Round One of the 2023 NPLWA – Women’s competition kicks off this weekend with a former Gold Medal winner making her return to league action for the first time in 18 months.
Tia Stonehill scored 16 league goals in 2021 and also contributed a match-winning brace for Murdoch University Melville against Balcatta in the Women’s State Cup Final.
However, in early 2022, the striker suffered a serious injury during the pre-season Night Series competition, which would rule her out of the entire season.
Stonehill fractured her L1 and L2 transverse process which are bones on the spine that connect the muscles to the back. She was lucky to avoid surgery or a brace, but was required to rest for eight weeks with no movement until fracture fully healed. After that, it took around six months for her to get to a comfortable level where the pain started to subside, and she was able to start work in the gym and build up strength with no aggravation.
Nine months after the injury she was able to start running again and the former Golden Boot winner now says she is determined to make up for lost time.
“My body is feeling really good after having quite some time away from the game. I’ve been working really hard on getting strong enough for training, pre-season and to play. I’m ready to go and looking forward to the season,” Stonehill said.
“Physically it was really tough and I knew I did everything I possibly could to get better, but mentally it was so hard, particularly after coming off the season I had. My mental state with football (at that time) was full steam ahead, nothing was going to stop me, and I was ready to kick it into another gear and keep improving.
“It’s changed my mentality coming into this season. I’m really hungry and want to try to do more than I’ve done previously, and I’ve also realised just how much I love football, being in a team and every aspect of the game.
“I had to make a decision myself as to whether I was going to come back and play, whether my body would hold up and whether it was going to be worth it for me. I talked to a lot of people and sat on it for a while, but I really wanted to go back and give it a crack rather than not try at all.”
Stonehill admitted she was overcome by the amount of care shown by people within the local football community throughout her recovery.
“Honestly, people don’t realise how much of a difference that stuff makes,” she said.
“I was overwhelmed by the love and support shown by the clubs, men’s and women’s, and others who had no affiliation with me who were sending gifts and checking in. Mentally, it was really hard for me, because one day you’re playing your best football and the next you don’t know if you’re going to play again.
“But I was so lucky to have that support from my friends, family and partner. I’ve had a lot of help along the way, there’s been a lot of self-motivation to get me to the point I’m at now, but I’ve got something to prove and I want to get back to where I was.
“In life, you don’t know what’s around the corner, so for me it’s about being present in the moment, hopefully playing 90 minutes, scoring some goals, having success as a team, and that would make everything worth it for me.”
Stonehill will be in new colours this year having joined Balcatta Etna for the 2023 campaign. The forward said it wasn’t an easy decision to leave MUM FC, but having settled in at Grindleford Reserve she’s confident she’s landed in the right place.
“I had to think about the best decision for me, and for me it was to go forward with Balcatta,” she said.
“I talked to a number of people but I thought a fresh start would be beneficial. I’ve always had the upmost respect for Balcatta, as they always have had for me, even if I have scored against them in the past!
“I was contacted by Tim [Balcatta head coach Tim Cash], I went to meet the girls and it felt right. The club feels like a family and that was something I really wanted to focus on after a year off. They’re inclusive, supportive and there’s a really good environment.
“That vibe really attracted me and so far, I’ve really enjoyed it. The girls are awesome, the people at the club are amazing and I’m really happy.”
Stonehill will hope to make her league debut for Etna this Sunday against Curtin University at Grindleford Reserve. While excited by the prospect of getting back on the pitch, the striker maintains that the hard work for the team starts now.
“This season is going to be one of the tightest we’ve seen the NPLW. No game is ever a given and it will come down to who plays best for the full 90 minutes on each day,” she said.
“That mentality is going to be so important. We know we are going to have to fight for every game, but hopefully if we can get a good result on the weekend it will hold us in good stead for the rest of the season.
“Everyone wants to win trophies, but no one can win them for you, and it’s all about what we put in at training and on the pitch. The girls are really driven and we all have the same goal in wanting to set the levels high to make the most of this year.”
Elsewhere, Night Series winners Perth Soccer Club will look to build on a first piece of silverware in the Women’s NPL era when they host Subiaco at Dorrien Gardens.
The Azzurri will be full of confidence after coming from two goals down to prevail against Perth RedStar last Sunday. But Subiaco showed tangible signs of improvement in 2022 and Greg Farrell will be hoping his side can take a further step forward this year.
RedStar, meanwhile, will want to hit back from the disappointment of Sunday’s loss when they host Hyundai NTC in a repeat of last year’s Top Four Cup Final which the champions won 3-0.
Carlos Vega Mena’s team may have lost in Sunday’s shoot-out but they should be right up there again despite several absentees from last year’s group.
The other fixture sees Fremantle City make a short trip to face Murdoch University Melville, following a 2-0 win over NTC in last weekend’s Night Series third-place play-off.
Both teams have new head coaches in the dugout with Faye Chambers leading City and David Bancuzzo in charge of MUM FC. The pair shared the spoils 1-1 in their pre-season meeting.
Round Two fixtures
Sunday (3pm unless stated)
Fremantle City v MUM FC (1pm)
Perth RedStar v Hyundai NTC (1pm)
Balcatta Etna v Curtin University
Perth SC v Subiaco (4pm)