Cox, Michele Hogg, Lauren Mathis, Catherine Porteous, Rebecca Simpson, Harriet Steele, Staci O'Brien, Hayley Stirling, Alice Bresnahan, Lisa Kemp, Monique Genet, Alisse Robertson, Hannah George, Therese Saito, Rebecca Parkinson, Helen Nieuwelaar, Gabrielle Britton, Bridgette Armstrong, Sophie Stevenson.

Auckland: Jenny Bindon, Jenny Carlisle, Sarah Gibbs, Terry McCahill, Petria Rennie, Melissa Ray, Maia Jackman, Dana Humby, Zoe Thompson, Rebecca Tegg, Marlies Oostdam, Mel Gooch, Stephanie Puckrin, Kristy Hill, Rebecca Sowden, Betsy Hassett, Kirsty Yallop, Allysha Johnson. Emma Kete, Flora McLeod.

Waikato-Bay of Plenty: Cherie Newman, Dana Braunias, Vanessa Lambert, Sarah Mete, Kelly Aitken, Sarah McLaughlin, Katherine Robinson, Alex Shadbolt, Chelsey Wood, Lynda Hemming, Tanya Wakefield, Carla Johl, Kate Trebilcock, Kimberley Lewis, Erin Hall, Jackie Pretswell, Charlotte Wood, Victoria Brown, Kelly Stanton, Brogan Matheson.

Central Soccer: Monique Francois, Lizzie Hall, Elina Tito-Smyth, Rangi-Nuku Nikora, Tracey Whittington, Gail Hall, Sharne Schmidt, Kelly Stembridge, Rhiannon Jones, Melissa Walton, Tina Stevenson, Nikki Wenzlick, Jessica Dent, Lauren McKeown, Piamoana Penetito, Brooke Kenny, Rhonda Bridges, Chelsea Aim, Ella Wiebe, Sheena Kahl.

Capital Soccer: Aroon Clansey, Tess Murphy, Andrea Scott, Careena Oosterbaan, Rebecca O'Neill, Michele Clarke, Bria Sargent, Patrice Bourke, Wendi Henderson, Nicky Smith, Ashlee Delahunty, Julia Baldwin, Tonje Hinze, Toni West, Natasha Thorn-Williamson, Sarah Gregorious, Zarnia Cogle, Jacqui Goble, Terri-Amber Carlson, Liley Li Ran.

Mainland Soccer: Megan Andrew, Alana Gunn, Alex Hepburn, Mel Angow, Sally Chetwin, Jane Simpson, Clare Warner, Georgia Goulding, Alana Ainsworth, Natalie Johnston, Rebecca West, Aimee Phillips, Alice Pilgrim, Kelly Jarden, Ruth Bourke, Aleisha Bastings, Stef White, Kistina Murray, Maia Vink, Noran Abaza, Aimee O'Malley.

Soccersouth: Jessica Szajner, Kelly Brazier, Amanda Scott, Nancy Campbell, Johanna Rombouts, Kushla Glover, Kelly Robertson, Una Madden, Leanna Tiffen, Jamie Hackett, Mariah Meagher, Jennifer Kendall, Tessa Simpkins, Tessa Sievers, Sophie Ducker, Rebekah Brook, Kylie Rooney, Jennie Steele, Cheryl McDairmid, Susan Houge.

NZS U-18 Development: Bianca Mori, Helen Collins, Abby Erceg, Annalies Van Kampen, Samantha Selwyn, Katie Hoyle, Grace Vincent, Annalie Longo, Caitlin Campbell, Anna Green, Renee Leota, Elizabeth Milne, Ria Percival, Merissa Smith, Nicole Stratford, Leah Tagaloa, Holly Nixon, Poppy Binning, Rebecca Meyer.