At long last, the 2021 WNPL season is upon us. After a season of ups and downs that saw competition halted for months at a time, we’ve got another chance to have a crack at a full, 21-round fixture for the top women’s football league in South Australia. We’re just hours away from the first kick-off, so take a read through our ultimate guide to the 2021 WNPL season and catch up on all the ins and outs at your club that you might’ve missed.
Please note, information in this article is referred to the 2021 Football SA Media Guide, which is sourced from information sent directly from clubs.
ADELAIDE CITY
Last season: RUNNERS UP
The 2020 WNPL Grand Final will have been a tough pill for the Black and Whites to swallow. After a minor round that saw them win all but one match and net 75 goals in 14 fixtures (conceding just 14), they stumbled at the final hurdle to a brave Metro United outfit.
Boasting stars like Dylan Holmes, Chelsie Dawber, Daniela Di Bartolo and the Sasaki sisters, City were a hard side not to enjoy watching. One of the highlights of their season came a fortnight before their Grand Final disappointment when they defeated Salisbury Inter in the qualifying final thanks to a late Holmes hat-trick after trailing for over an hour.
However, the offseason has seen some of their key players depart the club. Both of their co-captains are no longer part of their squad, with Holmes signing for Swedish top division side BK Häcken. Yuka and Nanako Sasaki have also signed for Comets in what looks to be a major coup for last season’s wooden spooners.
It’s not all doom and gloom, though. City have taken advantage of their high-profile departures to add greater depth through their reserves, who also made it to the Grand Final after a string of impressive results in the finals series before falling just short. Sophie Leszczynski is the side’s only external recruit, joining from Olympia Warriors FC in Tasmania.
City will be very confident that their record of winning trophies is far from over, as they look to rebound from a disappointing Grand Final to come back even stronger in 2021.
Coach: Jamie Dunning
Captain: TBC
Squad: 1 Kendall Jenner, 4 Daniela Di Bartolo, 9 Caitlin White, 21 Mikayla Vidmar, 5 Alyce Macauley, 16 Isobel Dahlen-Flight, 15 Bianca Gray, 13 Sophie Leszczynski, 20 Abbey Lucas, 23 Natalie Frantzis, 17 Paige Herron, 18 Alanna Fitzsimmons, 19 Shae Blackwood, 14 Chrissie Zikos
Ins: Sophie Leszczynski (Olympia Warriors FC, Tasmania), Abbey Lucas (reserves), Natalie Franzi (reserves), Paige Herron (reserves), Alan Fitzsimmons (reserves), Shae Blackwood (reserves), Chrissie Zikos (reserves), Isobel Dahlen-Flight (reserves)
Outs: Alicia Nikolas (retired), Tiarn Powell (retired), Yuka Sasaki (Adelaide Comets, Nanako Sasaki (Adelaide Comets), Dylan Holmes (Overseas)
ADELAIDE COMETS
Last season: 8TH
2020 was an especially tough year for Comets, recording just one victory in 14 matches on their way to collecting the wooden spoon. Their one win served as one of few highlights in a long season, a 2-1 victory over NTC in Round 8 thanks to goals from their equal-top scorers in Georgia Nicola and Savannah Francis.
The 2020/21 offseason has been one of great change for Comets, signalling their intent to improve on their lowly finishes over the previous two campaigns. They’ve brought in talent from across the division, headlined by the arrival of midfield enforcers Yuka and Nanako Sasaki from minor premiers Adelaide City.
Comets have also prised talent away from fellow bottom-half side Adelaide University, with former captain Pirrie Weeks, Valeria Guajardo, Nora Peat, Elyse Moon and Nicole Robertson all donning blue and black this season. Esther Heywood-Smith (Salisbury Inter) and Kate Seaton (NTC) have also joined Comets for this season.
However, a number of key players have flown the coop for the 2021 season. Skipper Victoria Mansueto has departed for reigning premiers Metro United, while Georgie Nicola joined perennial contenders West Adelaide. Sarah Chappel, Emma Wiltshire and Vanya Todorovic have joined State League side West Torrens Birkalla.
With a host of high-profile signings, Comets have made a statement to the rest of the competition that they mean business this year. They’ll be backing themselves in to rise off the bottom and climb the table in 2021.
Coach: Diaz Obieglo
Captain: Valeria Guajardo
Squad: 1 Claudia Jenkins, 8 Christine Skrembos, 3 Chantelle Reed, 13 Elyse Moon, 4 Emily Gale, 10 Esther Heywood-Smith, 11 Georgia Oliver, 22 Nicole Robertson, 14 Pirrie Weeks, 7 Valeria Guajardo, 40 Yuka Sasaki, 33 Nanako Sasaki, 44 Hannah Jenkins, 27 Kate Seaton, 23 Jessica Mugford, 28 Kiara O'Sullivan.
Ins: Nanako Sasaki (Adelaide City FC), Yuka Sasaki (Adelaide City FC), Elyse Moon (Adelaide University SC), Valeria Guajardo (Adelaide University SC), Pirrie Weeks (Adelaide University SC), Nicole Robertson (Adelaide University SC), Esther Heywood- Smith (Salisbury Inter SC), Kate Seaton (Football SA NTC)
Outs: Victoria Manuseto (Metro United WFC), Sarah Chappel (West Torrens Birkalla), Emma Wiltshire (West Torrens Birkalla), Vanya Todorovic (West Torrens Birkalla), Rukshaan Du Plessis (not playing), Mariah Aplin (not playing), Georgie Nicola (West Adelaide SC), Elise Garlick (retired).
ADELAIDE UNIVERSITY
Last season: 7TH
After top-four finishes in three of the previous four seasons, Uni crashed to a seventh-place finish in 2020 with just two wins and two draws from their fixtures. Wins over Comets and Fulham United were just enough to keep them off the foot of the table.
It wasn’t all doom and gloom for Uni, though. Despite their poor form in the league, they enjoyed an impressive WNPLSA Cup run all the way to the final. They displayed fantastic composure to knock over Comets and Fulham on penalties, before ultimately putting up a brave fight in a losing cause against City in the final.
Uni have lost their captain from last season in Pirrie Weeks, who’s made the jump across to the SA Athletics Stadium to play for Comets, alongside Valeria Guajardo, Nora Peat, Elyse Moon and Nicole Robertson. Daphne McLeod has also departed the club, moving interstate for the 2021 season.
Fortunately for Uni, though, they’ve retained a number of key players entering the new season, with Best & Fairest winner Gemma MacFarlane, leading goalscorer Sophie Burke, rising star Sasha Coorey and Reserve Player of the Year winner Alysia Panagakos all set to don the black jersey this year.
With the new year bringing with it a sense of optimism that it could be kinder than the last, Uni will be hoping that their disappointing campaign will be just a blip and that they’ll return to their best in 2021 to challenge for a spot in the finals.
Coach: Kosta Jaric
Assistant Coach: Andrej Djakovic
Captain: Georgia Ianella
Squad: Grace Abbey, Evelyn Goldsmith, Gemma Macfarlane, Mabel Day, Elle Pirintzis, Sophie Burke, Georgia Ianella, Georgia Box, Alysia Panagakos, Sasha Coorey, Ellie Sparrow, Margerita Fitzharris, Kahlia Hogg, Aimee Benton, Briarna Hamersley, Olivia Hayes, Tanaye Morris, Hayley Needs.
Ins: Hayley Needs (NTC), Tanaye Morris (NTC), Olivia Hayes (Pembroke), Alana Lanuzza (Adelaide City).
Outs: Daphne Mcleod (Interstate), Georgina Toome (Fulham United FC), Pirrie Weeks (Adelaide Comets FC), Nora Peat (Adelaide Comets FC), Valeria Guajardo (Adelaide Comets FC), Natalie Hayman (Fulham United).
FOOTBALL SA NTC
Last season: 5TH
2020 looked like it was going to be another rough year for NTC, who had collected the wooden spoon in 2019, after winning just once in their opening nine matches. Fortunately, however, SA’s development squad for young talent experienced a timely uptick in form to finish the season strongly.
A shock victory over high-flyers Salisbury Inter proved to be one of the upsets of the season, with wins against Fulham and Uni and an exciting 2-2 draw against West Adelaide netting them 10 points in the final five rounds and rise from the foot of the ladder all the way up to fifth.
While they didn’t end up finishing too close to the top four in terms of points (Fourth-placed Metro United ended nine points clear), the division’s youngest and least-experienced side played some quality football and matched it with some of the best sides in South Australia.
As is the case with squads of their nature, NTC has experienced quite a heavy player turnover entering the 2021 season. Eight players have signed on with other WNPL sides, so it’s great to see that some of our brightest young talents will look to be getting their opportunity at the highest level in South Australia.
It remains to be seen how NTC will travel in the upcoming WNPL season, but one thing is for certain: the talents of the next generation of South Australian footballers will be on display in season 2021.
Coach: Michele Lastella
Captain: Zoe Tolland / Ella Tonkin
Squad: 1. Inana Toovey, 12. Libby Davy, 20. Aimee Benton, 25. Grace Wilson, 4. Zoe Tolland, 6. Ella Tonkin, 13. Lily Barber, 3. Michaela Belmonte, 5. Katie Bowler, 2. Abbey Burns, 24. Victoria Costanzo, 15. Lily DiCola, 7. Stella Dracopoulos, 19. Danielle Harmer, 23. Erin Kontoutsikos, 21. Camila Mardriz-Figueroa, 17. Abby Middleton, 11. Emilia Murray, 8. Nicola Scalzi, 14. Ella Smith, 10. Alana Ursino, 9. Anastasia Willoughby, 16. Madeleine Wright.
Ins: Lily Barber (Football SA U15), Erin Kontoutsikos (Football SA U15), Camila Madriz-Figuero (Football SA U15)
Outs: Khal Adam Khan (Salisbury Inter SC), Sarah Branford (retired - AFL), Gabriella DeMarco (Metro United WFC), Jonti Fisher (Queensland), Michaela Hadaj (Metro United WFC), Elisa Karas (retired), Tanaye Morris (Adelaide University SC), Hayley Needs (Adelaide University SC), Olivia Ravno (Metro United WFC), Nadia Sultani (West Adelaide SC), Mawa Sumaoro (West Adelaide SC), Angelique Vreugdenburg (Salisbury Inter SC)
FULHAM UNITED
Last season: 6TH
Fulham replicated their sixth-place finish from 2019 last year in what turned out to be another barren campaign for the women in black and white. Their run without finals football stretched into another year after a promising start that saw them win two of their first three matches against Uni and eventual champions Metro.
However, it took a downward turn after that. Fulham only won two of their last 11 games and, save for an entertaining 5-4 loss to Inter in Round 5, struggled to hit the back of the net, going five matches without scoring from Round 9 to Round 13.
One of the few bright spots in a tough year for Fulham was Adelaide United forward Fiona Worts, who joined from the UK and scored 10 of the club’s 16 goals for the season.
In preparation for the coming season, Fulham have made a pair of signings from Loughborough Foxes in the UK in Olivia Bramley and Siobhan Eastham, who will shore up their defence. They’ve also brought in Natalie Hayman, Mia Lundquist and Georgina Toomey from Uni for this campaign.
Fulham will be hoping that, with some of their off-season acquisitions, they can continue their gradual rise up the table and mix it with some of the top teams in the league in 2021.
Coach: Ayoub Hassine
Captain: Natasha Vella & Josephine Trimboli
Squad: #1 Natalie Hayman, #2 Sarah Hunt, #3 Susan Roberts, #4 Natasha Vella, #6 Josephine Trimboli, #7 Katherine Ebbs, #8 Olivia Bramley, #9 Zoe Turner-Davey, #10 Amielia Ebbs, #11 Charlotte Waters, #12 Chloe Mortimer, #14 Laura Hiejalke, #15 Hannah Doyle, #16 Caitlin Le Roux, #17 Mia McGranaghan, #18 Jessica Nagel, #19 Siobhan Eastham, #20 Georgina Toomey, #22 Mia Lundquist,
Ins: Natalie Hayman (Adelaide University), Mia Lundquist (Adelaide University), Olivia Bramley (Loughborough Foxes, UK), Siobhan Eastham (Loughborough Foxes, UK), Georgina Toomey (Adelaide University)
Outs: Information not provided by the club
METRO UNITED WFC
Last season: CHAMPIONS
What was initially looking like a campaign that could fizzle out at the first hurdle of the finals ended in one of the most remarkable upsets in recent memory for Metro, who claimed the WNPL title in stunning fashion with a shock 2-1 win over Adelaide City.
Laura Stockdale and Eleanor Bills ended the night as heroes with their names on the scoresheet, with star defender and player of the match Ebony Kyriacou and goalkeeper Melanie Comyns also etching their names into the club’s history alongside the rest of the triumphant Metro squad.
To put into context the enormity of their achievement, Metro hadn’t won a match against any of the other three top four sides since Round 1 and finished 14 points behind City, scoring only 19 goals. That preceded beating each of them en route to the league title to cap off an incredible and bizarre 2020 season.
In terms of personnel changes, Metro have lost the retired Donna Cockayne, who scored the winner in extra-time against Inter that sent them through to the Grand Final. Aside from Cockayne, though, Metro have largely kept their title-winning squad intact whilst adding former Comets skipper Victoria Mansueto, Matilda Comley (Fulham) and Gabriella DeMarco (NTC).
2020 will no doubt be a tough act to follow for Metro, but they’ll be as confident as ever that they’ll wear the badge of champions with pride and challenge for the title once again.
Coach: Tony Scalzi
Assistant Coach: Brenton Ellul
Captain: Vanessa Reed
Squad: 13. Vanessa Reed, 12. Shelly Draper, 14. Annie Green, 8. Chrissy Panagaris, 10. Ellie Bills, 3. Emma Cotgrove, 24. Gabriella De Marco, 4. Talia Bilardo, 11. Lauren Steer, 18. Isabella Scalzi, 23. Kristy Moore, 6. Laura Stockdale, 19. Tessa Calabria, 1. Melanie Comyns, 16. Matilda Comley, 17. Victoria Mansueto
Ins: Victoria Mansueto (Adelaide Comets FC), Matilda Comley (Fulham United FC), Gabriella DeMarco (Football SA NTC)
Outs: Donna Cockayne (retired), Stella Rigon (retired)
SALISBURY INTER
Last season: 3RD
Inter were one of the most dominant sides in the league last season, playing free-flowing, attacking football throughout and finishing in second with ten wins from their 14 matches. Crushingly, though, Inter exited the finals in straight sets after conceding three late goals against City in the Qualifying final and coming undone in extra time against Metro in the Preliminary Final.
Despite falling short of a Grand Final berth, 2020 represented a further step in the right direction for Inter, who reached a second preliminary final in as many years after several years occupying the bottom half of the ladder following their promotion.
There’s no reason to doubt their ability to take that final step this season, either, with Adelaide United legend Racheal Quigley the only major out from their squad from last year. Inter are set to be dazzled by the talents of reigning Shirley Brown Medallist Maria Jose “Cote” Rojas, with skipper and Team of the Year defender Chantelle Ryder continuing to marshal the troops.
Inter have added talent to their side in the form of Gaby Bentley, who’s returned to her home city from Old Dominion University in the USA. Khal Adam Khan (NTC), Anna Pritchard and Dragana Kljajic (both West Adelaide) have also signed on for Inter and bolster their already strong squad.
The girls at Underdown Park will no doubt be champing at the bit to kick off season 2021 in the hopes of building on their development over the past few years and will have their eyes fairly and squarely on winning South Australian football’s top prize.
Coach: Simon Catanzaro
Captain: Chantelle Ryder
Squad: Chantelle Ryder 12, Sian McLaren 1, Nicole Calder 6, Mina Nishitani 24, Sharni Tansell 15, Chrissa Pavlomanolakos 10, Anna Pritchard 23, Erin Hood 20, Gaby Bentley 4, Khal Adam Khan 2, Meleri Mullan7, Cote Rojas 19, Emily Heazelwood 14, Zafiro Papanikitas 76, Isabella Kouimtzis 5, Dragana Kljajic 16, Emily Condon 8, Angelique Vreugdenburg 99, Maria Cote Rojas.
Ins: Gaby Bentley (Old Dominion University, Norfolk, Virginia, USA), Anna Pritchard (West Adelaide), Dragana Kljajic (West Adelaide), Khal Adam Khan (NTC)
Outs: Racheal Quigley (FC Bulleen Lions, Vic), Sian Maclaren (Sydney)
WEST ADELAIDE
Last season: 4TH
2019’s runners up failed to reach the heights of their previous season, crashing out of the finals in the first week to eventual premiers Metro. After keeping pace with City for much of the season in second place, one point from their final two matches saw them surrender the double chance and fall to third place on the ladder.
Encouragingly for West, they were able to maintain a strong defensive record, conceding just 17 goals over the course of the season while scoring 39 of their own. That can be put down in large part to reigning Goalkeeper of the Year Sarah Willacy and Team of the Year defender Emily Hodgson, who were both highly impressive throughout the season.
Fortunately, the squad that made West an imposing prospect for opposition teams last season will more or less go again in 2021, with only Dragana Kljajic and Anna Pritchard switching to the black and blue this year.
West have also been able to top up their squad with young talent from NTC in the form of Mawa Sumaoro, while Georgia Nicola joins the ranks fresh off of topping Comets’ goalscoring charts in 2020.
With a new season comes renewed hope and confidence, so West will be keen to bounce back from their disappointing dip in the back half of last season and contend for the minor premiership once again this year.
Coaches: Tracey Jenkins
Assistant Coaches: Alice Gorman, Alex Macdonald, Dave Lewis
Captain: Lucy Adamopoulos
Squad: 11. Laura Johns, 20. Erin Murphy, 4. Abby Touchette, 3. Alison Atkins, 5. Christie Hillyer, 6. Elena Psaroulis, 2. Emily Hodgson, 8. Georgia Macri, 7. Lara Kirkby, 12. Nicole Tilley, 27. Lucy Adamopoulos, Zoe Haralampopoulos, Nicola Georgie, Mawa Sumaoro, 13. Maddie Du Rieu, Georgia Bailey, Jasmine Styles, Siena Covino, Harriet Burnett, Sarah Willacy, Izabel Czechowicz.
Ins: Mawa Sumaoro (Football SA NTC), Zoe Haralampopoulos, Georgie Nicola (Adelaide Comets FC)
Outs: Dragana Kijajic (Salisbury Inter SC), Anna Pritchard (Salisbury Inter SC)