Continuing the in-depth coverage of our Glory Ninja A-League Women’s squad, Ben Gilby shoots some quickfire questions at homegrown striker, Ella Lincoln…
How do you assess the season so far, both personally and collectively?
Personally, I’m happy with how my season has gone.
I’ve been involved in all 16 games and scored two goals, which I’m proud of.
As a team, our form has been solid and now it’s about maintaining consistency to stay in the top six.
You had four out of five opening games away from home.
How challenging was that, both physically and mentally, with all the travel? How did you manage it?
It was definitely tough, with long travel and quick turnarounds. The management staff have adjusted the schedule compared to last season, which we believe has helped.
Mentally, we focus on treating every game the same way we would at home.
This is your second season in the ALW. How have you developed as a player during this time?
I feel I’ve grown both as a player and as a person.
We’ve built such a positive environment within the team and it’s really starting to show on the pitch.
Training full-time has been a huge factor; being able to train almost every day has helped me improve a lot as a player.
What has been the most challenging part of your development into an ALW player?
The biggest challenge was transitioning from the NPL to the A-League in my first season.
Being a YDA (Youth Development Agreement) player, I had to push hard to earn a spot in the squad, training 2-3 nights a week, giving 110% in every session and working 4-5 hours on a YDA wage was a big adjustment.
Many of your teammates are local players you’ve played with at NPLW WA. What are their key strengths?
The local players I’ve played with are really strong technically, and they have a huge desire to take their game even further.
What does having so many local players say about the development of NPLW WA, and what could be done to strengthen the competition?
The local players who have progressed to the A-League all came through the same pathway via the NTC/Football West Academy, including players like Tijan McKenna, Georgia Cassidy, Grace Johnston, Mischa Anderson, Daisy McAllister and Tanika Lala.
To see more local talent step up, establishing a Perth Glory Academy that competes in the NPLWA would better prepare players for the A-League and build a stronger foundation for women’s football in WA.
What does the team need to do to ensure we finally end the club’s ALW Finals football drought?
We need to focus on consistency.
We’ve shown improvement over the last few games, which [Head Coach] Stephen [Peters] is happy with.
The league is very tight, any team can beat anyone on the day, so we have to make sure we’re consistent with our results to ensure we stay in the top six.
#ONEGlory
