Women's Preview: #SUNvGAP
Words: Matt Dorman
The Gap Women will be looking to live up to pre-season favouritism when they visit Sunshine Coast Women in the opening round of the season on Sunday.
Gators can call on as many five players with Westfield W-League experience for their PlayStation 4® NPL Queensland debut, in addition to Irish international Elaine Murray.
Long-serving coach Rob Askew, who originally joined the club in 1993, has immediately set his sights on new silverware after sweeping Football Brisbane's SEQ Women's Premier League last year.
“Our goal is to win the league and the Grand Final,” Askew said.
“We have a good squad and they have been training well. We also have lots of experience compared to other teams.”
Fire coach Dave Bensted believes his side’s hopes of challenging the likes of Gators for the title hinge on the application of their style.
“The clubs that were most successful last year played the best football, so that’s the aim for us as a team and hopefully the results will come with that,” Bensted said.
“We are a possession-based team.”
The re-appointed Fire boss registered his excitement for the future ahead of the inaugural PlayStation 4 NPL Queensland Senior Women’s competition.
“It’s a really progressive move,” he said.
“Hopefully all local footballers can recognise that and see it as the pathway to play a really high standard of football. I believe women’s football is moving in the right direction.”
Kick off at Kawana Soccer Club on Sunday is at 3.30pm.
Sunshine Coast Women Player Roster: 1. Savanna BOWTELL-HARRIS, 2. Cassie BUHMANN, 3. Cassie BURNS, 4. Brooke SKELLY, 5. Danielle COLLINS, 6. Els VAN HOOIJDONK, 7. Kayla MOORE, 8. Marcena HUNTER, 9. Samara CHRISTMAS, 10. Danielle WHITE, 11. Sofie PERSSON, 12. Kirsty CLIFFORD, 13. Jessica DAVY, 14. Martha BENSTED, 16. Alexandria PSARROS, 18. Jayah BROWN, 20. Brooke MATHESON, 22. Franzi SPAHN, 23. Tegan McKEE
Coach: Dave Bensted
The Gap Women Player Roster: 1. Tarni PARKIN, 2. Suzy ROEGER, 3. Victoria STEPHENSON, 4. Summer O’BRIEN, 5. Bec PRICE, 6. Ashleigh BUCKNALL, 7. Leah CURTIS, 8. Venus PHONSAVATHDY, 9. Gabe MARZANO, 10. Bethany ASHTON, 11. Elaine MURRAY, 12. Jess DILLON, 13. Megan PRICE, 14. Charli McLENNAN, 15. Ruth BLACKBURN, 16. Catherine O’NEILL
Coach: Rob Askew
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