With the A-League Men's on a break for the FIFA World Cup, the A-League Women's is just about to begin and Sydney FC's Wollongong stars Mackenzie Hawkesby and Jynaya Dos Santos are in prime goal scoring form heading into the opening round.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
Defending A-League Women's minor premiers Sydney FC played a pre-season hit out against Newcastle Jets with the match finishing 2-2. Both Hawkesby and Dos Santos scored.
Sydney FC coach Ante Juric gave minutes to all players in a bid to get them fit and firing for this weekend's clash away to Adelaide.
Former Figtree junior Hawkesby has quickly become one of the first names on the team sheet for the Sky Blues during the last few seasons, with the side making the last three grand finals in the competition but falling short in each decider.
The side has won the last two minor premierships, with Hawkesby playing a crucial role in the midfield for the team. Last season she made a number of contributions both with goals and assists.
Still only 22, Hawkesby will be looking to have another sensational season for Sydney and boost her hopes for a Matildas squad call-up with a home World Cup just around the corner.
Shellharbour's Dos Santos signed with Sydney during this pre-season and looks to have immediately impressed. It has been a breakout year for the 17-year-old, who who recently represented the Young Matildas at the FIFA Under-20s Women's World Cup, and was called up to Australian under 23s team for the AFF Women's Championships in July.
The A-League Women's season kicks-off on Saturday with a triple header, with Canberra taking on Perth, Brisbane hosting the Jets and defending champions Melbourne Victory away to the newest club in the competition - Western United.
On Sunday, Wellington will play their first competition match in New Zealand when they play City followed by the Sky Blues travelling to Adelaide.
It will be a challenging start for Sydney, with Adelaide looking to back up their impressive campaign last season when they made finals for the first time ever.
We've made it a whole lot easier for you to have your say.
Our new comment platform requires only one log-in to access articles and to join the discussion on the Illawarra Mercury website. Find out how to register so you can enjoy civil, friendly and engaging discussions. Sign up for a subscription here.
To read more stories, download the Illawarra Mercury news app in the Apple Store or Google Play.