Match of the Round
Maitland FC v Charlestown Azzurri
Cooks Square Park, Sunday 4pm
Charlestown Azzurri coach Heath Whyte is not letting past performances impact their focus ahead of their top-of-the-table clash with Maitland FC at Cooks Square Park on Sunday afternoon.
Azzurri and Maitland are the only sides this season to only lose one game, and both were at the hands of each other.
The Magpies were victorious 3-0 in round seven while the Blues had the last laugh when they won 1-0 in round 14.
The two sides sit first and second on the table, with Maitland sitting two points ahead, meaning the winner this weekend will be crowned premiers.
But Whyte said his side will need full focus in their biggest match of the season.
“I enjoy playing at Cook Square Park, the girls do too. It's a good pitch and we have had good memories there,” Whyte said.
“But past performance is no indication of future, so we've got to focus.
“We've got one session on Thursday to try and balance out fatigue, injuries, and preparation for our biggest match of the season so far.
“I think for Maitland and ourselves, we've had some big matches. We've had the Women’s League Cup; we've had the Women’s State Cup. The majority of our round games have been competitive against each other.
“I would like to see the game like that again. It's going to be a good, tight, hard-fought competition game on Sunday for the premiership.
“I'm looking forward to it.”
Azzurri had to play in a rescheduled match on Tuesday night where they were victorious 2-1 over Adamstown Rosebud JFC.
But it was a hard-fought match similar to their 1-1 draw with Newcastle Olympic in round 19 and 1-0 win over Lake Macquarie City FC in round 17.
Whyte said his side’s hardened resolve is what has helped them over the edge in recent matches and believes it will be the same on Sunday.
“Players like Madi Gallegos who is a remarkable competitor, and Kalista Hunter, who has now taken on our captaincy. With the resolve and the experience of those girls in football if this game is tightly played on the scoreboard I definitely back our girls' attitude to come over the top, for sure,” Whyte said.
“I prefer to call it our hardened resolve rather than attitude, because potentially we could be seen as underdogs in this game just due to some of the injuries and availability that we've suffered.
“But I look at our strengths and our strengths are that unseen desire to compete. This group of girls that we've got together at Azzurri this year, they've definitely got each other in that.”
Maitland was a part of the only game that went ahead last weekend and coach Joe Wright believed it was vital for his squad to take the field.
“I think for us, it was just important to play after having the bye and the wet weather weekend, two consecutive weeks off,” Wright said.
“It was just important for us to get match minutes under the belt. It was good for us to play on the weekend.”
Wright understands his side will have to look past their last clash with Azzurri but saw their one loss of the season as a wake-up call with them now fully focused on the weekend.
“The past is in the past. It's many rounds ago now. There are things that we can learn from it, but we can't live in the past. We have to look forward to the present and the future,” Wright said.
“The loss was not so much a turning point, but it was a nice little wake-up call to re-energise the girls going into the last part of the season.
“There's an air of excitement over this weekend. The fact that it's come down to the last match, they're the games that you want to be a part of.
“I think the girls will relish the opportunity and be focused on the job at hand.”
The two sides will also go head-to-head next weekend in the qualifying final, and it will be important for either team to be able to go into the finals on the back of a momentous victory.
Lake Macquarie City FC v Adamstown Rosebud JFC
Lake Macquarie Regional Football Facility, Sunday 4pm
Adamstown Rosebud JFC coach Martin Slade says he is confident his side can get three points in their final game of the season on Sunday afternoon when they face Lake Macquarie City FC at Lake Macquarie Regional Football Facility.
The Rosebud sits sixth on the table, equal points with their round 21 opponents, but Slade is hopeful his side will finish as high as possible.
Adamstown will enter their final match of the season after playing a midweek clash against Charlestown Azzurri on Tuesday night.
A goal five minutes into the match by Adamstown’s Allia Whyte saw the side lead until Madi Gallegos equalised moments before half-time. A second for Gallegos in the second half saw Adamstown fall short 2-1.
They will now look ahead to the weekend and just one goal has separated the two sides both times they have met this season.
Adamstown took home a 2-1 win in round seven while Lakes were victorious 1-0 in round 14.
“I think both teams are confident going in. We won the first game, they won the second game so there wasn't a lot between the two teams,” Slade said.
“So, I'm sure both teams will be confident in securing the three points and hopefully securing the position as high up the ladder as they can.
“The players are fully aware of the expectations from myself, from each other, and they'll continue to play the same style of football as what we've played throughout the season.
“Our philosophy doesn't change regardless of who we play and when we play.
“We just want to keep showcasing what this club's all about and what this team's all about and what we believe in.
“I think throughout the year, other coaches have given us plaudits for what we've done and how we play so we've got to keep true to that and keep building for next season.”
Adamstown will be without Mia and Sophie Cook as they return to America for college football.
While Sunday’s match will be Adamstown’s second of the week, it will be Lakes first time returning to the field in three weeks after they served the bye in round 20.
They sit fifth on the table, equal points with Adamstown but have a superior goal difference.
The Roosters will be eager to finish their inaugural season as high as possible and will look to build off their dominant 6-0 victory over Broadmeadow Magic in round 19.
Newcastle Olympic v New Lambton FC
Darling Street Oval, Sunday 4pm
Two sides looking to gain the upper hand ahead of the finals series will go head-to-head when Newcastle Olympic welcome New Lambton FC to Darling Street Oval on Sunday afternoon.
New Lambton enter their final match of the regular season on the back of a dominant 9-1 win over Broadmeadow Magic in their rescheduled round 20 match on Tuesday night.
The Golden Eagles are sat third on the table and are unable to move as they sit seven points ahead of their round 21 opponents.
But they will be eager to secure all three points and go into the elimination final with bragging rights as they face Newcastle Olympic again next weekend.
The Golden Eagles have won one of the two clashes the sides have had in 2025 when they were victorious 2-1 in round 14 but were downed 5-1 in round seven.
They have won three of their past five matches and will be determined to continue that momentum while securing their fifth clean sheet of the season.
Newcastle Olympic will be determined to return to winning ways after they were downed 1-0 by Maitland FC in round 20.
Olympic have not won a game since the beginning of July and they will look to enter the finals series on the back of a victory.
Coach Craig Atkins will be hopeful his side can take advantage of their chances in front of goal and walk away with an important three points.
Broadmeadow Magic - Bye
