South Melbourne has loaded up on talent in the off-season and is ready to launch an assault on the 2023 NPLW Championship.
In 2022, South Melbourne fell short of internal expectations, finishing sixth at the end of the home and away season, however, they would fare much better in the Nike F.C Cup; losing to eventual winners Calder United in the Final.
Head Coach George Georgiadis explained following a highly successful off-season, his side is very ambitious in what they can achieve.
“We are a big club and what I love about South Melbourne is we aim very high,” he said.
“It’s not about wait and see it is about taking what’s ours.
“We have aims and aspirations to win as many games and trophies as possible.
“Anything in the top four would be great for us and anything in the top two would be a bonus and we really want to fight hard to be up there in the Nike F.C. Cup as well as it is a prestigious event in the calendar.”
South Melbourne has announced Akeisha Sandhu and Danielle Wise will captain the Club in 2023, while Brianne Reed and Janna Lawson have also been named as leaders in their senior female football program.
Georgiadis has served at the club as the NPLW U19s coach and the Senior caretaker coach in the latter stages of this season, before accepting the role late last year.
In his first pre-season in charge, Georgiadis said the squad is looking “really good” ahead of round one.
“Pre-season started six or seven months ago when we started recruiting and the girls have been fantastic,” he said.
“We have been developing the style of play that we want to bring to the surface, more based on possession.
“We want to be a team that is known as always a contender so it is about getting the team up there and competing for all the silverware, that is really our main aim and what drives us, I am really looking forward to the challenge.
“We worked really hard to complement the squad and really push the boundaries to finish as high as we can,”
South Melbourne was ranked seventh for goals against in 2022 and Georgiadis believes his team can turn that around this season.
“We conceded a lot of goals last season, and it is something that we want to focus on this year,” he said,
“We have strengthened our backline with the players that we brought in, Brianne Reed (FC Nordsjaellan) is going to make a huge difference.
The American-born Dominican Republic International central defender commands the ball both in the air and on ground level. Her physical attributes, aggressive style of play, and leadership both on and off the park will be a standout this season for South.
“At the same time, we know that strikers win you games so Danielle Wise scoring 16 goals last season and assisting a couple too, she will bring a lot to the table,” Georgiadis continued.
“I think the leadership is what we are looking at and there will be a bit more experience in our line-up this season.
“I think good defensive teams really go a long way to winning you Championships, we have seen that with Calder United who has been outstanding in not conceding much.
“Last year there were opportunities there, but I think we just lacked that goal scorer and I think Danielle Wise and Tayla Christensen will be great additions for us.”
Reigning NPLW Golden Boot winner Danielle Wise making the switch from Heidelberg to South was the biggest move of the off-season. She had previously played in NSW and Queensland, before moving to Victoria in 2021, where she took the league by storm.
Tayla Christensen will also have plenty of experience to South's forward line, with the New Zealand attacker previously playing at FC Malaga City, in the US and being part of 2012, 2014, and 2016 NZ Youth World Cup squads.
Following a disappointing finish last season, South targeted experience in the off-season to help guide their younger squad.
“We were really working hard to find the right fit for the right purpose,” Georgiadis said.
“We had to really focus on bringing in some experience but also giving some opportunity to our u19s.
“The biggest inclusion was obviously Danielle Wise, to get that over the line was huge for us.
“We have 8-9 players that have come in to add to our existing bunch, we are really looking forward to seeing the connection forming between our existing players and the new girls coming in.
“We have recruited really well, it’s pretty damn exciting.”
Betti Michael has joined the Club from Alamein, the winger will add another dangerous option up forward with her speed.
Many South fans will remember Leia Varley from her time at the club In 2018 as a 16-year-old as she returns to the club from FV Emerging.
Dragana Kljajić (Motherwell) has also joined the Club, she is a highly skilled attacking midfielder who is calm with the ball at her feet and lethal when pressing forward.
In Georgiadis’ first game as official senior coach, South Melbourne comes up against Heidelberg, which has turned into a grudge match with Danielle Wise squaring up against her former side for the first time.
“You’re talking about two heavyweights of the competition who go back a long way,” he explained.
“Being in the position to play your old foe and with Danielle Wise crossing over it just strengthens the rivalry.
“We are really looking forward to the challenge it's one of those games that’s almost as big as a Cup game.
“They are going to be fighting for those top four or five positions and hopefully we come away with the win.”
Despite having recruited heavily to add experience to the line-up, Georgiadis was as equally excited about the young players in the squad who could make a name for themselves in 2023.
"We had a number of young players who came up from the U19s last yea, like Angeliki Houndalas, she played a huge role as a 16-year-old. She is one player who a lot of people should be aware of, she has been amazing," he said.
"Georgia Kandilas has also played a huge role in adding a bit of depth to this squad, she took her opportunity last season and I think she will be one to stand up and really compete for a spot.
"Kennedy Michaels has come back home from Alamein, she has been in the system for a few years and has a great opportunity to cement herself in our team.
"Then you’ve got the regulars like Sophie Papatsanis, Kiara Hronopouloswho has been at the club since day one and as 19-year-olds and has been playing senior football since day one.
"They are all players who will make a big difference in the upcoming season."
OPENING FIXTURES
Round 1: South Melbourne v Heidelberg
Round 2: FV Emerging v South Melbourne
Round 3: BYE
For Full Fixture Details, Visit GameDay