The regular-season premiers return to the big dance for the first time since 2020, while the competition's most consistent grand finalists made history the hard way.
The second and final stage of the A-League Women 's inaugural two-legged semi-final is now done and dusted.
But then, something shifted. The bulk of the squad who had taken City to such great heights left the league en masse, attracted by the full-time football offered overseas, leaving the club with the task of effectively rebuilding their entire team from scratch. The benefit of multi-year contracts has been clear to see with the way this City team have played from the very start of the season: the chemistry and understanding between players, and the familiarity with head coach Dario Vidosic's system and style.
It won't be easy, though: they face a Sydney FC team that appear to be the underdogs in this contest, but who should never be counted out when it matters most. So Hawkesby, who was discovered by Sydney boss Ante Juric playing in the NSW state league just a few years ago, returned to the Sky Blues in late December — right when the team needed her.Having also lost Sarah Hunter and Rachel Lowe from the midfield, as well as Madison Haley and Remy Siemsen up front, the Sky Blues were struggling in the middle of the park.
"The heartbeat, the engine-room, the ultimate competitor," Channel Ten commentator Grace Gill said of Hawkesby after she opened the scoring this past weekend, "and surely her most important yet." Not all head coaches who make this jump have done it successfully: Perth Glory's Alex Epakis, Husband's predecessor at Sydney Uni, has yet to make waves in the A-League Women. Heather Garriock struggled with Canberra United, Garrath McPherson couldn't return Brisbane Roar to its former glories, while the Western Sydney Wanderers have cycled through several coaches without much to show for it.
The 3-0 score-line after the first leg flattered to deceive, with the Jets actually registering more total shots than City did, as well as twice as many corners and a fairly even amount of possession and passes. And while two more goals in the second half to Hannah Wilkinson and Leticia McKenna ended the Jets' grand final hopes, it does not take the shine off their most successful season ever, and in some of the most difficult off-field circumstances facing any club in the league.
Soccer A-League Women Australia Matildas Sydney FC Melbourne City Central Coast Mariners Newcastle Jets Mackenzie Hawkesby Cortnee Vine ALW Semi-Finals
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