The title race may be over but there is still much to play for in the Women’s National Premier League in Canberra. All eyes will be on the indirect duel for fourth place on Saturday afternoon.

Will the West Canberra Wanderers keep the seat they fought so hard for all season, or will the Gunners create another upset and make the finals at the 25^th hour?

After their emphatic win “away” at Deakin on Monday night, Canberra Croatia won, for the third time in a row, the Capital Football NPLW League Championship. The team coached by Zoran Glavinic faces Gungahlin United on their turf on Saturday, for a game with real consequences on the table.

The role the Deakin side plays in “who will get the fourth spot at the end of the week” cannot be understated. Defeating West Canberra on Monday kept Gungahlin’s hopes alive, and now the champions meet the Gunners, who absolutely need a win to reach their goal.

Andrew Woodman’s team will risk it all on Saturday. They need both the three points against the 2022 league winners, and a Wanderers’ loss at McKellar, to make the finals. Only the Blue Devils have been able to beat Canberra Croatia this season, but they have left a blueprint that the Gunners would do well to be inspired by if they want to reiterate the performance.

In the meantime, the West Canberra Wanderers know a draw at McKellar against Belconnen United will suffice to secure that elusive fourth position. Rey Castro’s team, installed in the top four since week two, have a lot to lose on the weekend, after a hard-fought season.

If the Wanderers were able to hang on to an early lead when they first met the Blue Devils this season (2-1, Round 7), they were no match for Scott Conlon’s armada the second time around (0-3, Round 14).

West Canberra needs to bounce back from their defeat on Monday, or hope the Gunners don’t get a result, to avoid the disappointment of finishing just outside the top four once again.

On Sunday, runners-up Canberra Olympic host Canberra United Academy to end the season on a high note at home. The O’Connor residents also know they have the preliminary final to get ready for against the now three-times champions Croatia.

The Academy plays their last game of the season, having failed to mingle with the top four despite a lot of promises. This season was a rebuilding exercise for Sarah West and her troops.

Emerging talents Jaya Bowman or Isabella Hindmarsh joined confirmed performers like Young Matilda Chloe Lincoln and Sofia Christopherson, who should play her 50^th match for the club in this fixture, and we look forward to seeing more of them next season.

This Sunday will also be the last game for both Tuggeranong United and the Wagga City Wanderers. Paolo Romero’s players often came close to get a result and were finally rewarded with a point taken against the reigning champions. The Tuggies have gone from strength to strength and will hopefully come back even stronger in 2023.

The Wanderers from the Riverina experienced a complicated exercise in 2022. Despite losing a few key players, and the departure of Sam Gray, Wagga City fielded week in week out a competitive team, that, if it was not able to challenge the top teams, still managed to get a few results along the way.

Both will be hoping to end the season on a high note.

FIXTURES

ROUND 21

Saturday 10 September

Belconnen United v West Canberra Wanderers (McKellar Park, 15:00)

Gungahlin United v Canberra Croatia (Gungahlin Enclosed, 15:00)

Sunday 11 September

Canberra Olympic v Canberra United Academy (O’Connor Enclosed 14:30)

Tuggeranong United v Wagga City Wanderers (Kambah 2, 15:00)

TABLE

		P	W	D	L	GD	PTS
1	Canberra Croatia (c)	20	16	3	1	+78	51
2	Canberra Olympic	20	14	4	2	+60	46
3	Belconnen United	20	14	1	5	+42	43
4	West Canberra Wanderers	20	9	3	8	-17	30
5	Gungahlin United	20	8	3	9	-6	27
6	Canberra United Academy	20	5	3	12	-16	18
7	Tuggeranong United	20	2	4	14	-51	10
8	Wagga City Wanderers	20	1	1	18	-89	4

 

Words: Jeremy Magan