ANU Women’s Football Club (ANU WFC) are embarking on their second season back in the Women’s National Premier League (NPLW) and are focused on developing an entertainment-geared football identity in 2024.
Achieving a sixth-place finish in 2023 saw Head Coach Rob Illingworth depart off the back of a positive campaign, to be replaced by his assistant from last season, and ANU FC’s Capital Premier League (CPL) Head Coach Tom Crossley, who has been a part of the University club’s fabric for many years.
Given Crossley’s contributions last season, it’s little wonder he was handed the reins in 2024.
“Rob and I were both involved in coaching two State League teams [in 2022],” Crossley said. “With the promotion coming through, it was worked out that he would be the Head Coach and I’d run training sessions and help with reserves when I could.
“This year with Rob moving on, they asked if I would be happy to do it, I said yes, as long as there’s support, and luckily enough we picked up Diego [Iglesias], who is probably more experienced than most in Canberra and just a fantastic fit for the club.”
Coaching at a club like ANU WFC is no easy feat, given the significant amount of player turnover, often due to players completing their studies or players being poached by other clubs, alongside difficulties related to the signatures of new students.
“Most teams probably finish their recruitment by November, December, we haven’t started,” Crossley outlined. “I don’t think you’ll see the advantage of ANU until two months into the season, where other teams are probably up and running.
“The big thing for ANU is our culture, we don’t pay our players, we don’t have a rich heritage or history of an ethnic or multicultural background… you can’t go and recruit them or find a financial remuneration for them, you have to create an environment for them or develop the one you’ve got.”
Despite the recruitment hurdles, last season’s step up to first grade football saw the squad adapt to the new environment effectively, while still maintaining their identity.
“When you’re playing in the NPL or the top level, every game is make or break… that was one of the biggest changes for the group to get used to,” Crossley explained. “We started talking about belonging with the group and saying that we wanted to remain somewhat an ANU-based club, we didn’t want to change who we were just based on the environment we played in, so a lot of that came around players leading what happened on and off the pitch.”
In terms of the squad’s performances in 2023, a sixth-place finish saw them finish comfortably safe of relegation, in a first campaign back in the NPLW that had its positives and negatives.
“I think we were probably a bit hot and cold,” Crossley said. “Our priority was to be competitive, but to still play [how] we wanted to play.
“Do I think we probably could have won a few more games, yes, do I think we probably learnt the harsh lessons of football, yes, but that’s sport at any level… you’ve got to learn a few lessons before you get the reward.”
Looking at the squad assembled this season; Crossley has indicated the notable shift in experience when comparing the current crop of players to last season.
“I’d say on paper we’re a strong first grade team, where the change is, is probably the depth of the squad is slightly different to last year,” he said. “That group had probably been together for two, three years, [whereas] this year’s team, it’s their first year,”
Some of the key departures from the squad include team of the season-nominated Ailish McDonagh, top scorer Roxie Swart and long-term contributor Alice McNeill.
In terms of additions, ANU WFC have given opportunities to many footballers yet to grace the top tier consistently, through promoting internally and signing State League talents, alongside picking up NPLW experience, in the likes of Angelina Babic, Latisha Babic, and Georgia Ritchie, all from the Canberra United Academy side.
Seven matches into the season, ANU WFC sit sixth in the NPLW table, in a start to 2024 that hasn’t gone to plan for Crossley’s side.
“It’s not gone how I would’ve liked and some of those things are in control of ANU or myself, and others are outside of that,” he said. “I think this year there’s been some big results against us, but I think if you look at it, the performances still show that we’re trying to play positive football.”
In terms of his ambitions for the remaining season, Crossley is focused on growing his side’s culture, surrounding the entertaining football-oriented philosophy.
“For us at the moment it’s about sticking to our player-led identity which means playing a good brand of footy,” he said. “Winning and losing is not everything, it’s more about enjoying our football and trying to play our way.
“I think there will be a few performances that people will respect ANU for and hopefully with that you grow a little bit of confidence and a bit of culture, and from that you then can start to get the winning ways week in, week out.”
Words: Sam Watson
