Tuesday was a big news day in the A-League Women, with two huge transfers and the end of an era making headlines.
Joint Golden Boot leader Annalise Rasmussen joined Italian giants Juventus for an undisclosed fee, making the huge jump from the Central Coast to Turin as she looks to strengthen her national team case. Then, at the end of the day, Brisbane Roar defender Leia Varley joined FC Nürnberg in the Frauen-Bundesliga.
These are the latest in a string of transfers which point to the direction of the competition as a whole.
Off the pitch, Sydney FC announced that it had parted ways with long-term head coach Ante Juric. While his last season and a half in charge has been littered with lowlights, including missing finals for the first time in club history and a first derby loss in six years, Juric's tenure is one that will be remembered as a success.
He led the team to seven consecutive Grand Finals, three premierships and three championship trophies. The Sky Blues' consistency was a benchmark for the whole competition and has had a major influence on numerous players who have gone on to stellar careers overseas and for the Matildas.
Nothing lasts forever in football, but Juric will be remembered for his contributions to Sydney FC and the wider women's football landscape in Australia.
- Rado Vidošić will leave an indelible mark on Australian football
- A-League Women table: Only seven points separate 1st and 9th
- Socceroos Depth Chart: Australia's likely World Cup squad, four months out
Adelaide United
Stocks Up: It took Adelaide until 2021 to get their first win over Melbourne City and, after another eight games and five years, the Reds notched up their second win in history over the reigning premiers. It was a huge result for the team and sees them sitting in fourth position on the ladder. The win was made all the sweeter by Dylan Holmes' return to the pitch, with the midfielder logging 25 minutes.
Stocks Down: The Reds could have put this result beyond doubt earlier if they were a bit more clinical in the 79th minute. A dangerous free kick from Adriana Taranto found Ella Tonkin whose header was slightly too hot to handle for Malena Mieres. City escaped but couldn't clear it fully. As the play progressed, Erin Healy and Fiona Worts both had chances to punish a scrambling City defence but couldn't execute.
Brisbane Roar
Stocks up: Daisy Brown had the equal most shots for Brisbane in their clash with the Mariners and it was her audacious long-range effort which put the team up. She was gifted the ball by Central Coast and had the smarts and the speed to spot Annalee Grove off her line, size up the shot, and execute.
Stocks down: There are concerns for Sharn Freier after the Matildas winger went down under minimal contact in the Roar's 2-2 draw with the Mariners. She was smashing her fist on the turf as she clutched her knee but walked off the park without assistance. It will be a nervous wait for all to see if it is as bad as many fear.
Canberra United
Stocks Up: The team in green halted a two-game losing run with an important win over Melbourne Victory. While they had the player advantage for most of the match, they made sure to capitalise on it with goals from Sasha Grove, Mary Stanic-Floody, and Tegan Bertolissio.
Stocks Down: A 3-1 win being profligate sounds insane however, Canberra amassed 31 shots for the game, 17 of which were on target. The shot map was dense with dots, as such only three goals almost felt underwhelming.
Central Coast Mariners
Stocks Up: Juve-bound Rasmussen's stock continues to rise with the 20-year-old scoring both goals for the Mariners in their 2-2 draw with Brisbane Roar. The attacker drew and converted a strong penalty to level the score at 1-1. She then latched onto a through ball and finished cooly to equalise once more.
Stocks Down: Juventus decided to invest in Rasmussen stocks for an undisclosed fee. Good for the coffers, but a huge loss for the Mariners on the field and the fans who were enjoying seeing a local kid do good.
Melbourne City
Stocks up: Leticia McKenna found the back of the net for City's lone goal of the game and had a good day out despite the final result. McKenna's three shots for the day were all on target. She also produced four crosses and two tackles.
Stocks down: City as a whole had more final third entries (57 to 37) and more penalty box entries (34 to 24) than Adelaide but couldn't turn that territory into the requisite shots -- or goals -- needed to get something out of this game.
Melbourne Victory
Stocks Up: Kennedy White's opener was a thing of beauty against Canberra United. And it's not often that conceding three goals means the goalkeeper has done well but with a staggering 31 shots faced, and 17 of them on target, Courtney Newbon's 13 saves prevented the scoreline from blowing out even further.
Stocks Down: It's a testament to the closeness of the league that Victory are in seventh and only just outside the finals spots. However, the team hasn't won in six and has only picked up two points in that span. The results aren't coming and the time to pick up the points is slipping away.
Newcastle Jets
Stocks up: Melina Ayres and Josie Allan continue to be bright sparks for the Jets with Ayres scoring Newcastle's consolation goal, her fourth of the campaign. Allan played her role in the goal as well with a probing initial cross. Allan was also responsible for one of the Jets' best chances of the game. Her shot in the 69th minute required a super save from Victoria Esson in the Phoenix goal.
Stocks down: The Jets defence had no answers for Pia Vlok and the Phoenix. Shipping five saw them rise up the goals conceded table and now have the second leakiest defence in the league, behind only the Western Sydney Wanderers.
Perth Glory
Stocks Up: Perth Glory's midweek showdown with Sydney FC had plenty of shots even though it ended in a scoreless draw. Susan Phonsongkham once again led the way with four efforts, three of them on target. Isobel Dalton, Rola Badawiya, and Emma Tovar also peppered the Sky Blues' goal but...
Stocks Down: The team in purple could not find the back of the net. Despite their best efforts, and the fact they still came out of the match with a point, Glory squandered the chance to jump up to second on the ladder. Instead, they sit in eighth position, outside of the finals spots.
Sydney FC
Stocks Up: The Sky Blues scored as many goals in the Sydney derby as they did in their previous nine games combined. And they were two bangers courtesy of Riley Tanner and Amber Luchtmeijer. But the most impressive Sydney FC performance of the week was Heather Hinz's efforts in goal against Perth Glory. The American goalkeeper saved all eight shots on target to earn her fourth clean sheet of the campaign.
Stocks Down: This has not been Sydney FC's season and nothing sums that up more than suffering their first loss to Western Sydney in six years. For so long, the Sydney derby was a foregone conclusion, such was the gap between the red and blue factions. But Sydney's drop over the last season and a half has put them on the Wanderers level -- that is not a position they want to be in.
Wellington Phoenix
Stocks Up: The Wellington Phoenix are up to second on the ladder, are on a three-game winning streak, and their 5-1 demolition of the Newcastle Jets was headlined by a Vlok hat trick. The 17-year-old was unstoppable, scoring two of her goals in a five-minute burst, before adding a third in the second half. She showed off her speed, ability to create space, and clean finishes across the three goals. A shout out to Makala Woods as well who had a hat trick of assists in the game.
Stocks Down: It was a terrific game for Wellington. If we're nit picking, they'll be disappointed they couldn't clear the ball which eventually resulted in Ayres' goal and stopped them from earning a clean sheet.
Western Sydney Wanderers
Stocks up: It's been a long time between drinks for the Western Sydney Wanderers, but they finally earned bragging rights over Sydney FC in the derby. How long was it exactly between wins? Twelve games, 10 losses, two draws, 2,234 days. Amy Chessari, Allyssa Ng-Saad and Yuan Cong found the back of the net, representing the first goals the Wanderers have scored in the derby since their last win -- that 5-0 thumping back in 2019. There hasn't been much to celebrate for the Wanderers this year, but this is a win worth savouring.
Stocks down: While they got the win, Riley Tanner was often too hot to handle for the Western Sydney defence. She was able to out-pace her defender for the opening goal of the game and was allowed to ghost between players in injury time as the Sky Blues searched frantically for an equaliser but couldn't strike the final blow.
Get the best out of the best time in sport. View markets at TAB, We're On.
