2022 Women’s National League – Team of the Season
It makes no sense why National League footy gets so little coverage across Aotearoa but you won’t catch The Niche Cache complaining at getting this lane all to ourselves. Occasionally you’ll get one of the other media outlets dipping their toes in the pool but only one kiwi website is diving in head-first at the deep end... hook us up on Patreon if you rate the mahi (or buy us a coffee instead). Or just keep supporting what we do by reading and sharing and spreading the TNC gospel far and wide, it all helps us keep doing what we do and it’s all a blessing as far as we’re concerned.
But I digress, it’s Team of the Season time. A season which began with Eastern Suburbs winning games and then ended with Eastern Suburbs winning games. In between there were teams that dipped off from the winter and there were those, like the ‘Burbs, who got better come National League time. The four federation teams started slow with the handicap of not having that continuity from the winter although Southern and Canterbury in particular came on strong in the reverse fixtures. But there were two teams that stood out above the rest the entire way: Eastern Suburbs and Western Springs. They occupied the top two spots on the ladder after every round on the way to meeting in the final and they’re heavily represented in these teams.
These teams which are three-tiered. First team, second team, third team... just like the NBA model of awards since that way you get to hype up more players, emerging youngsters and steady veterans and the like. All selections are a matter of opinion and yours may vary, that’s all good – in fact that’s kind of the point, getting folks emotionally invested in the domestic game. All teams are picked in a loose 4-3-3 formation, same as with our Substack newsletter Team of the Weeks throughout the season (sign up for that banger herein). Anyway, let’s go.
FIRST TEAM
GK – Brooke Bennett (Eastern Suburbs)
Led the way with four clean sheets plus another in the grand final, not to mention some excellent shot-stopping. You could claim that the clean sheets were as much to do with an outstanding defence in front of her and there are better shot-stoppers in this league (not many, but a couple for sure). Nah, what raises Brooke Bennett above the rest is that on top of those things she’s also fantastic with the ball at her feet. Solid technique, full confidence, assured decision-making. It was a key aspect of the ‘Burbs build-up and no other goalie did it better.
RB – Talisha Green (Northern Rovers)
Talisha Green is one of those players you just love to watch because anything she does, she does with maximum commitment. Captained this Rovers team beautifully, filling in anywhere she was needed across the backline, never backing out of a tackle, plus she was a sneaky attacking option with her deep free kicks and long throws into the mixer. Ended up playing more on the left side than the right side but was notably more effective on the right because it brought her crossing into the equation. Slightly wasted outlet from Rovers not leaning on that more, to be honest. Still, three goals and four assists. Hectic numbers.
CB – Lily Jervis (Western Springs)
If there was a Defender of the Year award then Lily Jervis gets it. There were some superb practitioners of the defensive arts in the league this year but Jervis held off the crowd due to a combination of high-level performances, consistency throughout the entire season, and her ever-present status having started all fifteen games including the grand final. She was heart of the Springs backline, captaining and leading the way. Plus those long passes over the top were a secret weapon for a team as good on the counter as Western Springs.
CB – Rebekah Van Dort (Eastern Suburbs)
Now for the other grand final captain, the one who ended up lifting the trophy. RVD missed the first two games but then quickly got into her groove for a team that never conceded more than twice in a game all season. Her anticipation levels are immense, so many interceptions, then when she gets the ball she’s got the ability to step up in possession and spark an attacking overload. Can’t miss those intangible leadership qualities which bring her teammates along with her... and when you’re a lock-down defender with the constant courage to push your team onto the attack, well, that’s how championships are won.
LB – Lara Wall (Canterbury United Pride)
It wasn’t always easy for a Cantabs team that didn’t find their rhythm until the back half of the campaign but one player they could always depend on was Lara Wall out on the left. Those bursting overlapping runs are a menace for any team to deal with. The irrepressible energy. The huge workrate. Definitely doesn’t ignore the defensive duties either – always fond of a crunching tackle or two per game. Not sure how she only ended up with one assist but that was probably more to do with some of the finishing from her teammates, if we’re being honest. Because the deliveries into the area were pretty fine too. Lara Wall is the best left back in the competition. Won both Player of the Year and Players’ Player of the Year at the Pride awards which underlines the point.
CM – Rose Morton (Southern United)
If there is a loose ball in the midfield then Rose Morton is going to claim it. If you take a slightly heavy touch in the midfield, then Rose Morton is going to take that ball away from you. The way she wins possession in those areas is a marvel. It’d be easy to be fooled by her smiling visage and diminutive stature but only if you’ve never seen her play before. RM has been one of the crucial parts of this Southern United machine over the last few seasons and basically whenever they do well, you can guarantee that Morton’s had a blinder in the midfield. Ever-present and always hunting.
CM – Tayla O’Brien (Eastern Suburbs)
The Rightful MVP... how anyone could have followed this season and thought otherwise would be a mystery – unfortunately NZF’s voting format is a shambles so they didn’t reward the actual best player. In this case the best player for the best team, which is what Tayla O’Brien was. She scored four goals in the season opener against Capital then scored another three in week two against Central. Led the Golden Boot ranks from pillar to post despite spending half her time in the midfield. 17 goals and nine assists - that’s first and third-equal respectively. TOB is strong on the ball, she skips past defenders at will, and combines gorgeously with teammates for a Suburbs team whose rapid interplay and off-ball movement was never anything less than a joy to witness. Scored quite a few headers too. You couldn’t find a weakness if you tried. Tayla O’Brien was the definitive player of the 2022 National League season. Say it with me: M-V-P.
CM – Rina Hirano (Western Springs)
And if TOB was number tahi, then the MVP runners-up should have been Rina Hirano and Deven Jackson (in either order). Hirano has graced kiwi football for the last couple years along with her Japanese compatriot Arisa Takeda. The grand final was their last game upon these shores before departing but it’s been a blessing to have them around while they were. Hirano was the leading light for Western Springs. Whether operating in the midfield or the front three, her smooth touches and perceptive vision were always on display. Eight goals and ten assists tell that tale well enough. So good.
FW – Deven Jackson (Eastern Suburbs)
Injuries have been frustratingly common within Deven Jackson’s football career. Cost her a couple youth World Cups and limited her college stuff in the States. That made what she achieved this season even more awesome because if Tayla O’Brien was boss lady for Eastern Suburbs then Deven Jackson was a highly involved vice president. From a magical hat-trick in a masterclass against Northern Rovers early in the season to a player-of-the-day spectacular in the grand final where she scored twice and set up the other two. 12 goals and seven assists this season not including that final. DJ blitzed defenders on sight. Her movement was always slippery and deliberate. The finishing was masterful. Supreme areas from Deven Jackson who saved her best ‘til last on the way to a championship.
FW – Ruby Nathan (Auckland United)
Seems like madness to pick a player who actually only played nine games (all starts)... but Ruby Nathan was not to be denied. She and teammate Milly Clegg were the two youngest players in the U20 World Cup squad midyear, both also backing it up with the U17s soon after. Nathan was overshadowed by her mate Clegg at those ones but when Clegg signed with the Wellington Phoenix upon return, it left Ruby Nathan the spotlight all to herself (and Bree Johnson and Manaia Elliott tbf). Nathan responded with an unreal run of creativity. For somebody so young, the vision is amazing. She’s got that lanky guile to her, capable of beating a defender on the dribble or with a pass. Plus she scores bangers. And takes a fiery corner kick. Those pink boots quickly became iconic as Nathan led the National League with 11 assists along with her five goals... despite missing a full month of the season for the U17s. That’s not normal. And to do so having only just turned seventeen... baffling. But that’s just the calibre of player that this country is producing these days, apparently.
FW – Sofia Garcia (Western Springs)
The American winger got underway with a hat-trick against Southern United, flexing what would become her trademark move of dashing in behind the defensive line, drawing out the keeper, then rounding that goalie to slide into an empty net. Such a danger with those direct runs. Quick and skilled. Went through a spell of six games without a goal at one stage but kept creating space for others throughout and then had a proper resurgence as she scored consecutive late winners against Canterbury and Auckland Utd. 11 goals and five assists all up. Enough to round out the First XI.
SECOND TEAM
GK – Kate Hannay (Southern United)
Okay, get this. Kate Hannay didn’t start the first two games and Southern lost both conceding 13 times. That’s not a completely accurate example because she was subbed on midway through that second game and had to pick a few of those goals out of the net herself... but upon being promoted to the starting team a week later Hannay kept consecutive clean sheets (already a crazy turnaround) and for the rest of the season never allowed more than one goal past her in any single game. The one time she was rested... they lost 2-1 (snapping a six-game unbeaten streak). When Hannay started, SU conceded eight goals in 11 games (three clean sheets), winning five games whilst drawing five and losing just once – a hugely commendable 1-0 defeat away to Eastern Suburbs. When she didn’t start, they lost all three conceding 15 times. Those number are incredible... and the eye test backs them up as Hannay’s brave keeping and reliable shot-stopping proved an ideal foil for their deep and committed defensive stylings.
RB – Arisa Takeda (Western Springs)
So close to the first team, almost had her over Talisha Green on the right then considered giving her the left back spot over Wall given she played on that side often enough. Instead she’s gotta be an esteemed member of the seconds... but that’s exactly the point of having tiered teams so as to not be forced to ignore a player as good as Arisa Takeda. Outstanding with a dead ball or a live one, her crosses are things of legend. Superb in possession playing through and out of pressure. Just an excellent fullback, pretty much. Been a pleasure having her in Aotearoa.
CB – Hannah Mackay-Wright (Southern United)
Once a part of that bronze medal winning U17 World Cup team, HMW has become a crucial part of Southern United’s team over the past few years - she was superb for them last year as they won the South Central Series. This season started slow with all those goals they conceded in the opening two defeats but there was a stretch of a couple months in the middle there where Mackay-Wright reached a level she’s never before touched. She was unbelievable. Made four Team of the Weeks in a row at one stage. It can be a dangerous thing to play a deep defensive line and invite pressure but less so when you’ve got HMW winning pretty much anything that came anywhere near her. Plus she scored a couple important goals too. Only reason she wasn’t pushing the first team was that she missed the last four games through injury.
CB – Rebecca Lake (Canterbury United Pride)
Similar thing to HMW here, in that Rebecca Lake’s best form was absolutely deserving of first team status... but she just didn’t quite have enough of it due to her team’s inconsistencies. The Pride suffered from high expectations in a league that was kinda stacked against them as a federation team which only had a couple weeks to get up to scratch against Auckland club teams who’ve had all year to prepare. The Pride only won two of their first seven games. Lake was good through that spell but the defence around her was messy and went through some reactive changes. Then it all clicked with four wins from five including a massive upset away against Eastern Subs, dealing them their first defeat, and suddenly the Pride were amazing and Rebecca Lake was immense. A powerful leader, strong in the challenge, skilled on the ball. Such a superb player.
LB – Aimee Atkins (Eastern Suburbs)
Had a few hesitations about this left-back spot, particularly after Atkins didn’t make the starting eleven for the grand final. But she did make a nice cameo off the bench and started most games throughout the regulars, her forceful runs up the wing and especially her killer delivery into the area leading to a goal and six assists – the most assists of any player to play primarily as a defender (albeit an attacking one in her case as an Eastern Suburbs wing-back). Subs did mix and match their wide defenders throughout, keeping everyone fresh. That gave them all moments to shine so shout outs are also in order for Erinna Wong, Annie Byrne, and Olivia Page.
CM – Jess Innes (Western Springs)
There were players who scored more goals than Jessica Innes did... but none were specialist midfielders. Innes put seven of those ones away (as well as a couple more assists), always pushing forward in support as well as whipping in some mean set pieces – she scored directly from two separate corner kicks (granted, I’m still not convinced the one against Central actually crossed the line). Innes was irrepressible. At one stage she scored in four consecutive matches. Her tag team CDM combo with Lily Taitimu met only one foe they couldn’t withstand and considering nobody figured out how to contain Eastern Suburbs there’s no shame there.
CM – Saki Yoshida (Eastern Suburbs)
The most underappreciated player in the competition, surely. It’s not that people don’t realise how good Yoshida is, it’s more that she does her work in such a tidy and controlled fashion that it’s easy to miss how influential she is week in and week out. For such an attacking team, Subs needed that disciplined engineer in the middle and that’s the role that Yoshida performed to near-perfection. The only game she didn’t start, the ‘Burbs were stuck at 2-2 against Rovers when she was subbed on at half-time and from that point onwards they cruised to victory in a tough game. Thankfully Yoshida got her starring moment with a well-taken goal in the final.
CM – Emma Pijnenburg (Western Springs)
Pijnenburg didn’t get any minutes at the U20 World Cup but the fact she was picked for that squad at all whilst still only 17 years old (she turned 18 in September) shows how far ahead she is. Pijnenburg is a classy midfielder. Great touch. Spins out of pressure. She can pass, shoot, dribble – bagged five goals and four assists all put together. And every time you watch her play she produces at least one jaw-dropping example of creativity, an outrageous switch of play or defence-splitting through-ball that very few others in the country can hit as accurately or as often as she does, let alone at her age. EP’s a top tier prospect who just had a fantastic season. Know the name.
FW – Bree Johnson (Auckland United)
Auckland United had a mess of a Natty League season thanks to a heap of player movement which left them unable to sustain anything close to their Kate Sheppard Cup winning form. Apart from a 1-1 draw against Northern Rovers in week one, they lost every game against fellow Auckland clubs. Did bag three wins against fed teams along the way but going ten straight games conceding at least three goals is going to slaughter most sides. Luckily they did have a killer front three in return. Ruby Nathan’s already gotten a shout. You’ll hear about Manaia Elliott soon. But even while those two were at the U17 World Cup, Bree Johnson was holding it down on her own. 13 goals and four assists. She was the second top scorer in the league. Scored four in a win over Central. Didn’t miss a start. Her speed out wide, her ability to beat a defender, and her slick finishing had Johnson scoring against every team except one this term (Northern Rovers).
FW – Kelli Brown (Northern Rovers)
Sneaking into the Rovers squad almost in the shadows after not being re-signed by the Wellington Phoenix, Kelli Brown then spent the National League season laying down her claim to another A-League chance somewhere. After a couple of rusty efforts off the bench in the first two weeks, she scored a whopping five goals in her first start (the first inside a minute of the kickoff) in a 9-0 win against Central and from then she was soaring. 12 goals and 7 assists combined. Her shooting was enough of a weapon but then she started whipping in these mean crosses from the right wing too, even starting a few games out wide to capitalise. After Michaela Foster joined the Welly Nix, her old WaiBOP teammate Brown ascended into focal point status. Can’t argue with it. Hopefully a few other ALW clubs were taking notice.
FW – Jasmine Prince (Southern United)
The first thing you notice is how fast she is. Jasmine Prince is rapid with space in front of her and a counter-attacking Southern United team soon came to lean on her presence as the key part of their attack (along with Kennedy Bryant’s hold-up play and some sharp set pieces). Prince scored four times for a team that didn’t find goals the easiest to come by. Four crucial goals. There was a brace in the 2-0 win over Capital. She got the winner in a 2-1 win against Canterbury United. Also scored the injury-time equaliser in the 1-1 draw vs Western Springs. Massive.
THIRD TEAM
GK – Angelique TuiSamoa (Western Springs)
There were two goalies in contention for this spot: Angelique TuiSamoa and Ellen Blount. Could have made a case for either but AT gets the gig. The Samoan international did have a couple errors creep into her game later in the season but on the whole was brilliant. So many big saves – a couple in the last-minute 3-2 win away vs the Cantabs sure stand out – as her team took it all the way to the grand final.
RB – Manaia Elliott (Auckland United)
Only played right back twice prior to jumping on a plane to India to captain the U17s at the World Cup... but this way we get an extra attacker into the crowd and in a league as heavy on the goals as this one the attackers get the benefit (apologies to Toni Power of Southern who would’ve been here otherwise). Elliott returned from the U17s to play as a right winger for AUFC and that turned out to be a masterstroke. She’s not the biggest player out there, usually one of the smallest in fact, but she never gets dominated in a challenge. An absolute nugget. Plus she’s stocked with energy to run for days. Combine that with a hard shot and you’ve got six goals right there. Peak Manaia Elliott was the 3-2 win against Capital in the penultimate week in which she scored twice, won a penalty, and also won a separate foul that the oppo goalie sent off.
CB – Zoe Barrott (Capital)
Capital tended to have trouble keeping possession, although their midfield definitely improved along the way (Olive Lynch-Gerrard seemed to help with that), which meant they had their backs to the wall in a few too many games. But that’s no drama for Zoe Barrott, who is one of the best defenders in the competition, don’t sleep on it. Like many of her other rivals to that crown she’s got leadership qualities for days. She’s aggressive in the challenge. She has a good feel for how to move the ball in possession. Did have to fight through a few injuries along the course of the term but that wasn’t about to stop her. Just a fantastic centre-back.
CB – Jana Niedermayr (Central)
Would’ve liked to include another Central player in here but you know how it goes. Tessa Hyland’s steady improvements and set piece snipers did have her in the conversation. Kate Bennett might have also had she played a little more. Lara Smith was another useful player while Sophie Campbell’s last couple games in goal were unreal. Nah, but Niedermayr was the only one who held the fort throughout. A rare example of a Central prospect who came back to play for Central after FFDP duties (she had been affiliated with Eastern Suburbs), JN played a bit in midfield before settling into her usual central defensive duties and showing the kind of control and anticipation that a very young Central side desperately needed. They still conceded a lot of goals with her. They might have drowned in them without her – not to mention how important it is to have a player like Niedermayr, only a few years older than a lot of her teammates, showing them that there’s a reliable pathway for players from the region. Niedermayr was a starter at the U20 World Cup only a few months earlier.
LB – Cara Chung (Capital)
Left back was a frisky one as players like Suya Haering and Freya Partridge-Moore stood out but in limited opportunities. Samantha Woolley was in contention. As were all the rest of the Eastern Suburbs rotation of wing-backs. Gone with Cara Chung for the third-stringers though. Someone who supplied some much-required experience to the Capital defence and the team always seemed to be at their best when CC was at her best. Her performance in the 1-1 draw against Southern was outstanding. She and Renee Bacon were the only soldiers who started every game for Capital this year.
CM – Sarah Morton (Southern United)
Brought in a couple weeks late, no doubt recruited by her sister, Sarah Morton actually only started the last five games of the term – mostly filling in at CB after Mackay-Wright departed (and doing a fantastic job of it). However the six-cap Footy Ferns defender still had a tendency to pop up off the bench and deliver a bit of class when needed prior to that, as her four assists can attest to. Particularly when she joined her sister in midfield. Some of those passes, mate. Also bonus points for celebrating a yellow card for dissent, that was a good laugh. But then Sarah Morton’s always smiling on a footy pitch even when she’s angry.
CM – Whitney Hepburn (Canterbury United Pride)
Basically, we’re talking about one of the most consistently reliable players in the competition here. The Cantabs midfield was in constant change around her but even on the bad days Hepburn was still out there winning tackles and distributing sweetly from that deep-lying midfield spot. And cracking a few long-range rifle shots. Loye, Mortlock, Firth, Evans, Dabner, Bellamy, Keoghan... all played midfield along the way for the Cantabs while Whitney Hepburn never missed a start. Goes without saying.
CM – Danielle Canham (Northern Rovers)
A regular in that Rovers midfield despite only being 17 years old. Canham might have been nudged out of this spot by her teammate Breeze Durham who did the defensive inverse of Canham’s role. Durham was the CDM, giving Canham (and whoever else played midfield in that three) the room to push forward and create. So give Durham some credit for the fact that Canham was able to serve up eight assists (as well as scoring two of her own). Did fade in and out sometimes but has that excellent ability to pop up in the right place at the right time and makes sharp decisions under pressure in the attacking third. Those are some very exciting tendencies for a young kiwi footballer to possess.
FW – Renee Bacon (Capital)
The MVP of the league according to NZ Football’s awful selection criteria... but that’s no shade on Bacon who was once a marauding fullback for Southern United but since moving to Wellington she’s evolved into a winger good enough to build a team around. With five goals and four assists, Bacon contributed to more than half her team’s 17 total goals. She and Pepi Olliver-Bell were the twin focuses of that Capital attack and if they weren’t doing it then nobody was. Lots of pressure there... but Bacon in particular seemed to love it. Strong and fast and direct and determined. Really nice season from RB.
FW – Charlotte Roche (Canterbury United Pride)
Charlotte Roche top scored for the champion Canterbury Utd youth league. She then got boosted up to the struggling first team and as soon as she got there she changed their fortunes. Even at 18yo, just giving them that focal point to build around was massive... then on top of that she also happens to be a quality finisher. Especially when running in behind the defence. Having already made three subs appearances, Roche started the last five games in a row for the Pride and scored in all of them including a hat-trick against Auckland United. Eight goals in five starts. They were a different team with CR9 up there. Respect also to her teammate Chloe Bellamy whose spot in the team she probably stole with this late surge.
FW – Pepi Olliver-Bell (Capital)
And finally... the other leading light for the Capital attack. Shout out to Dani Ohlsson who had some moments too. Pepi Olliver-Bell alternated between playing as a winger and a number nine, arguably doing her best work as the latter where she could manipulate defenders with her movement. Could make the case that her five goals and two assists were actually down on where they should have been for her efforts, she’ll get more clinical as she gains more experience but even as a teenager she’s been a player that her province relies upon. Super quick, plenty of skill. POB’s only travelling in one direction and that’s upwards.
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