W-League (Australia)
 | |
| Country |
 Australia |
|---|---|
| Confederation | AFC (Asia) |
| Founded | 25 October 2008 |
| Number of teams | 8 |
| Level on pyramid | 1 |
| Current champions |
Canberra United (2nd title) (2014) |
| Current premiers | Perth Glory (1st title) |
| Most championships |
Brisbane Roar Sydney FC Canberra United (2 titles) |
| Most premierships |
Brisbane Roar Sydney FC Canberra United (2 titles) |
| TV partners | TBA 2015-2020 |
| Website | w-league.com.au |
The W-League (currently known as the Westfield W-League for sponsorship reasons) is the top division of women's soccer in Australia. Established in 2008, the league is composed of eight teams of which seven are affiliated with clubs in the A-League and their respective state federations. The eighth team is based in Canberra.[1]
Competition format
The W-League's season typically runs from November to February and consists of 12 rounds.[2] The top four teams in the regular season advance to the semi-finals with the champion determined by the victor of the Grand Final.[3]
History
Establishment
After the Australia women's national soccer team qualified for the quarterfinals of the 2007 FIFA Women's World Cup in China for the first time, head coach Tom Sermanni felt the establishment of a professional league was vital for continuing the development of players.[4] The Football Federation Australia established the league the following year. The W-League was initially composed of eight teams: Adelaide United, Brisbane Roar, Central Coast Mariners, Melbourne Victory, Newcastle Jets, Perth Glory, and Sydney FC. Seven of the eight teams were affiliated with the inaugural Australian A-League clubs, and shared their names and colours to promote their brands. The eighth club was the Canberra-based Canberra United.[5]
The Central Coast Mariners were forced to withdraw from the 2010–11 season due to a lack of funding and have yet to return.
| Season | Premiers (regular season winners) | Champions (Grand Final winners) |
|---|---|---|
| 2014 | Perth Glory | Canberra United |
| 2013–14 | Canberra United | Melbourne Victory |
| 2012–13 | Brisbane Roar | Sydney FC |
| 2011–12 | Canberra United | Canberra United |
| 2010–11 | Sydney FC | Brisbane Roar |
| 2009 | Sydney FC | Sydney FC |
| 2008–09 | Queensland Roar | Queensland Roar |
Inaugural season, 2008
The W-League's inaugural season commenced on 25 October 2008, with Perth Glory hosting Sydney FC at Members Equity Stadium.[6] After ten rounds, Queensland Roar were the top-placed team, becoming the first W-League premiers, and advancing to the semi-finals along with the second-, third- and fourth-placed teams. They faced Canberra United in the W-League Grand Final 2009, defeating them 2–0 to take the champions trophy.
One game per week (the 3:00 pm Saturday game) was broadcast live nationwide on ABC.[7] The teams in the W-League have a salary cap of A$150,000 for the entire squad. By comparison, the salary cap for clubs in the corresponding men's competition, the A-League, is A$2.35 million.
Expansion
When the Western Sydney Wanderers joined the A-League for the 2012–13 season, they also entered a team into the W-League, returning the competition to eight teams.
Overall Standings
| Position | Team | Played | Wins | Draws | Losses | Win % |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |  Sydney FC | 76 | 43 | 13 | 20 | 65.1% |
| 2 |  Canberra United | 76 | 40 | 16 | 20 | 63.2% |
| 3 |  Brisbane Roar | 76 | 39 | 13 | 14 | 59.9% |
| 4 |  Central Coast Mariners | 20 | 11 | 1 | 8 | 57.5% |
| 5 |  Melbourne Victory | 76 | 37 | 13 | 26 | 57.2% |
| 6 |  Perth Glory | 76 | 35 | 7 | 34 | 50.7% |
| 7 |  Newcastle Jets | 75 | 18 | 11 | 47 | 30.9% |
| 8 |  Western Sydney Wanderers | 35 | 8 | 6 | 22 | 30.6% |
| 9 |  Adelaide United | 75 | 11 | 9 | 56 | 20.4% |
These results do not include the finals. Updated at the end of the 2014 season (draws count as half a win)
Organisation
Current clubs
Adelaide United      Location: Adelaide, South Australia |
Brisbane Roar  Location: Brisbane, Queensland |
Canberra United    Location: Canberra, A.C.T. |
Melbourne Victory     Location: Melbourne, Victoria |
Newcastle Jets    Location: Newcastle, New South Wales |
Perth Glory    Location: Perth, Western Australia |
Sydney FC     Location: Sydney, New South Wales |
Western Sydney Wanderers FC   Location: Sydney, New South Wales |
Broadcasting
The ABC previously broacasted 1 game a week each Sunday at 3pm. ABC dropped the W-League in 2014 after sevens seasons with them. The next broadcaster is still not confirmed.
Stadiums
Primary venues currently used in the W-League:
| Stadium | Capacity | Club |
|---|---|---|
| Burton Park | 1,200 | Adelaide United |
| The Shores | 1,000 | Adelaide United |
| Queensland Sport and Athletics Centre | 49,000 | Brisbane Roar |
| Perry Park | 5,000 | Brisbane Roar |
| A.J. Kelly Park | 1,500 | Brisbane Roar |
| McKellar Park | 2,460 | Canberra United |
| Deakin Stadium | 1,500 | Canberra United |
| Kingston Heath | 5,000 | Melbourne Victory |
| Broadmeadows Valley Park | 5,000 | Melbourne Victory |
| Etihad Stadium | 53,347 (rectangular configuration) | Melbourne Victory |
| Lakeside Stadium | 15,000 | Melbourne Victory |
| Wanderers Oval | 2,000 | Newcastle Jets |
| Adamstown Oval | 2,000 | Newcastle Jets |
| Ashfield Reserve [8] | 2,000 | Perth Glory |
| nib Stadium | 20,500 | Perth Glory |
| Allianz Stadium | 45,500 | Sydney FC |
| WIN Stadium | 18,484 | Sydney FC |
| WIN Jubilee Oval | 22,000 | Sydney FC |
| Marconi Stadium | 11,500 | Western Sydney Wanderers |
| Campbelltown Stadium | 21,000 | Western Sydney Wanderers |
| Centrebet Stadium | 22,500 | Western Sydney Wanderers |
Other venues previously used by W-League clubs include:
| Stadium | Capacity | Details |
|---|---|---|
| Bluetongue Stadium | 20,119 | Central Coast Mariners |
| Canberra Stadium | 25,011 | Used by Central Coast Mariners in the 2009 season during round 5.1 |
| Leichhardt Oval | 22,000 | Used by Sydney FC and Central Coast Mariners in the 2009 season during round 8 as a double-header.2|- |
| Wembley Park | 2,500 | Used by Melbourne Victory in the 2013-2014 season. |
1Central Coast Mariners played this fixture as a home game against Canberra United. 2Sydney FC played this fixture as a home game against Perth Glory. It is also a 'curtain raiser' to the second game, to be played by the Mariners. Central Coast Mariners played this fixture as a home game against Melbourne Victory.
Referees
The W-League features Women Referees and Assistant Referees from Australia. Referees include:
- Sara Hodson
- Lee Corey
- Kirralee Gardener
- Jacqui Melksham
- Pru Donohoe
- Amelia Morris
- Catherine Hoffman
- Kate Jacewicz, who refereed the inaugural W-League final.[9]
- Casey Reibelt
Champions and premiers
Queensland Roar changed their name to Brisbane Roar for the 2009 season.
| Season | Regular season | Grand final | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Premiers | Points | Runners-up | Champions | Score | Runners-up | |
| 2008–09 Details |
Queensland Roar .png){kind=small} |
25–17 Ladder |
Newcastle Jets |
Queensland Roar |
2–0 Grand Final |
Canberra United |
| 2009 Details |
Sydney FC |
23–22 Ladder |
 Central Coast Mariners |
Sydney FC |
3–2 Grand Final |
Brisbane Roar |
| 2010–11 Details |
Sydney FC |
24–21 Ladder |
Brisbane Roar |
Brisbane Roar |
2–1 Grand Final |
Sydney FC |
| 2011–12 Details |
Canberra United |
24–21 Ladder |
Brisbane Roar |
Canberra United |
3–2 Grand Final |
Brisbane Roar |
| 2012–13 Details |
Brisbane Roar |
26–24 Ladder |
Perth Glory |
Sydney FC |
3–1 Grand Final |
Melbourne Victory |
| 2013–14 Details |
Canberra United |
27–26 Ladder |
Sydney FC |
Melbourne Victory |
2–0 Grand Final |
Brisbane Roar |
| 2014 Details |
Perth Glory |
30–20 Ladder |
Melbourne Victory |
Canberra United |
3–1 Grand Final |
Perth Glory |
Individual honours
League awards
The league presents annual awards for outstanding achievements including:[10]
- Julie Dolan Medal
- Young Player of the Year
- Player's Player of the Year
- Goalkeeper of the Year (Golden Glove)
- Golden Boot
- Goal of the Year
- Coach of the Year
- Referee of the Year
- Fair Play Award
W-League all-time top scorers
Shows players at current club or last club played for. (*) Denotes players who have played for more than one W-League team. |
Last updated 21 December 2014
Current and past foreign players in the league
Due to the W-League's season running during the off-season of several leagues around the world, many foreign players have played for teams in the league. Many players from countries such as Canada, England, Germany, Japan, New Zealand, the United States, and Wales have participated throughout the history of the league.
See also
- W-League (Australia) all-time records
- Women's soccer in Australia
- Australia women's national soccer team
- Women’s National Soccer League (WNSL) - defunct Australian women's national league
References
- ↑ "Women in a league of their own". Football Federation Australia. 28 July 2008.
- ↑ "W-LEAGUE". Soccer Way. Retrieved 30 November 2013.
- ↑ "Westfield W-League fixtures and results". Football Federation Australia. Retrieved 30 November 2013.
- ↑ Grainey, Tim (26 November 2013). "Grainey: A closer look at the Westfield W-League". Equalizer Soccer. Retrieved 14 December 2013.
- ↑ "W-League to debut in October". Fox Sports. 28 July 2008. Retrieved 28 July 2008.
- ↑ "Girls shop to the top". FourFourTwo (Australia). 28 July 2008. Retrieved 28 July 2008.
- ↑ "Brisbane Roar v Canberra United – Saturday, 3 October at 3pm on ABC1"
- ↑ http://www.footballaustralia.com.au/news-display/Westfield-WLeague-201415-season-draw-released/91350
- ↑ "Roar Land Inaugural W-League". http://au.fourfourtwo.com. Retrieved 17 January 2009.
- ↑ "Westfield W-League Awards". Football Federation Australia. Retrieved 30 November 2013.
External links
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