The A-League Women is back and with Brisbane Roar downing Melbourne Victory, the Central Coast Mariners thumping Adelaide United, and the Newcastle Jets stunning Canberra United late, it didn't take too long to start throwing a spanner into the preseason predictions of all those brave enough to ride its multitude of twists and turns.
The biggest talking point of the round, however, emerged from Sydney FC, where the Sky Blues began their effort to return to finals football by holding out for a 2-2 draw with reigning premiers Melbourne City. Discussions, though, have centred less on the result and more that they did so with Willa Pearson starting at centre-back. In taking the field at 14 years and 312 days, she became the youngest player in Dub history -- breaking the record that had been held for two years by former Wanderers, now Perth Glory, representative Ischia Brooking.
The league has moved quickly to celebrate the youngster's achievement; they kind of have to, given that the financial state of clubs means they have to play the kids. Sydney boss Ante Juric, meanwhile, told Network Ten: "If she wasn't the best player on the park, I don't know who was," before adding, "I don't look at age. If she's good enough to play, she's in."
But there has also been significant discontent among groups of supporters, who view a 14-year-old playing as not something that should be allowed, let alone celebrated.
So what's the go? Especially given the youth of its subject, it's a matter that should be treated with care and nuance. And it shouldn't centre on Pearson as an individual or try to minimise or disparage her work to get here. Juric was right in that she was one of the Sky Blues' best, and it may turn out that the defender is absolutely ready for this moment. But on a broader level, a discussion of whether players who still legally need to be accompanied by a parent or guardian to watch The Shawshank Redemption should be playing professionally is also worth having. Even if the outcome of said conversations ultimately determines that there is no issue, that's a far more appealing scenario than not engaging with the topic, only for it to later be found to have been very necessary.
Plenty, such as the Matildas' golden generation, debuted young, but improved working conditions and investment in youth development were once celebrated as removing that necessity. Now that financial problems are back, is this now good again, actually? Maybe it is. Maybe this will all look silly when we're celebrating the 100th Matildas cap of the league's first 12-year-old. But it's also worth remembering that while it's easy to point to the success stories, survivor's bias will mean that few remember those who don't make it.
Adelaide United
Stocks Up: While it was ultimately a day to forget for the Reds, they were at least able to get the kind of players they want on the ball in dangerous areas and into scoring positions. Dylan Holmes led all players with five shots, while Erin Healy was next best with four. The two were also the leaders amongst both sides for touches in their opponents' penalty area, and the duo trailed only Peta Trimis for expected assists (xA).
Stocks Down: While three of them, admittedly, were recorded at the same early corner, Adelaide fashioned eight shots before the Mariners registered a single attempt of their own on Sunday. The Reds had more than enough opportunities to take the lead and should have done so. After bringing back so much of the record-setting squad from last year, expectations are high in the City of Churches, and while losing to the champions -- even one that has seen as much turnover as the Mariners -- early in the season isn't a disaster; this defeat was a reality check.
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Brisbane Roar
Stocks Up: In new Dutch import Bente Jansen and Matildas attackers Sharn Freier and Tameka Yallop, the Roar's difference-makers stood up to be counted on Saturday; the trio grabbing a goal apiece and Jansen putting the ball on the head of Yallop for the eventual winner. It's these difference-makers that will likely determine the Queenslanders' ceiling this season, and this come-from-behind win was a good start. Praise also needs to be reserved for keeper Chloe Lincoln, who made a league-leading eight saves in the win and was credited with a comfortably league-leading 0.9 goals prevented, and Leia Varley, who easily led the game in defensive contributions with 15.
Stocks Down: While clinical individual efforts at both ends of the pitch ultimately put the Roar in a position to win the game, they wouldn't want to be surrendering the volume of chances that Victory had to too many sides that pay a visit to the Sunshine State. Victory outshot the hosts 22 to 14 across the 90 -- 15 to four across the opening stanza -- touched the ball 36 times in the Roar penalty area compared to 17 times up the other end of the pitch, and created 2.73 expected goals (xG), to the host's 0.81.
Canberra United
Stocks Up: Cabernet Sauvignon, Bitto Storico, and Michelle Heyman: things that get better with age. Only just back in Australia after being part of the Matildas squad against Wales and England, it took just 14 minutes for the 37-year-old to open the scoring on Sunday; latching onto a superb through ball from Emma Robers to net with one of her five shots and 10 touches inside the box -- which led both sides. The veteran almost had what would have been a match-altering second just three minutes after her first, too, when she met a well-placed cross-field lob from Beth Gordon in stride and sent in a header that crashed into the woodwork and back into play, and had a good shout for a penalty turned down in the 76th minute.
Stocks Down: The most obvious is Nanako Sasaki, whose ill-fated backpass was far too casual and easily read by India Breier, who promptly nipped in to steal it away and netted an 89th-minute winner. Also notable, though, is that if there was one trend in the A-League Women across its opening round, it was sides handily winning the xG battle, as well as the position stats, only to not actually go on to win the game. Three of the five games across the league this weekend featured this scenario, with Canberra doing their bit by creating 2.86xg of 20 shots -- their xG per attempt of 0.143 was higher than the Jets' 0.116 per shot -- only to go down 2-1.
Central Coast Mariners
Stocks Up: With so many members of the Mariners' title-winning side departing during the offseason, it was always going to be incumbent on those that remained to fill the void if they wanted to succeed, and Peta Trimis stepped up in a big way in Round One. The 19-year-old was devastatingly efficient against the Reds, opening the scoring and setting up new arrival Jynaya Dos Santos for the second just moments later amid an end of the first half blitz that set up the win. The youngster probably should have had a further assist, too, with her ball looking for Isabella Coco-Di Sipio at the top of the six-yard box in the 27th minute, only for the Kiwi to prove just unable to get a touch on it.
Stocks Down: Opening the season by recording a 3-0 win, at home, and as defending champions doesn't really open itself up to that many negatives. But while the end result ultimately proved a kind one, the Reds' early period of control, on another day, is punished: the visitors generated 1.56 xG before Trimis' opener. If one of those attempts go in, which the law of averages suggests they will if Kory Babington's side continues to give them up in that volume, then the game-state completely changes.
Melbourne City
Stocks Up: Another day, another game in which City was forced to pick themselves up off the canvas and force their way back to earn a point. Michael Matricciani's side made an almost unnerving habit of being able to rally back from deficits and take points throughout their unbeaten regular season last year, and it looks like that same perseverance is going to be present in the group this season. Certainly, you'd rather not go behind at all, and this same habit might end up in a stocks down section if they rely on it too much this season, but you'd much rather be able to take a punch than have a glass jaw.
Stocks Down: Saturday's example wasn't quite as egregiously blunt as it has been in City's past -- they still managed to produce 2.78 xg to Sydney's 1.44 -- but the 2-2 draw will go down as another game in which City dominated on the stat sheet and were able to get into positions where they could create something, but failed to take the win. Highly process-driven, Matricciani will look at some of these underlying numbers and not be too upset, knowing that on another day his side takes the win with that foundation -- and he's right. However, given City's style of play, winning every stat except the one that matters is a slightly bigger threat than it is for most.
Melbourne Victory
Stocks Up: After seeing a sharp reduction in her minutes last season, Rhianna Pollicina made the cross-town move to Victory this season with something of a point to prove. And Saturday was a good start. Beyond the spectacular long-range blast the 28-year-old lashed in to open the scoring (assisted by her NPLW Victoria teammate from Box Hill, Sofia Sakalis), "Mini" led all players at Spencer Park in chances created, with four, and her 10 duals won were also more than anyone else on the ground.
New team, same Rhianna Pollicina ✨
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A stunning long range strike from Melbourne Victory's new midfielder in her first game for the club levels the scores in Brisbane 🎯
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Stocks Down: She's arguably the best defender in the league, so you'll be backing her to bounce back, but Victory skipper Kayla Morrison didn't have the best of days up in Queensland, even accounting for her assist for Kennedy White's goal. Hemmed in on the left, the center back played a central pass that was seized upon by Bente Jansen for the Roar's opening goal of the game and, degree of difficulty in being asked to backpedal to the back post acknowledged, she was the defender that Yallop rose over the top of to head home the winner.
Newcastle Jets
Stocks Up: One of the biggest beneficiaries of Auckland's delayed entrance to the A-League Women could prove to be the Jets, given that it helped them snap up Anna Leat to don the gloves. Beyond producing five saves, the second most across the league, the former Aston Villa custodian was also credited with the assist for Charlotte Lancaster's equaliser at McKellar Park: sending a long ball into the path of her teammate, who knocked the ball centrally before finishing inside the near post. Matildas defender Tash Prior, who made 10 clearances and hurled herself in front of four shots, also endeavoured hard to make the win possible.
Stocks Down: Much is expected of Melina Ayres in her return to the A-League Women this season, such were the goalscoring exploits of the 26-year-old before her one-year sabbatical last campaign. But while she's another player you'd be backing to bounce back, it was a rather quiet one for Ayres on Sunday: touching the ball just 18 times -- the fewest of any player that logged 90 minutes -- and registering just the two attempts on goal, neither of which were on target.
Perth Glory
Stocks Up: Officially, Grace Johnston wasn't afforded an assist for Gabby Hollar's opening goal, given that it only arrived after Ella Buchanan collided with Brianna Edwards and caused her keeper to drop the ball into the American's path. But given that pratfall doesn't happen without the 20-year-old's fantastic delivery into the penalty area, it very much feels like she deserves to have another one recorded in addition to her delivery for Rola Badawiya's goal just after half-time. With hope of finals football out west this season, having your two strikers in Hollar (twice) and Badawiya netting, in addition to Johnston's standout work on the left, bodes well.
Stocks Down: Alyssa Dall'Oste didn't do much wrong in her debut for Perth -- there's not a lot a keeper can do in the mass of bodies and chaos that led to Western Sydney's goal after corner -- but it's not ideal for any club to be forced to sign a keeper off the street and start them in Round One, which is exactly what Glory was forced to do when Teresa Morrissey went down with a back injury that will keep her out for up to two months last week.
Sydney FC
Stocks Up: After the disappointment of missing finals for the first time in their history last season, twice taking the lead and grabbing a point off the defending premiers -- who have genuine aspirations toward doing the treble this season -- isn't a bad result in Round One. A midfield featuring the likes of Bianca Galic, Sarah Hunter, and Mackenzie Hawkesby has the potential to be amongst the best, if not the best, in the league, too, and despite the obvious need for them to find cohesion there were signs on Saturday. Holly McNamara did eventually get her goal involvement -- playing a one-two with Aideen Keane to set up the equaliser -- but the Sky Blue backline also did well to hold out a striker that can at times resemble a cheat code.
Stocks Down: Beyond the discourse surrounding Pearson hoovering up the oxygen (as well as probably taking the shine off her debut), Sydney played a game of football on the weekend. And while one could see the signs that a steelier Sky Blues outfit could be on the way this season, they still allowed City to have enough of the ball and fashion enough chances to make them regret it on another day.
Wellington Phoenix
Stocks Up: The extra time on the training track from bye weeks.
Stocks Down: Pretty much everything else about bye weeks in Round One, particularly why we have bye weeks in the A-League Women this season.
Western Sydney Wanderers
Stocks Up: Starting in the heart of the Wanderers midfield, Amy Chessari endeavoured diligently for the hosts; winning more duals than any other player. Making her senior debut, Allyssa Ng-Saad also put in a positive first shift in completing the most dribbles in the match and getting into positions to have two of her side's best chances on the evening. With a bit more experience, capitalising on these moments should follow.
Stocks Down: Off all the sides across the league in Round One, it was the Wanderers that looked the least likely to take something from their fixture. Which is a problem, when you consider they were playing at home against a Glory side that has had its difficulties travelling and who hasn't played finals since they fielded Sam Kerr. And with games against Victory, Roar, and Sydney on tap across the next month, challenges could start to pile up quickly.