TheWomensGame | Womens Football | W-League

Well they didn’t do it the easy way and it wasn’t always  pretty but ask many Brisbane Roar players and they will tell you that last season’s championship was the most satisfying  of their two.  The next challenge for this club is create history and win back-to-back championships.

If any squad has  the ability to do this, then  the Roar certainly do.  Brisbane have once  again  kept to the same basic formula that has  made them the most successful club in the W-League.  Solid defence, creative midfield, explosive attack  and plenty of Matildas.

Even with the loss of Lisa De Vanna and Lauren Colthorpe, the champions haven’t lost too much with the inclusion of Catherine Cannuli  and Sasha McDonnell.  Assistant coach and former Matildas Alicia Ferguson confirms that the Roar haven’t looked to disrupt  a successful formula.

“It will be consistent with the style of play that we have  done  in previous years.”

The Strength

Where  do you start with the Roar.  To say there is quality across the park is an understatement. They enter  the season with no less  than  10 former or current  Matildas and Young Matildas. Although quality players in their own right, how they combine is what makes them a side to watch.  According to their opposition, they can play tight or expansive football and so far the end result  has  been two out of three  championships.

The Challenge

While the Roar took back their crown last season, the chasing pack has  been getting  closer  and closer.   There  is of course Sydney but threats are coming from other directions including Canberra, who pushed the Roar to penalties in that epic semi-final, a strengthened Melbourne Victory and a packed Newcastle Jets.  Whether Jeff Hopkins and his side can  keep  innovating  and improving to stay ahead will be intriguing to watch.

We really enjoy that counter-attacking type of play and we get very good rewards from it. That is where  the majority of our goals  come  from.”

With two championships in three  seasons, who can  really blame  them?