Anticipation is building ahead of the 2020 finale for Women's Football in Tasmania on Saturday. The game pits the Olympia Warriors against Clarence Zebras, with both teams head and shoulders above the competition throughout the year. Here's a deeper look of what to expect for the Statewide Cup final.
The Teams
Olympia
The question over how Olympia sets out their defence has been a teasing one all season. Maddie Black and Sophie Leszczynski have been the constants at the heart of things all year, with the revolving door between Monique Pinkiewicz, Charlotte Chambers and Hannah Johnson making up the third spot in a back three. Two out of three Women’s Super League starts against Clarence Zebras were handed to Johnson out of the trio vying for the role, while Chambers had the year’s earlier chances with Pinkiewicz getting the more recent nods.
The combination provides the solid three Olympia have been built on, but whether they employ wing backs as a 4 or 5 player defence has been difficult to nail down. This perhaps explains the flexibility that makes them difficult to break down. Madison Chambers has been tasked with tracking back down her left flank, while Leah Gubb has at times played a similar role on the opposite side to make a back 5. At other times Chambers has tracked back, with the right hand side of the three other backs wider, resulting in more of a lopsided back four at play.
Given the stakes, experience and defensive reinforcements may see Gubb employed in the right wing back role once again.
Other elements to the Warriors formation have been predictable and effective. Between the sticks is the ever reliable Jenna Farrow. Innocent Michael and Caitlin Roberts anchor the midfield, with Olivia Bomford often the most advanced of the trio working between the lines. While Mia Cane has paired the WSL Golden Boot winner Bonnie Davies as forwards playing through the middle, with one often drifting to a flank and the other supporting through the middle.
Clarence Zebras
Three centre backs is a healthy amount for a full season, but a nightmare to predict for a one off final. Madeline O’Brien has locked in her spot at the heart of the defence, while Zara Dixon and Selina Steventon have rotated between the centre and full back roles throughout the season.
The pool deepens at full back. Louisa Marmion has largely locked away one fullback spot, despite acting as a utility player to move forward into attack or midfield when needed. While the speed of Rachel Gill has seen her return to the starting XI deep into the WSL season to challenge Steventon or Dixon for the remaining defensive role.
To match fire with fire Clarence Zebras could throw a spanner in the works and play a three back and match Olympia with 2 forwards and packing the midfield. The path to the semi final saw this occur, however it’s a risk.
Moving up the park, Bronte Gadon and Georgia Burt are the team’s midfield engines. Allie Berry has moved higher from attacking midfield to instead partner Zoe Nichols centrally as a forward. While Danielle Kannegiesser and Isabella Ferrier provide the width in the flanks, often lingering on the last line of defence while Clarence are on the ball.
The wildcard of the year came in the last meeting between the sides and saw Shelley Cook pull off her gloves to play centre forward. The safer bet remains Cook will spend Saturday between the sticks, particularly with the ever-present cup final threat of a penalty shootout.
The Match Up
Goals have been hard to come by in this match up during the regular season. Cup football can be a game changer and encourage teams to come out of their shells. Still recent history suggests the winner will come down to a single goal.
The one off contest will likely throw conservative, defensive football out of the window. The opening moments may be a tense game of cat and mouse, but don’t expect it to last long.
Olympia are best known for their composure in playing out from the back. However against Clarence Zebras they’ve shown the ability to send the ball forward with haste to spark an attack, cutting out the midfield. Still, the midfield is where the side excel, both in creating attacks and acting as the first wall of defence.
Goals haven’t been easy for Clarence Zebras to come by, however a recent splatter of them suggests confidence is building. There’s little doubt the team from Wentworth park arrive with the experience and knowledge to win Cup finals, with a Summer Cup trophy already in the locker. All that experience will be necessary for their defence to combat the speed of Olympia if they’re caught out on the counter attack.
Key Players to Watch
Bonnie Davies
The ‘Bonnie Davies’ show well and truly arrived in 2020. A move centrally from the right flank has sparked a ruthless streak of goals that has been pivotal to Olympia’s hunt for a second piece of silverware this year. The forward has scored at will this season, with blistering pace and composure causing chaos for her opponents. Previous encounters against Clarence Zebras has produced drool-worthy battles of attempts to outfox the experience of Steventon. While that battle might be on ice for the final, all eyes are on the forward as the game changer. If Davies shows patience and variation to her match as she did in round 12 it’s a safe bet she will be.
Bronte Gadon
There’s few midfielders who work as hard as Gadon has this season. Possessing the ability to pick out the simple passes and hunger to win any available ball and duel in the middle, the midfielder is essential for Clarence Zebras. The biggest teller to her influence is the contrast between round 8 and 12. The Zebras were lost without Gadon’s energy in midfield when injury denied her a starting XI spot in the earlier round. By comparison the later game was more even handed, with Olympia resorting to uncharacteristically playing around the midfield at times due to her influence. Gadon may not score the winner, but the youngster is poised to be an essential element to any success.