Two exciting young teams come together for Saturday afternoon’s Hyundai Women’s State Cup final when Hyundai NTC and Murdoch University Melville meet at the State Football Centre (3.45pm).
The fixture will be the first competitive women’s match since the opening of the venue which hosted multiple teams as a training base for the recent 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup.
It is fitting therefore that some of the best female prospects will help launch the venue, including Hyundai NTC’s Tanika Lala. The striker from the Goldfields has signed for A-League Women’s side Perth Glory after netting double figures in each of the past two NPLWA – Women’s seasons.
The forward is relishing the opportunity to take the next step in her career alongside NTC teammates Georgia Cassidy and Grace Johnston and reflected on another strong campaign at local level.
“I was over the moon when I found out. It’s something I’ve been working really hard towards over the past two years in terms of starting my career and to get this opportunity, it drives me to want to work even harder towards improving more,” she said.
“It’s going to be great to have Georgia and Grace there with me, but even when I was training with Glory last year all the girls were so welcoming. There’s a great environment and culture there and I’m excited to be a part of it.
“I’ve missed a few games this year, but I’ve been happy with my season overall. I think maybe I’ve missed out on a few goals and that number could be higher, but it’s been great to have the chance to showcase what I can do for a second year.
“I’ve learned a lot about myself this year, but there’s plenty more to learn on the pitch and I know that I have to keep working hard to keep maintaining those levels of performance.”
With Lala, Johnston and Cassidy due to join Glory shortly for pre-season training, this will be their swansong for NTC in 2023 as they will not be available for the Top Four Cup.
“I’m really proud of the girls that we’ve been able to get to the cup final and the Top Four Cup. We obviously had a good start but dropped off a bit and there was some inconsistency, but we’ve been happy with a lot of the performances coming into the weekend,” Lala said.
“It’s been great for us to have that chemistry from last year continue over and the new players have come in, fitted in well with that connection, and it’s been good to keep that going through the year.
“It would mean a lot to win silverware after missing out in the Top Four Cup final last year and all of the girls are really hungry to win something this year. It’s also mine, Georgia, and Grace’s last game for NTC so we want to end on a good note.
“We’ll be doing everything possible to go out and win the game as a team but also for all the coaching staff who have done so much for us, and a trophy would be the best way to give something back to them.”
One player who knows all about winning trophies is Murdoch University Melville’s Katie Schubert. The defender led the club to back-to-back league titles in 2020 and 2021 with the second of those seasons seeing MUM FC win the treble.
The former Perth Glory player says it has been an exciting season at Besteam Stadium with David Biancuzzo’s young squad continuing their growth from last year.
“Overall, I think we’ve had a pretty good season. Early on we were in contention for a top-four finish and were in second place for a while and that’s a reflection of what the players are capable of,” she said.
“Obviously with a young group you do have waves of momentum and we hit aspects of the season with injuries and there was some fatigue, but there were a couple of results where we were close to getting three points which would have put us closer to fourth, only to give up late goals.
“It’s been really exciting overall, and you just look at the age of some of these players and the progress they are making and it’s phenomenal. I can’t wait to see where they are all going to be in a year or two’s time.”
MUM FC will take heart from being unbeaten in three matches against Ben Anderton’s team in 2023 with the two most recent meetings ending in draws.
Schubert said Saturday’s showpiece is a game the girls have been looking forward to for a while, and knows their best is more than good enough to get over the line this weekend if they bring it.
“We hit a moment in the season where the top four was probably out of sight for us, but being in this final has continued to keep us motivated towards the end of the season and it’s such an exciting opportunity for the girls on Saturday,” she said.
“For a lot of the girls, it will be the first time playing in a final so the role of players like myself, Stacey Cavill and (captain) Charli Wainwright will be to keep things calm and make sure we have a level head.
“But if we all show up on the day and put in the effort and hard work then we know we have the ability. We obviously beat Fremantle in the semi-final, but we also drew with RedStar and have pulled off some other good results, so I think that shows on any given day we are capable.
“To win some silverware would be amazing and a great way to end the season and move into next year on a high. It’s going to be a real challenge between the young ’uns which is exciting for WA football.”
NTC reached the final with a 3-2 semi-final win over Perth SC, while MUM FC edged Fremantle City 1-0.
Tomorrow's game will be streamed live and free on Streamer.
Match-day details
- The State Football Centre is located at 305 Welshpool Road, Queens Park. Google maps link HERE
- There is no public parking at the venue. Parking can only be accessed by designated permit holders
- There is limited overflow public parking at Maniana Park which is adjacent to the State Football Centre and has a dedicated footpath to lead you to the venue. Access to Maniana Park is off Whitlock Road. The parking fee is $5 per vehicle with all proceeds going to Rotary WA
- A traffic management plan will be in place to manage the high volume of traffic in and out of the venue. Please be patient if there are delays and follow the instructions given by those managing this process
- The State Football Centre is a cashless venue. Entry cost is $15 per person ($5 concessions and free for under 16s)