Victory Women begin their A-League Women season at three o’clock this afternoon against Western Sydney Wanderers at Wanderers Football Park. Jeff Hopkins says the short pre-season and limited testing against league opposition mean the new-look group will keep settling into its roles over the opening weeks. He still expects an organised side that will compete for everything. After last season’s scoring dropped away, his main priorities have been greater mobility and more threat in the penalty area. Hopkins believes Sophie Harding’s pace, strength and movement into the box can make a major difference.

Kayla Morrison will captain Victory again, with Claudia Bunge appointed vice-captain. Morrison has held the role since 2021/22 and last season became the first Victory Women player to reach 100 appearances. Bunge says the squad is not concerned by outside predictions and trusts its competitive training environment. The extended match squad includes all five senior recruits, with Anna Sutter named after arriving from Sweden. Nicki Flannery, Grace Maher and Poppy O’Keeffe are injured, while Leyla Hussein is on international duty.

In the development pathway, teenagers Shaylee Lane and Jasmine Millar have signed Youth Development Agreements. Lane made 25 appearances in Victory’s first NPLW season and helped the under-20s win their championship. Millar scored eight goals for the senior NPLW side and has been named in today’s A-League squad. The club says both players will continue training around the senior program.

In the men’s game, Victory open their league season away to Wellington Phoenix at one o’clock tomorrow afternoon, Melbourne time. Giovanni Savarese says the run to the Australia Cup Final and two AFC Champions League Two matches has given his squad valuable competitive rhythm. He believes Wednesday’s three-nil win over FC Seoul also showed that rotation can preserve the team’s level. Louis D’Arrigo is the only player unavailable. The club lists his leg injury as short-term, and Savarese says a return next week is possible.

Jason Davidson says the players already feel as though they are in the middle of a season after seven matches, but the job is still to return from Wellington with three points. The A-Leagues lists Fin Roa Conchie, Isaac Hughes and Jayden Smith unavailable for the Phoenix. Rafael Durán is back in Wellington’s extended squad after missing their final pre-season trip and playing for the reserves following the birth of his child.

On international duty, Sienna Calvanese and Leyla Hussein are preparing for Australia’s first Under-17 Women’s World Cup appearance. The opening group match against Chile starts at five o’clock on Tuesday morning, Melbourne time. Football Australia’s latest tournament squad still lists both Victory forwards.

Sources:
Melbourne Victory
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Melbourne Victory
A-Leagues
Wellington Phoenix
Melbourne Victory
Football Australia

Morning Line is an independent, AI-assisted briefing, reviewed before publication.