A-League Women 2025/26 season preview: A guide to each club, including key transfers | OneFootball

The agonisingly long off-season is nearly over — the Ninja A-League Women 2025/26 season gets underway on Friday, 31st October.

If you need a catch-up on what’s been happening since the Central Coast Mariners lifted the title back in May, fear not. Her Football Hub has got you covered.

Western United are sitting this season out following financial difficulties, but there are still 11 sides hoping to be crowned A-League Women champions.

Here’s our club-by-club preview, and like all good alphabetical previews, we’re starting with A.

Adelaide United

Last season finish: 3rd (Finals: lost in the Semi-Final)

Head coach: Theo Tsiounis

Key ins: Melissa Taranto, Adriana Taranto (both Western United), Holly Murray (Canberra United), Lara Gooch (Newcastle Jets)

Key outs: Lucía León (Wellington Phoenix)

Adelaide were one of the feel-good stories during the last A-League Women season. Their third-place finish was enough to see them qualify for the Finals for the first time ever.

This season, there’s a new man at the helm as Theo Tsiounis comes in for Adrian Stenta, who has been appointed assistant coach of the Reds’ men’s side.

Lucía León was a key figure in Adelaide’s defence last season. She’ll be a big miss after crossing the Tasman to join Wellington.

The signing of 21-year-old defender Holly Murray adds both youth and experience to the squad. Twins Melissa and Adriana Taranto will also bolster the midfield stocks, having joined from Western United.

The key to Tsiounis’ side’s success this season may well lie in the relative stability of the squad. The retention of key players such as Erin Healy, Emily Condon, Chelsie Dawber and last season’s top scorer Fiona Worts will give Adelaide a great platform to build on as they look to push on and improve on last season’s historic highs.

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Brisbane Roar

Last season: 7th

Head coach: Alex Smith

Key ins: Chloe Lincoln (Western United), Bente Jansen (Ajax), Sharn Freier (VfL Wolfsburg, loan)

Key outs: Evdokia Popadinova (released), Deborah-Anne De la Harpe (IFK Norrköping), Mariel Hecher, Keeley Richards, Laini Freier (all retired)

A seventh-place finish last season represented a fourth straight year without Finals football for the Roar.

A good start to their A-League Women season was undone by a wretched run of just one win in their last 13 games.

That can be somewhat attributed to the loss of Sharn Freier to Wolfsburg in January. She’s now back on loan from the German side, and Brisbane will hope she can hit the ground running.

Her twin sister Laini has retired following a stunning lone campaign as she scored nine goals in 17 matches.

Import forwards Evdokia Popadinova and Danelle Tan have both departed, having struggled to make an impact. 

The Roar faithful will be hoping Bente Jansen can share the goal-scoring burden with last season’s top scorer, Tameka Yallop, following her arrival from Dutch giants Ajax.

The arrival of Matildas goalkeeper Chloe Lincoln from Western United could prove to be a shrewd piece of business. Both she and fellow new keeper Tahlia Franco will battle it out for the number one shirt in Queensland.

Brisbane will need to find consistency if they’re to end their exile from post-season football.

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Canberra United

Last season: 5th (Finals: lost in the Elimination Final)

Manager: Antoni Jagarinec

Key ins: Kiara De Domizio, Sasha Grove (both Western United), Jazmin Wardlow (Galatasaray)

Key outs: Madison Ayson (Sydney FC), Liz Anton (Kolbotn)

Canberra United continue to live a hand-to-mouth existence. However, they will once again take their place in the new women’s A-League season after an injection of funds from the ACT government.

On the pitch last season, Antoni Jagarinec’s side finished in a very respectable fifth place before being eliminated by eventual champions, The Mariners, at the first hurdle of the Finals.

Sasha Grove returns to the Capital after a season with Western United, where she played 24 times last campaign. Former Mariners defender Jazmin Wardlow is another new arrival following a stint in Türkiye with Galatasaray.

Centre backs Madison Ayson and Liz Anton have departed to Sydney FC and Norwegian side Kolbotn, respectively.

United will once again be looking to the totemic Michelle Heyman to lead the line. She bagged eight goals last season as she became the first player to make 200 appearances in the league.

If they can put the off-field uncertainties behind them and share the goalscoring burden a little more, another solid season should be on the cards for Canberra.

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Central Coast Mariners

Last season: 4th (Finals: Grand Final winners-Champions)

Manager: Kory Babington

Key ins: Cannon Clough (Carolina Ascent)

Key outs: Bianca Galić (Sydney FC), Jessika Nash (Sassuolo), Taylor Ray (Melbourne Victory), Brooke Nunn (Wellington Phoenix), Jade Pennock (end of loan- Sporting JAX)

To call the Mariners unlikely A-League Women champions last season would be a huge understatement. They controversially eliminated Premiers Melbourne City in the semi-final before overcoming Victory on penalties in the Grand Final.

That success has come at a huge price, however. Manager Emily Husband has departed to join Joe Montemurro’s coaching setup with the Matildas.

Kory Babington, who has a background primarily in youth and age group coaching, will be hoping to fill the considerable gap that Husband leaves.

The upheaval to the playing staff has been just as dramatic. Key figures such as Bianca Galić, Taylor Ray and Brooke Nunn have all left for fellow ALW sides. Jessika Nash has departed for Sassuolo in Italy, and Jade Pennock now plies her trade in the USL Super League following the end of her loan stint.

The retention of Isabel Gomez and young gun Tiana Fuller will be welcome news in Gosford. But with only Cannon Clough coming into the club so far, the champions will be hard pushed to make the Finals, let alone defend their title this time around. 

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Melbourne City

Last Season: 1st (Finals: Eliminated in the semi-final)

Manager: Michael Matricciani

Key ins: Danielle Turner (Aston Villa), Aideen Keane (Western United), Chinaza Uchendu (Nantes), Deven Jackson (Newcastle Jets)

Key outs: Rhianna Pollicina (Melbourne Victory), Mariana Speckmaier (Durham), Lourdes Bosch (Denver Summit)

Last season was a case of ‘what might’ve been’ for Melbourne City. They went unbeaten in their A-League Women on their way to the Premiership. But a controversial defeat to the Mariners in the semi-final and a penalty shootout loss to Wuhan Jiangda in the Women’s Asian Champions League final will have left a bitter taste to finish the season.

Looking to get over the line both at home and abroad this time around, City look to have added well in key areas. The addition of former Everton and Aston Villa defender Danielle Turner will add quality and experience to the back line.

The signings of forwards Deven Jackson and Nigeria international Chinza Uchendu should help take some of the goalscoring burden off of Golden Boot winner Holly McNamara.

Michael Maticciani will be hoping Aideen Keane can replace the midfield spark of the now departed Lourdes Bosch.

Another tilt at all three competitions should be the least City can expect this season, but as last year showed, sometimes you’re better when you’re lucky than good.

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Melbourne Victory

Last season: 2nd (Finals: Lost in Grand Final)

Manager: Jeff Hopkins

Key Ins: Taylor Ray (Central Coast Mariners), Sienna Saveska (Western Sydney Wanderers), Grace Maher (Western United), Rhianna Pollicina (Melbourne City) Kennedy White (Győr ETO FC)

Key Outs: Emily Gielnik (C.F Monterrey), Alex Chidiac (Como)

So near, yet so far for Victory last season. Runners-up to a flawless Melbourne City side in the regular season, they fell short in the Grand Final on penalties.

Last season’s top scorer Emily Gielnik has departed for Mexico having bagged 13 goals for the Vuck last season.

Jeff Hopkins will be hoping Kennedy White will fill that void. The 25-year-old American arrives in Melbourne off the back of an outrageous season when she scored 32 and assisted 17 times for her club in Hungary.

The additions of midfielder Taylor Ray — a four-time Grand Final winner — including against Victory last season and young gun Sienna Saveska almost certain bankers.

18-year-old Saveska scored seven in 22 appearances for a Western Sydney side that finished bottom of the pile last time out.

Add the proven ALW nous of Rhianna Pollicina and Grace Maher into the mix and Victory will be challenging for honours again this season.

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Newcastle Jets

Last season: 11th

Manager: Stephen Hoyle

Key Ins: Anna Leat (Eastern Suburbs), Kelli Brown (Perth Glory), Melina Ayers

Key Outs: Danielle Krzyzaniak (AFC Toronto), Lara Gooch (Adelaide United), Sheridan Gallagher (Newcastle Knights NRLW)

An 11th place finish last season for the Jets signalled the end of Ryan Campbell’s tenure in Newcastle. In his place, an Englishman with extensive knowledge of New Zealand has taken charge in the form of Stephen Hoyle.

Hoyle has lent on his connections across The Ditch for signings as he prepares for his first season in charge.

Former Aston Villa and current New Zealand international Anna Leat is one of those to have joined a mini Kiwi revolution in The Hunter Valley. She will take the place of Danielle Krzyzaniak who endured a difficult spell as Newcastle number one.

Kelli Brown, joining from Perth, and Melina Ayres who returns after a year-long sabbatical will be tasked with scoring the goals.

The departures of Young Matildas Lara Gooch and Sheridan Gallagher who has switched codes to Rugby League will be big losses.

The retention of Australia international Natasha Prior in particular will be crucial if the Jets are to make an immediate return to Finals football this season. 

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Perth Glory

Last season: 10th

Manager: Stephen Peters

Key Ins: Rola Badawiya (SC Braga), Brontë Trew (Western Sydney Wanderers), Emma Tovar (Valencia)

Key outs: Kelli Brown (Newcastle Jets)

Another disappointing season for the Glory last year made it six straight campaigns without Finals football.

As they seek to rectify that, Perth have made some intriguing additions to their squad. Midfielder Emma Tovar joins from Spanish giants Valencia. The Philippines international made eight appearances for the Valencia first team.

Brontë Trew has crossed over to Western Australia from Western Sydney. Trew worked under Glory coach Peters at Macarthur Rams in the NPLW NSW as they claimed a Premiership and Championship double in 2024.

Kelli Brown has left for Newcastle. She was Perth’s leading scorer on just five last season. Peters will be hoping Rola Badawiya’s return to Australia will spark a more prolific year in front of goal as they seek a return to post-season football.

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Sydney FC

Last season: 8th 

Manager: Ante Jurić

Key Ins: Heather Hinz (Houston Dash), Skye Halmarick (NWS Spirit), Bianca Galić (Central Coast Mariners) Madison Ayson (Canberra United)

Key Outs: Faye Bryson (released), Mille Farrow (Central Coast Mariners), Kyah Simon (Dijon), Princess Ibini (Beşiktaş)

In the preview for last season, I said of Sydney FC:

“Three things in life are certain. Death, taxes and Sydney FC making the Grand Final.”

And thus, their fate was sealed. The Sky Blues endured a torrid season in which they missed the Finals altogether for the first time ever.

One of the big problems for Ante Jurić was the inconsistency in goal. They used no fewer than four goalkeepers last season. All four of those have now departed and Heather Hinz has arrived from Houston. While she’s inexperienced in senior football, she does have plenty of game time at collegiate level with the brilliantly named South Carolina Gamecocks.

Sydney legend Princess Ibini has also left after 10 years with the club to join Beşiktaş. Skye Halmarick, 17, joins from NWS Spirit where she scored 19 goals in as many games in the NPLW NSW last season.

The signing of midfield fulcrum Bianca Galić from Central Coast could be an inspired piece of business following a standout season in Gosford.

Sydney are a club that expects success. As ever, that is where the bar will be set this season.

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Wellington Phoenix

Last season: 9th

Head Coach: Bev Priestman

Key ins: Lucía León (Adelaide United), Tessel Middag, Victoria Esson (both Rangers), CJ Bott (Leicester City), Macey Fraser (Utah Royals), Brooke Nunn (Central Coast Mariners)

Key outs: Carolina Vilão (Hearts) Olivia Fergusson (Espanyol), Mebae Tanaka (Glasgow City), Maya McCutcheon (Dallas Trinity)

Wellington Phoenix might just be the most intriguing proposition in the entire league this season.

Bev Priestman has been appointed head coach after the former Canadian WNT boss completed her enforced sabbatical for her role in the drone spying scandal — ironically against New Zealand — at the 2024 Olympics.

All of Phoenix’s visa players from last season have left and in their place, an abundance of international experience has come in.

Lucía León was key to Adelaide’s success last season, as was Brooke Nunn with the Mariners.

Dutch international Tessel Middag will be vital to Wellington’s success. Boasting a CV that includes the likes of Ajax, Manchester City and Rangers, her quality and experience could be a game changer for the Nix.

The return of young Football Fern Macey Fraser after season in NWSL will also be a welcome addition as Wellington aim to make Finals for the first time ever.

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Western Sydney Wanderers

Last season: 12th

Head Coach: Geoff Abrahams

Key ins: Brianna Edwards (Sydney FC), Wang Ying, Yuan Cong (both Guangdong)

Key outs: Sophie Harding (Fort Lauderdale United), Sienna Saveska (Melbourne Victory), Brontë Trew (Perth Glory), Amelia Cassar (Sydney FC)

Ignoring Cookie Kwan’s warning to stay off the west side, our final stop is to last season’s Wooden Spooners, Western Sydney Wanderers.

It was another difficult A-League Women season for the Red and Black. Robbie Hooker departed in January and was replaced with Geoff Abrahams but he was unable to stop them finishing bottom of the pile.

The loss of the goals from top scorer Sienna Saveska, Brontë Trew and Sophie Harding will be hard to replace. Young Chinese attacker Yuan Cong will be looking to replace some of those goals.

At the other end of the pitch, Abrahams will be hoping the signing of another Chinese player in  international Wang Ying will help shore up a defence that conceded the second most in the league. 

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Amy Chessari has signed a new one-year deal. The tough tackling defensive midfielder led the league in tackles won last season.

A hot-bed of Australian football, Western Sydney will need a lot to go right this season if they’re to return to Finals football for the first time since 2020.

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