Broadmeadow Magic open up Herald Women's Premeir League trials

During the week, Northern NSW Football announced the foundation WPL club's return to the women's top-flight competition in place of South Wallsend.

Director of football Jim Cresnar will head up the Magic's women's program and the club have appointed Jake Curley as WPL technical director and head coach.

Curley has a FFA/AFC B-Licence and joins Magic from coaching with the Central Coast Mariners Youth Academy. Trials for Magic's WPL program will be held next week and Cresnar told the Newcastle Herald they planned to field a strong squad.

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In the first three years of WPL, Magic were 2009 champions then 2010 and 2011 minor premiers.

Gabrielle Brodie, who has played the past two seasons with the Wolves, is a confirmed signing for Magic and was looking forward to "an exciting change".

The 27-year-old played in Brisbane's premier women's league before relocating to Newcastle and felt a lack of good facilities and grounds was holding back the NNSW competition. Magic Park is widely considered the premier facility for NNSW National Premier League.

"Players don't want to sound like they're making excuses, but it's having those small things like when you play on a proper field you can play quality football," Brodie said. "We all want to win but I think just having a good quality football match for both sides is always the best outcome."

Broadmeadow president Steven Foteff said "the timing was right" to bring the women back on board to be able to "run a full suite of premier league football".

Meanwhile, Merewether have announced Antonio Ambrogetti as their first-grade coach for next season. WPL coach of the year Cassandra Koppen stood down after leading United to their fourth grand final in five seasons at the helm. Ambrogetti coached Merewether in the first WPL season.

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