As Cortnee Vine stared at a reporter, the Sydney FC star delivered three telling words that summed up the Sky Blues’ Grand Final confidence.
“Not at all,” Vine replied when asked if there was added pressure on the defending champions because of Melbourne City’s flawless record in Liberty A-League Grand Finals.
To emphasise her response, Vine finished by repeating: “not at all”.
City have featured in four deciders and won all four. Three of those Championship triumphs have come against Sydney – Saturday’s opponents in the big dance at AAMI Park.
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The Melbourne club enter the blockbuster showdown as the reigning premiers, while Sydney are the defending champions.
Sydney were denied a four consecutive Premiership in a dramatic final round – upstaged by Melbourne Victory while City conquered Perth Glory.
It has been a challenging campaign for a new-look Sydney after their double-winning season in 2023-24.
Charlize Rule, Sarah Hunter, Rachel Lowe, Madison Haley, Anna Green, Deborah-Anne De la Harpe and Mackenzie Hawkesby (who returned later in the season) all departed after winning last season’s Championship.
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A host of talented youngsters arrived, including Maddie Caspers and Caley Tallon-Henniker.
“Honestly, we felt the same at the start of the year. New squad, young girls. It just looked a bit different to the years before,” Vine told reporters when it was put to her by one journalist that the Grand Final looked out of touch at the beginning of the season.
“To be in the final now, very very proud of this group. Even Ante (Juric) himself says it’s been a different year, it’s been his most challenging year and it has been for us as players.”
Sydney are preparing for a seventh successive Grand Final, despite injuries to stars like Nat Tobin, Kirsty Fenton and Fiona Worts.
The Sky Blues will be looking to win back-to-back Championships for the first time in their history.
“In terms of the whole season, It feels like the sweetest one to be apart of just with the challenges we’ve had,” said Vine. “The big injuries we’ve had – Nat Tobin, Kirsty Fenton, even Shea Connors, Fiona Worts.
“Very, very challenging for us. Even me being out for about eight weeks of the season was a big hurdle. To get to this point is very sweet.”
When asked how Sydney have managed to reach seven Grand Finals on the bounce, Vine had a simple answer.
“I think Ante Juric just does that,” she replied as she gears up for a fourth consecutive decider, though injury ruled her out of her first appearance.
“I haven’t heard anyone else doing that before. He breeds a culture that is a winning culture, an accepting culture. We don’t get to the places we’ve been without him being the coach. Everyone gets a long really well, on and off the field. What we create off the field reflects on the field.
“He builds this culture. No other coach does it like Ante.”
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