Glory ALW Head Coach Stephen Peters believes that his side are well placed to secure the first away win of his tenure when they take on Western Sydney Wanderers at Wanderers Football Park in Friday’s Ninja A-League season-opener (kick-off at 4pm WST, watch live and FREE on 10.com.au)
Click HERE to view his full pre-match media conference
While the women in purple were a force to be reckoned with at the Sam Kerr Football Centre last term, securing six wins, they were unable to replicate that form on the road.
But Peters believes they have learned some valuable lessons ahead of their latest cross-country trip which is the very first fixture of the new campaign.
“[Winning away] is something we’ve spoken about since we started kicking the first ball here in pre-season,” he said.
“We’ve very hungry for it and we don’t want to leave excuses in the tank.
“There are some things that we feel we’re well planned to do better with, so hopefully that proves to be the outcome.
“We’d be elated with an away win.
“I’m always excited, especially when you’re the first game of the season proper.
“I think there’ll probably be more eyes on it given that it’s the first game of the whole season… it’s an opportunity for us to impress.
“I think everyone is a little bit anxious, but we’re anxious because we know we’re on the eve of the season and we want to fight for three points.
“It means something to everybody… and we’re raring to get going.”
Glory’s only public pre-season outing saw them downed 2-0 by the WA State Team, but while admitting that the defeat at Dorrien Gardens was a chastening one, Peters believes that his side took some valuable lessons from it.
“We saw in that game that if you’re hungry and you have a common goal, you can achieve great things,” he said.
“They [the WA State Team] did a great job getting the win there.
“It was a humbling experience for us and I think that we learned from it.
“Yes, the State Team game was a disappointing result, but everything in the lead up was good and I think our reaction to that game has been good.
“We’re now super-excited to get started.”
In terms of Friday’s opponents, Glory’s Head Coach is expecting them to be fired up after a disappointing 2024/25 campaign.
“They’re obviously not going to be very pleased that they finished bottom last season,” he said.
“I know the coach very well and he’ll definitely be into them about making sure they get a good start and represent what is a very proud football area with a bit of pride.
“We’ve got to be ready for that.
“There’s no game you walk into where three points are just going to be given to you, so we’ve got to be ready to fight for it.
“I think if we do that, then we’ll be right in it.
“I think it’s going to be really tight, arm-wrestle of a game.
“They have some very good defenders, it’s going to be a battle and it’ll definitely go for 90-plus minutes.”
As far as squad news is concerned, Peters revealed that although a number of players have been unwell this week, he is expecting to have the vast majority of his squad available for selection, with the exception of long-term absentees Megan Wynne, Natalie Tathem and Ella Abdul Massih.
A number of players are in line to make their A-League debuts for the club, including Emma Tovar, who has been away on international duty with the Philippines, American striker Rola Badawiya and former Wanderers forward, Bronte Trew.
As for the hosts, Head Coach Geoff Abrahams has lost the services of Sophie Harding and Sienna Saveska who bagged 11 goals between them last term, but has managed to recruit two Chinese internationals in Wang Ying and Yuan Cong.
Last year’s two meetings between the two teams yielded a 1-1 draw and a 1-0 win for Glory, meaning that the WA side have now secured maximum points on 11 occasions overall to Wanderers’ nine.
Match Details
Ninja A-League 2025/26 Season Round 1
Western Sydney Wanderers v Perth Glory
Wanderers Football Park
Friday 31 October 2025
Kick-off: 4pm WST (7pm Local time)
Western Sydney Wanderers squad: 2. Janae DEFAZIO, 4. Poppie HOOKS, 5. Milly BENNETT, 6. Amy CHESSARI, 7. Amy HARRISON, 8. Olivia PRICE, 11. Danika MATOS, 12. Brianna EDWARDS, 14. Ella BUCHANAN, 15. Cushla RUE, 16. Anika STAJCIC, 17. Allyssa NG-SAAD, 18. Aimee HALL, 19. Talia YOUNIS, 22. Alana CERNE, 24. Nikkita FAZZARI, 25. Holly CASPERS, 26. Siena ARRARTE, 37. Ena HARADA
(Two to be omitted)
Ins: Nil
Outs: Nil
Unavailable: Nil
Perth Glory squad: 2.Mischa ANDERSON, 3.Emma TOVAR, 5.Grace JOHNSTON, 6.Tijan MCKENNA, 9.Gabby HOLLAR, 10.Susan PHONSONGKHAM, 12.Bronte TREW, 13.Naomi CHINNAMA, 17.Rola BADAWIYA, 19.Sarah O’DONOGHUE, 21.Meg PHILLIPS (gk), 22.Ischia BROOKING, 23.Isobel DALTON (c), 24.Julia SARDO, 25.Ella LINCOLN, 26.Tanika LALA, 27.Charli WAINWRIGHT, 29.Onyinyechi ZOGG, 33.Alyssa DALL’OSTE (gk)
(Two to be omitted)
Ins: Nil
Outs: Nil
Unavailable: 1.Teresa MORRISSEY (gk) (injured), 7.Megan WYNNE (injured), 8.Georgia CASSIDY (injured), 11.Natalie TATHEM (injured), 20.Ella ABDUL MASSIH (injured), 30.Jessica SKINNER (gk) (illness)
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ALW Match Preview: “We’d be elated with an away win” – Peters
