What a season it was in the Westfield W-League.
Just six points separated ladder-leaders Melbourne Victory from sixth-placed Adelaide United in the final wash-up, with Perth Glory and Sydney FC fighting it out for the championship.
The glory went to Sydney in the Grand Final – literally and metaphorically – as Perth’s entertainers travelled to the Harbour City but finished second-best to the slick Sky Blues at Netstrata Jubilee Stadium.
It was a showpiece match worthy of the competition, with end-to-end action, a worldie from the home side’s Sofia Huerta and, of course, a goal from the season’s top scorer, Glory’s Sam Kerr.
NWSL EXPLAINER: Everything you need to know about the upcoming 2019 season
NWSL BIBLE: Every Westfield W-League player in America’s top flight
READ: Sam Kerr’s top five Westfield W-League moments
IN HARMONY: How the Westfield W-League has spread it wings around the world
https://players.brightcove.net/5519514572001/default_default/index.html?videoId=6002878563001
Sydney and Glory went head-to-head in the goal-scoring department all season, each registering a league-high 28 strikes across the 12-game campaign, as well as the six they shared in that thrilling Grand Final.
Elsewhere, Melbourne Victory’s parsimonious defence restricted their opponents to just 15 goals on their way to winning the Premiership, while Brisbane Roar were a model of efficiency in scoring 18, conceding 17 and easing their way to second place in the ladder.
We take a tour through the stats and facts of a memorable 2018/19.
Season standings
Melbourne Victory hit the top of the ladder after Round 3, and led the way for the bulk of the remainder of the campaign, only slipping from the pinnacle after Round 7 – when Perth assumed first place following a 2-1 home win over Sydney – and Round 9, when Brisbane Roar briefly took the lead.
Fans of Western Sydney Wanderers – look away now.
Top scorers
To nobody’s great surprise, Westfield Matildas captain and all-round goal machine Sam Kerr topped the scoring charts, notching 17 times in 13 games including the Finals Series.
Her international partner-in-goals Caitlin Foord netted 10 for Sydney FC, closely followed by Adelaide United’s Veronica Latsko and Victory’s England international striker Natasha Dowie (nine each).
Team rankings
Melbourne City took best care of the ball during the campaign, caressing 6,446 passes with 81% accuracy on their way to a fifth-place finish.
In front of goal, it was the twin-powerhouses of Perth Glory and Sydney FC who led the way. Each side managed 34 goals (including Finals Series games) at an identical conversion rate of 18%.
Glory are famed for their firepower, but they also took no prisoners at the back, registering a league-high 145 fouls conceded during the course of the campaign.
In addition, Perth boasts four of the league’s top tacklers from the 2018/19 season in Nikki Stanton, Alyssa Mautz, Jamie-Lee Gale and Natasha Rigby.
No wonder the West Australians were such a tricky beast to contend with.