Melbourne Victory FC will be looking to win their maiden W-League title on Sunday afternoon as they aim to end a five-year hoodoo against the Brisbane Roar at Lakeside Stadium.
Since the competition’s inception, Melbourne have failed to notch up a win against the Roar but coach Dave Edmondson insisted that history counts for nothing on occasions like these.
“This team has only played Brisbane once and we lost 1-0 in a really close game,” Edmondson said.
“We actually played some of our best football – the results didn’t go our way but we played really good football and we dominated big spells of that game against Brisbane.
“We won’t change a great deal of what we’ve done this year, we’ve got to play the style that we look to play.
“We’ve got a group of players that we think we can get the best out of in certain positions and certain ways and we’ll do that if we get it right and we do the things we are trying to do then we’ll win the game.”
The 2012-13 runners-up will be bolstered by the presence of 27-year-old international marquee Jessica Fishlock, who missed out on last season’s finals series as her temporary ‘guest’ contract ran its course.
Fishlock said that confidence was high amongst the squad off the back of an enthralling 3-2 semi-final victory over Sydney FC and believes that a win in this Sunday’s decider would rank as one of the highest achievements in her career.
“It’ll be up there with everything else that I’ve achieved to be honest, especially with Melbourne and the group last year and where they’ve come from now,” Fishlock said.
“It’ll be probably for me personally, definitely be one of the highlights of my career.”
“The week has actually been really good, the camp is really good, we are really happy after last week and we are just pushing forward to Sunday but not really focusing on anything different than what we’ve done all season.”
“Dave [Edmondson] has made us realise that we’ve still got something to do and theres a lot of media right now but we’ve got to focus on what we’ve got to focus on and thats the football.”
The Welsh captain was quick however to ensure her relatively young teammates kept their feet on the ground, encouraging them to keep emotions in check as they prepare for Sunday’s game.
“If we see it as a huge game that could affect the way that we play,” she said.
“We don’t want to play the occasion, we want to play the game.
“If we do that then we will be fine, so training is no different, Dave knows what he’s doing and we’ll just go and keep doing what we’ve done all season.”
With Enza Barilla and Katie Hoyle returning to the squad, Edmondson spoke of the selection dilemma he is to face ahead of unveiling his 16-man-squad on Friday morning.
“It is a tough decision this week,” the coach said.
“Katie Hoyle is back, Enza Barilla is back in contention for selection, but it’s a great headache to have – it’s a good position to be and it’s a position we want to be in going into a final.”
The match also marks Edmondson’s last game at the helm of Melbourne Victory, after which he’ll depart for England to take the reigns of the Bristol Academy.
The Englishman spoke of his desire to win the title, but keeping in line with the words of Fishlock, explained that he would approach the game like any other.
“To be honest I’m desperate to win every single game I play,” he said.
“When I join in training, if we are short on numbers, I want to win that game so, last game, final, really makes no difference.
“I want to win every single game as much as the other so obviously the added fact there’s silverwear on the line and its a final, yes [there are added stakes], but it really does not change my mentality, I want to win everything I do.”
Melbourne Victory take on Brisbane Roar in the W-League decider this Sunday, 23rd of February. Kick-off at Lakeside Stadium is set for 3:00pm.