After Sydney/Perth’s Grand Final triumph in the Westfield W-League, the 2018/19 season is now officially over.
The thoughts of those among the Jets ranks will now turn to the Australian winter and the football to be played between now and the start of the 2019/20 season in October.
Some of the girls will stay local and star in the WPL, others will shoot down the freeway to Sydney and ply their trade in the NPL NSW Women’s competition, and a select few will head to the States.
This is where to catch your favourite W-League stars.
Local
Returning to the WPL for another season in the local league are five Jets players – Tara Andrews (New Lambton), Libby Copus-Brown (Wallsend), Gema Simon (South Wallsend), and Jenna Kingsley and Cassidy Davis (Warners Bay).
After leading the line and the goal tally in the competition last season, Tara Andrews will be hoping to have a similar impact after what was an interrupted season in the W-League.
🏅 #HeraldWPL Player of the Year 🏅
She was a threat with and without the ball and starred in every game she played. Your 2018 Player of the Year, is Tara Andrews from New Lambton Football Club!#TheJenningsMedal2018 pic.twitter.com/84LIeUhlVf— NNSWF (@NNSWF) October 19, 2018
Cassidy Davis also returns to Warners Bay, and along with Jenna Kingsley will have her eyes set on an elusive Grand Final win after defeat to Merewether in last year’s decider.
This year though, she won’t be directing traffic as coach, with X to step in and take some of that responsibility from Davis’ shoulders.
Gema Simon will also have her eye on some consistent football, after injury prevented her having the type of impact she would have desired in the WPL with South Wallsend last season.
The fullback will also have one eye on the World Cup – she featured in the Matildas last outing, at home against Chile.
National
The NPL NSW Women’s competition is a popular destination for those in Jets colours, with seven girls set to head to the Sydney competition.
Breakthrough seasons for Cortnee Vine and Teigan Collister, plus another fantastic knock from Clare Wheeler, means they’ll be three to watch as they ply their trade together at Sydney Uni.
Pana Petratos is likely to head to North West Sydney once more, while young guns Tessa Tamplin, Renee Pountney, and Paige Kingston-Hogg will all play for the Emerging Jets one again.
International
For the Club’s contingent heading overseas, there’s the small matter of a fast-approaching FIFA Women’s World Cup to consider.
It means that Emily van Egmond is amongst those who will be keen to impress this season, as she heads back to the States to appear for Orlando Pride once more.
The four-strong American crew have also returned to their homeland: Britt Eckerstrom (Portland Thorns), Katie Stengel (Utah Royals), Taylor Smith (Washington Spirit) and Arin Wright (Chicago Red Stars).
Injuries
After that horror leg-break against Adelaide United, Larissa Crummer is currently resting up in her native Queensland.
She’s signalled that she’s intending on returning to Newcastle and playing for the Jets once more, so could we see a bit of the Matilda around town on her road to recovery?
Hannah Brewer’s next few months are also unclear, with the defender potentially facing surgery for persistent and niggling toe and ankle injuries.
