Melbourne Victory’s players are shunning the hype as they prepare for their A-League Women’s championship defence.
The Victory open their title defence on Sunday with a clash against a club at the other end of the spectrum, Adelaide United – the only team yet to make the finals in the competition’s 13 seasons.
Adelaide came close to breaking that drought last season when finishing fifth and missing the playoffs on goal difference – a result which still rankles Reds stalwart Isabel Hodgson.
“Because we came so close last year, we’re still a little bit hurt about it and it’s a motivation to not ever happen again,” Hodgson told reporters on Wednesday.
“For everyone it’s still in the back of our minds, knowing we did so well but it wasn’t enough so it’s there and we’re well aware.
“But we’re ready to go and ready to make those finals.”
For the Victory, finals are an expectation not an aspiration as they hunt a third championship to equal the three titles of Melbourne City and Sydney FC.
But Victory captain Kayla Morrison said her teammates shouldn’t feel weighed down by any pressure of being defending champs.
“The best thing we can do is probably not even think about those expectations but focus on the expectations that we have of ourselves, which is just to constantly be getting better and to constantly try and build on what we had last year,” Morrison told reporters.
Sydney won the premiers plate last season only to lose the grand final 1-0 to the Victory, while Melbourne City are seeking to rebound from a disappointing seventh-placed finish after winning the championship the season prior.
“I can’t stop raving about our group of girls this year,” City defender Emma Checker told reporters.
“It’s a credit to (coach) Rado (Vidosic) and the club for putting in some serious groundwork because we know that last season didn’t go to plan and there was a lot that we had to rebuild heading into this season.
“But we have got a good mix of experience and young talent and we’re in a really good position to get ourselves back to where we set the bar.”
Brisbane Roar also carry much motivation into the fresh season when, after finishing second in last season’s regular rounds as the competition’s leading goalscorers, were hammered 6-2 by the Victory in a semi-final.
Dual champions Canberra United are also expected to again be strong after also being beaten semi-finalists last campaign while wooden-spooners Perth Glory have been bolstered by the signing of retired Socceroos sharpshooter Lisa de Vanna.
