Newcastle Olympic are still adjusting to life without captain and centre-back Sophie O'Brien but soon they will also lose fullback Emily Frost.
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O'Brien led Olympic to the premiership-championship double in their first Newcastle Herald Women's Premier League campaign last year but ruptured her Achilles at training two weeks ago and is out for the season.
Coach Harmonie Attwill was happy with the new-look back-four combination of Frost, Jess Evans, Danielle Nicol and Brooke Summers as Olympic beat Broadmeadow 1-0 at Darling Street Oval on Sunday.
"We weren't really sure what to expect without Sophie," Attwill said. "We've never not had her. Often you have other players injured and you kind of just manage without them, but we've never not had Soph.
"She had one game out last year with a minor hamstring niggle, so it was interesting to see how we'd cope and again that's been a positive. Other players have to step up. If people aren't going to fill that void, we won't win games."
The win elevated Olympic to top spot in the competition standings after nine rounds but the back-four combination will be short-lived with Frost's work as an embryonic researcher taking her to Melbourne.
"Frosty was pretty solid," Attwill said. "She had a very clear instruction to not complicate things as a back, just play the ball to feet, play to midfield. She was solid and she was very difficult to pass and I thought her distribution was excellent. I thought Danielle did excellent again and Jess as well. She started this week for the first time in a few weeks.
"[Frost] is heading down to Melbourne, so she's probably only got three more games left. She's a quality player and a quality club person. She's given our club a lot in a short space of time and we're definitely going to miss her."
Olympic have moved to 24 points, two clear of previously unbeaten Magic, as the league approaches its midpoint.
"At this time of the season it's still early and we've still got plenty of games to go," Attwill said. "So to be on top is great and, for the players, it's a bit of reward for the hard work.
"We haven't had it easy. Two games in a row we've had players sent off, so it was just nice for something to fall our way [against Magic].
"There's certainly no pressure from us as a club or a coaching staff. We just want the players to do their best every single week. If that means we're on top then that's great."
Former New Zealand international Elise Mamanu-Gray comes back into calculations for Olympic when they host last-placed New Lambton at Darling Street Oval on Sunday.
Mamanu-Gray missed the top-of-the-table clash with Magic through suspension.
Jorjia Hogg is also expected to be up for selection after joining Olympic last week from Adamstown.
Hogg has played mostly in the midfield for Rosebud but is likely to be used in Olympic's back line.
Rachel Duffin has also left Rosebud to be part of Olympic's reserve-grade squad.
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