Emma Burke 
Western Sydney Wanderers 2024/25 A-League Women's season preview. Photo: Provided by Texi Smith. Design: Round Ball Australia.
The Western Sydney Wanderers’ 2023/24 A-League Women season finished in seventh place, just outside of a finals berth.
Their season was filled with turbulence, which began before they had even stepped foot on the field. They had a change in head coach only 10 days before the season’s start with Robbie Hooker replacing Kat Smith who departed and then took charge of Western United.
Despite this, the Wanderers were still able to produce the player of the season in Sophie Harding who took out the League’s highest honours in the Julie Dolan Medal. Harding scored 12 goals, a new record at Western Sydney, and provided four assists, in a career best season.
The Wanderers will be looking to make a return to the finals series in the 2024/25 A-League Women season.
The Manager: Robbie Hooker
Hooker is a former Socceroo turned coach who led Canberra United to the W-League Grand Final in the 2008/09 season. Hooker had spent over a decade out of top level coaching when he returned to coach the Western Sydney Wanderers.
His appointment with the Wanderers came just two weeks before the 2023/24 season started, which left the squad and himself scrambling to find its footing.
The Wanderers secured their first win in Round Five of the competition, and at best went four games undefeated between rounds nine and 12.
Despite the rocky start to his tenure as the manager of Western Sydney, Hooker has become known for his development of young players such as Julie Dolan Medal Winner Sophie Harding, Cushla Rue, Holly Caspers, and Alexia Apostolakis. The offseason saw him retain all but one of these new stars to the Wanderers’ playing list.
Hooker recently signed a contract extension with the Wanderers which will keep him there until at least the end of the 2025/26 season.
Having been able to spend a full offseason working on his own vision for the Wanderers, and a full pre-season with his team, there’s no reason why the Wanderers cannot have a season time around, that has them do better than the last.
The Squad
Western Sydney Wanderers have kept a number of players on their list such as star striker Sophie Harding, Cushla Rue, and Holly Caspers, as mentioned prior. They have also re-signed Captain Amy Harrison, Olivia Price, Danika Matos, and Ella Buchanan, all of which return on two-year deals.
The Wanderers have however, lost many players that played a crucial part in their success last season. Two big standout names include Vicky Bruce, who returns to her home state of North Carolina to play for the USL Super League team, Carolina Ascent, and Alexia Apostolakis, who was lured away to Asian Champions League football by Melbourne City.
Defender Lauren Kier also leaves the club after announcing her retirement one month ago.
New players come in the form of scholarship contracts for attacker Amelia Cassar and Milly Bennett.
One of the most exciting names on the Wanderers’ list is that of Sienna Saveska, who returns to the club she debuted professionally at. The midfielder left the Red and Black for crosstown rivals in Sydney FC, looking for more game time, and ironically, she has said she is returning looking for the same thing.
Expectations
The Wanderers should expect themselves to make the finals series and their fans should too.
Given the positions the club have held on the ladder these last two seasons, finishing anywhere below sixth will come as a bitter disappointment.