National Premier Leagues WA Women

Last updated

National Premier Leagues WA Women
Founded2020
CountryAustralia
Number of teams8
Level on pyramid 2
Current champions Perth RedStar (2022)
Website footballwest.com.au
Current: 2022 Season

The National Premier Leagues WA Women, also known as the NPL WA Women, is a soccer competition in Western Australia. The competition is conducted by Football West, the organising body in Western Australia. The league is a subdivision of the second tier National Premier Leagues Women's structure, which sits below the national A-League Women, it is the highest tier of local women's competition in Western Australia. The league was founded in 2020 in Western Australia, several years behind equivalent leagues in other states. [1]

Contents

History

Women's First Division and Premier League

The first full season for women's teams in the Perth area took place in 1972, the year after a high-profile curtain-raiser for two women's teams prior to a major friendly between the WA Men's State team and Dynamo Moscow. [2] The inaugural season saw a single six team league comprising teams form Swan Athletic (originally named Midland), Azzurri, Kwinana United, South Perth United, Balga, Sorrento with Swan Athletic winning the first ever WA Women's Division 1 title.

The First Division was eventually renamed the State Premier League with clubs being required to field both a first team and reserves team (open age). In the final year of the State Premier League (2019) the league comprised Northern Redbacks, Queens Park, Balcatta SC, Fremantle City, Football West NTC, and Stirling Panthers.

National Premier League

In late 2019 Football West called for applications for the a new NPL Women's competition to take the place of the existing State Premier League competition as the highest tier of local women's football in the state. At that time Western Australia was one of the two remaining states (along with Tasmania) yet to implement a local version of the National Premier League Women's competition with NSW being the first state to implement their NPL competition in 2013.

Eight teams were selected to form the new National Premier League Women Western Australia (NPLW WA) including three existing State Premier League clubs (Northern Redbacks, Balcatta, Fremantle City), the existing Football West National Training Centre (NTC) program team, two clubs from the women's second division (Subiaco AFC, Curtin University) and two clubs that would form brand new senior teams to compete in the NPLW WA (Murdoch University Melville, Perth SC).

Controversially Queens Park SC, a member of the first division from 1973 and winner of five Division 1 titles was not selected as one of the inaugural teams for the NPLW WA, with most of its team members moving to the newly formed Murdoch University Melville team.

The NPLW WA was formed with clubs being required to field both a first team and an U-23 which was later changed for the 2022 to be an U-21's team.

Relocations, mergers and name changes

Over the history of the Women's First Division, Premier League and NPLW teams have been subject to a number of name changes, relocations and mergers. The reasoning for many of the relocations and name changes stemmed from women's teams not being truly integrated into traditionally male dominated clubs often having to deal with poor conditions for training and games. Teams therefore would often move as a whole to a new clubs or location under a new name in order to improve conditions.

This movement of teams clouds the early historical record keeping due to modern day incarnation of clubs having descended directly from teams that held one or many other names.

Perth Redstar came into existence from a merger between ECU Joondalup and the Women's only club Northern Redbacks SC, prior to this Northern Redbacks had been subject to a number of name changes. Initially as Morley Windmills the club won two titles in 1991 and 1992 before becoming Stirling Vasto and winning two titles in 1994 and 1995, the club then changed name to Stirling Reds winning 3 titles in 1996, 1998 and 1999. After a merger with Sorrento the club became Northern Redbacks which it remained before playing its final game under that name when it won the 2022 NPLW Night Series Final.

Balcatta Etna was formed in 1978 but changed its name in 1994 to Balcatta Soccer Club then later Balcatta Football Club before returning to their original name of Balcatta Etna FC. [3] The Floreat Athena team that won the 2000 and 2002 Women's first division moved to Balcatta SC.

Fremantle City was formed over the course of the 2017 and 2018 seasons through a merger between Fremantle United and East Fremantle SC.

Fremantle United had fielded many women's teams in various divisions over the years including the First Division winning their one and only title in 1997. [4]

East Fremantle SC (formerly known as East Fremantle Tricolore SC) were a club that grew strong in women's football during the 90s. They had previously had two stints in the first division, from 2003 to 2012 followed by relegation to the second division followed by promotion back to the first division in 2016. The club missed out on a first division title in 2009 by goal difference only to Balcatta SC.

Murdoch University and Melville City SC were separate entities with both clubs fielding teams that had previously competed in women's football.
Murdoch Universities women's team folded in 2007 when they along with three other teams from the second division were promoted to the first division. The club won its only first division title in 2001 the last club outside of the big 4 (Balcatta, Northern Redbacks, Queens Park and Beckenham) to do so for 19 years until the start of the NPLW.
Melville City SC had previously competed in the first division from 2013 to 2017 making one Cup final during that time.
In 2017 both clubs merged to form Murdoch University Melville FC with the club being granted a spot in the newly formed NPL Women WA in 2020.

Formed after a merger between neighbouring clubs Nedlands SC and University of Western Australia SC. University had existed since 1969 adopting the name common to all University of WA sports clubs of simply University given that at the time there was only one university (a motto that would go on to form their club song). As more University's were created in Perth the club changed name to the University of Western Australia Soccer Club and took this name up to the Premier League with them in 2007.
Nedlands Soccer Club was a relatively young soccer club ironically playing its home games out of Charles Court Reserve, closer to the University of Western Australia than UWA SC's actual home ground in Mount Claremont. Nedlands SC's women's team spent two unsuccessful years in the Premier Division between 2008 and 2009 before they merged with UWA SC. The clubs entered the 2010 season in the Premier League as UWA Nedlands SC.

Formed from a merger between Subiaco United and Subiaco City Junior Soccer Club. Prior to this Curtin University Women's Soccer Club had moved to Subiaco in 2001 to form the basis of the modern incarnation of Subiaco's women's teams. [5]

Bunbury club South West Phoenix changed their name in 2010 to Bunbury Forum Force due to a sponsorship deal with Bunbury Forum shopping centre. They have since reverted to their original name of South West Phoenix. [6]

Alemannia was created in 1969 as the sporting arm of the Rhein-Donnau German Club in Myaree, changing its name later to Melville Alemannia. In 1976 the club was fielded its first team in the local women's competitions. In 1984 the club won the First Division Top 4 Cup and then followed this up in 1987 by winning their one and only First Division League title. Melville Alemannia played their games out of John Connell Reserve nearby to where Leeming Strikers now play their games. [7]

Ashfield Dynamos was the original name of the current Ashfield Sports Club. For many years Ashfield had not fielded a team in women's competitions until they began again in the metropolitan leagues in 2019 after the Morley Windmills team moved to Ashfield.

Ascot are historically one of the most successful women's club in WA having won 9 first division titles out of the first 15 years of the competition. Ascot the club disappeared as a stand-alone entity back in 1979 after they lost their home ground to baseball and agreed to merge with Kalamunda United SC and Manning Rovers to form Forrestfield United. [8] It is unsure how closely the women's team's history is linked to the men's club as the Ascot name remained in existence until 1986.

Clubs

The following 8 clubs are competing in the National Premier Leagues WA Women's competition for the 2024 season.

Balcatta
Football West NTC U-19
Fremantle City
Murdoch University Melville FC
Perth SC
Perth RedStar
Subiaco AFC
UWA-Nedlands FC

Honours

League

SeasonCompetitionPremiers
2023NPLW WA Perth RedStar
2022NPLW WA Perth RedStar
2021NPLW WAMurdoch University Melville
2020NPLW WAMurdoch University Melville
2019Women's Premier LeagueNorthern Redbacks
2018Women's Premier LeagueQueens Park
2017Women's Premier LeagueQueens Park
2016Women's Premier LeagueNorthern Redbacks
2015Women's Premier LeagueNorthern Redbacks
2014Women's Premier LeagueQueens Park
2013Women's Premier LeagueNorthern Redbacks
2012Women's Premier LeagueBeckenham Angels
2011Women's Premier LeagueNorthern Redbacks
2010Women's Premier LeagueBalcatta
2009Women's Premier LeagueBalcatta
2008Women's Premier LeagueQueens Park
2007Women's Premier LeagueBalcatta
2006Women's Premier LeagueQueens Park
2005Women's Premier LeagueNorthern Redbacks
2004Women's Premier LeagueNorthern Redbacks
2003Women's Premier LeagueNorthern Redbacks
2002Women's Premier LeagueFloreat
2001Women's Premier LeagueMurdoch University
2000Division 1Floreat
1999Division 1Stirling Reds
1998Division 1Stirling Reds
1997Division 1Fremantle United
1996Division 1Stirling Reds
1995Division 1Stirling Vasto
1994Division 1Stirling Vasto
1993Division 1Inglewood Kiev
1992Division 1Morley-Windmills
1991Super LeagueMorley-Windmills
1990Super LeagueAshfield Dynamos
1989Division 1Ashfield Dynamos
1988Division 1Ashfield Dynamos
1987Division 1Melville Allemania
1986Division 1Ascot
1985Division 1Ascot
1984Division 1Kelmscott
1983Division 1Ascot
1982Division 1Stirling Cracovia
1981Division 1Inglewood Kiev Eagles
1980Division 1Inglewood Kiev Eagles
1979Division 1Ascot
1978Division 1Ascot
1977Division 1Ascot
1976Division 1Osborne Park Galeb
1975Division 1Ascot
1974Division 1Ascot
1973Division 1Ascot
1972Division 1Swan Athletic
References
[2]

Cup Competitions

Cup competitions have been run irregularly in the history of women's football in WA, mostly due to a lack of numbers until the 1990s. Later on, the cup competitions saw regular withdrawals from teams in the lower divisions as scores tended towards double figures when drawn against teams in higher divisions. Now the competitions is exclusively for the NPLW and State League teams, with the lower-tier leagues having their own cup competition.

SeasonNight SeriesState CupTop 4 Cup
2023Fremantle CityFootball West NTC Perth RedStar
2022Northern Redbacks [lower-alpha 1] Perth RedStar Perth RedStar
2021BalcattaMurdoch University MelvilleMurdoch University Melville
2020Fremantle Citynot heldNorthern Redbacks
2019Queens ParkNorthern RedbacksQueens Park
2018Football West NTCQueens ParkBalcatta
2017Queens ParkNorthern Redbacksnot held
2016Queens ParkNorthern Redbacksnot held
2015Northern RedbacksBeckenham Angelsnot held
2014Beckenham AngelsNorthern Redbacksnot held
2013Northern RedbacksBeckenham Angelsnot held
2012Beckenham AngelsNorthern Redbacksnot held
2011Queens ParkNorthern Redbacksnot held
2010BalcattaNorthern Redbacksnot held
2009East FremantleNorthern Redbacksnot held
2008Football West NTCNorthern RedbacksBalcatta
2007East FremantleQueens ParkBalcatta
2006Balcattanot heldEast Fremantle
2005Northern RedbacksQueens ParkQueens Park
2004Northern Redbacksnot heldNorthern Redbacks
2003
2002
2001
2000
1999
1998
1997
1996Fremantle United
1995
1994
1993
1992
1991
1990Ashfield Dynamos
1989Ashfield Dynamos
1988Ashfield Dynamos
1987Inglewood Kiev
1986
1985Melville Alemannia
1984Kelmscott
1983Ascot
1982Stirling Cracovia
1981Ascot
1980Inglewood Kiev Eagles
1979Ascot
1978Osborne Park Galeb
1977Ascot
1976Osborne Park Galeb
1975Ascot
1974Ascot
1973Ascot
1972
References
[2]

Coach of the Year

Records from the Women's Soccer of Western Australia don't list any records for a Coach of the Year award. Football West added this award approximately around 2011. Traditionally the award was given to the coach based on points given for games won, generally this would go to the coach of the league winning team, however in the case of the league being won on goal difference (and therefore the same number of wins), there were cases where the number of cup wins influenced the winner of coach of the year.
In 2021 Football West awarded a Male Coach of the Year and Female Coach of the Year, rather than an NPL-M and NPL-W coach of the year.
From 2022 Football West awarded the NPLW Coach of the Year and a separate Female Coach of the Year award, with the female coach of the year not being restricted to coaches only in the NPLW.

SeasonCoach Of The YearFemale Coach Of The Year
2022Carlos Vega Mena (Perth Redstar)Faye Chambers (Fremantle City)
2022Carlos Vega Mena (Perth Redstar)Sam Geddes (Hyundai NTC U16)
2021not awardedDanielle Brogan (Perth SC)
2020Peter Rakic (Murdoch University Melville)
2019Conrad McKelvie (Northern Redbacks)
2018Ben Anderton (Queens Park)
2017Ben Anderton (Queens Park)
2016Tim Hodgson (Northern Redbacks)
2015Conrad McKelvie (Northern Redbacks)
2014Tim Hodgson (Northern Redbacks)
2013Neil Bennett (Northern Redbacks)
2012Jason Washington-King (Beckenham Angels)
2011Tim Hodgson (Northern Redbacks)

Player of the Year

Sandra Brentnall leads the tally of most player of the year trophies with 6, followed by Stacey Woodfin on 5 and Katarina Jukic on 4.

Female Young Player of the Year

SeasonYoung Player of the Year
2023Clara Horau (Murdoch University Melville)
2022Tanika Lala (Football West NTC)
2021Zoee Spadano (Perth SC)

Top Goalscorer (Golden Boot)

Goalkeeper of the Year

See also

Notes

  1. ↑ subsequently became known as Perth RedStar FC.

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References

  1. ↑ Joey Lynch (29 May 2020). "FOOTBALL WEST LOCKS IN RETURN DATES". www.ftbl.com.au. Retrieved 29 September 2020.
  2. 1 2 3 Kreider, R.N. (2012) Paddocks to Pitches. The Definitive History of Western Australian Football. Published by SportsWest Media
  3. ↑ "Balcatta Etna History".
  4. ↑ "Fremantle soccer clubs could become the biggest in the State after merge". Perth Now.
  5. ↑ "Subiaco AFC History".
  6. ↑ "Bunbury look to become a force". MyFootball.
  7. ↑ "Melville Alemannia Soccer Club to host reunion to cap 50 years". Perth Now.
  8. ↑ "Forrestfield United History".
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