As we count down until the start of the 13th instalment of the Herald Women's Premier League, we are bringing our readers an in-depth look into how the eight teams are shaping up.
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Next on the list is Broadmeadow Magic.
In their first season of WPL last year, Magic finished second on the points table but lost their semi-final 2-1 to premiers and eventual champions Newcastle Olympic then the preliminary final 5-4 to Warners Bay. Depth was an issue and they really didn't have an out-and-out striker.
The Newcastle Herald (NH) went one-on-one with coach Jake Curley (JC) and experienced players Kobie Ferguson (KF) and Kalista Hunter (KH) recently and this is what they had to say about the season ahead.
The coach
NH: What was the focus for improving your squad from last season?
JC: Last year we essentially had 11 first-grade players and didn't really have depth after that. But, this year we've probably got 15 or 16 first graders. Our reserve grade is really strong as well.
NH: What changes have there been to the squad?
JC: Gemma Harrison is really the only loss. She's not playing this year. We've picked up (midfielder) Nadja Squires and (defender) Kirstyn Antoni from seasons off, (striker) Ashlee Brodigan who was playing for North West Sydney Koalas, (goalkeeper) Alison Logue, Lucy Kell, who is a striker and played for the Young Matildas and was part of the Emerging Jets program. She is coming back from injury. We've also picked up (midfielder) Bella Carlisle from the Emerging Jets - she's a 10 or a centre-midfielder - and (midfielder) Anita Handono, who has only been with us for a couple of weeks but she's fantastic. I think we've strengthened in the right areas.
NH: What do the new players bring?
JC: Having Kirstyn as a centre-back to play next to Kalista (Hunter) is going to be really good. She's a very talented player. She probably could've gone further if she pursued it a bit more. Alison benefits us a lot. She just has a presence. A couple of weeks ago, we had Jess Schultz but she fractured her knee and tibia playing soccer Fives. If it was any other player we would've been able to cover it. But goalkeepers are super hard to find. Alison took two days to decide. As a group we are really strong. We don't really have any weakness. We've got a lot of people that can move. I think Lucy Kell will be a standout. And, for Kobie, having Nadja and players around her now where she doesn't have to be the most dominant player, that will be good.
NH: What goals have you set for this season?
JC: Not to go through what we went through last year and I think we've recruited in the right areas to change that. Training is super competitive and players are breeding that competition between each other. I think with the squad that we have and the experience, we should do well.
The players
NH: How motivated is the group to go one better and make the grand final this year?
KF: We were pretty bummed after last season, coming short. I feel like we did have a good season and it's unfortunate that we didn't make it to that final stage, but I believe we definitely have the squad to do it this year, so we're feeling pretty confident. And that's definitely our aim, to win.
NH: Who will be key for you?
KH: Having Nadja, Kirstyn and Ash will make a difference. They really boost our squad. They've got a lot of experience between the three of them and there's one of them in each line, which is handy. Overall, we've got a lot of depth in the squad now. That makes it more competitive at training, which is good.
The stats
Last season: Finished second (31 points), lost the semi-final 2-1 to Newcastle Olympic, lost the preliminary final to Warners Bay 5-4.
Home ground: Magic Park
Key players: Where do you start? Magic are strong all over the park but arguably the biggest signing has been that of former W-League goalkeeper Alison Logue. In the past few years with Merewether, she has proven to be a game-changer. Up front, Ash Brodigan will add the firepower they may have been lacking last season - she scored 30 goals in 21 appearances for South Wallsend in 2019 - and Curley holds a high opinion of former Young Matildas striker Lucy Kell. The centre-back pairing of Kirstyn Antoni and Kalista Hunter should prove steely and, with a full season under her belt, we could see central midfielder Kobie Ferguson take her game to another level this year. Then there's Lucy Jerram. The lightning-quick left winger caused headaches for every side she came up against last year. She is likely to be used in more of a left-back role and with an engine to run all day is set to wreak some havoc again.
First up: Magic travel to Cooks Square Park on Sunday (March 28) to play newcomers Maitland at 5pm.
Teams to be previewed on Wednesday will be newcomers Charlestown and last year's grand finalists Warners Bay.
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