It's a new look W-League - but who says that's a bad thing! Check out every W-League team's 2020/21 squad and transfer list right here, as we continually update every signing and analyse how each squad is shaping up.
If putting together our annual list of W-League signings, squads and departures has taught us one thing this year, it's that rumours of the W-League's demise have been greatly exaggerated.
There are still so many talented Aussies in our own backyard, but most of you probably already knew that. What you may not have realised is the amount of star W-League imports that never secured European contracts and are still available to rock our socks off down under.
With W-League squads traditionally named later than their A-League counterparts and contract negotiations ongoing, this list will be continually updated as new signings and departures eventuate.
Big question marks hang over a lot of each team's foreign stars from last season, so we've added in a separate section for those players and compared these current squads to last season's. We will keep you posted as soon as we know more.
ADELAIDE UNITED
Ins:
Sian Fryer-McLaren,
Outs:
Sarah Willacy, Mary Fowler
Confirmed Squad:
Charlotte Grant, Matilda McNamara, Emily Hodgson, Laura Johns, Georgia Campagnale, Emily Condon, Chelsie Dawber, Dylan Holmes, Isabel Hodgson
Big question:
Could Mallory Weber and Lais Araujo return and add a bit of foreign spice to the W-League next season?
Analysis:
A new face, but basically the same old Adelaide - not that it's necessarily a bad thing. New coach Adrian Stenta gets a promotion from assistant while Ivan Karlovic now moves into a football director role, in the hopes of refreshing the team's approach.
Adelaide have struggled since the W-League's inception but have re-signed the majority of their key players already, giving the squad an element of certainty heading into next campaign.
Last season's squad:
Sarah Willacy (GK), Georgia Campagnale, Emily Hodgson, Laura Johns, Emily Condon, Chelsea Dawber, Ciara Fowler, Kahlia Hogg, Dylan Holmes, Mary Fowler, Charlotte Grant, Isabel Hodgson, Mallory Weber, Amber Brooks, Julia Ashley, Lais Araujo
BRISBANE ROAR
CANBERRA UNITED
Ins:
Grace Maher, Nickoletta Flannery, Jessika Nash, Clare Hunt
Outs:
Karly Roestbakken, Nikola Orgill, Olivia Price
Big question:
Elise Thorsnes and Simone Charley could potentially return, but will they? Could we even see Michelle Heyman make her W-League return in capital colours?
Confirmed Squad:
Lauren Keir, Bianca Galic, Laura Hughes, Grace Maher, Nickoletta Flannery, Rachael Goldstein, Hayley Taylor-Young, Jessika Nash, Clare Hunt
Last season's squad:
Nikola Orgill (c), Karly Roestbakken, Elise Thorsnes, Shamiran Khamis (GK) and Annalee Grove (GK), Taren King, Laura Hughes, Hayley Taylor-Young, Jessie Rasschaert, Simone Charley, Katie Stengel, Leena Khamis, Patricia Charalambous, Emma Stanbury, Ashlie Crofts, Rebekah Horsey, Kaleigh Kurtz
MELBOURNE CITY
Ins:
None announced.
Outs:
Emma Checker, Emily van Egmond, Kyah Simon, Ellie Carpenter, Lydia Williams, Steph Catley, Claire Emslie, Rebekah Stott
The big question:
Will they bring a marquee to the W-League? Lisa de Vanna, perhaps? Yukari Kinga and Lauren Barnes are also potentially available, as they never secured WSL deals.
Analysis:
Well, no prizes for guessing who this offseason's big loser has been. Having lost practically the entire spine of their squad (and then some) it's hard to feel sorry for the W-League's perennial powerhouses but you have to feel a little for Rado Vidosic.
The good news is they always invest heavily in their program, so expect the next generation to come through in style at the Melbourne club. Very exciting viewing indeed.
Last season's squad:
Chelsea Blisset, Emma Checker, Melissa Barbieri (GK), Sofia Sakalis, Emily van Egmond, Kyah Simon, Nia Stamatopoulos, Rhali Dobson, Tyla-Jay Vlajnic, Ellie Carpenter, Lydia Williams, Lauren Barnes, Yukari Kinga, Steph Catley, Claire Emslie, Milica Mijatovic
MELBOURNE VICTORY
Ins:
Catherine Zimmerman
Outs:
Jenna McCormick, Natasha Dowie, Grace Maher
Confirmed squad:
Lia Privitelli, Catherine Zimmerman, Angela Beard
The big question:
Who can replace Dowie, arguably the most intrinsic player to a single club the W-League has ever seen?
Analysis:
Jeff Hopkins' team were capable of being incredibly exciting last season with Darian Jenkins a particular standout come finals time. But they've never invested heavily in their W-League squad, preferring Victorian locals and one-or-two standouts. This means, at times, Hopkins' side could be embarrassed, as they were against Melbourne City late in the campaign.
Now that the W-League's balance has been forcibly somewhat restored, the chance has never been greater for the W-league's most experienced coach and one of Australia's biggest clubs to make their mark.
But given they've already lost Grace Maher to a W-League rival, let alone their foreign exit list, we're not exactly holding our breath.
Last season's squad:
Angie Beard, Jenna McCormick, Natasha Dowie, Melissa Maizels, Annalie Longo, Teigen Allen, Alexandra Gummer, Lia Privitelli, Melina Ayres, Grace Maher, Amy Jackson, Rosie Sutton, Polly Doran and Emma Robers, Hayley Hanson, Darian Jenkins, Emily Menges
NEWCASTLE JETS
Ins:
None announced.
Outs:
Teigan Collister, Clare Wheeler
The big question:
Without the previous longest-serving W-League coach, Craig Deans, at the helm, how will Ashley Wilson be able to manage such an inexperienced squad?
Analysis:
Newcastle should be primed to take on the very biggest next season, assuming they can retain some of their best young players, given the relative lack of star power across the W-League.
But the fact they couldn't hold on to Wheeler or Collister is a worrying sign that Dubvelopment league or not, Newcastle are still small fishes these days, despite the size of the pond.
Last season's squad:
Claire Coelho (GK), Hannah Brewer, Cassidy Davis, Gema Simon, Tessa Tamplin, Larissa Crummer, Libby Copus-Brown, Paige Kingston-Hogg, Sophie Nenadovic, Clare Wheeler, Tara Andrews, Teigan Collister, Jenna Kingsley, Pana Petratos, Renee Pountney, Annabel Martin, Nicki Flannery, Lauren Allan, Nicole Simonsen
PERTH GLORY
Ins:
None announced.
Outs:
None announced.
The big question:
Will Morgan Andrews light the league up for Glory once again?
Analysis:
Perth were topsy-turvy last season but are another club that are becoming experienced in not only surviving without top-class stars but also rebounding from losing big players.
They may have one of the best chances of retaining last season's squad, given the relative lack of WSL transfers among them, but how much they're willing to invest is uncertain.
Last season's squad:
Morgan Aquino, Eliza Campbell, Kim Carroll, Sarah Carroll, Caitlin Doeglas, Jamie-Lee Gale,
Shannon May, Lexie Moreno, Leticia McKenna, Jenna Onions, Natasha Rigby, Celia Jimenez Delgado, Morgan Andrews, Crystal Thomas, Arianna Romero.
SYDNEY FC
Ins:
Jada Mathyssen-Whyman, Charlotte McLean, Charlize Rule, Clare Wheeler, Rachel Lowe, Cortnee Vine
Outs:
Alanna Kennedy, Caitlin Foord, Chloe Logarzo
The big question:
Could retaining the likes of Aubrey Bledsoe and Sofia Huerta be enough to eclipse Melbourne City's dominance?
Confirmed squad:
Ellie Brush, Ally Green, Angelique Hristodoulou, Elizabeth Ralston, Teresa Polias, Taylor Ray, Natalie Tobin, Mackenzie Hawkesby, Princess Ibini, Remy Siemsen, Jada Mathyssen-Whyman, Charlotte McLean, Charlize Rule, Clare Wheeler, Rachel Lowe, Cortnee Vine
Analysis:
Like every season, Sydney have really got it going on. They pack a large amount of experience, they minimise squad changeover, they announce their teams early and they always seem to have that oh-so-crucial solid spine.
When you look across their squad, despite the obvious big-name departures, Sydney have seemingly been relatively spared. They still have so much to offer with the likes of Remy Siemsen, Ellie Brush, Teresa Polias, Princess Ibini and Nat Tobin that you almost wonder what all the fuss is about.
The 2023 World Cup is on the horizon and there are a lot of would-be Matildas in this lineup that will be pressing to be the next off to Europe.
Last season's squad:
Alanna Kennedy, Ally Green, Amy Sayer, Angelique Hristodolou, Aubrey Bledsoe (GK), Caitlin Foord, Chloe Logarzo, Ellie Brush, Elizabeth Ralston, Mackenzie Hawkesby, Natalie Tobin, Princess Ibini, Remy Siemsen, Sofia Huerta, Shadeene Evans, Taylor Ray, Teresa Polias (captain), Trudy Burke (GK), Veronica Latsko.
WESTERN SYDNEY WANDERERS
Ins:
Sarah Willacy, Olivia Price, Teigan Collister
Outs:
Alex Huynh, Cortnee Vine, Denise O'Sullivan, Lynn Williams, Jada Mathyssen-Whyman, Rachel Lowe
The big question(s):
Will Kristen Hamilton return and will Kyra Cooney-Cross break out and become the league's biggest Aussie star?
Confirmed squad:
Courtney Newbon, Caitlin Cooper, Danika Matos, Courtney Nevin, Georgia Yeoman-Dale, Rosie Galea, Chloe Middleton, Susan Phonsongkham
Analysis:
It's going to be another very interesting season for the Red and Black faithful.
The positives are clear: they now have a really experienced, promising coaching set up in Dean Heffernan, Michael Beauchamp and Catherine Cannuli and the facilities to match. They lost key young stars to their direct rivals, but replaced them really promisingly - Willacy's signing in particular an absolute steal. They've also managed to re-sign a solid portion of last season's squad early on.
But we saw last season that when Williams and O'Sullivan departed, the Wanderers lost their mojo. Add Alex Huynh's Napoli move to that equation and there are still big question marks hanging over Wanderers.
But question marks that admittedly, would have been a luxury for the Western Sydney of old.
Last season's squad:
Jada Whyman (GK), Courtney Nevin, Susan Phonsongkham, Alex Huynh, Alix Roberts, Amy Harrison, Sam Staab, Lynn Williams, Kristen Hamilton, Denise O'Sullivan, Leena Danaskos, Erica Holloway, Kyra Cooney-Cross, Cortnee Vine, Vesna Milivojevic, Abby Smith
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