Grand FInal Preview

History awaits both sides | (Credit: Getty Images)

Tension, drama, action, late winners, injury time equalisers and penalty shoot outs was the story of the Westfield W-League semi-finals and now there are two.  At a sold out McKellar Park, minor premiers Canberra United host defending champions Brisbane Roar in the Season Four decider as history awaits both sides.

Last weekend Canberra displayed all that have made them warm favourites in this final.  Melbourne Victory came at them hard in the first half creating at least three clear cut chances.  But in the second half it was all Canberra.  All their lines stepped up a notch and the Victory were unable to go with them.

Meanwhile for the second season running, the Brisbane Roar claimed their finals berth the hard way as they went the distance against Sydney FC.  "Super Sub" Emily Gielnik provided the dramatic injury time equaliser and the shoot out, and Casey Dumont once again, decided the rest.

Canberra's Winning Plan

Canberra's strength lies in the collective.  Their possession game is the key and if Canberra are playing well, then Sally Shipard, Jennifer Bisset and Grace Gill are controlling the centre of the park.  Canberra's speed of ball movement is also essential to their success.  They will need to quickly to give the pace blessed trio of Michelle Heyman, Hayley Raso and Ashleigh Sykes chances to find space in and behind the Brisbane back four.

The defensive unit of mainstays Lydia Williams, who is sure to earn back to back Golden Gloves, Caitlin Cooper, Ellie Brush and Nicole Sykes have been nigh on impossible to break down. Offensively, the overlapping runs of their full backs will be important.  Nicole Sykes and Taryn Hemmings have speed to burn and the latter demonstrated last week just how much damage she can inflict when given space and time.

Canberra's biggest challenge this weekend will be how they mentally approach the match.  Brisbane have had the wood on them in big games and even if United do get on top, they should be prepared for the Roar to continue to come at them. Despite that, the Green Machine have played some fantastic football this year and there is no reason why the grand final should be any different.

"If they can win the league and bring the title to Canberra that would be absolutely amazing but I think it’s about the island cruise and that’s it. They should think about this great season and that we really had fun and are still having fun." - Jitka Klimkova

Key Players: Ellie Brush, Taryn Hemmings, Sally Shipard

Brisbane's Winning Plan

Brisbane's advantage is that when it comes to the big games, they have the big game players. Mentally they are the toughest team in the competition and have demonstrated that time and again. Their counter-attack game requires that discipline and there will be times they will be required to absorb the Canberra pressure.

Tameka Butt is the barometer of this team and she kept the Roar in the game when Sydney threatened to take them apart. She will again be important in this final and Brisbane will be hoping she gets them off to a good start as she did with her 9th minute goal in last season's grand final. Veteran Jo Burgess and striker Catherine Cannuli will have to help carry the load up front, while impact player Emily Gielnik is a luxury Jeff Hopkins can deploy late in the game to great effect.

If Brisbane are playing well then their midfield will be controlling or at least squaring the midfield.  Vital to this will be Aivi Luik in the centre of the park with the experienced Matildas' holding midfielder's encounter with Shipard one to watch.  Equally intriguing will be how the Matildas centre back combination of Kim Carroll and Laura Alleway quell Heyman & Co. Like Canberra, if the Roar are to get on top they will need their full backs Brooke Spence and Vedrana Popovic to get forward and support their midfield, that move could also have the bonus of making the Canberra forwards accountable.

Back to back championships is the reward awaiting Brisbane, and while they are already a good team, this would take them up another level.

"One thing that I really love about working with this group is just their resilience and their mental toughness. It’s something that this team has an abundance of. When the going really gets tough, this team have an ability to keep playing no matter what the score is. They refuse to get beaten; they refuse to believe that they are beaten until the referee blows that final whistle." - Jeff Hopkins

Key Players: Tameka Butt, Casey Dumont, Aivi Luik

Their History

This will be the 8th time that Canberra and Brisbane have met in the Westfield W-League with the ledger resoundingly in Brisbane's favour.  In all the big match encounters the Roar have found a way to come out on top.  From the Season One grand final to last season's semi-final penalty shoot-out win, Brisbane will go in with this psychological edge.  How much it all counts for is yet to be seen.

Head to head: Brisbane (5 wins), Canberra (1 win), 2 Draws