Mt Franklin Brisbane Women's Premier League Season Preview
It's a new era for the Mt Franklin Brisbane Women's Premier League in 2018 as the competition gets underway this evening. A restructured NPLW competition has seen a number of last season's clubs make their way over to that competition, or consolidate their teams that were already competing in it; but we still have a handful of clubs that remain, along with some newcomers. So lets take a look at what the Mt Franklin Brisbane Women's Premier League may have in store.
Annerley
Last season's runners-up and Grand Final winners have seen a large turnover of personnel coming into the 2018 campaign. Captain and keeper Gemma Layfield remains and she'll be looking to lead her side to this season's title. Anthony Costa has played down prospects of a premiership title in 2018 and with so many players moving on, including Annika Coyne and Gabby Hein who were inspirational for the Stars last season, you can't blame him. One name of note making a return is Laura Blue who returns from taking time off from playing. Despite the squad turnover, one thing is certain and that will be Costa's ability to get the best out of his side. 2017: 3rd & Grand Final winners. 2018 Prediction: 2nd Holland Park Hawks
Finishing 3rd in the Women's Capital League last season, Hawks will play Mt Franklin Brisbane Women's Premier League football for the first time. Coach Malcolm Allen kept his cards close to his chest at the recent season launch but it may prove to be a tough season ahead for the Hawks. Last season's joint Women's Capital League player of the year, Jemma Moore, has moved to rivals Annerley in the off season and little is known as to who the key personnel will be for the Hawks. 2017: 3rd - Women's Capital League 2018 Prediction: 7th Ipswich City
The Bulls have come into the competition at late notice but by all accounts have recruited some experience to their ranks. A sense of the unknown will greet the Brassall side as they approach their opening encounter away to Holland Park Hawks, but once that game is under their belts, they may settle into their rhythm and show us what they're capable of.
2017: Champions - Women's City League 1 2018 Prediction: 8th Park Ridge
The Panthers are another new side to feature in the Mt Franklin Brisbane Women's Premier League for the first time. Again a little of an unknown quantity, although they did stretch last season's Women's Capital League champions North Pine in each game they played and they also enjoyed victories over rivals Holland Park Hawks in 2017. An increase in players at Ridge will see them hopefully have numbers available to step in should the season take its toll with squad depth possibly vital to their survival.
2017: 4th - Women's Capital League 2018 Prediction: 6th Peninsula Power
Power could well prove to be the team to beat. Pulling out of the NPLW in 2018 means this will be Power's highest level women's side and a club of their stature will be looking for silverware here. As with each of the club's in this season's Mt Franklin Brisbane Women's Premier League, there's an element of the unknown and the playing down of expectations, but if Power don't feature in the top four in 2018, many would be shocked. 2017: 4th 2018 Prediction: 1st Pine Hills
The departure of former club stalwarts Fern Doyle and Laura Dunne from the Pythons could prove telling, but coach Shane Donovan does have the luxury of having retained much of the 2017 squad that perhaps under achieved under former coach Ben Fuhrmann last season. Can the Pythons improve on last season's showing? Again its tough to say but they ought to feature come finals time in September.
2017: 7th 2018 Prediction: 4th UQFC
Last season's Women's Capital League Grand Final winners make a return to the top flight in 2018 and it looks as though much of that side has returned for this season. The St Lucia club have always been prominent in the Women's football environment and now that they don't have a presence in the NPLW competition in 2018, focus will fall upon this squad as their top women's team. For most pundits, the Students should be competitive and should be battling it out for honours later in the season.
2017: 2nd - Women's Capital League 2018 Prediction: 3rd Virginia United
The newbies to the Mt Franklin Brisbane Women's Premier League last season, Virginia finished strongly after a struggle early on in the season. United though, are another side that has seen a number of players move on to new challenges and so a new looking side will be stepping onto the park later today in their opening fixture at Annerley. Time will tell if Jordan Leatherdale's side be in the mix come September but like all the rest in the league, the unknown is the only certainty leading into round one. 2017: 8th 2018 Prediction: 5th
