It’s all to play for in the A-League Women this weekend as the elimination finals kick off.
Read our preview of the action below.
The first of two games kicks off on Saturday, 6.30pm AEST in Tarneit as Western United hosts the Newcastle Jets. While Western United are the team that finished higher on the table in the regular season, injuries – particularly to Hannah Keane and Adriana Taranto - have disrupted their campaign significantly.
The door has been left open for Chloe Logarzo to take part after injury saw her miss out on being considered for the most recent CommBank Matildas squad, but her participation – if any – will likely be constrained to an appearance off the bench.
The Jets come into the game in red-hot form, defeating Adelaide United 8-0 in their final regular season game. Melina Ayres has returned from injury at just the right time, Sarina Bolden is as dangerous as ever, and CommBank Young Matilda Lara Gooch adds an extra element to their attack.
While they will be missing regular goalkeeper Izzy Nino due to suspension, her replacement Tiahna Robertson proved that she is more than up to the task. It all sets the scene for an unpredictable and exciting clash on Saturday.
Sunday, 4pm AEST sees the second elimination final take place between Melbourne Victory and the Central Coast Mariners at the Home of the Matildas, Bundoora.
It has been a fairytale season for the Mariners so far. Few would have predicted them to finish much above the foot of the table, let alone securing a finals place. Kyah Simon has been key since returning from injury midseason and will use her knowledge and experience in big matches to be a steadying presence for her young, inexperienced teammates.
By contrast, the hosts are stacked with experience in finals football and have a knack for turning up in big games. They will be anchored by Alex Chidiac and Elise Kellond-Knight in midfield who will provide the quality that they hope can see them advance to the semi-finals.
However, Lydia Williams is still unavailable due to injury, and Emily Gielnik – while being named in the extended squad – could be in doubt to take part after withdrawing from the CommBank Matildas squad with a calf injury obtained in camp.
Melbourne City and Sydney FC will watch from the sidelines as they await who they will take on in the two-legged semi-finals.