GK: Erin Hudson (Alamein FC)
The young shot-stopper was kept busy throughout their tie with South Melbourne. Was forced into a number of good stops, including solid saves off Melina Ayres and a one-on-one against Britt Thomas.
LB: Jaimee Williams (Alamein FC)
The second of three defensive players to feature for Alamein, Williams had a standout game on the left side of a three-player defence, buzzing around the park with energy and shutting out the threat that South Melbourne posed down that side of the park through Bryannen Gurr.
CB: Maddie Richardson (Box Hill United)
The Box Hill utility produced a brilliant raking ball for her side’s opener against Heidelberg and proved a tough figure to manoeuvre past as she helped her side to a clean sheet. Combative in the air and a brilliant reader at ground level, Richardson was kept busy but held her own against a tough opposition in Vine. Emma Littlewood was also a strong performer.
CB: Sienna Fogarty (Bayside United)
Fogarty was the pillar in which Bayside shaped their defensive structure around on the weekend, with her physicality enough to deny a lighter-framed NTC any real clear-cut efforts. Her distribution as always was solid.
CB: Amy Jackson (Alamein FC)
The centre half was Alamein’s best on ground anchoring the defence, with her ball use from defence a particular highlight. Showed a good array of passing and made a number of telling clearances to ensure they escaped with a win.
RB: Bella Scott (Bulleen Lions)
The fullback helped Bulleen to an important maximum haul of points at the expense of Southern United. She kept things well maintained down her flank and offered little to her opposition.
CM: Adriana Taranto (Galaxy United)
Taranto was on form once more to deliver the ladder-leaders a win in the top-of-the-table clash against Calder United. It was her assist that got the ball rolling and she backed that up with a solid 90 minute performance.
CM: Kate Fotopoulos (Box Hill United)
The central midfielder was industrious in an 84 minute performance in which she acted as the metronome to keep Box Hill ticking over. An injury scare to Kristina Hall forced her midfield partner to take the reigns and she delivered with a consistent display of passing football.
CM: Emma Runnalls (Bayside United)
Deployed as a central midfielder, Runnalls was able to effectively shut out the NTC in tandem with Kirstie Shearing and Jesse Kotsikas. In a game in which NTC played the prettier football, it was the mettle of the hard-working hosts that won the game.
LW: Tyla-Jay Vlajnic (Bulleen Lions)
Enjoying life in a more advanced role for Bulleen, Vlajnic put in a solid attacking display to win her side a penalty and score the winning goal in a 2-1 result over Southern United. The technically-gifted utility showed her two-footedness by hammering home with her right boot.
RW: Caitlin Pickett (Galaxy United)
It’s a fourth Team of the Week appearance for Pickett who shifts out onto the right wing for the purpose of this team. The left winger produced a deadly display of finishing to score twice and was the game breaker in the match-up against the 2016 Champions. If she can retain this level of performance, a Young Matildas call-up beckons.
Bench:
Alyssa Dall’oste (Box Hill United)
The teenager had another solid outing for Box Hill on the weekend, keeping Cortnee Vine to nil and keeping a clean sheet against the Bergers. A brilliant stop to deny a Vine half-volley was a personal highlight.
Sadie Murphy (Galaxy United)
The Irish defender was in peak form for Galaxy United to help shut out the threat that Calder United offered. Pitted up against the league’s highest scorers – barring Galaxy themselves – she nullified numerous opportunities and played her part in getting the three points
Alex Natoli (Bulleen Lions)
On her return fixture after a month away from football, Natoli picked up an assist for Vlajnic’s winner as well as putting in a solid defensive performance at the Veneto Club in their win over Southern.
Anita Les (Alamein FC)
With Alamein changing their shape to a three at the back, Les shifted from a fullback role into midfield, where she brought her usual high-octane energy to outshine a South Melbourne midfield of Natalie Martineau and Jamie Pollock.
Jamie Brown (Bayside United)
Brown has enjoyed a decent start to the NPLW season, with the fullback putting in another well-rounded performance in the win against her former side the Senior NTC. Used the ball well and with composure, and did her best defensively when pitted up against a rotating set of opposition attackers.
Isabella Sewards (Senior NTC)
The central midfielder was one of the youngest players to attend the Junior Matildas camp in 2016 and returned to the senior NTC team with a strong performance. A central midfield partnership with Felicity Georgopoulos combined to starve bayside’s midfield of meaningful attacking possession.
Melanie Camilleri (Box Hill United)
Enjoying her best spell of form in a number of seasons, the powerful forward got stuck in and contested her share of aerial duals. Her aggression at the ball saw her rewarded with a tap in from close range to seal the result.