Adelaide United

Adelaide United start off their season away against traditional rivals Melbourne Victory at AAMI Park, then a bye before the November international break.

They will have to travel for the first two rounds of the season, plus a bye, before eventually playing in front of a home crowd in Round 4. 

Their first home game only occurs in Round 4 as a standalone Thursday night match at Coopers Stadium, which coincides with the rebel Female Football Round.

While the rest of their fixtures are interspersed amongst a good amount of rest days, there is a four day turnaround between games (18 November away in Brisbane and 22 November home against Canberra).

There is an advantage for United towards the end of the regular season, as their final three games are held at home, against Western Sydney Wanderers, Newcastle Jets and Brisbane Roar. This gives Adelaide the opportunity to consolidate their chances to make their first ever finals series, with the support of their home fans backing them up.

Standalone:  10

Doubleheaders: 2

Brisbane Roar

Brisbane Roar gets their season underway by facing three teams who missed the finals series in season 10 with a doubleheader against Perth up first while a trip to Western Sydney the only away one in the opening four weeks.

However, at the opposite end of the schedule, it will be familiar territory for Roar as they finish the season against three-peats Melbourne City, grand finalist Sydney FC and long-time rivals Canberra United. 

Roar will finish the season against Adelaide United though, who did them quite the scare in their match towards the end of last season. 

   SEE THE DRAW HIGHLIGHTS HERE   

This season will also see Roar face Sydney FC twice, unlike 2017/18 were they only played them in the opening game so facing them six weeks apart (Round 6 and 12) from each other will bring the rivalry back to life. 

Roar are one of two clubs that won't have to make the trip to the west coast of Australia this season meaning they only face Glory once. 

Getting off to a good start to the season will be important for Roar but they will need to dig deep heading into the back end of the season if they want to defend their Premiership crown.

Standalone: 9

Doubleheaders: 3

Canberra United

Canberra United have a good chance to come out of the gates, sight unseen, against the back to back champions Melbourne City to open their season, followed with a settler against Perth at home in round two.

Round 3 and 4 will be tough with an extra long road trip to Newcastle which gets harder and harder each year, followed by their bogie trip to Adelaide.

Canberra only face their Sydney neighbours once this season, playing Sydney FC at home in the cauldron of McKellar, followed by an away game at the Wanderers in early December.

The Christmas spell is a tricky one again for Canberra this year. An away game to Melbourne City just when City traditionally starts to gather momentum, a Thursday evening match on Dec 27th at home against Brisbane, then the dreaded new year haul over to Perth in the height of summer.

As Canberrans return home from summer leave, so will United. Their final three games see Canberra at home to Adelaide, then a Thursday night game in Queanbeyan against Melbourne Victory, finishing with Canberra’s traditional final match away to Brisbane before waiting out the last round results with a bye.

Standalone: 9

Doubleheaders: 3

Melbourne City

Melbourne City’s tilt at a fourth consecutive title starts in the nation’s capital. The trip to Canberra is followed by the Grand Final rematch. The international break precedes the Melbourne derby which will be played as a standalone fixture at AAMI Park in prime time on Friday night. 

The holiday period gets busy for the reigning champions. The team hosts Canberra just before Christmas before playing three games in 10 days. A trip to Western Sydney on New Year’s Day is followed by a Melbourne derby four days later. City then host Brisbane Roar on January 11 to round out what will be a tough period.  

Newcastle at home and Sydney in Wollongong either side of the bye close out Rado Vidosic’s first season in charge of the team.

Standalone: 6

Doubleheaders: 6

Melbourne Victory

Melbourne Victory are looking to return to the finals for the first time in three seasons when they open their season against Adelaide United. The next three games see the navy blue team play three of the sides who played finals last season, including a Melbourne derby. 

Victory host the Wanderers in Morwell – the first time since 2010 a W-League game heads to Victoria’s south-east. That game is followed by back to back away trips, to Brisbane and Adelaide respectively, with only a five day turnaround between games. 

Jeff Hopkin’s side will start 2019 with a home Melbourne derby before a bye. Victory finish the season with a trip to Canberra before another five day turnaround; Melbourne will host Sydney on the Sunday before a trip to Perth on Friday night.

Standalone: 9

Doubleheaders: 3

   SEE THE DRAW HIGHLIGHTS HERE   

Newcastle Jets

The 2018 semi-finalists have an extra week to fine tune, and assess their opposition before their first match of the W-league season, away to Melbourne Victory in a televised Thursday night match at Lakeside Stadium.

The Jets then return home in round 3, after the international break for the first of four stand-alone matches at their home base, No.2 Sportsground against Canberra United on Saturday November 17th which should make for a good atmosphere under the lights.

The Jets only have two home games at Hunter Stadium as double headers with the men’s side, round 6 v Melbourne City & round 9 v Adelaide United in a move requested by the club as CEO Lawrie McKinna told The Women’s Game last month the players preferred more standalone games.

"They are keen to play games at No.2 and have their own identity, which we totally agree with and support," he said.

No.2 Sportsground will also be their day in day training base so the Jets will be looking to gain an advantage with a full knowledge of the field’s diameter rather than switching between that and Hunter Stadium.

The Jets renew hostilities with semi-final combatant Sydney FC with an away trip to Wollongong in round 10. It is the only fixture between the two sides but it should be a cracker!

The Jets do have tough away trips to Perth and Melbourne City in round seven and twelve respectively. Making No.2 Sportsground a fortress will be vital as Newcastle look to go one better on last season and make the Grand Final for the first time in their history.    

Standalone: 9

Doubleheaders: 3

Perth Glory

The distance derby is first up for Perth Glory, a match they won last season, against Brisbane Roar before travelling once again to face Canberra United.

Glory have a good run at the end of the season though with three out of the four teams (Canberra, Victory and Wanderers) missing finals who also are coincidently the teams they face twice this season. 

A hindrance could be the ability to build momentum towards the second half of the season having a bye in Round 12. 

They also face both 2017/18 grand finalist at home, always a positive coming up against a Matilda dominated side in Sydney FC and fierce finishers Melbourne City.

Standalone: 8

Doubleheaders: 4

   SEE THE DRAW HIGHLIGHTS HERE   

Sydney FC

Sydney FC have a bye in round 3, which is the week after the international break, meaning they will have a three-week break between games with the last game before the break is Melbourne City on Nov 2 and the first game after the break against Melbourne Victory on November 25.

The only possible drawback could be when Sydney play two games in five days - both at home against Brisbane on December 9 and Adelaide December 13, but it seems to be pretty smooth sailing otherwise.

It will be a cracking ending to the season as they face City away from home.

Standalone: 8

Doubleheaders: 4

Western Sydney Wanderers

Five of WSW’s first eight games are at home, and their Round 10 bye is nicely placed between games on January 1 and January 10, preventing them from having to play three games in nine days.

However, the first four rounds include three games against teams that made last season’s semi finals, plus an away trip to Perth. They also have two five day turnarounds between games (Victory away on Dec 2 & Canberra at home on Dec 7, Adelaide away on Jan 19 & Perth at home on Jan 24).

One home game in the last four rounds will make it difficult for them to play catch-up, so a good start is vital if the Red & Black are to make the W-League semi finals for the first time.

Standalone: 10

Doubleheaders: 2