NPL Women’s NNSW Round 12 Preview: Rosebud confident to defeat Golden Eagles, while Azzurri focused on battle with Olympic

Match of the Round 
New Lambton FC v Adamstown Rosebud JFC 
Alder Park, Saturday 4pm 

Adamstown Rosebud JFC coach Martin Slade says his side is confident ahead of their must-win clash against New Lambton FC on Saturday. 

It will be all on the line for the two sides as one point separates them on the table.

Rosebud will travel to Alder Park to face the Golden Eagles with the desire to turn things around off the back of three straight losses. 

It has been two weeks since Adamstown last took to the pitch after they went down 2-5 to Broadmeadow Magic. 

But Slade said his took a lot of positives from their recent performance and are feeling confident ahead of Saturday’s match-up. 

“We are really confident and in a good space,” Slade said.

“The weather has hampered a lot of football in terms of training and playing. The girls just want to play games. 

“I thought our performance against Magic was the best we have performed for the longest sustained time. We had momentum in the game and felt like we were on top of a lot of the match. To put on such a good performance against the premiers is a big positive.” 

Adamstown has added a couple of new faces to their squad during the May transfer window who will likely take to the pitch this weekend in the green and red. 

Slade has added defender Zoë Horgan from Newcastle Olympic and attacker Leah O’Hagan to his roster to help bolster his young side. 

“I wouldn’t have signed Zoë and Leah if I didn’t think that they could add something to us and help us get a result and assist us in different games,” Slade said. 

“Zoë has had a couple of sessions with us and she has slotted in well, just is learning how we do things and getting used to the group.

“Leah is coming from Ireland and is super sharp, fit and is a ready to play. She dribbles so well and will take it to her defenders. 

Adamstown will be without winger Ashleigh Vetter as she is overseas, but Mia Cook will likely make her return from injury. 

“This weekend for us is massive. For us, finishing fifth for this club would be a good achievement,” Slade said. 

“Beating our direct rivals would go a big way in cementing that fifth position and to do it when New Lambton doesn’t have Cass and Lauren is an easier task. They still have Tessa, Tara and Ally so it won’t be an easy task.

“We just want to continue to build on what we are doing. Our football has gotten better and better during the year.” 

New Lambton sits one point ahead of Adamstown in fifth and enters this weekend’s match off the back of a 5-0 win over Mid Coast. 

New Lambton’s coach Aaron Stedman said his side’s aspirations span much further than finishing in the bottom half of the table and is eager to return home with a big three points on Saturday. 

“I think it is important that we turn up in the right frame of mind and get the three points to stay in touch with the top four teams. Our goal is to make the semi-finals so that is important to say on that front foot,” Stedman said. 

“100 per cent it will be a big game. I think in each season you sort of have games that you look back on and say that loss or draw didn’t help things. We need to keep building consistency. 

“We need to focus on our effort. The girls have to turn up and get the job done.

“We need to start converting games into points so we can start moving forward up the table. We are not too far away at the moment.

The side eagerly awaits the return of their A-League stars Cass Davis and Lauren Allan, but former A-League attacker Tessa Tamplin finally made her debut for the season last week.  

“Tessa has played two games for us but hasn’t played for a while so good to get her back on the pitch. She is a great person to be around and she passes so much knowledge and experience onto the younger players,” Stedman said. 

“We have been able to recruit a couple of girls to help add some more numbers and depth. It has probably been one of our biggest battles, having such a small group. If you have a big squad and are missing one or two you can hide that but if you miss one or two with a small squad it makes it hard. 

“To get that full team and do the things that we want to do as a team instead of sitting back and waiting for the ball will be great. 


Charlestown Azzurri v Newcastle Olympic 
Lisle Carr Oval, Saturday 4pm 

Charlestown Azzurri coach Heath Whyte hopes his side has the right mindset going into this Saturday’s clash against Newcastle Olympic at Lisle Carr Oval. 

The Blues bounced back from a disappointing 6-2 loss against Broadmeadow Magic to defeat Warners Bay 12-0.  

They sit fourth on the table, two points behind their rivals this weekend Newcastle Olympic and two points behind Maitland FC in third. 

Azzurri have the bragging rights after they defeated Olympic 2-0 in round five and will be eager for a repeat performance on Saturday. 

But Whyte said that his side must approach the game with the correct mental outlook if they are to get the job done against a strong Olympic outfit. 

“We are working on our mental resilience,” Whyte said. 

“There is no question that we are playing good football. We know we are playing good football.

“We have played our best and our worst games this season and the only variable has been our mindset.

“We just need to come into games with the appropriate mindsets and believe in ourselves, get more consistent in our belief and the football results will follow. 

“I am trying to help the girls understand to focus on the 'haves' and not the 'have-nots'. 

“What is important is that we are playing good football and we are following the process, structure and strategy.”

The Blues have multiple players in doubt for this weekend as Jess Gentle and Sarah Halvorsen may be unavailable, while young-gun Cassie Corder is fighting illness. But Whyte did confirm that defender Lori Depczynski will miss the match as she is away. 

The Blues have recruited A-League striker Melina Ayres and defender Gemma Simon from the Newcastle Jets to inject more energy and skill into the side. But the club will have to wait until their round 13 match against Mid Coast for the pair to take to the field. 

Olympic will be eager to secure back-to-back victories after a period of mixed results. They sit second on the table, two points behind Broadmeadow Magic in first.

The club has parted ways with defender Zoë Horgan, who has moved to Adamstown Rosebud in the transfer window but has made no other changes. 

With the chance to leapfrog Magic into first with a win, Olympic will be desperate to return home with three points.  


Broadmeadow Magic v Warners Bay FC 
Magic Park, Sunday 4pm 

League leaders Broadmeadow Magic will hope to put one over on Warners Bay FC to retain their seat on the throne. 

Magic enters Sunday afternoon’s clash at Magic Park two points clear at the top of the table. But with the other top four teams hot on their trail with additional games in hand, they must secure a win to stay at the top. 

Nima Nikfarjam and his side will have some extra fire in their bellies after they lost the Women’s League Cup final last Sunday in dramatic fashion to Maitland FC. Magic had all but secured the Cup before the Magpies launched a comeback from 3-1 down in the 82nd minute to win 4-3. 

The last time these two sides met in round five, Magic secured a 6-1 win and will hope to repeat that performance again at home. 

With the addition of former Panther’s goalkeeper Mia Wallace, as well as A-League attacker Ash Brodigan to their lineup, tensions will be high. 

The Panthers have been unable to pick up any points since their round one win and will be desperate to put it on Magic on Sunday. 

Ryan Swinkels has secured defender Ashleigh Bax from Blacktown City FC, goalkeeper Jessica Woodbine from New Lambton FC and Jessica James from Oxley Vale Attunga FC to breathe some fresh life into the side. 

The club will hope that their new signings can turn momentum and results around. 


Mid Coast FC v Maitland FC  
Taree Zone Field, Sunday 4pm 

Maitland FC will look to keep the celebrations rolling when they travel to Taree Zone Field to face Mid Coast on Sunday. 

Keelan Hamilton and his side pulled off a thrilling comeback in the Women’s League Cup final last weekend to come from 3-1 down to win the match against Broadmeadow Magic in stoppage time 4-3 and lift their second piece of silverware for 2024. 

The Magpies will hope that they can continue their momentum off the back of their Cup win and six straight competition victories. 

Maitland’s newest signing Sophie Nenadovic did not make an appearance in the Cup final but will be eager to take to the pitch for her new side in the coming weeks. 

The last time these two sides met in round five, Maitland pulled off the biggest upset of the season with a 15-0 thrashing over Middies.

But the young Mid Coast squad has shown signs of improvement since their last match-up and will be eager to prove themselves against the high-flying Magpies on Sunday afternoon.

Amanda Langlar made no changes to her side in the transfer window but will hope that her side can continue building and lift themselves off the bottom of the table as they sit on equal three points with Warners Bay.