The long wait is almost over. After a pre-season interrupted by COVID and floods, our women's teams start their NPL campaign tomorrow.
Jets start where they finished in 2021, at Wolter Park against Sunshine Coast Wanderers - Under 23s at 6.15pm and Seniors at 8.15pm.
This time it will be in the new nine-team, 16-match, NPL Women’s competition for Queensland’s top teams.
Jets have retained most of last season’s squad, though some players are still coming back from injury.
However, reinforcements have arrived with new signings Khiana Shervey, Tenesha Stanley, Bella Shuttleworth and Georgia Beaumont.
Khiana and Tenesha have both figured in pre-season, Bella and Georgia have just linked up with the squad following the A-League Women’s fixtures.
“Having the likes of Bella and Georgia will be good for the start of the season,” Jets’ defender Jacs Cashman, pictured, said.
“We’ve had a lot of younger girls stepping up and they have done very well. They got in and it was good experience for them.
“I think we all took confidence from the Lions game (Jets won 1-0 in the Pre-Season Cup). It was a good hit out.
“Sunshine Coast Wanderers will be tough, but the key on Friday is to just relax and play – follow the instructions of Mac and Pooley.
“If we play well and put in a good performance, it will give us a chance of winning.”
Sarah Evans, pictured, said Jets’ Under 23 women’s team was “looking forward to Friday” after a long pre-season which started before Christmas.
The squad has seen players stepping up to help the NPL Women’s side and Under 16 players coming through for a taste of senior action.
Jets made a flying start to the pre-season EV2 Invitational with victories over Brisbane City and hosts Mitchelton, before the floods at Teralba Park.
“I think it's exciting,” Sarah said, ahead of tomorrow’s opening round at Wolter Park against Wanderers.
“We want to win, obviously, but I hope we use our structure well, are cohesive and work for each other.
“I think the team is learning how to work together with a new structure. We're starting to understand in the last few pre-season games.
“At the end, I hope we can say we worked hard, communicated and know we have put our best performance.”