Round Ball Australia 
Rachel Lowe in action for Melbourne Victory during the 2023/24 A-League Women season at Unite Round. Photo: Texi Smith
Each week during the A-League Women season, Round Ball Australia hands out a report card for the competition based on how the teams performed across the weekend’s fixtures.
Sydney FC vs Adelaide United (2-3)
Sydney FC: C-
With the season on the line for the Sky Blues and a plethora of issues in front of goals, Ante Juric found a rather interesting solution against the Reds.
Instead of starting one of the three forwards on his bench, whilst leaving another of the squad entirely, he started Mackenzie Hawkesby in the striker role, who is a defensive midfielder, and while it was better than expected, it still failed to address the issues in front of goal.
Sydney did not score until the 65th minute through Indiana Dos Santos, after Millie Farrow was substituted on for her return from injury, allowing Hawkesby to filter back into a more comfortable midfield role.
Juric’s side found a way to level the score through Farrow late on, seemingly rescuing a point for Sydney, but Adelaide had other ideas, handing the Sky Blues yet another loss for the season, with Juric admitting post-game that there is no margin for error down the stretch if his side wants to pull off a spectacular run to the finals.
Adelaide United: C
Adelaide almost let this game and the three points slip through their fingers after Emily Condon scored a brace.
The visitors dropped off in the second half, and Sydney capitalised, before a last-gasp winner to Chelsie Dawber sealed it, allowing Adelaide to extend its unbeaten run, now the longest in club history for its women’s side.
The Reds sit in third place, just two points behind Melbourne Victory, and seven points behind first-placed City, which puts Adrian Stenta’s side in an interesting predicament.
Having to close the gap to Melbourne City might be a bit too much to ask of Adelaide as the season gets closer to the end, but second spot and a week off to start the finals is certainly a realistic option, and Adelaide can get on the right foot by defeating Perth on Friday night.
Poletti
Western United vs Western Sydney Wanderers (4-1)
Western United: B+
Taking this game in isolation, you would not believe that earlier this season the Wanderers embarrassed Western United 5-1, because the result of this game was never in doubt.
After being gifted an early goal through a penalty, the hosts took full advantage, piling the pressure on the visitors, and doubling their lead in the seventh minute, before adding a third in the 35th.
Kiara Di Domizio scored the sides fourth in the 79th minute with her first touch of the game, for the 4-1 scoreline.
A possible concern for Kat Smith might be that none of the goals in this game came from open play, starting with the penalty and the three subsequent goals all starting from a corner kick, but you still have to put them away, and Western did so in style.
Western Sydney Wanderers: F
Not even a Sienna Saveska Olimpico, her second this season against Western United, could save the Wanderers from a horrific defeat on the road, with the tone set 70 seconds in when Sham Khamis gave away a penalty, converted by Chloe Logarzo.
The Wanderers continue to make easy errors, look lost in defence, particularly at set-pieces, and just can not seem to string anything together.
To make matters worse, Sophie Harding limped off the pitch injured and in quite a state of distress, potentially leaving the Wanderers without one of their preferred attacking options.
With the Wanderers all but being mathematically eliminated from making finals and seemingly having the wooden spoon locked up, the end of the season can not come quickly enough for the Red and Black.
Poletti
Central Coast Mariners vs Newcastle Jets (5-1)
Central Coast Mariners: A-
A crucial game with their spot in the top six on the line, up against their original rivals at home. All the ingredients and pressure were there for Central Coast, and they took it on with aplomb.
Despite some Jets resistance early the Mariners put on a show fitting of a sunny Gosford Saturday afternoon derby match. A dominant 5-1 win, in which they didn’t let up from the opening whistle to the final one.
It is a result that will undoubtedly build confidence as the “Coasties” now sit 5th on the ladder and in control of their destiny across the final eight matches.
Leading into February many had questioned Central Coast’s consistency and finals mettle, but this game and showing answered that query in spades. The Mariners are very much a finals capable team.
Newcastle Jets: F
An entirely uninspired performance that surely has coach Ryan Campbell going back to the drawing board. Despite showing glimpses of fight the Jets threw in the towel in the end as they collapsed to a 5-1 defeat.
Undoubtedly misfiring against a rival is never a good thing but when your season is on the line and on life support chasing points, it’s doubly crucial that you step up and have some pride in performance.
Unfortunately for Newcastle fans, despite another wonderful strike from Josie Allan which got them on the board, there was not much more to cheer for. It was an uninspired performance that saw them trail at half time and two quick fire goals to kick off the second half from the Mariners were the death knell.
It may be time for some drastic action in terms of a line up refresh if the Jets are to put some pride in this campaign.
Chris Macpherson
Canberra United vs Perth Glory (1-0)
Canberra United: C
Three shots, one on target, and one goal was the story of this game for Canberra United. It was not pretty by any stretch, but the home side did the job they needed to against the travelling Perth Glory.
For Canberra, the win allows them to keep pace with top six after a tumultuous weekend of results, with all four sides directly above them on the ladder claiming wins, leaving Canberra in seventh on 21 points.
As they prepare to welcome the Mariners to the nation’s capital, it is a game shaping up as a real six-pointer with the Mariners in fifth, and a win for either side ensures they will finish the weekend inside the top six.
Perth Glory: C-
Now seven points behind the team above them (Wellington Phoenix), Perth Glory’s season is hanging by a thread.
It was a performance all too reminiscent of the Glory this season, who struggled for large phases of the game, with a heavy injury list taking its toll on a hot afternoon in Canberra amongst the players available.
To make matters worse, that injury list is growing.
Gabby Hollar looks set to miss quite some time, if not the remainder of the season due to a medical issue, while Georgia Cassidy is in the same boat with a quad injury, and Caitlin Doeglas’ stint as an injury-replacement is nearing its end as well.
They are still not mathematically eliminated from finals, but have a lot of work to do if they want to claim a spot.
Poletti
Melbourne City vs Melbourne Victory (1-1)
Melbourne City: B
Disappointing from a City perspective in that they conceded an early goal in a fixture when they should be switched on from the get-go, but the character and hunger shown in the second-half was the biggest positive, because if they bring that into every match, they have the talent to beat anybody.
However, we keep forgetting that this team is still undefeated, and we saw part of the reason in this derby as to why that is still the case, controlling the midfield with the likes of Laura Hughes really stepping up to the mark this season.
Defensively, there are still some question marks, especially in transition, but those are good problems to have if you’re still undefeated.
Melbourne Victory: B
Despite multiple question marks heading into the new season, Jeff Hopkins’ Melbourne Victory have answered those doubts in impressive fashion to currently sit second in the competition.
Rachel Lowe’s brilliant burst of pace to expose a City defence caught napping helped them settle into the match and hand possession to their opponent while keeping a compact shape.
The fact that Victory’s shape was rock solid until conceding the 89th minute equaliser is what will infuriate the coaching staff. Claudia Bunge was left ball-watching to allow the lethal Mariana Speckmaier to notch home.
That being said, this is a team who no one will want to come up against in the finals.
Christian Montegan
Brisbane Roar vs Wellington Phoenix (1-1)
Brisbane Roar: C
The Roar will be wondering how they failed to score more than once in this game, with balls racketing off the woodwork, taking unfortunate bounces off defenders, and some fantastic saves by Carolina Vilão in the Wellington net.
But three points is three points, and it snapped a three-game losing streak, which is exactly what Brisbane needed.
Wellington Phoenix: C
The Phoenix had a whopping 22 shots in this game, but only five on target. They knew how to beat the Roar and dominated the first 45 minutes, but their wastefulness in front of goal cost them dearly as they racked up their seventh loss of the season.
The positive signs are there for Paul Temple’s side, but they have trouble putting consistent stretches of great performances together, which could hurt them as time runs out before the finals arrive.
If the Phoenix can get that consistency together, they will put a lot of pressure on the sides above them to perform in a tight finals race.
If they can’t, it will still likely be the best ever finish by the Nix in the A-League Women, but another year without finals.
Poletti
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