Brisbane Roar Women’s Coach Belinda Wilson has told her players to continue their remarkable end-of-season form and get the job done in their last regular-season game against Newcastle Jets Women at Hunter Stadium on Sunday (1pm KO, Qld time).
The Roar Women head into the clash knowing a draw will be enough to qualify for the Westfield W-League semi-finals against undefeated Premiers Melbourne City at AAMI Park on Monday, 25 January.
But Wilson wants her girls to focus solely on Sunday’s match and not what may, or may not, happen after that.
She says a performance consistent with the last four weeks is needed to get the right result against the Jets.
“The players know what’s at stake, but at the end of the day it’s about doing what we’ve been doing of late and making sure we come through,” Wilson said.
“We knew that this year was going to be tough. In regards to where we are, we’ve had so many wins whether we’ve lost the games, we’ve still taken so many positives away, whether it be in the training environment or whether it be from a game.”
The Roar Women have sensationally turned around what looked to be a season of disappointment with the side winning three of their last four games to be in finals contention.
A poor run of form midway through the season saw the side lose five games in a row but Wilson was confident her players could turn it around.
“The belief was always there, it was just a matter of when,” she said.
“I know I was hoping it was happening sooner rather than later but that Sydney game (where the Roar Women won 3-0 away from home), the confidence that game gave us . . . to dominate that game as much as we did it’s just been a flow on effect.”
Roar forward Emily Gielnik (above) is adamant the side is focusing solely on Sunday’s clash in Newcastle and not the potential semi-final against Melbourne City.
“The focus is on Newcastle and we are treating it as a must win game,” she said.
“We’ve had a really good last couple of weeks, we’re getting better every game so we’re at a really good place at the moment.
“We’re feeling quite confident as a team. We’re going in on a winning streak.”
The clash at Hunter Stadium will be played as a double header with the Hyundai A-League match between Newcastle Jets and Wellington Phoenix. It will be screened live by Fox Sports Channel 505 and ABC-TV.
● Roar midfielder Katrina Gorry, who has been integral to the squad’s end-of-season surge up the ladder was on Thursday named PFA Player of the Month for December.
Words by JACOB CHICCO
Â
