National Premier League Women’s action returns for Round 9 with Gungahlin United hosting Canberra Olympic, under the lights at Gungahlin Enclosed on Friday night.
The hosts are coming off a point away at Canberra Croatia and will be looking to put the pressure on their rivals for second place, who have a week off, by leapfrogging them with a victory against Olympic.
The Gunners have only lost one of their last five matches, and sit two points above Frank Cachia’s team, however they will be wary of the quality of their opponents, having been knocked out of the cup by a narrow 1-0 margin the reigning champions, in their most recent meeting.
Olympic would have been grateful for a weekend off after a demoralising 5-0 defeat to Belconnen United at O’Connor Enclosed, a match in which the likelihood of another league title took a significant hit.
Despite this, Friday’s away side remain comfortably in the finals race, but will need a big performance to overcome a quality Gungahlin side that prevailed 3-1 in the Round 2 meeting between these two.
Over at McKellar Park, Belconnen United will be looking to back up Federation Cup victory with a ninth league success in a row, against less-fancied Tuggeranong United.
Scott Conlon’s team dominated on the big stage against Canberra Croatia and will more than likely do the same on Sunday as they return to NPLW football with a game against a side they put eleven past in their previous meeting.
The Blue Devils have scored 53 goals in their eight league games this season, and have bagged at least five in their last four, all the while keeping out opposition attacks to good effect, having only conceded seven.
Their opponents Tuggeranong are without a win in three, not since their only victory of the season against ANU WFC, and their only three points.
The away team only scored seven goals in 2024, and while their results haven’t shown many signs of improvement, the Kambah-based club have bagged in four of their last five league games, indicative of a noticeable threat when going forward.
The final match of the round will see Majura FC return to NPLW action after three weeks off, in a match against current top four side West Canberra Wanderers.
Davide Ruberto’s team would have been disappointed that their Round 7 clash with Tuggeranong United was washed out, given the proximity of the two sides on the table, however the return to football will undoubtedly be welcome, no matter the opponent.
Majura have struggled with the absence of Carmel Lynch for much of the season, priding themselves on their defending as opposed to the offensive game plan, having scored just once in their last five NPLW games.
Without a win since Round 1, the prospect of a strong West Canberra opponent will not enthuse Majura, with the home side on Sunday coming into the match with four wins from eight, and a finals position on the table.
Steve Rohan-Jones’ outfit has been one of the stories of 2025 so far, having built themselves into a top four-fixture for much of the season, and are coming off a 5-1 victory over Tuggeranong to end their four-game winless run.
The Wanderers will be intent on maintaining their position in the top four and will need another performance like their Round 2 4-1 victory over Majura, to remain competitive in the race for finals football.
FIXTURES
ROUND 9
Friday 13 June
Gungahlin United v Canberra Olympic (Gungahlin Enclosed, 18:30)
Sunday 15 June
West Canberra Wanderers v Majura FC (Melrose Synthetic, 15:00)
Belconnen United v Tuggeranong United (McKellar Park, 15:00)
TABLE
| P | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | PTS | ||
| 1 | Belconnen United | 8 | 8 | 0 | 0 | 53 | 7 | +46 | 24 |
| 2 | Canberra Croatia | 7 | 5 | 1 | 1 | 22 | 10 | +12 | 16 |
| 3 | Gungahlin United | 8 | 4 | 2 | 2 | 36 | 11 | +25 | 14 |
| 4 | West Canberra | 8 | 4 | 1 | 3 | 26 | 14 | +12 | 13 |
| 5 | Canberra Olympic | 7 | 4 | 0 | 3 | 18 | 17 | +1 | 12 |
| 6 | Majura FC | 6 | 1 | 0 | 5 | 7 | 28 | -21 | 3 |
| 7 | Tuggeranong United | 7 | 1 | 0 | 6 | 6 | 39 | -33 | 3 |
| 8 | ANU WFC | 7 | 0 | 0 | 7 | 0 | 42 | -42 | 0 |
TOP SCORERS
12: Tamara COCHRANE (West Canberra Wanderers)
11: Keira BOBBIN (Belconnen United)
8: Megan CASTLE (Gungahlin United), Alyssa DI-CAMPLI (Belconnen United), Bonnie YOUNG (Gungahlin United)
6: Liliana ALTAMORE (Belconnen United), Jamie BERKELEY (Canberra Croatia), Natalie DE MARCO (Gungahlin United), Ginger OLIVER (Gungahlin United)
5: Anneke CORRY (Belconnen United), Zoe HALPIN (West Canberra Wanderers)
4: Sharon CHAO (Gungahlin United), Alexandra GIDIS (West Canberra Wanderers), Carmel LYNCH (Majura FC), Bronte PYKE (Belconnen United)
3: Tia BURRIDGE (Canberra Olympic), Leah CARNEGIE (Canberra Olympic), Alex MARTENS (Belconnen United), Alina ROBERTS (Belconnen United), Own GOALS
2: Acacia ARGENTO (Tuggeranong United), Isabella BARAC (Canberra Croatia), Ella BROWN (Canberra Olympic), Arusha CHEW (Canberra Croatia), Sofia FURLANETTO (Majura FC), Isabella HINDMARSH (Belconnen United), Alyse JENSEN (Canberra Olympic), Ailish MCDONAGH (Belconnen United), Riley MCQUEENIE (Canberra Croatia), Sofia MERKOUREAS (Canberra Croatia), Perri NASH (West Canberra Wanderers), Brittany PALOMBI (Canberra Croatia), Katrina PERIC (Canberra Olympic), Nikita PERRY (Canberra Olympic), Ellie RAYMOND (Canberra Croatia), Michaela THORNTON (Canberra Croatia)
1: Elke AITOLU (Canberra Olympic), Angelina BABIC (Canberra Croatia), Leila BILLINGTON (Belconnen United), Sienna BIRNIE (Canberra Olympic), Madison CACHIA (Canberra Olympic), Lisa CARY (Belconnen United), Stella DE MARCO (Gungahlin United), Elvein IBRAHIM (West Canberra Wanderers), Mollie JONSSON (Tuggeranong United), Claire KENNEDY-SPENCER (Tuggeranong United), Tarah MANTHONGSY (Tuggeranong United), Sofia MARTINIELO (Majura FC), Audrey MCLAREN (West Canberra Wanderers), Jessica MITCHELL (Tuggeranong United), Tatum MAZIS (Canberra Olympic), Eliza-Jane NORRIS (Canberra Croatia), Madeliene PERCEVAL (Gungahlin United), Lauren PRESTON (Belconnen United), Maddison SAWKINS (Belconnen United), Maddie STEINACKER (Belconnen United), Pearl TEIN (Belconnen United), Rachel VAN AALST (Gungahlin United), Darby WHITELEY (Gungahlin United
TOP ASSISTS
8: Isabella BARAC (Canberra Croatia)
7: Keira BOBBIN (Belconnen United), Anneke CORRY (Belconnen United), Bonnie YOUNG (Gungahlin United)
6: Audrey WARD (West Canberra Wanderers)
5: Isabella HINDMARSH (Belconnen United), Alina ROBERTS (Belconnen United)
4: Natalie DE MARCO (Gungahlin United), Alex MARTENS (Belconnen United), Ginger OLIVER (Gungahlin United),
3: Ella BROWN (Canberra Olympic), Megan CASTLE (Gungahlin United), Stella DE MARCO (Gungahlin United), Zoe HALPIN (West Canberra Wanderers), Perri NASH (West Canberra Wanderers)
2: Arusha CHEW (Canberra Croatia), Tamara COCHRANE (West Canberra Wanderers), Alyssa DI-CAMPLI (Belconnen United), Alexandra GIDIS (West Canberra Wanderers), Chelsea HATELY (Gungahlin United), Tatum MAZIS (Canberra Olympic), Amy MOORE (Gungahlin United), Bronte PYKE (Belconnen United), Abigail RICHARDS (Majura FC), Rachel VAN AALST (Gungahlin United), Darby WHITELEY (Gungahlin United)
1: Elke AITOLU (Canberra Olympic), Esperance ANDERSON (Tuggeranong United), Eliza BAKER (Majura FC), Jamie BERKLEY (Canberra Croatia), Sienna BIRNIE (Canberra Olympic), Tiana BOOTS (Canberra Croatia), Tia BURRIDGE (Canberra Olympic), Olivia BUYTEWEG (Gungahlin United), Madison CACHIA (Canberra Olympic), Lena CHRISTOPHERSON (Tuggeranong United), Lucy D’ARCY (Gungahlin United), Rhiannon DAVIS (Canberra Olympic), Olivia HICKS (West Canberra Wanderers, Alyse JENSEN (Canberra Olympic), Ariana KASHAN (Majura FC), Claire KENNEDY-SPENCER (Tuggeranong United), Jada LAMOND (Gungahlin United), Tarah MANTHONGSY (Tuggeranong United), Olivia MARTINIELLO (Majura FC), Ailish MCDONAGH (Belconnen United), Demi NIKIAS (West Canberra Wanderers), Stephenie NIKIAS (West Canberra Wanderers), Nikita PERRY (Canberra Olympic), Lauren PRESTON (Belconnen United), Madison SAWKINS (Belconnen United), Allegra SENTI (West Canberra Wanderers), Michaela THORNTON (Canberra Croatia), Sonja TOMANOVITS (West Canberra Wanderers)
Words: Sam Watson
