South Melbourne’s NPL W team coach Angelo Koutos remembers his players’ excitement when it was announced that the NPL-W Grand Final was to be staged as part of a triple header at AAMI Park together with this year’s men’s NPL Grand final.

“Their eyes lit up- it was extra motivation. They were just so excited,” he says. “Finally, there’s a bit of recognition for women’s football. Credit to the FFV for staging it at AAMI as part of a Triple Header with the men’s grand final and the relegation play-off.”

As fate would have it, South Melbourne go into Sunday’s Grand Final facing the same team which it defeated as recently as a fortnight ago, Bulleen Lions, to clinch another valuable piece of silverware, the NPL W Premiers Plate on the last day of the home and away season.

That win was South’s sixth in a row over the Bulleen Lions in South’s two seasons in the NPL W and on that basis are considered favourites to clinch the Premiership-Championship double on Sunday. Coach Koutos believes that last year’s very narrow grand final against Geelong, which South won only after a penalty shoot-out, is a lesson for most of the girls who were in that final, against being complacent. “They won’t be complacent and they won’t be taking Bulleen lightly. We’ll show them the respect they deserve,” Koutos told Neos Kosmos.

“Bulleen have got a very good forward line,” he added. “They’re more than capable. There’s one present W-League player in Lia Privitelli and another with W-League experience, striker Caitlin Friend. They’re an experienced attack and that’s one thing we’ll have to be careful of. That’s what cost us the two goals last time we met. They capitalized on our inexperience at the back and punished us. That’s their main strength. They’ve got Amy Jackson, a W-League player in the middle of the park. She orchestrates everything there for them. We’ve done our homework. Sort of know where their strengths and weaknesses are.”

“Bulleen are a good ball playing side just like us. They don’t like to just sit back and play negative football. I think they’ll come out and try to press us and try and dictate the terms to us. But we’ll be prepared with whatever outcome. Whether they sit back or whether they come at us. That’ll show up in the first couple of minutes.”

South has Melina Ayres and Lisa DeVanna as spearheads, supported by a host of other players with W-League experience, including midfielders Jamie Pollock, Tiffany Eliadis, Sarah Richardson, Ella Mastrantonio and Sophia Sakalis. In fact, both sides boast considerable W-League experience.

“It’s a one-off game,” Koutos says of the grand final. “Anything can happen. All I’m hoping for is we play well and put on a good show for the people who will come to support us and watch the game. Not only our supporters but the neutrals as well, and showcase women’s soccer in Melbourne.”

South Melbourne Squad: 
Coach: Angelo Koutos 
26 – Beth Mason-Jones (gk) 2 – Tiff Eliadis 3 – Alexandra Gummer 4 – Leah Scroggie 5 – Aimee Medwin 7 – Chelsea Blissett 8 – Jamie Pollock 9 – Julica Nicolaci 10 – Natalie Martineau 11 – Lisa De Vanna
12 – Sarah Richardson 14 – Alex Cheal 15 – Leia Varley 16 – Sofia Sakalis 17 – Melina Ayres 54 – Ella Mastrantonio 1 – Alexia Karatzikos (gk)

Bulleen Lions Squad:
Coach: Paul Kilpatrick
1 – Emily Shields (gk) 2 – Tessa Sernio 3 – Lexi Anastassiou 4 – Claudia Fruscalzo 6 – Caitlin Friend 8 – Alex Natoli 9 – Lia Privitelli 11 – Whitney Knight 12 – Liana Iaconis 13 – Hayley Richmond 14 – Cristina Cardaci 15 – Amy Jackson 16 – Shelby Green 17 – Daniela Gudelj 19 – Tyla Vlajnic 20 – Kayla Morrison 22 – Emily Dolzan
Kick Off 3.30 pm AAMI PARK 23/09/18