The 54 match 2015/16 W-League regular season schedule was released last week.

Each of the 9 W-League teams will play 12 matches with two byes through 14 rounds.  We take a look at how the schedules have set up each of the teams for the a tilt at the Season 8 premiership and championship.

Adelaide United - Ann Odong

This season with see Adelaide United still searching for their first finals action. Under the management of Season 7 premiership coach Jamie Harnwell, they will be looking to push on from the last two seasons.

The draw hasn't been as kind to Adelaide as in previous seasons with 7 of their matches against last season's finalists, as well as near finalists Newcastle Jets twice.

The key run for Adelaide United will be early in the season with a run of three away matches against Brisbane Roar, Melbourne Victory and Melbourne City.  The Reds picked up just 3 of a possible 15 points on the road and how they come out of this run could shape their season.

If they can at pick up points in the opening quarter of the season, then the other key run will be in late November early December as with 3 consecutive home matches.

It wouldn't have been difficult but the Reds home form was better with Adelaide finishing last season in the positive with 2 wins, 2 losses and a draw. Crucially they defeated finals contenders Perth Glory and Melbourne Victory.

In essence, the first half of the season will determine whether Adelaide will get their first taste of finals football.

Brisbane Roar - Angela Bacic

After a tumultuous off-season the Brisbane Roar need to put the administration problems behind them, and show what they are made of on the pitch.

The Brisbane Roar’s team draw for the 2015/16 W-League season will challenge the players from the first whistle. Their opening match will be against last season’s champions, Canberra United at Suncorp Stadium.

The draw favours the Roar after a season where they only picked up four points away from home; they have six away and home matches. The matches have been formatted so they are alternate weeks being away (round 2, 6, 8, 10, 12, 14). The two byes (round 4 and 9) they have been handed will be blessing in disguise, if any mid-season injuries occur.

There will be a tough run of matches after the bye in round four. They will face the reigning Premiers, Perth Glory and new comers to the league, Melbourne City. Brisbane’s run to the finals isn’t smooth sailing, having only two of their last five matches at home.

After losing more than half their starting line up, through retirement or transfers, it will be interesting to see how coach, Belinda Wilson will approach the new season. It will be hard to re-build a squad, but this gives an opportunity for new stars to emerge into the starting XI.

It is great to see two of the matches, round one and five, will be hosted at Suncorp Stadium before the men’s match. The other four home matches will be played at Perry Park. This is different to previous W-League seasons, where the women would take their matches to QSAC, Goodwin Park or Redcliffe. It is a win for the team to be able to have a permanent home ground for the 2015/16 season. Hopefully, this doesn’t change once the season begins.

Canberra United - Sarah Groube

This season’s draw for defending champions Canberra United looks to be a tricky one at first glance.

Kicking off in Brisbane in the expanse of Suncorp Stadium is a tricky first up challenge for the champions. Brisbane is not a happy stomping ground for Canberra, having only one win in 9 outings there. Canberra’s only first round loss of the W-League was against Brisbane Roar in W-League season two in Brisbane, another omen for the green team. Still, it’s new coach Rae Dower’s home town so she will have extra motivation in her first match at the helm of United, and Canberra will be keen to impress in the first televised match of the season.

Canberra hosts Sydney FC in round 2, before a bye in round 3, then a controversial ‘home’ game at Gosford's Central Coast Stadium, scheduled as the match of the round, being played 350km from home to fit in with Foxtel's TV schedule. To say Canberra fans are being deprived by missing out on watching their team play league newcomers Melbourne City at McKellar Park, is an understatement.

Canberra will earn their frequent driver miles through November - Newcastle away, Sydney FC away, Western Sydney Wanderers away. We all know Canberrans love a good road trip and if they can pick up some wins in this period it will set them up nicely for a run of three home matches in December.

Home matches against Brisbane, Adelaide and Victory during the festive season should draw strong crowds in the capital. After picking up a total of 10 points out of 15 points available at home in Season 7, this could be the period where Canberra cement their tilt at back-to-back titles.

Canberra have scored the bye over the Christmas/New Year period, surely a pay off for missing out on the revenue and excitement forfeited by playing the newly formed and cashed up Melbourne City at home.

Their toughest away game will be to Perth on 2 January – a long trip, hot conditions, against the Glory who will be after just a touch of vengeance after Canberra deservedly took the sweets from their grasp last season.

Canberra’s final two combatants, the Wanderers (home) and Adelaide (away), have both spoiled the final run for Canberra in the past so they will need to be focused to pick up enough points to reach the finals.

Melbourne City - Cheryl Downes

The new kids on the W-League block have arrived and Melbourne City have been thumped with a pretty hard draw as their welcome.

City’s first four matches are against the top four from last season. On top of that, of their 12 matches, seven are against that same top four. Hard enough for you?

Whilst it’s a tough run to start with, it has been made even tougher with CIty on the road for three of those first four matches. There won’t be any welcoming arms when they kick off in Sydney. Nothing says welcome like the passionate supporters of “The Cove” and you can bet they will be there in force.

As for the finish, City are at home for three of four matches plus a bye, but with tough opponents, the home straight won’t be a walk in the park.

Overall, the good news about this draw is that whilst it starts tough, it ends tough. Sarcasm intended. Regardless of the harsh receptions they could receive along the way, there should be some great matches and W-League fans will hopefully be the winners.

One element which looks great for City is the venues. A real home ground at C. B. Smith Reserve for five of their six home matches and for extra oomph, throw in the inaugural derby at AAMI Park. I’d like to see that.

For City to really stamp their mark on the W-League, the key is to get points and confidence early in those first four matches. It doesn’t really get any easier.