Of the players to make the switch from Melbourne Victory to crosstown rivals City in its inaugural season in the W-League, Steph Catley was perhaps one of the highest profile.
The Melbourne local swept all before her at Victory, earning the 2012-13 Young Player of the Year, a Matildas debut, and a W-League Championship while captaining the side.
Melbourne City came calling after the World Cup in Canada, signing her and a host of Matildas and internationals – many former Victory players – in an ambitious recruitment drive to challenge for first year honours.
She hasn’t looked back since, becoming a key cog of City’s unbeaten run to the midway point of the season, with Brisbane Roar the latest victims in a 4-0 rout – a game Catley captained in Lisa De Vanna’s absence – on Sunday following a 50th minute red card to Ruth Blackburn.
The fullback’s usual penchant for marauding forward was on show, linking well with attackers and fashioning a number of chances on goal.
“It’s just about balance, our holding midfielders are really strong and always providing us support,” Catley said.
“If I go forward then Stotty’s [Rebekah Stott] tucking in, or if she’s going then I’m tucking in, but usually it’s just seamless, it’s working well.
“I think they [Brisbane] had a really good game plan in the first half, they forced us to one side and made it predictable when we were playing out which was a really smart plan and it did frustrate us at the start.
“We went back in at half time and regrouped and them going down to 10 helped a bit, I thought they played really well and they really challenged us.”
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The 21-year-old attributed squad depth as a key component to City’s success so far this season, with the team coping with regular omissions throughout the campaign to notch up six straight wins.
Despite missing Lisa De Vanna to suspension for a second week and Jess Fishlock to international duty, other players stepped up in their absence and contributed to the resounding victory on Sunday.
“I think the best part of this team is that sometimes in W-League teams, there’s not that much depth, you’ll have really strong starting XI’s and then maybe not many people that can come in and replace some of the superstars in the team,” she said.
“But in this team it’s just week in, week out you’re not 100% sure [about selection] and you’ve really got to work really hard at training to make sure you’re in the starting XI.
“It’s so much fun out here with this team, so it’s where you want to be.”
And while the former Victory skipper donned the Melbourne City armband on Sunday – the fourth player after Lisa De Vanna, Aivi Luik and Jess Fishlock to captain the club this season – Catley said she’d welcome back her regular captain with open arms.
“[De Vanna is] El Capitano and she’s not a bad player, so it’ll be lovely to have her back out there again,” she said.
“Her pace in behind and work rate off the ball is really world class, so we’ll be happy to have her back.”