To celebrate Women’s football, and as part of Female Football Week, the “Battle of the South” will again take place with the SSFA Women’s All Stars taking on the Football South Coast (FSC) All Stars.

The game is scheduled for Sunday 4 March at 1pm at Harrie Dening Centre, Bates Drive, Kareela.

Congratulations to the following players that have been selected to represent the SSFA as our Women’s All Stars:
• Brittney Vanderhart (MMFC),
• Sian Genoud (MMFC),
• Lara Hall-Smith (MMFC),
• Ashlee Chuter (MMFC),
• Lauren Miletich (MMFC),
• Samantha Waterworth (EEFC)
• Siobhan Dibley (St Pats),
• Bernadette Dibley (St Pats),
• Natalie Miladinski (St Pats),
• Annelotte Birdsall (SSFA),
• Merete Sletbakk (LPFC)
• Steph Skyllas (St Pats)

The team will be coached by the SSFA Football Manager Jon Long.

Come down and support your local female footballers and also the SSFA WPL teams that will be playing a trial game before and after the All Stars match.

Harrie Denning Centre, Kareela played host to this season’s Women’s All Stars match between Sutherland Shire Football Association (SSFA) and Football South Coast (FSC) on Sunday 4 March 2018. This match was the second year of the SSFA v FSC female All Stars and helped celebrate the start of Female Football Week.

The game started with both teams taking time to work themselves into the contest. The conditions and the length of the grass on the pitch impacted on the quick passing game plan that the teams wanted to execute and was tiring on the legs of the girls. It didn’t take too long for the first chance of the game with an early corner for the FSC All Stars finding the head of their midfielder who rose high, but could not direct the ball on target.
Sutherland soon began to get a foothold in the game with some good passing through the middle saw a shot from outside the box turned past the post by All Stars goalkeeper. The ensuing corner was easily cleared by the defence and the danger was averted.
The even half then saw some entertaining football with good mid field build up, plenty of switches of play, some nice line breaks and enough shots on goals to keep the goalkeepers occupied. As the half drew to a close, the FSC backline had to stay alert as Sutherland were dangerous on the counter, creating a few more chances that were to no avail in the end. The entertaining half ended with no goals and both teams creating opportunities.

The half time break was not kind to Sutherland with FSC scoring a goal, due to relentless pressure, just after three minutes into the second half. All Stars 1, Sutherland 0. Not long after the re-start, FSC again applied the pressure, but Miletich (the Sutherland Goal Keeper) again made another great save, keeping her team in the game.
Sutherland made a few changes and these seemed to spark a revival as some sustained possession began to stretch the FSC defence. Sutherland managed a number of chances, including a quick breakaway, but unfortunately the FSC defence and Keeper were up to the task and our opportunities came to nought – including a thumping shot from outside the box just missing the post.
With time running out and players tiring, Sutherland continued to push for an equaliser and the game became end to end. Quick counter attacks from both teams were saved by scrambling defences at both ends of the park.

With the full time whistle came a win for the FSC All Stars team – evening up the win to Sutherland from 2017. The game was testament to both teams and shows that women’s football is strong in the South!

First Grade – Sutherland vs North Shore Mariners 1 – 3

Everyone was on the edge of their seats yesterday wondering how ‘Sutho’ would handle themselves in their first match in WPL1, and we didn’t disappoint. Even though we didn’t get the points, we were so close and showed that we could match it with North Shore Mariners.

The girls seemed to show a few nerves in the first 10 minutes, which was to be expected, but once they settled down they went toe to toe with the Mariners.
Unfortunately for us a mix up at the back handed the Mariners their first goal. Our girls kept their heads high and got fighting looking to equalize. A fabulous shot from well outside the 18 yard box gave the North Shore their second, nothing we could do about this one, it was a good (albeit speculative) goal.

Down 2-0 our girls never gave up. The score didn’t show how equal the game was. We kept digging deep and were rewarded when Bek scored a goal from a corner. Back to 2-1 at half time.

Girls were positive and knew we were in the game. They came out in the second half looking to equalize. Once again, unfortunately for us, a misdirected clearance kick headed towards our goal and had enough spin on it that Chloe had no change of saving it. This gave Mariners the lead 3-1. Late in the game a great save by their keeper kept out a fabulous shot by Jordy to the top left hand corner.

The girls were very positive after the game and look forward to the season in the WPL1 comp. They did see the funny side of the score and said least we scored 2 goals each!! Really proud of the way the girls handled themselves today, great effort. …Paris Alcorn

Reserve Grade SSFA 0 v North Shore 6
Not the start to the season we were hoping for. The hot conditions and losing 3 players in the first 20 minutes made it a difficult game from the beginning. Unable to keep the ball, North Shore were continually attacking, leading Sutherland to exhaustion from non-stop defending. With combinations from the midfield and forwards a few chances were created in behind however we were unlucky not to score. Not our best performance however let’s keep our heads high and get back into training ready to restart next week. Thanks to the U17s for filling in after already playing their game.

WPL17’s. SSFA 1 v Nth Shore 1
We were at home for our opening game of the season against the Mariners. The Mariners started the game strong and had our defence under pressure but we held firm. We started putting some good passes together and worked our way into the game. Then Leanna scored a good team goal. Then the Mariners scored making it 1 all at half time. Both teams had chances in the second half but the score remained 1 all at full time. A good start to the season.

WPL15. SSFA 3 v North Shore Mariners 1

Nerves and excitement filled the air as our first game of the season and our kick off was fast approaching. After a warm up and a talk from Morgan and Britt we were rearing to go and ready to put everything we had into the game and so we did. First half North Shore came out firing and were on top of us. With them having most of the possession our defence was really tested. Our defence stayed strong and put immense amounts of effort into keeping the ball out of the net. Akala our goal keeper also did a fantastic job, making some crucial saves keeping us in the game. Nearing the end of the half the score was still tied at 0-0 until a well earned free kick was earned out side the box where ash lined up to take it. A brilliant free kick that was placed perfectly put us in front as we went to the break. After discussing our positives and talking about some improvements that could be made we were ready to go. As the second half whistle was blown pressure was immediately put on North Shore. Minutes into the second half pressure up front resulted in an error in Mariners backs and Jamie pounced, burying the ball in the back of the net. Our midfield was strong switching the ball as a team, taking space when available and creating more chances up front. Mid way through the second half mariners scored a goal off a cross but we weren’t giving up. Our defence shut down any other chances Mariners received and played brilliantly. We kept working hard focusing on our team tasks. Georgia received the ball looked up and played a brilliant ball forward for megean who beat several defenders and finished smashing the ball into the back of the net. A well deserved 3-1 win, working together as a team and never giving up we were able to get the important 3 points.
Thanks to the 14’s playing up- Lucy, Milly, Meg and Jamie! You guys did an outstanding job in both attack and defence!

U14s SSFA vs North Shore Mariners: 4-2 Loss.

We started off the season with an early wake up as always, playing North Shore Mariners. They came a long way and they definitely showed they wanted to be there, but so did we – we fought and didn’t give up. For the first 15 minutes we played incredible football, definitely a good start to the season. Getting more into the game, we lost our balance a bit, but that didn’t stop us. Passing and switching the ball today was standard, not as good as usual, but we had a few good chances to score by Meagan and Jaime with great through balls from the middle. Unfortunately, we didn’t get the result we were looking for but we still have a huge season ahead and we can get back up for next week against Manly!!!!

With the SSFA Grading Committee having met last weekend (Saturday 10 March) the below is a list of dates that rounds are presently expected to be played (subject to adjustments as a result of weather, State Cup participation and unforeseen circumstances).
This list can also be found at http://shirefootball.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2017/04/2018-COMPETITION-DATES-revised.pdf.

Round 1 Saturday 7 APRIL
Round 1 Sunday 8 APRIL
Round 2 Saturday 14 APRIL (School Holidays)
Round 2 Sunday 15 APRIL (School Holidays)
Round 3 Saturday 21 APRIL (School Holidays)
Round 3 Sunday 22 APRIL (School Holidays)
Round 4 Saturday 28 APRIL (School Holidays)
Round 4 Sunday 29 APRIL (School Holidays)
Round 5 Saturday 5 MAY
Round 5 Sunday 6 MAY
Round 6 Saturday 12 MAY
Round 6 Sunday 13 MAY
Round 7 Saturday 19 MAY
Round 7 Sunday 20 MAY
Round 8 Saturday 26 MAY
Round 8 Sunday 27 MAY
31 May. Last day for player registrations to be finalised
Round 9 Saturday 2 JUNE
Round 9 Sunday 3 JUNE
Round 10 Saturday 9 JUNE
Round 10 Sunday 10 JUNE
Round 11 Saturday 16 JUNE
Round 11 Sunday 17JUNE
Round 12 Saturday 23 JUNE
Round 12 Sunday 24 JUNE
Round 13 Saturday 30 JUNE
Round 13 Sunday 1 JULY
Round 14 Saturday 7 JULY (School Holidays)
Round 14 Sunday 8 JULY (School Holidays)
Round 15 Saturday 14 JULY (School Holidays)
Round 15 Sunday 15 JULY (School Holidays)
Round 16 Saturday 21 JULY (School Holidays)
Round 16 Sunday 22 JULY (School Holidays)
Round 17 Saturday 28 JULY
Round 17 Sunday 29 JULY
Round 18 Saturday 4 AUGUST
Round 18 Sunday 5 AUGUST

SEMI FINALS Saturday 11 AUGUST
SEMI FINALS Sunday 12 AUGUST
FINALS Saturday 18 AUGUST
FINALS Sunday 19 AUGUST
GRAND FINALS Saturday 25 AUGUST
GRAND FINALS Sunday 26 AUGUST

N.B. Spare Days – Monday Long Weekend 11 June and
Saturday 1st September and Sunday 2nd September for Finals Series Only

Once grading is finalised and the 1500+ teams are entered into the system the draw itself will be worked on. A Theoretical Draw – which provides an indication of ‘who will be playing who’ each round – will be published to this page (specifically http://shirefootball.com.au/documents/).

Best of luck for the season.

WPL17. Sutherland 2 – Manly 3
In extremely hot conditions we knew it was going to be a tough contest today. But after the opening whistle we got settled into our game, moving the ball around nicely, probing at the Manly defence.
After some great work in the middle of the park we won possession with Janan playing a nice combination with Kiara opening up Manly’s defence for the first goal. 1-0 Sutho!
Soon after Manly got moving with some direct play trying to get one of their attacking players behind our last line. And that tactic proved successful when their wide player got in behind and knocked in a cross for a finish far post. 1-1
Two more goals were to come before half time. The first to Sutho after some neat play in the 18 yrd box saw Jas get brought down for a penalty. Izzy stepped up and dispatched it for a 2-1 lead. But that lead didn’t last long with Manly answering back with a goal before half time. 2-2 at the break.
Second half was as tight as the first and credit to both teams who kept up the pace in very hot conditions. But in the end the difference came in the 60th minute from a set piece to Manly with a free kick hit from over 30yrds out taking a deflection for the winning goal.
An amazing effort to all the girls, so proud of you all! Keep up the hard work and a win won’t be far away!
Also a thank you to the Under 15s Girls; Alex, Georgia E and Paris who did an amazing job playing up for us today!

Match report by: Iman Codmani

Reserve Grade. SSFA 0 v Syd Uni 1

Even with 4 players out and 3 being strikers, the Reserve team did not enter the game with in trepidation but rather with determination. The intensity of the game was high, with both sides not ever giving in. The game was fast paced and once again the temperatures hovered around the 32-degree mark, leading to drink breaks. It was a tough game; the mid fielders were always covered so advancements were made down the sidelines. Our defence worked non-stop. A special mention to Emma in goals who was on alert every step of the way. A special thanks to Meagan from the 14’s, Kiara, Leanna and Julia from the 17’s after having played full games with their own team, turned around and supported us with 100% effort. It was unfortunate that minutes before half time an own goal occurred from a corner. We held our own against Uni, we concentrated, it was intense and this gives us anticipation and confidence in the weeks to come.

WPL15. SSFA 0 v Uni 1.

Moving up into division 1, we realised that we were going to be up against faster and stronger teams and nevertheless we were always up for the challenge. As we were warming up for our game against Sydney University we knew that today was going to be no different and that we were going to be ready for whatever Sydney Uni threw at us.
The whistle blew to signal the start of the first half. Sydney Uni kicked off which meant that we were all on our toes and ready to win the ball back. Throughout the first half we put all of the things we practiced in training to action. We switched the ball with firm and accurate passes and worked hard to transition into attack and defence. Both teams had many chances in their front 3rd, however, Sydney University were the ones to get ball in the back of the net changing the score to 1-0. Even though we were down a goal we didn’t let that affect our game and kept pushing on. Soon the whistle blew again and we headed off to the change rooms.
While we were in the change rooms we discussed what we were doing great and things we we needed to change and improve on. After our chat, we were determined to come out strong and show Sydney Uni what we were made of.
We made our way onto the field to start the second half off and this time it was our turn to kick off. Once again the ball was travelling up and down the field with no team really dominating the other. Compared to the 1st half we had a lot more opportunities up front and shots on goal however we just couldn’t get any in the back of the net. Everyone from our attackers to midfields to defenders worked really hard in defense to win the ball back. Even though we all played great today, Akala made so many amazing saves and was my player of the match. Awesome job Akala!!! Overall, we all played out of our skins and it was unfortunate that we lost.
Thanks again to the U14’s for playing up for us again. We all really appreciate the fact that you girls can play anywhere at anytime without complaining so we can have a bit of a breather. Thanks again to Tilly, Millie, Giules and B!!! Thanks to Daniella Batten for this weeks match report

Sydney FC (@SydneyFootballClub) and SSFA are proud to partner together again to deliver another holiday clinic in the upcoming April school holiday period AND as a special early bird promotion, all participants who register prior to Friday 6 April will go into the draw to win a match day experience at the Sydney FC vs Shanghai Shenhua Asian Champions League (ACL) match at Allianz Stadium on Tuesday 17 April. There will be over 50 individual experiences to be won with all winners receiving 2 tickets to the match as well as the opportunity to either play in a small sided game at half time or be part of the Guard of Honour as the players walk out prior to kick-off.

The Sydney FC and SSFA joint holiday clinic is a great opportunity for both girls and boys of all abilities to have fun developing their skills and love of football in a friendly environment right at the start of the new football season.

Details of the clinic in the Sutherland Shire in the second week of the holidays is below:

Sydney FC and SSFA Holiday Clinic in the Sutherland Shire

Location: Harrie Dening Football Centre, Bates Drive, Kareela

Date: Monday 23 April, Tuesday 24 April and Thursday 26 April 2018 (please note this does not include Wednesday 25 April)
Time: 9am-3pm

Age Group: 5-15 year old boys and girls

Inclusions: Sydney FC training shirt, shorts, socks and hat, a 3 game Sydney FC Junior Membership to the first three home games of the 2018/19 A-League season as well as the opportunity to meet some of the Sydney FC players on one of the days
Goalkeeping sessions: Goalkeepers in the 9-15yo age groups can select to participate in specialised goalkeeping training on all three days of the clinic

Price: $295 for 3 days, $265.50 for 3 days (no kit), $230 for 2 days, $207 for 2 days (no kit)
Discounts Available: Sydney FC members receive a 10% discount or there is a 10% two sibling or 15% three sibling discount available (only one discount applies per transaction)

To register your child and to find out more details of the Sydney FC and SSFA holiday clinic, visit https://my.sydneyfc.com/clinic

WPL17. SSFA 2-0 win!

Coming to the field, we all had a positive mindset ready to give our best, we all couldn’t wait to play. We warmed up, had a team talk and then we were all set and prepared to start the game. We all collectively played football as a unit helping each other out and this showed in the results. Our first goal came mid way through the first half when we won the ball and transitioned quickly with a ball put through to Savannah, scoring a top goal! 1-0 Sutho!

After the half time talk by our coaches, we went back onto the field even more hungry to score some more goals. Towards the end of the game, Izzy delivered a great free kick, the other team deflected it and it came to Janan, who took a touch past a defender and struck a low angled shot to beat the keeper. 2-0 Sutho!!!

We had a great game and thoroughly deserved the win. It was a fabulous team effort especially the fact that we put into practice what we worked on at training, focusing on those key improvement areas, and the results followed with a 2-0 win! Keep it up Sutho!

Thanks for Kyra, Georgia and Akala for backing up for us today.Match report by: Janan Codmani

WPL15.SSFA 6 v Rams 1
After a restful long weekend we all were all really keen to play and come out with a win.
After a team talk we all knew what had to be done on the field. From kick off we moved into space well and put a number of good passes together that put pressure on Macarthur Rams leading to the first goal which was a brilliant shot by Paris and was followed up nicely by Teagan and put us ahead 1-0.
Continuing with good ball movement and running into space allowed Paris to finish off with a well-played second goal. A laps in concentration allowed Rams to get a goal against the run of play bringing the score back to 2-1.
Getting control back of the game allowed two quick goals scored by Jamie and Abbey allowed us to go into half time 4-1 up.
After a quick talk in the change rooms we continued applying good pressure giving Kyra space to slot a very well placed goal from distance. With the Rams becoming frustrated and giving away repeated penalties kept us in good field position that gave Abbey a second well deserved goal.
Overall a great team performance with all players making and important contribution to the win.
Thanks once again to the 14’s Abbey, Lucy, Jamie, Giules.

To All Junior Coaches/Managers of teams belonging to SSFA Clubs

5sports in conjunction with the SSFA is launching a new Winter Fives competition and we would love for you to be involved.

In brief, you enter as the team you play for on Saturdays and play a ten week 5 a-side competition through Term 2 of school on Sundays.
Under 8’s play at 8am, 9’s at 9am, 10’s at 10am and 11’s at 11am. Easy.

We are only taking 6 teams per division and have them split into A/B division, C/D Division and E+ Division so all comps are balanced.

All details attached above but please be quick to avoid disappointment. One phone call is all it takes to register.

EVERY TEAM ENTERED RECEIVES A DEPLOY BALL BAG WITH 10 x T-SPEC BALLS, 10 x TRAINING BIBS, 10 x MARKER CONES WITH A RRP VALUE OF OVER $260.

(Max of 8 players per squad can play on any given game. Up to 10 players can register)

Please contact Brad Grunsell at 5sports (9540 6555 or gruns@5sports.com.au) if you have any questions.

Sutherland Shire Football Association (SSFA) in conjunction with the Sutherland Shire Football Referees Association (SSFRA) advise that we will be introducing a trial of two new game management strategies designed to address instances of poor behaviour and lack of respect for the game by players and/or team officials. The below summarises these two initiatives; which have been recommended by IFAB, FFA and FNSW.

2018 – Officials Cautions & Send Offs. (All Competition Matches)
1. Yellow and Red Cards will be issued for team officials in the 2018 season for their behaviour
2. This is complementary to the current “Ask, Tell, Remove” policy which referees currently implement when dealing with misbehaviour for team officials
3. The objective of the policy is to make it clear to everyone, including the team officials, what stage of warning they are at.
4. Only persons named on the team sheet may be present in the technical
5. The “Ask” is still a verbal warning
6. The “Tell” will now be complemented by the referee showing the yellow card
7. The “Remove” will be made clear to everyone by the referee showing the red card

2018 – Temporary Dismissals (Sunday Matches Only)
1. Where a player is guilty of “Dissent by word or action” that player is shown a yellow card and
the referee points to the technical area. This is not optional.
2. The player must retire to the technical area for a period of 10 minutes, and the team plays with one less player for that period.
3. The objective of the policy is to minimise dissent and to keep referees refereeing
4. The persons in the technical area (including the player themselves) keep the time (starting from when the player leaves the field) but the referee keeps a record and has the final say
5. Dissent by action includes crowding officials
6. Any second caution will result in the player being sent off and that player cannot be replaced.
Any Caution with a Temporary Dismissal is included.
7. Players guilty of offensive, insulting and abusive language or gestures will still be sent off
8. Referees are still instructed to use verbal warnings to manage frustration and minor complaints
from players, but dissent will result in a caution & a temporary dismissal

Reserve Grade. SSFA 3 v Northern Tigers 1
Another scorcher today at home against Northern Tigers. The Reserve team however were in their happy place as finally they had their full squad – welcome back everyone! Mark instructed the team to remember three things going into the game today; 1. Keep the ball, 2. movement throughout the field, and 3. speed. WPL needs speed and accuracy. It didn’t happen the entire game but it did happen and it was enough to bring the team home with a win.
The back line was exceptional toady with Kellie, Maddie, Lauren, Rosch and Zoe being strong. Our goals came from a team effort often forming from either the back or midfield, who fed great passes to Beth, Georgia and Ash who took it home with goals today. Once again Emma in goals kept her cool and saved many nail biting situations. Well done girls you are working well together and developing as a team.

WPL15.SSFA 1 v Northern Tigers 4
After last week’s fantastic win and a great week of training we were prepared and ready to take the pitch. We knew how this team played and worked at training to adapt our playing style slightly.
The whistle blew and before we knew it Northern Tigers were came out at us strong and quickly. We kept in there and managed to get a few balls forward. Unfortunately they pounced and were able to get one in the back of the net, making it 1-0. They managed to create another opportunity leaving the score 2-0 to Northern Tigers at half time.
After our half time talk we knew what we needed to do and were determined to bring ourselves back into the game and compete our player/team tasks.
Northern kept fighting and managed get a breakaway and get it in the back of the net 3-0. We weren’t going to let this get our heads down. Working hard throughout the whole field we created several opportunities for our forwards and with a great pass from Abbey, Paris was able to find the back of the net with a beautiful finish. Great goal Paris! The score now 3-1 with about 20 minutes to go. Both teams moving the ball well making it hard for each other to defend against and stay composed. Northern Tigers were lucky to receive a corner where they capitalised on the opportunity and found themselves a goal. Final score 4-1 Northern Tigers.
Overall, the game has given us things to work on at training and improve upon. We need to keep our heads up and come out firing against Bankstown!! Also thanks to the U14s Abbey and Tilly for playing up, you girls played brilliantly!

U14s SSFA 2 vs Northern Tigers 2.
This morning we started fresh and fired up. We all had a great warm up, hoping this would reflect how we played. The first 15 minutes of the game were great, leading into an early goal by Jamie. Further on into the game we started to drop, we forgot about what we learned at training this week. We were trying to pump balls up to our forwards but rushed through the process. We needed to take our time and switch the ball back and forth – this would give us time. Our passing wasn’t accurate which meant we lacked possession and we were continuously chasing the ball, which then lead to a goal from our opposition. This team was very physical, but we fought back. Just before the first half ended, Meagan sadly injured her knee. The second half was quite similar to our first , very slow and once again our passes were inaccurate. Most of the time when we took the corners, the ball rolled straight past us and the goal, when all we had to do was simply tap the ball in. We all had great runs. Bronte’s run resulted in an amazing goal from outside the box. We were now winning 2-1 and we already thought we had won the game but unfortunately they scored a goal right at the end of the game. The score ended up 2-2. We need to to fix our passing, we can’t expect to win when we give the ball to the other team. Great game girls, let’s get pumped for next week! Giules

Please be advised that all ovals in the Alfords Pt, Bangor, Barden Ridge, Illawong and Menai areas are CLOSED today (Monday 16 April) and tomorrow (Tuesday 17 April) due to the bushfire emergency situation.

Reserve Grade. SSFA 2 v Bankstown 1
Our strong starting line-up and strong bench had our team entering the game with confidence. Mark wanted the girls to apply pressure and if the ball became a hand-over then to re-set quickly. There was no time for having heads pointed to the ground. The girls worked well to achieve this. Our backs were once again a force to be reckoned with. Kellie leading the way with direction and good passes to our mid fields Ash, Lauren and Georgia. A fantastic save by Kellie as Bankstown took a penalty only 15 metres from the box.
Lily, Zoe and Kate made excellent sideline runs, passing the ball off to either Gen, Lani or Beth on the run. During the first half we dominated the goal area and were unlucky that we were only 1-0 at half time. Our goal was a great combination of Kate throwing a lovely long sideline pass to Lauren who checked in on the back goal line. Lauren with quick feet passed onto Gen, who tapped it home.
Our 2nd half started in a slump, but we did reset and as our fresh reserves entered the game we improved the score to 2-0. Gen made a strong kick to the goal and the Bankstown goalie looked like she would safely capture it but we reset, had our heads up and Gen followed through to challenge the goalie and put the ball in the back of the net. We were tiring near the end and starting to stand rather than anticipate. A loss of concentration gave Bankstown the chance they needed and with 10 minutes to go scored against us.
The girls should be happy with this win today. There were a lot of combinations and it was unfortunate that they didn’t end in goals. One particular combination from the backs to the mids to the strikers was brilliant to watch: Kate on the run, pass to Lauren, then Georgia, and to Beth up front who saw she was heavily marked, crossed it to Lani. Lani took on the goalie and just missed the goal . The smokey weather over the last couple of days saw some of our girls suffer with their asthma, but they soldiered on – look after yourselves girls. Rest up.

WPL14. SSFA 1 vs Bankstown 0
Today we had an early wake up once again for our away game against Bankstown city lions FC. We started off with our regular warmup and then, jumped right into the first half, we had an alright first half but the condition of the pitch made us drop our standards. Our passes were weak and we struggled to complete them. We also kept the ball for too long and didn’t release it early enough. However we managed to switch the play swiftly across the field, have some good runs and shots.
In the second half we kept our heads up. Our through balls and passes became a lot better which lead to a great goal from Milly. Overall we played well and didn’t let the other team score a goal.
Thank you for Sarah and Laura for your assistance, you guys did a great job. Jade

FNSW have released the attached draw for the Preliminary Round of the Bill Cullinan Cup (scheduled for Sunday April 29) and Round 1 of all State Cup competitions (scheduled for Sunday May 6).

Teams competing in Sunday SSFA competitions should check for amendments to local matches that may be impacted by teams participating in this Tournament.

PRELIMINARY ROUND – BILL CULLINAN CUP – 29TH APRIL, 2018

AL MEN
QUAKERS HILL V. CRONULLA SEAGULLS HANNA RESERVE 2 12.00
NARELLAN RANGERS V. GEORGES RIVER RAY MARSHALL 3 1.00
LILLI PILLI 2 V. YAGOONA LIONS RAY MARSHALL 3 11.00

ROUND 1 – STATE, ROBERTSON AND BILL CULLINAN CUPS – 6TH MAY, 2018

12 BOYS
BOSCO V. AUBURN DISTRICT PROGRESS PARK 2 9.00
FOREST KILLARNEY V. GYMEA UNITED CROMER PARK 3 9.00
LILLI PILLI V. SANS SOUCI PEAKHURST PARK 1 9.00
MIRANDA MAGPIES V. BYE
COMO JANNALI V. BLACKTOWN WORKERS AQUILINA 5 9.00
CRONULLA SEAGULLS V. BYE

13 BOYS
MANLY VALE V. COMO JANNALI CROMER 4 9.00
ENGADINE EAGLES V. ARARAT FC HAYES PARK 10.15
NORTHBRIDGE 1 V. MIRANDA MAGPIES FOXGLOVE 2 10.15
CRONULLA SEAGULLS V. BYE

14 BOYS
SHELLHARBOUR 1 V. GYMEA UNITED HOOKA CREEK PARK 1 11.30
BALGOWNIE V. CRONULLA SEAGULLS HOOKA CREEK PARK 2 10.15
GRAYS POINT V. BYE
SYLVANIA HEIGHTS V. BEXLEY NORTH SCARBROUGH PARK 7 11.30
AUBURN DISTRICT V. ENGADINE EAGLES PROGRESS PARK 2 11.30
MIRANDA MAGPIES V. PENDLE HILL PROGRESS PARK 1 10.15
MT PRITCHARD V. MENAI HAWKS BILL ANDERSON 11.30

15 BOYS
ST PATRICKS V. BYE
MENAI HAWKS V. MT PRITCHARD BILL ANDERSON 12.45
FOREST KILLNAREY V. LILLI PILLI CROMER 3 12.45
GYMEA UNITED V. HURSTVILLE CARSS BUSH PARK 11.30
BOSCO V. FERNHILL HOOKA CREEK PARK 2 11.30

16 BOYS
PENNANT HILLS V. GYMEA UNITED HAYES PARK 2.30
ABBOTSFORD V. LILLI PILLI 2 HENLEY 3 10.15
EARLWOOD WANDERERS V. MIRANDA MAGPIES HENLEY 4 10.15
HELENSBURGH V. ENGADINE EAGLES HOOKA CREEK PARK 2 2.30
BARDEN RIDGEBACKS V. CAMDEN FALCONS TAHMOOR SPORTS GROUND 12.45
LILLI PILLI 1 V. BYE

17 BOYS – BYE

18 BOYS
CRONULLA SEAGULLS V. BYE
EARLWOOD WANDERERS V. MENAI HAWKS HENLEY 3 11.45
GYMEA UNITED V. BYE
KIRRAWEE V. BYE
LILLI PILLI V. BYE
BARDEN RIDGEBACKS V. BYE
GEORGES RIVER V. EAST BANKSTOWN CREST 1 11.30

21 MEN – BYE

AL MEN
W1 V. W2 (CRONULLA SEAGULLS ?)AQUILINA 5 2.15
W5 (GEORGES RIVER ?) V. W6 RAY MARSHALL 1 1.00
W15 V. W16 (LILLI PILLI 2 ?) PLAYFORD PARK 2 1.30
CASTLE HILL V. LILLI PILLI HILLS CENTENARY PARK 2.15
MENAI HAWKS V. GLENHAVEN GLENHAVEN RESERVE 1.30
NORWEST V. ENGADINE EAGLES GLENHAVEN RESERVE 11.30
KIRRAWEE V. KELLYVILLE KOLTS 2 BERNIE MULLANE 12.15

35 MEN – BYE
12 WOMEN – BYE
14 WOMEN – BYE

16 WOMEN
ENGADINE CRUSADERS V. BYE
GEORGES RIVER V. BYE
GYMEA UNITED V. BYE
AVALON V. ENGADINE EAGLES CROMER 4 2.15

18 WOMEN – BYE
AL WOMEN – BYE

GROUNDS
AQUILINA Eastern Road, ROOTY HILL
BERNIE MULLANE RESERVE Marella Ave, KELLYVILLE
BILL ANDERSON Elizabeth Drive, KEMPS CREEK
CARSS BUSH PARK Carwar Avenue, CARSS PARK
CREST Carysfield Road, BASS HILL
CROMER PARK South Creek Road, DEE WHY
FOXGLOVE OVAL Foxglove Road, MT COLAH
GLENHAVEN RESERVE Glenhaven Road, GLENHAVEN
HAYES PARK Galston Road, GALSTON
HENLEY PARK Portland Road, ENFIELD
HILLS CENTENARY PARK Withers Road, ROUSE HILL
HOOKA CREEK PARK Hooka Creek Road, BERKLEY
PEAKHURST PARK Trafalgar Street, PEAKHURST
PLAYFORD PARK Gibson Avenue, PADSTOW
PROGRESS PARK Chisholm Road & Killeen Street, AUBURN
RAY MARSHALL Erie Street, SOUTH GRANVILLE
SCARBOROUGH PARK Barton Street, KOGARAH
TAHMOOR SPORTS GROUND Thirlmere Way, TAHMOOR

SSFA Aldi Miniroos (Grassroots) Coaching Course

Coach Development- Free Coaching Course

Discovery Phase-For coaches training U/6 up to U/9 year old players

These 2-3 hour courses are fully practical and encourage the coach to develop practices that are based on FUN. The emphasis is on natural development i.e. learning by PLAYING football. No coaching but organising FUN football exercises is the key to helping players build a love for the game. Another highlight of the course is that the coaches are exposed to basic rules of the game as well as tips and hints on building a football culture in a completely practical setting. 

Sutherland Shire Football Association will running one of these courses on the following date:

Friday May 11^th at Bates Drive Oval, Bates Drive, Kareela 6pm-8.30pm

What do you need to do to register and prepare for the course?

Register online via the  link  provided below &/or find more information at:

http://www.ffacoachingresource.com.au/the-building-blocks/the-discovery-phase/training-program/

https://www.ffa.com.au/get-involved/coaching

What do you need to bring to the course?

1. Suitable attire to actively participate in practical sessions – this includes suitable footwear (boots if desired) , shin guards, wet weather gear and towel
2.  Writing materials, sunscreen, drink bottle

ARE YOU READY TO START? – Complete your Registration via the following link:

https://education-ffa.sportingpulse.com/Entry/?EIDMC=9603788&MenuID=%2f17038%2f0

Ensure you click on the correct course and location (i.e. at Sutherland Shire Football Assoc – Location is Kareela)

W17s – Sutherland 1 vs Koalas 1
We entered the field with confidence and after the opening whistle we did well in maintaining our positive attitude. The game began with good tempo. During the first few moments we defended well and created good chances going forward into our front third, testing the Koalas defence with some early opportunities on goal that we just couldn’t quite finish. It was an even game throughout the first half with both sides creating good chances. Our defence was tough and good saves from Bella kept the Koalas scoreless. Some good momentum won us a free kick near the corner for Julia to lob into the box which was pounced on by Izzy with a solid header in the 31st minute. Soon after, leading to a second goal gone begging when high pressing from our forwards resulted in a long shot from Kiara hitting the inside of the post and bouncing out. A solid start to the game with Sutho in the lead 1-0 going into half time. The second half was just as eventful. We dominated well in their half, slight offsides and near misses preventing more goals and a bigger lead. Shifting possession once again resulted in both sides creating opportunities in the front third and some desperate defending which kept the game tight. Sutho fought it out right to the last seconds of the game to
maintain the lead when unfortunately, in the last 2 minutes of the game, a bit of a reckless challenge gave away a free kick near the edge of the 18 yard box for the Koalas to slot it in and equalise the score. The game ending as a 1-1 draw.
An amazing effort from all the girls, a bit unlucky in the end. Let’s get hungry for a win next week!! Also big thanks to Paris, Danielle and Brodie S for helping us out.
Match Report – Kiara De Domizio

WPL13. SSFA 2 v Koalas 1
It was a cold start to the morning, we had a good feeling about todays game. We started very enthusiastically with a great swith to start the game. Our through balls were very good and it paid off, Abbey scored in the first 10 minutes . We dropped out heads a bit after we scored with the passes slowing down resulting in the other team scoring making it 1-1. We didn’t drop our heads and reacted to their goal, we played forward alot more and Abbey with her amazing runs scored another goal to make it 2-1. In the second half we kept playing the way we did in the first half. Bee and Tara were making good switches through the middle getting the ball out wide to Giules and Jade. We got our crosses in but just couldn’t manage to get the ball in the goal. We played our best game so far today good job girls.
By Meagan

WPL15. SSFA 0 v Koalas 3
We kicked off the game and were determined to win this week. The Koalas went in strong straight away but we managed to match it with them and both teams had a few opportunities at goal but the score was kept at nil all for quite a while in the first half. Unfortunately the Koalas’ counter attack was very fast and we were unable to stop them from scoring their first goal but we didn’t put our heads down and we were still very determined. Everyone continued to put in a huge effort. We had worked hard at training this week to create more goal opportunities and our forwards were able to have a few more shots. The Koalas seemed to have a lot of numbers up front and late in the second half they managed to slot another one in and the score was 2 nil their way at half time.

Our coaches talked to us at half time about how we could improve our game in the second half. We went back out determined to put into practice what they said and we definitely improved in the second half because of that. Our passes to one another were on target and we got the ball up front on lots of occasions. All the girls from the 14s also did a fabulous job on the field when they came on and we were very close to getting a goal but the Koalas just kept coming at us. They scored a third goal but I’m so proud of our girls because we just didn’t give up. We kept trying right to the end of the game and overall the effort from our team was great. Thanks again to the 14s girls who played for us.

In the event that either Saturday or Sunday is declared a ‘total wash out’ this weekend (28 &/or 29 April) the below matches will be played on Kareela 2 and Kareela 3 – the Council’s state of the art synthetic facility. The final decision regarding a ‘total wash out’ has not yet been made for either day and will be advised separately (i.e. once/ if such a decision is made).

The teams and the fields/ scheduled match times are noted below. Impacted teams will be playing the below matches that have been drawn for Round 18.

Note that the first and last teams each day will be required to undertake ‘set up’ and ‘pull down’ duties and each team will need to perform Ground Control. Each team listed below should receive a copy of required duties/ criteria from their club.
Any queries should be directed to your respective Club – including the process followed by the clubs to determine if fields are open or closed (and timing of decisions).

Saturday – First Total Wash Out (Kareela Fields).
Field: Kareela 2 (Round 18)
W14 D 9:00am Cronulla Seagulls 1 v Gymea United
W14 D 10:10am Caringbah Redbacks v Menai Hawks
21 F 11:40am Cronulla Seagulls 1 v Gymea United
21 F 1:20pm Cronulla Seagulls 2 v Barden Ridgebacks
21 F 3:00pm Kirrawee v St. Patricks

Field: Kareela 3 (Round 18)
W14 D 9:00am Cronulla Seagulls 2 v Como Jannali
16 A 10:10am Engadine Eagles v Caringbah Redbacks
16 A 11:30am Sylvania Heights v Gymea United
16 A 12:50pm Lilli Pilli 2 v Lilli Pilli 1
16 A 2:10pm Miranda Magpies v Barden Ridgebacks

Sunday – First Total Wash Out (Kareela).
Field: Kareela 2 (Round 18)
SW E 8:30am Gwawley Bay v Barden Ridgebacks
SW E 10:10am Menai Hawks v Kirrawee
SW B 11:50am Bangor v Marton
SW B 1:30pm Barden Ridgebacks v Lilli Pilli
SW B 3:10pm Gymea United 2 v Kirrawee

Field: Kareela 3 (Round 18)
SW E 8:30am Cronulla RSL v Bonnet Bay
SW E 10:10am Lilli Pilli v Bosco
45 B 11:50am Miranda Magpies v Bonnet Bay
45 B 1:30pm Lilli Pilli v Georges River
45 B 3:10pm Kirrawee v Gymea
45B’s have replaced AL1 when compered to previous draw due to AL1 participation in State Cup.

Please note that the SSFA is presently reviewing possible team re-grades (including requests that have been submitted by Clubs). Note that the rules stipulate that regrading of competition teams will be considered after four (4) rounds of football have been played (i.e. after the weekend of 28/29 April).
Once the re-grade meetings to review requests have been finalised, the Minutes are prepared, the decisions are checked for correctness, the teams are moved between grades and competition tables adjusted it will be possible to prepare and publish Round 4. But this will take time (as it does every year) and therefore your tolerance is requested (which is a direct result of the re-grading process)!

Once the draw for Round 5 has been published subsequent draws are expected to also be published (as soon as possible) over the coming weeks.
A list of dates that rounds are presently expected to be played (subject to adjustments as result of weather, State Cup participation and unforeseen circumstances) can be found at http://shirefootball.com.au/ssfa-2018-competition-dates-as-at-13-march/

The following are also links to the Theoretical Draws – which provide an indication of ‘who will be playing who’ each round. These can also be found at the at the documents tab on the website
MiniRoos Theoretical Draw
Saturday Theoretical Draw
Sunday Theoretical Draw

If you have any questions in relation to the above please contact your club directly.

Reserve Grade. SSFA 2 v Illawarra 1
Our Coach Mark is correct, there is a lot of love, camaraderie and positiveness in the Reserve Team and this is even before they go on the field. They literally dance to the beat before and after the serious bit (called the game)!
Illawarra proved to be a formidable opponent, we dominated in the first 15 minutes and we were up 1-0 within 10 minutes, Illawarra however, for the rest of the half kept pushing us back into our goal area. Our first goal was a “yes… we will take that” when Gen drew out the goalie, then kicked a long ball through; the ball was slowly heading toward an open goal. It was one of those moments when time stood still, Kate was running frantically to help the ball into the net, with the opposition scrambling and desperate to keep it out. The question in the end was whether the opposition helped the ball in. We are not sure…. but we took the point!
Literally seconds (which tends to be the case with us) just before half time, Illawarra scored. The girls and coaching staff were not impressed – the “keep it simple” went out the door and the door opened for Illawarra. It was now 1-1. In the change rooms Mark, Geoff and the girls discussed why they couldn’t easily free the ball out of Illawarra’s half, especially from the goal kicks. Illawarra had positioned their team to draw us in, literally squashing the back line. It was decided to adjust our tactics for the second half. With this in mind, we dominated the second half. In the first 20 minutes we pounded their goal area, everyone narrowly missing. Fresh subs continued our fast play and attacking, the back line remained strong. At the 89th minute, Beth was taken out from behind as she had a free run to the goal area, and Sutherland were rewarded a penalty. The penalty was in the box. WOW who was going to take this…. Lani stepped up, lined up and smashed the ball into the back of the net, straight away the whistle blew to finish the game – we won. What mental and nerves of steel you have Lani.
A well-deserved win. Thank you yet again to the Jules and Christina; for filling in for us; and to Britt who put her hand up to help us out also. There was a lot of loud music coming from the change room after!

WPL15. SSFA 0 v Stingrays 3
We kicked off the game and were determined to win the ball. We held our own and made some good passes and through balls but just after a couple minutes of playing, Stingrays managed to make their way through our team and score. 1-0 we kept fighting to win the ball and were determined to get a goal for ourselves but after a while we conceded a corner and Stingrays took advantage of that, slotting yet another goal in, just before half time.
After a long talk with the coaches everyone knew what they had to do in order to get back into the game. Going out into the second half everyone started off fresh and went in hard. There were many great balls into the front third from our midfields and wingers but no luck with scoring. Not getting down everyone tried their hardest to press the ball and use our chances wisely. Then the Stingrays striker took off towards our goals and had a shot. It was then saved but pushed out for a corner. They took their corner and were able to slip yet another goal in. Everyone continued to play on and Stingrays were able to have many corners after that but were unlucky as we cleared them. After winning the ball multiple times and attacking goals, the full time whistle blew.
Unlucky today girls. We’ll get them next time!

WPL17.
Leading up to the match, the fast pace warm up prepped the team and switched them into a football mode mindset of determination and focus. The team got in their positions and the whistle blew signalling kick off.
Sutherland played well first half working around stingrays back line by playing wide and attempting to get crosses in and a shot on goal. Unfortunately stingrays had just a bit more possession throughout the half but Sutherland worked back to defend against them. The half was a pretty even match although Sutherland started off a bit slower and unluckily conceded just before the 35 minutes with a through ball from the middle of the park that resulted in goal. Half time score was stingrays 1, Sutherland 0.
After a motivational and tactical half time team talk, the second half began and Sutherland attempted to remain composed whilst in possession and going forward. With a few more chances on goal, Sutherland just couldn’t seem to finish on target. The game was extremely close and could’ve gone either way. As Sutherland strived to go forward, Stingrays gave away some free kicks. One tackle resulted in our defensive player, Brodie, with a severe leg injury.
The match continued and Sutherland earned a few corners whipped in by Izzy and Sav with Kiara jumping extremely high to get a head on the ball.
Hungry for a goal Sutherland kept working & picked up their pace towards the end of second half and should have a pulled off a goal or two but luck went the other way. Sutherland kept working with a positive attitude going forward, unfortunately in the counter attack by stingrays resulted in another goal, finishing the match at stingrays 2 and Sutherland 0.
The Sutherland girls have a strong back bone and continuously work hard, with their heads held high because they know they deserve better results they have so far achieved . Julia Figueira

Reserve Grade. SSFA 1 v Blacktown 4
The focus and key word today was “performance.” Mark wanted the girls to concentrate not on an outcome but on the performance. Key factors; play out the back line quickly and early as practised in training; IF the ball was lost then you must recover; finally press and press hard. Blacktown are a very physical team. Our girls hit the dusty pitch many times, with Beth and Lauren having to be substituted – we hope you are okay girls. Our only goal was a team effort , pass by Lauren who being tussled, passed back to Maddie in the back, who looked to pass short, but passed a long running ball to Gen who crossed to Kate running to the front of the goal and smashed it home. At half time, Mark said he wanted the party to be in Blacktown’s half. Blacktown were physical but we all thought we had better fitness and as the whistle blew to commence the 2nd half, the fitness showed as we dominated, but the goals would just not come. Emma Gidney had us out of our seats when a Blacktown striker made a break. Emma, half the size of the striker, left her box ran 20 metres full speed and tackled her. Emma’s confidence and determination is what you need – WOW Emma that was a heart stopper! At the 70th minute Blacktown placed a high goal in the back of the net. It was going to be hard to come back at 3-1, however, we fought on and the end result at full time was a loss. At the team talk the girls and Mark liked how we did achieve the play out of the back line as practised in training and were reminded that in WPL1 we have to take our chances, i.e. we need to finish. We were competitive against Blacktown today and we will be looking forward to the next game. To Mel, Rosh and Zoe your sideline support and good humour is very much appreciated.

WPL15. SSFA 2 v Spartans 5
After a tough couple of weeks of not playing our game we were ready to go into the game and prove our selves. We knew it was going to be a tough game but nothing was getting in our way.
We started off a bit lazy and on the back foot from the start with the Spartans getting to the ball early every time. Paris had some great opportunities going forward. Before we knew it we were down 3 nil halfway through the first half. By this point we were more eager to fix our problems and get some goals. We started getting it together with more positive play and finally rewarded with a great free kick goal by Georgia. Our game picked up and we started to look for feet and did very well on little 1-s to get forward. In this half we definitely improved on our clearance of the ball.
After a half time team talk we knew what we had to do. The second half we were more competitive across the field but unfortunately conceded 2 more goals. This didn’t put us down though. We continued to defend and our mids made some great opportunities towards our front line. Our backline made some great decisions of the ball find feet or switch the play. After putting in more effort and improving our game we were rewarded with a great corner kick by Georgia and wonderful header by Ash in the last 30 seconds.
There is definitely a lot to work on still but we are learning each week what it takes to compete in a tough competition which will lead to another win which is just around the corner. Mia

WPL14 SSFA 1 V SPARTANS 3
We were pumped for today and we started the game well putting Spartans under pressure with some great through balls. We moved the ball down our left and right sides really well.
Good runs out the back from Millie and Bee ran tirelessly in the midfield. Spartans attacked hard in the last 10 minutes of the first half and we let in 2 goals. 2-0 at half time.

In the 2nd half we lifted our heads and worked really hard putting them under pressure. Spartans attacked and crossed the ball and we couldn’t clear it. They scored their 3rd and Brodie was taken off with an injury to knee. We didn’t give up and we kept pressing forward. Tara had a brilliant shot that hit the cross bar and Nicole followed up but couldn’t quite connect. More pressure from us led to a handball in the box from our corner….Penalty!
Jamie put it away nicely, 3-1 at the final whistle. Well played girls and thanks to Sienna and Jazz for playing